Biographical Sketch of Charles L. COOK (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 851-2. "CHARLES L. COOK, a retired manufacturer residing at Coatesville, is a man who has led a busy life, seen much of the world and been almost uniformly successful in whatever he has undertaken. He was born April 15, 1818, in London Grove township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, his parents being Thomas and Hannah (Edwards) Cook. The Cooks are of English antecedents. "John Cook (grandfather) was born in Chester county, where he passed his entire life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He owned a farm in London Grove township, was a member of the Society of Friends, married Elizabeth Davis and reared a family of two sons and two daughters; Caleb, Thomas, Hannah, and Sarah Cook. He died about 1825, aged eighty-nine years. "Thomas Cook (father) was born in London Grove township, this county, Oct- ober 30, 1785, and after attaining manhood engaged in farming, and fol- lowed that occupation all his life. He died July 3, 1868, at the advanced age of eighty-two years and seven months. In politics he was first a whig, but on the advent of the Republican party he identified himself with that political organization. Following the religious traditions of his family he early became a Quaker, and lived a useful and consistent life. He was active and industrious, possessed sound judgment and strict integrity of character, and became one of the most prosperous and progressive farmers of his township. He married Hannah Edward in 1807, and to them was born a family of eight children. She was a native of London Grove township, and a member of the orthodox Society of Friends, and died in 1866, aged eighty- one years and two months. Her father, John Edwards (maternal grandfather), married Lydia Roberts, owned a fine farm, and in olden times ran a distil- lery. He was of English antecedents, the family coming to this country in 1600 [sic]. "Charles L. Cook grew to manhood on his father's farm in London Grove township, and acquired his education in the common schools of that early day, which found their home in the 'little log school house' so familiar to early generations, but now known to our young men and women princi- pally through literature and tradition. After leaving school he engaged in teaming and soon became familiar with all parts of the surrounding country, having driven all over the roads in this section. He was ener- getic and aspiring, and it was not long until he was engaged in running three threshing machines among the farmers, to him belonging the honor of having introduced the first threshing machine ever seen or used by the farmers of his neighborhood. About the same time he began to deal in live stock, purchasing cattle, sheep and horses in the west, and driving them through to markets in eastern Pennsylvania. While engaged in this busi- ness he made twenty-six trips over the Allegheny mountains. In 1851 he located in Philadelphia and embarked in the mercantile business, con- ducting two large retail stores in that city with P. E. Jefferis until 1852, when he bought a farm about the fork of Brandywine, in Pocopson township, and removed to Coatesville, this county, where he has ever since resided. After coming to this place he began the manufacture of phosphate, and successfully carried on that enterprise for a period of sixteen years. In 1878 he retired from active business with a handsome competency, and has since lived a quiet life, finding recreation and pleasure in superin- tending the operations of the two fine farms which he still owns in this county. "On November 11, 1841, Mr. Cook was married to Hannah E. Jeffries, a daughter of James Jeffries, a farmer of Newlin township, this county. They have no children. In politics Mr. Cook is an independent republican, but has never taken a prominent part in political contests, preferring to devote his time and attention to matters of business during his more active life, and in later years to the enjoyment of that rest and relaxation which is earned by a busy and successful career."