W. H. Cook
W. H. Cook, who is engaged in farming upon the old home place in Crawford county and has attained a favorable reputation as one of the enterprising citizens of Willow township, is a native of Genoa, De Kalb county, Illinois.
He was born October 10, 1874, and is a son of Archibald and Sarah Perkins (Shirtcliff) Cook. The father, who was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, enlisted at sixteen years of age in the Union army during the Civil war and served for one and one-half years. He was confined to the hospital for about a year as the result of an injury and after receiving his honorable discharge took up his residence in De Kalb county, Illinois, where he was married. In 1879 he came with his family to Crawford county and located on section 28, Willow township. The land was not surveyed and he assisted in establishing the lines which have ever since served as a basis for surveys in this part of the county. There were no roads or bridges, no fences, no ditches, and such improvements as had been made were of the rudest description.
He broke the land, erected a comfortable residence and built good barns and sheds, affording ample shelter for grain and stock. The improvements which he made were of such a substantial character that many of them are in good condition today. He continued upon his farm until Thanksgiving day, 1890, when he removed to Dunlap, Iowa, where he and his wife are now living. He was the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of land when he retired from active labor.
His wife is a native of Canada but they were married in Illinois. There were seven children in their family, namely: W. H., of this review; Harry, who is deceased; George B., who is now a traveling salesman for the International Harvester Company; Mary, who is a stenographer at Omaha, Nebraska ; Roy, who lives at home; Jessie, who is engaged in teaching school at Dunlap; and Leslie, deceased.
W. H. Cook received his early education in the common schools of Willow township but laid his books aside at fourteen years of age to engage in fanning on his own account in Boyer township. After two years he returned to the home place and now has charge of one hundred and sixty acres, which he manages to excellent advantage. He cultivates the fields successfully and pays special attention to raising cattle and hogs for the market.
In 1897 Mr. Cook was united in marriage to Miss Ola Remde, a daughter of Carl and Caroline Remde. The parents were both born in Germany and were married in the old country. They came to the United States and took up their home in Springfield, Illinois, later removing to Harrison county, Iowa. The mother is now deceased but the father is living in Dunlap retired.
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Remde, namely: Edward, who now lives in Boyer township; William, who is deceased; Oscar, of Willow township; Ola, now Mrs. W. H. Cook; Victor, who is a general merchant at Dunlap; and Otto, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Cook are the parents of six children: Zeta, Galen, Ethel, Carl, Dorothy and Merlyn, all of whom are living at home.
Mr. Cook and his wife have an unusually interesting family and are making every effort to rear their children to habits of thrift and industry so necessaryin the accomplishment of any worthy purpose in life. They have many friends in this section who have been attracted by their genial qualities. Mr. Cook is not connected with any religious denomination but attends the Methodist Episcopal church, of which his mother was a member. Politically he is an earnest supporter of the republican party and fraternally he holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.