Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/383

 COOK

COOKE

t<. take his seat by reason of the " disability clause," afterward removed. He was a repre- sentative in the 43d, 44th, 45th, 46th and 47th congresses, 1873-83, and was chairman of the committee on public buildings and one of the commissioners to erect the annex to the National museum. He was state capitol commissioner in 1882 and in 1890 was elected secretary of state of Georgia. He died at Atlanta, Ga., May 21, 1894.

COOK, Russell Salmon, philanthropist, was born in New Marlboro, Mass., March 6, 1811. He studied law but decided to enter the ministry and was licensed to preach in Syracuse, N.Y. He was graduated at Auburn theological semi- nary in 1835; was a jxist-graduate student, 1835- 36; was pastor at Lanesboro, Mass., 1836-39; corresponding secretarj- of the American tract society, 1839-56 ; and secretary of the American Sabbath committee, New York city, 1857-64. He established the system of colportage for the distribution of tracts and books and secured and successfully employed 547 colporters, besides 115 students, who employed their vacations in this work. He established the American Messenger in 1843 and made it the organ of the Tract society, and soon afterward issued the Chilcrs Paper, the pioneer illustrated paper for children published in America. The monthly issues of these two periodicals aggregated 500,000 copies for many years. He also established the colportage system in Scotland, visiting that country for the purpose in 1853 and in 1856. He was married four times. He died m Pleasant Valley, N.Y., Sept. 4, 1864.

COOKE, Augustus Paul, naval officer, was born in Cooperstown, N.Y., Feb. 10, 1836; son of Abner and Catherine (Nichols) Cooke. He was graduated from the U.S. naval academy in 1856, and was promoted passed midshipman, April 29, 1859; master, Sept. 5, 1859; lieutenant, Dec. 28, 1860; lieutenant-commander, Aug. 11, 1862; com- mander, Aug. 15, 1870; and captain, Nov. 25, 1881. During the second year of the civil war he commanded the Pinola and succeeded in effecting the capture of the blockade runner Cora. He also served during the bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and took part in destroj'ing the Confederate flotilla and in captur- ing the city of New Orleans. He also served in the Eed River expedition, set fire to the gunboat Queen of the West, captured Butte-a-la-Rose, and joined Farragut at the mouth of the Red river. He was attached to Admiral Porter's fleet and was with him on the Red river. In 1863-64 he was engaged in blockading ^latagorda bay and the coast of Texas, and in 1864 was transferred to the practice ships at tlie Naval academy at Annapolis. In 1867 he was appointed navigator of the Franklin, which accompanied Admiral Farragut on his trip to Europe, and in 1868 he

was placed on the Tironderofja as executive officer. He was ajjpointed in 1869 head of the ordnance department of the Naval academj-, and in 1870 served at the torpedo station, later commanding the Intrepid, the Alarm and the steamer Siratara. After his promotion to the rank of captain he was stationed at Mare Island, Cal., and in 1884-85 he was in command of the Lackaicanna on the Pacific station. He was afterward transferred to the Brooklyn navy yard, and in 1888 was made commander of the Franklin, stationed at Norfolk, Va. He was appointed president of the board of inspection of merchant vessels in New York in 1890, and was retired at his o\vn request, May 27, 1892. He died while on a pleasure trip to Europe, in Paris, France, Sept. 7, 1896.

COOKE, Edward, educator, was born in Beth- lehem, Grafton county, N.H., Jan. 19, 1812. He was graduated at "VVesleyan university. Middle- town, Conn., in 1838; taught natural science in Amenia (N.Y.) seminary, 1838—40; and was principal of Pennington (N.J.) seminary, 1840-^7. In 1843 he joined the New Jersey conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, was transferred to the New England conference in 1847, and was stationed at Saugus, Charlestown and Boston, Mass., until 1853, wrien he was transferred to the Wisconsin conference and appointed president of Lawrence university, which office he held until 1860. He was a member of the board of regents of normal schools in Wisconsin, 1857-60 ; pastor of the Summerfield church in Milwaukee, 1859-60, and in 1861 was transferred to the New England conference and served as a member of the board of examiners of Harvard university. He was stationed at Cambridgeport, Mass., 1861-62, and in Boston in 1863. He was principal of Wesleyan academy, Wilbraham, Mass., 1864-74, and presi- dent of Claflin universitj' and state agricultural college at Orangeburgh, S.C., 1874—84. He re- moved to West Newton, Mass., in 1884. Harvard conferred upon him the degree of S.T.D. in 1855. He died at Newton Centre, Mass., Sept. 18, 1888.

COOKE, Eleutheros, representative, was born in Granville, N.Y., Dec. 25, 1787; son of Asaph and Hannah Cooke. He was admitted to the bar and practised for several years in his native place. In 1817 he removed to Indiana and in 1819 to Ohio, becoming a lawyer of high standing in Sandusky. He was a representative in the 21st, 22d, 24th, 39th and 40th general assemblies of Ohio, and in 1830 was elected a representative in the 22d congress. He obtained from the Ohio legislature in 1826 the first charter ever granted to any railroad in the United States. He drew up the act and it was passed prompth*. At that time the locomotive was not known and cars were drawn by hor.ses or mules over rails of wood protected by strap iron. In 1832, when ground