Biography of Rev. H. Ingram Cook - McDowell Co. VA


The History of West Virginia, Old and New 
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume II, 
pg. 527 


REV. H. INGRAM COOK is not only a clergyman of the 
Missionary Baptist Church but is also serving as justice 
of the peace and as mayor of the thriving little City of 
Matoaka, Mercer County. His high ideals are expressed 
in his general social, official and religious relations, and 
he commands high place in public estimation in his native 
county.
Mr. Cook was born on a farm on Widemouth Creek, 
Mercer County, February 10, 1875, and is a son of John 
N. and Margaret (Stewart) Cook, both of whom were born 
in Wyoming County, this state, in the year 1845. The 
death of the father occurred January 8, 1898, and that of 
the mother in 1911. The family home was established on 
the Widemouth farm in Mercer County in the year 1874. 
John N. Cook served as a Union soldier in the Civil war, 
and hardships which he endured in this connection per- 
manently impaired his health. He gave his active career 
to farm enterprise, served as a member of the school board, 
was influential in community affairs, and both he and his 
wife were devout members of the Missionary Baptist 
Church, in which he served twenty years as a deacon. 
Of the nine children the subject of this sketch was the 
fourth, and the following are living: R. Scott Cook is a 
timber contractor at the Ennis coal mines; Rev. E. Hamil- 
ton Cook is in the employ of the American Coal Company 
at Widemouth and is a clergyman of the Missionary 
Baptist Church; Rev. H. Ingram Cook, of this sketch, is 
the next younger; Laura B. is the wife of R. W. Laxton, 
of Widemouth; Ora Dell is the wife of Barnett Laxton, 
of Matoaka; and Cozella is the wife of Riley Akers, of 
Arista, Mercer County. Sherman, another of the sons, 
was forty-two years old when he met his death in a coal 
mine accident. Harrison, another son, likewise met a tragic 
death, he having been assassinated while in performance 
of his official duty as justice of the peace at Matoaka in 
1918.
Rev. H. Ingram Cook received his early education in 
the schools of Rock District, Mercer County, and at the 
age of twenty years he became a teacher in the rural 
schools, his service in this capacity continuing two years. 
For eight years thereafter he was actively engaged in 
farm enterprise, and for the ensuing seven years he was 
called away from the farm by his zealous services as a 
minister of the Missionary Baptist Church, he having joined 
the church September 6, 1892, and having been ordained 
a minister when he was twenty-one years of age. At 
varying intervals he has had pastoral) charge of all 
Missionary Baptist churches in a goodly part of Mercer 
County, and he continues active in church work, especially 
the Sunday School, he being at the time of this writing 
the teacher of a class of young women in the Sunday 
school at Giatto, Mercer County. After resuming his active 
association with farm industry Mr. Cook continued his 
residence on the farm until 1918, when he removed to 
Matoaka, where in November of that year he was elected 
justice of the peace, an office to which he was re-elected 
in November, 1920. In 1921 he was elected mayor of. 
Matoaka, and he is serving effectively in both of these 
official positions. On the 5th of July, 1921, Mayor Cook 
was attacked by a man whom he had fined in his capacity 
of justice of the peace, the man having shot Mr. Cook 
four times and another bullet having made a hole through 
the latter's coat-a truly remarkable escape from death.
On the 6th of November, 1895, was solemnized the mar- 
riage of Mr. Cook and Miss Amanda Meadows, who was 
born in Wyoming County, this state, February 3, 1876, a 
daughter of William T. Meadows. Of the four children of 
Mr. and Mrs. Cook two are living: Roy L. is a student in 
Staunton Military Academy, Staunton, Virginia; and 
Neva is attending the public schools of Matoaka. Walter, 
who was born September 6, 1896, died February 22, 1901, 
and D. West Cook died in infancy.

 
Submitted by Valerie F. Crook <vfcrook@earthlink.net> 

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