Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Cook, Mathias L 1816 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 5, 2007, 7:40 pm

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

MATHIAS L. COOK, a member of the firm of Bennett & Co., liverymen, makes his 
headquarters at No. 408 Van Buren Street, Joliet, and holds a good position 
among the business men of the city. He is a veteran of seventy-three years, 
having been born September 2, 1816, and is a native of Morris County, N. J. He 
comes from a good family, being the son of Jabez and Sarah (Burett) Cook, who 
were natives of New Jersey, and spent their last years in that State. The 
parental family consisted of six children, two of whom are living. The subject 
of this notice grew to mature years in his native place, and when approaching 
manhood began an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, which he followed 
probably until 1837. When a young man of twenty-three years he determined upon 
seeking his fortunes in the Great West, and making this county his objective 
point, arrived in Joliet in the fall of 1839. Two years later he became 
interested in the livery business in company with O. W. Stillman, and they 
established the first enterprise of the kind in the embryo town. Mr. Cook had 
his first stable on Benton Street. He was successful from the start, and has 
continued so up to the present time, covering the long period of over fifty 
years. In the meantime he has dealt quite extensively in horses, and is 
perhaps as good a judge of the equine race as can be found in this part of the 
country. After having established himself fully in business Mr. Cook took unto 
himself a wife and help mate, being married in November, 1843, at the bride's 
home in Joliet, to Miss Flavilla Seeley. This lady was born in 1824, in 
Susquehanna County, Pa., and was the daughter of Justin and Mrs. Seeley, who 
were natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Seeley emigrated with his family to Illinois 
about 1836, and thereafter occupied himself in millwright pursuits. He had 
learned millwrighting in early manhood, which he followed until 1860. The 
parental family consisted of two children; the parents spent their last years, 
the mother in Illinois, and the father in Iowa. Mrs. Cook attended the common 
schools during her girlhood, and was trained by a careful mother to all useful 
household duties. She remained under the parental roof until becoming mistress 
of her own home. Of her union with our subject there were born three children, 
only one of whom is living, a son, Oscar, who is now in Topeka, Kan. Mrs. Cook 
departed this life April 11, 1884. Mr. Cook cast his first Presidential vote 
for Van Buren, and maintains his allegiance to the Democratic party. He has 
been somewhat prominent in local affairs, serving heretofore as a member of 
the City Council in the old Fourth Ward, but is now Alderman from the Second 
Ward. He owns and occupies a comfortable home in the central part of the city, 
and enjoys an extensive acquaintance among its leading residents.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/cook12bs.txt

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