James Cook

COOK, HURSHER, BARCUS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 8/8/2007 at 20:33:51

Source: History of Monona County
Chicago National Pub.1890

James Cook, now a prominent and influential citizen of Sherman Township, residing on Section 7, was one of the earliest pioneers of this county, as already shown in the history of the settlement of the same and the details given below. He is the oldest living resident representative of that old pioneer family whose name is so interwoven with the annals of Monona County.
Mr. Cook was the son of Aaron W. and Martha (Hursher) Cook, and was born in the town of Delaware, Delaware County, Ohio, September 25, 1837. His mother dying when he was quite a small child he was brought up without the influence of a mother’s love, although his father was married twice after this. He came with his father’s family in 1847 to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and after spending a few month’s at “Winter Quarters,” now Florence, Nebr. took up his residence in Pottawattamie County. In the fall of 1851 James came with his father and Mr. Sumner up the Missouri Bottom, in search of the honey made by the wild bees, and discovering the large amount of rush beds in the County upon which cattle could be fed all winter, and the proximity of the timber to the river banks, the elders decided to return here and make a settlement, bringing what cattle they could get of their neighbors to keep through the winter at twenty-five cents a month per head. Returning here the same fall they drove a head of about one hundred and fifty head, which James herded in the above mentioned beds, and assisted the family in settling themselves in one of the three deserted shanties which they found on section 30. For several years he herded cattle in this manner, and took a large share of the hard work off his father’s shoulders, although he was but a boy at the time. After the decease of his father, which took place January 1, 1856, James took charge of the family, and kept them together for about two years. On the breaking out of the Pike’s Peak excitement our subject, in company with others, started for the newly discovered mines, but on their road thither changed their minds and went on to California. He remained in the latter State, engaged in mining, some eight years, but in May, 1867, returned to Monona County. Finding that the rest of the family had deserted the old homestead, he took charge of it, and having purchased the rights of the other heirs in it, has brought it to a high state of cultivation. This is situated on Section 7 and 8, Sherman Township, his residence being on the former. Here he has remained ever since.
James Cook was married December 15, 1867, to Miss Sarah Barcus, a native of Ohio, and daughter of John and Phidelia Barcus. They have been the parents of the five following children: George M., Willie, who was drowned in the Missouri River in 1876: Addie May, James E. Charles L.