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Wilford P. Cook
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biography
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WILFORD
P. COOK This fine young business man who is full of enterprise and energy and
whose intelligence brings him into the front rank among the rising men of Fenton is a native of Summit Township, Crawford County, Pa.,
where he was born June 18, 1853. He is a son of Henry D. and Mary A. (Gowdy) Cook, both natives of the Keystone State
and descended from a long line of New England ancestry of English extraction.
The father of our subject learned the carpenter’s trade early in live and before his marriage came West and
entered upon contracting and building in Detroit, fifty years ago. He also worked at his trade in Aurora, Ill., and at other points,
and subsequently returned too Crawford County, Pa., where for a number of years he followed agriculture, but soon after the war sold his farm and
removed with his family too Conneaut, Ohio, where for a number of years he engaged in the merchantile business. Several years ago he disposed of
this business and removed too Toledo, Ohio, where he is living a retired life, having reached the ripe old age of eighty years.
Mr. Cook is of a family somewhat noted for longevity, and his mother, who was born in 1776, lived too celebrate the centennial of
National Independence. She was the mother of nine children, and all but one of them is still living, the eldest being past ninety.
Henry Cook and his faithful companion are both members of the Presbyterian Church, and very highly esteemed for their sterling qualities of heart and life.
Our subject is one of seven children, all of whom are living. After receiving his elementary education in the district schools he attended
the academy at Conneaut for a short time, but left school at the age of sixteen too become a clerk in his father’s store at Conneaut.
Two years later he went too New York City and became a salesman in the wholesale notion house of C.B. Rousse, and three years later began too
learn the drug business in Sharon, Pa., thoroughly mastering this business under the instructions of J. A. Espy, with whom he remained for six years.
In company with his brother Lester M. Cook our subject now set up a drug store in Fenton in 1880, and two years later they purchased a fruit
evaporating establishment which they opened in connection with their drug business until June 1, 1890, at which time they disposed of the fruit business and
our subject purchased a half interest in the Fenton Manufacturing Company which makes whip sockets.
This flourishing factor was established in 1877, and is now one of the largest in the United States. They make about forty varieties of whip sockets,
and in the course of the year manufacture nearly half a million, and control most of the Western trade. Our subject is the financial manager of the firm.
Mr. Cook was married in 1890 too Miss Annie Barrows, a native of Nova Scotia, and
a daughter of John and Jane Barrows, who were both New Yorkers by birth and emigrated to Michigan about the years 1870 and
are still living here. On child has blessed this union, namely; John L. The principles and policy of the Democratic party
are those which meet the approval of our subject, and he has been village Clerk for two years and President of the village for
the same period. Mr. Cook is a member of Fenton Lodge No. 109, F. & A.M. and of Genesee Chapter No. 29, and has been for three
years eminent commander of the Fenton Commandery No. 14. He still has an interest in the drug business of Cook Bros.
1892 Portrait & Biographical Album of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Chapman Bros. |
