HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Biographical Appendix

HENRY COOK

Henry Cook was born in Pulaski County, Va., in 1829, and is the son of Henry and Mary (Feister) Cook.  Henry Cook, Sr., was a native of Germany.  He immigrated with his parents to the United States when a boy, and was reared and married in Virginia.  His wife was also of German descent, and was well educated in the German language.  She became the mother of eleven children, seven of whom grew to maturity.  Henry Cook, Jr., is the fifth child.  The father was born in 1779, and died in 1870.  The mother was born in 1789 and died in 1859.  The subject of this biography was married to Miss Martha Raines, at the age of twenty-eight.  She was of English descent, born in 1839, and by Mr. Cook became the mother of ten children, six of whom are living: Matilda (wife of James Tesrow), Fannie (wife of Joseph Lewis), Robert Lee, John Newton, C. B. (wife of James Downs) and Samuel B.  After leaving Virginia Mr. Cook resided for a time in Tennessee, and then came to Missouri in 1869, locating in Madison County.  He owns 220 acres of land, 120 of which are improved, and I his political views is a Democrat.  He and family are church members, and are among the intelligent and highly respected citizens of the county.