Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Cook, William 1890 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 11:42 pm

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

WILLIAM COOK. For many years this gentleman resided on a fine farm on section 
16, Crete Township, Will County, and this land, through his energetic 
management, was converted into one of the most pleasant estates in the 
township. He also owned land on section 17, comprising altogether one hundred 
and twenty-five acres. He dated his arrival in this county from May 10, 1850, 
after which he gradually built up a finely improved farm and accumulated a 
fair share of this world's goods. Toward the close of his life he retired from 
his more arduous labors and spent his declining years in ease and comfort. His 
death occurred at his home, July 14, 1890, when he had attained the ripe old 
age of eighty years, four months and nineteen days. For six years preceding 
his death, his activity was somewhat lessened by the lameness which resulted 
from a fall he then received. Politically, he was a Democrat, and in his 
religious belief was a consistent member of the Methodist Church. His 
intelligence, uprightness and useful life and industry were recognized by his 
acquaintances who accorded him their highest esteem. In Lincolnshire, England, 
many years ago, lived and died Thomas Cook, a small landowner. He married 
Sarah Holmes, a native of the same shire, who died when sixty years old. This 
worthy couple were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty 
years, and for years their home was a meeting place for the congregation on 
every Wednesday night. They also had prayer-meeting every Friday night and 
class-meeting every Sunday for some years, these facts illustrating the 
faithful interest which they felt and manifested in the cause of Christianity. 
To them were born nine children, the subject of this sketch being one of 
younger members of the family, and the only one who came to the United States. 
The natal day of William Cook was February 25, 1810, and his birthplace in the 
northern part of Lincolnshire, England. The early years of his life were spent 
in acquiring knowledge, but at the age of thirteen years he left school and 
began to learn the trade of a shoemaker. He served under Richard Michaelwait 
in Winterton, in his native shire until he was twenty years old, after which 
he worked as a journeyman for a time. He then set up a shop in the place where 
he had learned his trade, and there married Miss Elizabeth Adkinson, the 
daughter of well-to-do parents, by whom she was well reared. She was born in 
Blygton, England, in 1803 and in her native shire grew to womanhood. There her 
mother died, and a few years later her father came to the United States, where 
he lived to be quite old. Joseph Adkinson was a tailor. Upon coming to America 
he settled near Monroeville, Ohio, where he owned a large property. After the 
birth of their first child and the death of the same, our subject and his wife 
set out for the United States, leaving their native land February 25, 1831. 
They took passage at Hull on a brig frigate, and after a voyage of some seven 
weeks landed in New York City, whence they journeyed to Monroeville, Ohio. 
There Mr. Cook followed his trade of a shoemaker one year, and then purchased 
a small farm on which he lived for some time. After fifteen years of residence 
at that place he went to Lake County, Ind., and for two years made his home 
near Clinton, whence he removed to this State and county. Here Elizabeth 
(Adkinson) Cook died in 1865 when about sixty-two years of age. She attended 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was the mother of eight children, of whom 
but two are living. Thomas resides in Onarga, this State; his wife bore the 
maiden name of Margaret E. Fellows, and was a resident of Plainfield. George, 
who lives at Council Bluffs, Iowa, married a Miss Shipley for his first wife, 
and for his second a Mrs. Davis. The gentleman of whom we write contracted a 
second matrimonial alliance, the ceremony taking place in Chicago, Ill., and 
his chosen companion being Mrs. Mary A. (Mitchell) Hoskins. She was born in 
England, whence she came to America in early womanhood. She died December 12, 
1878, when past middle life, leaving one daughter, Julia A., a refined and 
well-educated young lady. Mrs. Mary Cook was identified with the Methodist 
Church, and by her former marriage had one child, Frank, a successful merchant 
at Geneseo.

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 

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