Husband Hon. Anthony "Andrew" Cook 1 2 3
Born: 14 Jan 1824 - Venango Co, PA 2
Christened:
Died: 18 Nov 1891 2
Buried:
Father: John Cook (Abt 1778-1858) 3 4
Mother: Susan Helpman ( -1830) 3 5
Marriage: 1849 6
Wife Rebecca Ann Mays 1
AKA: Rebecca Ann Maze 6
Born:
Christened:
Died: Aft 1898
Buried:
Father: John Mays ( - ) 1
Mother: Sarah Wolf ( - ) 6
Children
1 U [Infant] Cook 6
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
2 M John Wesley Cook 6
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
3 M Anthony Wayne Cook 6
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
4 M Jake Hill Cook 6
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
5 F Ida May Cook 1 6
Born:
Christened:
Died: Aft 1898
Buried:
Spouse: Samuel W. Calvin ( -Bef 1898) 6
6 M Thomas Burnside Cook 6
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
7 F Harriet J. "Hattie" Cook 6 7
Born: - Cooksburg, Clarion Co, PA
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Dr. Charles Clifford Ross (1867- ) 6 8
Marr: 7 Jun 1893 9
8 U [Infant] Cook 6
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Hon. Anthony "Andrew" Cook
Hon. Anthony Cook (known by most people as Andrew) was about four years old when his father took him to where he lived, made his for-tune and died. He was reared in the midst of the tall, primeval pines and hemlocks, breathed the pure air of mountains and valleys, and grew to be a giant in strength, six feet five inches in height and weighing 250 to 275 pounds. He was not only a giant in the physical sense, but he had a giant intellect, original in thought and action, and his success in life is the best proof of his judgment and ability. There were no modern school privileges when he was a boy, his nearest school being at Scotch Hill, five miles away, and then the Agnew school across the river from their home, three miles. The principal part of the Judge's education in early life was gained from study at night, after a hard day's labor, by the light of a pitch pine knot. He was a close student all his life; read many good books and periodicals, always read the weekly and daily papers when he could get them, and kept well-posted in politics and the business of the country. A cautious and close observer, his ad-vice especially in business, was considered the best obtainable. The most he ever went to school was after being married and keeping house, when Capt. Phipps, a nephew, taught a small school in the end of the house in which the Judge lived; at that time he and his wife had one or two children, but so anxious were they to learn that they both went to school.
From early boyhood the Judge took a great interest in, and assisted his father in his lumber business. When about twenty years of age, he and his two brothers, Philip and Jerry, began the lumber and boat business for themselves. Soon after Jerry was married, and Philip and Andrew carried on the business. In 1843 An-drew bought his brother out, continuing the work alone. In 1849 he married and there never lived a husband and wife more devoted to each other; the interest of the one was always the interest of the other, and their forty-two years of married life were forty-two years of perfect har-mony. They had eight children, the eldest and youngest of whom died in infancy.
Soon after Judge Cook started in business for himself he began accumulating property by pur-chasing large tracts of timber lands adjoining, and also the homestead and the greater part of the land originally purchased by his father. He was careful in management, gave close attention to his business, and by his own industry, perse-verance and pluck, accumulated a large fortune in lands and other property in Forest and Clarion counties, known as the Cooksburg property, on which are erected three sawmills, one flouring-mill, one planing-mill, boat scaffold, several dwelling houses, and a store. He also owned the greater part of a large planing-mill and other property in East Brady; was the president and principal stockholder in the East Brady Bridge Company; also had a large lumber yard and other business interests in Pittsburg, and a large interest in timber lands in Oregon. Besides all these he was one of the founders, stockholders and directors of the Second National Bank of Clarion, of which for four years previous to his death he was president. In the banking as well as in all his other business he showed more than ordinary skill and management. His good judgment, strict integrity and honest dealings not only gave him a name and character worthy of imitation, but also a large amount of this world's goods. He was modest and unassuming; kind and generous to the poor, of whom many could testify to his help in times of need, yet these acts of charity were scarcely ever known to any except the one he helped, so carefully was he in such things to suppress publicity. He was an employer of a great many men, all of whom would bear witness of his kindness. Although he re-quired each man to do his work he never exacted more than the simple performance of duty, and all who worked for him will say that his word was as good as his bond.
Our subject took an active part in the organ-ization of Forest county, and was one of the first county commissioners. He held many county and township offices; was elected associate judge in 1870, serving five years. All his official acts were governed by sound judgment, equity and justice. He took a great interest in all public questions, and in politics was a Republican.
Judge Cook generally had the best of health, never having had any illness except a severe at-tack of typhoid fever when twenty-five years of age, which his strong constitution overcame. In February before he died he was attacked by la-grippe, from which he never recovered. It affected his stomach, finally causing catarrh; his physician, Dr. Joseph N. Dickson, of Pittsburg, thought a more congenial climate would be beneficial, and advised him to spend the winter in the South. In October, 1891, he, in company with Mrs. Cook, Hattie and Wayne, started south, intend-ing to spend the winter in Georgia. They stopped a few days in Pittsburg and Washington, and when they reached Old Point Comfort (Fortress Monroe) the Judge was tired and they stopped to rest. Dr. Dickson was summoned and found him suffering from malarial fever; the Doctor remained with him, giving him all care that med-ical skill could afford, but skill and good nursing were of no avail, his time had come, and from the complication of diseases his great constitu-tion gave way, and on the morning of November 18, 1891, he calmly and peacefully breathed his last. His work was done, his great, good heart ceased to beat, and he entered on the unseen life. The body was carefully embalmed and placed in a rolled steel, air-tight casket, and brought to his home at Cooksburg for interment. The funeral took place on November 23. Religious services were conducted by Rev. Andrews, a Universalist minister from Pittsburg, who accom-panied the remains from that place. On Sunday night before the burial a large number of the Judge's intimate friends had gathered to pay their last respects to him. The large house was full to overflowing. Rev. Andrews preached a learned discourse on the subject of prayer, which was listened to with profound interest.
Judge Cook in early life became convinced that there was one God, a Supreme Power, who ruled and governed all, and that all persons and things were subject to that power; he accepted the doctrine of the Universalist Church as being nearest in harmony with his convictions, and lived and died in the belief that God required us all to do right and obey the golden rule, and that He had prepared a better home for all who love Him and keep His commandments. A short time before his death, when asked by his family if he thought he was going to a better home, his answer was, "I think I am."
It was his desire that his remains be placed in a vault. On the lid of the casket was a large silver plate which was engraved:
At Rest.
Anthony Cook.
Born Jan., 14, 1824,
Died Nov., 18, 1891.
At the head of the casket lay a pillow of roses and choice flowers, in which were imbedded "At Rest" in letters of blue. The pillow rested against a large wreath of smilax, roses, chrysan-themums and carnations placed upon palm leaves. A sheaf of wheat, on which lay a sickle made of smilax and flowers as above, rested at the foot of the casket. This was a fitting emblem of a ripened life ready for the sickle of death. The pall bearers were the four sons and four broth-ers of the deceased. The casket with the re-mains was taken to the Cooksburg cemetery placed in another air-tight zinc box, enclosed in a water-proof wooden box, and the whole laid in a temporary vault, there to remain until a per-manent vault could be made for the final resting place in the same cemetery according to the Judge's wishes.
Notwithstanding the inclem-ency of the weather, the flood in the river, the number attending the funeral was the largest ever seen in the vicinity. Thus ends the life of a loved and useful citizen, one who has been sadly missed, not only by his family, but by all his numerous friends. There were few men so widely known and so universally loved and re-spected-a self-made man and a success in life.
His business was continued by the fam-ily under the name of the A. Cook Sons.
After much time spent in looking up the qual-ity of northern and southern granite, together with the aid of government tests, the contract for the building of the mausoleum was let to the Smith Granite Company of Westerly, RI, August, 1892. But owing to the general strike prevalent all over the country among the granite cutters at that time, the mausoleum was not com-pleted until the fall of 1893, at a cost of $23,000. The large blocks of granite to be seen through-out the construction of the building were espec-ially referred to in making the contract as more liable to withstand the ravages of time and the elements. The exterior is built of the best qual-ity of blue granite, all exposed parts being finely hammered. The work was all executed at West-erly, RI, ready for final placement when re-ceived at Cooksburg. The general dimensions are 26.2 x 16.10 on the ground, and 17 feet high. The first and second courses are platforms or steps extending entirely around the building, while the third course projects only in front, and on which rest the four Doric columns that sup-port the front porch. These columns are of polished granite, having carved caps and moulded bases, and, what is rather unusual the columns each with their caps and bases are cut in one piece. The pilasters are cut solid on the ashler, and like the columns have carved caps and moulded bases. Around the ventilator in the front gable, which is in one stone, is a carved wreath of laurel leaves, while immediately below on the frieze over the porch, the name "A. Cook" appears in raised letters, face polished. The roof is composed of five stones, each one extending the whole length of the building. The floor is of one stone also, which is highly pol-ished and ornamented with a beautiful con-ventional design, extending the entire length and breadth of the vestibule; the ends of the lat-ter are hammered blue granite and formed by the ashler extending through the wall; the ceiling is formed by one stone of blue, while all other parts are finished in red.
The mausoleum contains twenty catacombs, ten on either side; the doors, catacomb handles, guard for the window and grills for the ventilat-ors are all of bronze. The two doors of bronze at the entrance are a work of art in themselves, of a well executed classical design. At the far-ther end and opposite to the doors is to be seen a beautiful stained glass window, the design of which was taken from a "log drive" at a point where the logs had formed a gorge, two and one-half miles from Cooksburg on Tom's run. They make a noticeable contrast in their fallen and helpless state, to that of the tall, grand and stately old pines bringing up the rear, and forming an appropriate back ground for such a scene, and at the same time guarding their fallen comrades with the hope that they may be spared a like fate for years to come. In this mauso-leum was placed the remains of Judge Cook, in the fall of 1893. The mausoleum is one of beauty, grace and endurance; it is situated on one of the highest points surrounding Cooksburg, acting as a silent sentinel overlooking the grad-ually sloping hills and beautiful sleeping valley of the Clarion, whose river in the distance recalls "The liquid marble of the windless lake," and whose waters sparkle and twinkle in the bright sun-light, a reminder of the bright and beautiful home our Heavenly Father has gone to prepare, where parting and sorrow never come, and we can say "all is well." [CBRCP, CCJC, 1398]