Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Cook, Wilford P. 1853 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 19, 2006, 10:41 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

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 life and
before his marriage came West and entered upon contracting and building in
Detroit, fifty years ago. He also worked at his trade at Aurora, Ill., and at
other points, and subsequently returned to 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 to Conneaut, Ohio, where for a number of years he
engaged in the mercantile business. Several years ago he disposed of his
business there and removed to 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 to 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 to become a
clerk in his father's store at Conneaut. Two years later he went to New York
City and became a salesman in the wholesale notion house of C. B. Rouss, and
three years later began to learn the drug business in Sharon, Pa., thoroughly
mastering this business under the instruction 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 operated 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 factory 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 to 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 year 1870 and are still living here. One 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 twp 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.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan,
Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens,
Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the 
Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892

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