Seth Magee Cook’s biography, Watertown Township, Clinton County, Michigan

Copyright © 1999 by Jan Sedore. 
This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb 
Archives.  

 

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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY
Page 139
SETH MAGEE COOK

Seth Magee Cook, following the occupation of farming for many years in Clinton 
County, so that his present rest from labor is well earned and richly deserved, is 
now living retired in Dewitt, where he has made his home for the past twelve 
years. He owns a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Watertown Township and 
dates his residence in the state from 1844 and in Clinton County from 1855. He was 
born in Steuben County, New York, October 28, 1830, and came of English lineage. 
His parental grandfather, Samuel Cook, was one of the early residents of the 
Empire State and there Anson Cook, the father, was born and reared. After reaching 
adult age he married Anna Wheeler, who was born in New Hampshire. In order to 
provide for his family he followed the occupation of farming, living for some 
years in Steuben County and Ultimately taking up his abode in Monroe County, where 
he resided for a few years. In 1844 he came to Michigan, settling in Hillsdale 
County upon the farm which continued to be his place of residence until his life's 
labors were ended in death. His wife survived him for only a few years.

Seth M. Cook is one of the family of four sons and two daughters, all of whom 
reached maturity. His brother is Emery A. Cook, who is living retired in 
Litchfield. His sister, Mary L., is now Mrs Tracy, a widow living in Quincy 
Township, Branch County, Michigan. Seth M. Cook, of this review, was reared to 
manhood in Hillsdale County, where he arrived when fourteen years of age. There he 
remained until after the discovery of gold in California when, with the hope of 
rapidly realizing a fortune on the Pacific Coast, he went to the far west in 1851, 
crossing the plains with teams. The journey consumed four months but at last the 
travelers were gladdened by a sight of the green valleys of the Golden State. 
While in California Mr. Cook engaged in a search of the yellow metal and spent 
four years in mining with fair success, after which he returned to Michigan by way 
of the Isthmus of Panama and New York city, arriving at his home in Hillsdale 
County in 1855. Later in that year he came to Clinton County, where he purchased a 
tract of wild land in section 2, Watertown township, heavily covered with
timber. He at once began the difficult task of cutting down the trees and clearing 
the land for cultivation, and his persistent energy and labors at length triumphed 
over the difficulties in his way until he had opened up and improved a valuable 
farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He erected on this a good residence, 
substantial barns, built fences, planted fruit trees and in fact made the property 
a very productive and valuable farm. In the early years of his residence here he 
taught school in the winter months of 1855-56-57 in Watertown.

On the 28th of December 1857, Mr. Cook was married to Miss Emily J. Smith, a 
native of New York. She became a teacher of Michigan, successfully following the 
profession prior to her marriage. Her father, William Smith, was likewise born in 
the Empire State, where he was reared to manhood and then married Pamelia Van 
Ness, also a native of New York. About 1837 he came to the west, settling in 
Hillsdale among its pioneer residents. The Indians still lived in that part of the 
state and every evidence of pioneer life was to be seen. It was four miles to the 
nearest neighbor and the entire district was thickly covered with timber. Mr. 
Smith, however, hewed out a nice farm in the midst of the forest, on which he 
reared his family and spent his remaining days, his death there occurring about 
1897, when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-nine years, while his
wife survived him or two years. Mr. and Mrs Cook have become the parents of a 
daughter, Julia, who is now the wife of George C. Higbee, circuit court reporter 
and stenographer at Marquette, Michigan. 

Politically Mr. Cook is a stanch republican where national issues are involved. He 
cast his first presidential ballot for Franklin Pierce in 1852 and then, becoming 
deeply interested in the issues, which gave rise to the new Republican Party, he 
supported its first candidate, John C. Fremont, in 1856. In local affairs he has 
been prominent and helpful, has served as school inspector for several years, has 
been highway commissioner and has been a delegate to the county conventions of his 
party. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is one 
of the trustees and class leader, while his wife is a member of the Congregational 
Church and both are earnest Christian people, enjoying in high measure the esteem 
and good will of those who know them. While living retired, Mr. Cook raises some 
garden products, keeping his place in excellent condition. He is a member of the 
board of review and is a citizen of worth, who for a half century has lived in 
Clinton County and has guided his life by honorable upright principles.


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