Ebenezer Cook was the son of Captain Ira Cook, and was born at New Hartford, near Utica, Oneida county, New York, February 14, 1810. While yet a boy his father moved to Broome County in the same State, where he was extensively engaged in the lumber business.
Ebenezer at the age of seventeen went to Ithaca as the confidential agent of Hiram Powers, in a wholesale house there. When twenty three years of age he married at Unadilla, Miss Clarissa C. Bryant, and soon after went into the mercantile business, at Vienna, Oneida County. In May, 1835, with his old friend and earliest patron, Hiram Powers, he journeyed by way of the lakes to Green Bay, then on horseback through the Indian country to Galena. There they heard such glowing accounts of the lands of Iowa and the opposite shores of the Mississippi that on returning to New York State, the entire family decided on leav ing their eastern home for a new one in the regions beyond the Missis sippi. Ebenezer did not accompany them, but followed in December, 1835.
In 1838 he commenced reading law with Judge Williams, and was appointed clerk of the Federal Court in 1839, being admitted to the bar in 1840. He soon obtained an extensive practice in ten Counties.
In 1847 he commenced the locating of land warrants issued under the Congress of 1845, and this led him to active operations in real estate, which he successfully carried on until the railroad excitement of 1851, 52, 53, when he took an active part in the new movement for the advancement of the State by these means, becoming a director of the Chicago & Rock Island Road from its first organization; was elected secretary and vice-president of the old Mississippi & Missouri Road, and at the consolidation of the two roads as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, he became treasurer, afterward vice-president, and was at the time of his death acting president of the same road, which loses one of its most valuable and energetic chiefs.
The handling of large sums of money during his land warrant business drew his attention to banking, and he became a member of the firm of Cook & Sargent, until 1859, when he withdrew to devote his whole attention to the interests of the railroad.
Although a consistent and patriotic member of his party he took no active share in politics, and never sought or solicited any office in his life. He had his share of civic honors, being elected alderman of Davenport in 1851, again in 1854, and lionored with the mayoralty in 1858. He died at his home in Davenport, on the eighth of October, 1871, aged sixty-one years and eight months. (“ History of Scott County,” 1882.)
BIOGRAPHIES