The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-11-25
HON. ANDREW COOK PASSES AWAY.


died Nov. IS, 1891.
In this death, one of the truest and best |
Inen of this part of the State has been TAX
On from us. Hundreds of people near the |
hone of Judge Cook, in Forest Jefferson,
Clarion and adjoining counties. and among
his large circle of friends will, in his death, |
sustain personal loss. He was one of II
children of John Cook, deceased, who !
came from East of the Allegheny noun |
tains, and first settled in what is now
Beaver township, Clarion county About
the year 1926 he entered tract of land at
Cooksburg. At once he began to clear up
the unbroken forest. The nearest settle
ment to him being five miles, now Scotch
Hill.
| In the year 1928, having some land clear
ed and in wheat, and house or shanty
built, he moved his family into it, having
to follow trail or path and make his own
road ahead of him, through the dense for
est of pine and hemlock. lie then built
saw-mill at mouth of Toms Run and be-
| gan the lumber and boat business. Float
| ing his lumber and boats TO market, down
the Clarion and Allegheny rivers, often re-
and necessaries for his family. He was
twice married, first to Sussnna Helpman,
to whom he had nine children, of whom
the Judge was one. His first fife died in
1880. He afterwards married Miss Catha-
rine Ritter. This union gave him eight
children. He died in 1858, being about 20
years ofage. His last wife died in 1872.
They were buried in the Cooksburg ceme-
terry, which was John Cooks own estab-
lished burying ground. His education
was very limited. But he was man of
great industry, perseverance, and hard
work, for hard work it required, to raise
and support large family in the midst of
a dense forest.
Hon. Andrew Cook was about years
old when his father took him to where he
lived, made his fortune, and died. He
was reared in the midst of the tall prime
val pines and hemlocks, breathed the pure
air of mountain and valley and grew to be
giant in strength, being 6 feet inches,
and weighing $50 to 275 lbs. He was not
only giant in strength, but also had
giant intellect, original in thought and
action, and his success in life is the best
proof of his judgment and ability. There
were no school privileges when he was a
boy, like our boys here, his nearest school
being at Scotch Hill, miles away, and
then the Agnew school, across the river
from their home, miles. The principal
part of the Judges early education was
gained from study at night, by the light of
pitch pine knot, after hard days labor.
He was close student all his life; read
many good books and periodicals, always
read the weekly aud daily papers, when
he could get them, and kept well posted
in the politics and business of the country.
He was cautious and close observer, and
his advice, especially in business. was
considered the best obtainable. The most
he ever went to school was after being
married and keeping house, when Capt.
Phipps taught small school in the end
of the house in which the Judge lived at
that time they had one or two children,
but so anxious were they TO learn they
both went to school.
From early boyhood the Judge took a
great interest in and assisted his father in
his lumber business. When about 20
years of age he and his two brothers, Jerry
and Philip, began the lumber and boat
business for themselves. Soon after Jerry
got married and Philip and Andrew car
ried ON the business. In lS4S Andrew
bought his brother out and continued the
business himself. In lS49 he married Re-
becca Ann, daughter of John and Sarah
Mays. There never lived husband and
wife more devoted to each other. The in
! nfp nj lao int Of ba
other. Forty-two years of married life
has been AZ years of perfect harmony be-
tween them, They have had children.
Two died when young. Six-J, W., A.
W., Jacob aud Burt, Ida NJ, widow of the
late S. w. Calvin, and Miss Hattie,-are
yet living The chief object of the parents
was always the welfare of the children.
The child-en's greatest happiness was in
making their parents happy. The father
is gone, but the mother yet lives to aid and
comfort her children, whose greatest joy
will be to make the remainder of their
mothers life happiness and peace.
Soon after the Judge began business for
himself he began accumulating property
by purchasing large tracts of timber lands,
adjoining, and also the homestead and the
greater part or the land originally Dur-
chased by his father. He was careful in
management, gave close attention to his
business, and by his own industry, per-
severence and pluck, has accumulated a
large fortune in lands and other property.
At his death he owned between and 6
thousand acres of the best timber land in
} Forest and Clarion counties, known as
the Cooksburg property, ON which is
erected three saw mills, one Touring mill,
> one planning mill, good boat scaffold, sew
eral dwelling houses and store In fact
it is the best and most valuable lumber
, property, taken as a whole, in this part of
the State. He also owned the greater part
of a large planning mill and other property
in East Brady; was the President and
principal stOckholder in the East Brady
[ Bridge Co. He also had a large lumber
yard and other business interests in Pitts
| burg. Also had a large interest in timber
lands i'm Oregon. Besides these interests
he was one of the founders, stockholders
] and directors of the Second National
Bank of Clarion, of which bank he was
President at his death. and had been for
/ about yearsi in the banking, as well as
in all his other business he showed more
than ordinary skill and management. His
good judgment, strict integrity, honest
dealings, has not only given him name
and character worthy of imitation, but
n also large amount of this worlds goods.
He was modest and unassuming; kind
generous TO the poor, of whom many can
Fxy IN haIg IN,