Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-06-07
DEATH OF SQUIRE M. D. COOKE.
From the Galesburg Qll) Republican and
Register of MAY 25, 1899.

Register of May IS, 1889.
| NJ. ID. Cooke, Esq, died at his resi- |
denc, 62G Academy street, at IL 40 o'clock
Monday evening, after prolonged i'll
ness of black cancer of the liver, aged
nearly 20 years. 1t was two years ago
when this distressing and painful disease
| first manifested itself, and since then Mr..
Cooke has been subject to attacks of i'll
ness, caused by its encroachments, grad
ually increasing in virulence until the
fatal attack of a week ago. During this
time, however, he has managed to attend
to his business between the intervals
during which he was compelled to re-
main at home by violent spells, produced
by the unconquerable disease. 1t was
evident to his relatives, when the worst
set in, that death was not far off, but
they hardly realized that it was so near
at hand. AS late as o'clock yesterday
evening his mind was so bright and re-
tanned its grasp so vigorously that after
listening to the reading of long bust
ness letter he was able to dictate what
was needful to be done. About an hour
later he was seized with acute and terri
BILE pains in the right side, but even these
did not obscure his mental powers, for
he was cons .ous to nearly the moment
of his death. HIS end was tranquil and
peaceful.
Squire Cooke, by which name all know
him, has been so long associated with
Galesburg interests that we feel that
sketch of his life will be of interest to all.
He was born June 4, 1919, in Cornwall,
Vermont. He was the son of General
and Mrs. Chauncey Cooke. His father
was farmer, although he served for
time during the war of 1872. The Squire
attended Middlebury college, Vermont,
and graduated with honors in 1912.
Among his schoolmates were Judge c.
b. Lawrence, julius Manning and Judge
u. ii. Sanford. After his graduation he
studied law at Port Henry, n. Y. He
was married to Betsey b. Smith, daugh-
ter of Mr.. Loren Smith, in Plainfield, n.
j., in 1917. After his marriage he taught
school. being for several years principal
of an academy near Plainfield, n. j. He
came to this State in 1852 locating first
in Henderson. For a couple of years
thereafter he was principal of the acad-
envy at that place, the school then having
quite reputation. There is hardly a
middle-aged man now living in that
township, who grew up there. who did
not attend the school conducted by Squire
Cooke. and who does not to this day re-
tain kindly recollections of him as a
: teacher. After farming for some time
he moved in August, 1856, to Galesburg.
and has ever since resided here. In April,
1857. at the first municipal election ever
held here, he was elected city justice, an
,, office subsequently transformed into that
of police magistrate, and this he has
filled continuously from that date. He
was admitted to the bar about 1860. In
addition to serving as police magistrate,
> Squire Cooke was member of the board
of education from 1870 to 1877 and again
from 1884 to April, 1889 He was men,
Der of the board of supervisors during
/, the important period, 1854 to 1889. serv-
ing five years. This was the time during
> which the new court house was built
: Squire Cooke cast his vote for W. ii.
/. Harrison for President, and it afforded
!. him pleasure at the last election to vote
for the ilustrious descendant of General
Harrison, now occupying the Presiden-
tial chair. He voted for Fremont. was
an abolitionist, and was among the first
to lend his support to the Republican
. party. While on one or two occasions
, he has not voted on straight party lines,
= he has generally been true to Republican
sentiments and advocated them. In re-
ligous belief he was inclined to Congre'
: gatonal tenets. and for many years was
a constant attendant on DIR. Beecher'
, church. He was an admirer and warn
:. friend of DR.. Beecher. Since the depart
: ure of that able divine to other fields
- Squire Cooke has. to the extent that hi.
. health has permitted, kept up his attend
y ance at the First Congregational church
= Squire Cooke was in more than one
. sense student. He aimed to master the
philosophy of relationships. As law
y yer he was conceded not merely 20 be
\ well read but also to possess that analyti
- IA that and things
= in their proper relations. His mind was
:. also of judicial cast. As a magistrate
= he has commanded the respect of bar ant
. people alike. Furthermore he was mar
of culture. His acquaintance with liter
:, allure was extensive. Especially did h'
y delight in perusing the works of those
. who treat of deep and philosophic sub
. iects, and from such writers as Emerson
q he was ready quoter. Equally accu
n ate was his knowledge of current events
4 and the movements producing them
= Thus gifted he was an invaluable mem
Der of the board of education, for he wa
Informed on advanced and better meth
- DDS and interested himself in more thai
Y the material surroundings of the pupils
. Much of the better system of teaching
- now in vogue i'm the schools here is du,
q TO his efforts. In anything that promised
= Improvement, the teachers found in hin
. a helper and sympathizer.
4 Socially Squire Cooke was pleasan
4 and agreeable gentleman. His death vii
# be the occasion of many expressions o
! regret and his memory will long b.
n pleasantly cherished by his friends. Hi
- wife and son, Forrest q. Cooke, and tw'
h sisters. Martha and Eliza, survive him
. His brother, Judge Samuel Cookeof Yer
i mont, died six or seven years ago.