Isaac Scott Cook
Among the native-born citizens of Fayette County who are gaining a good maintenance by tilling a portion of its soil, is Mr. Cook, who is located in Madison Township. He looks back over years of growth in this section, and rejoices in having had a hand in bringing abovit the present condition of affairs.
He of whom we write was born in this township, April 4, 1826, and is the son of Isaac Thompson and Elizabeth (Lewis) Cook, the former of whom was born March 6, 1797, at Shippensburgh, Pa., and the mother in February, 1804, in Chillicothe, this State. The father was brought hither by his father, Isaac Cook, when a year old, and grew to manhood on a farm near Chillicothe, where also he was married. The young couple located on three hundred acres of land which had been given them by their respective parents, and began housekeeping on the tract which is the present home of our subject. The elder Mr. Cook accumulated a handsome property, and at his death owned fourteen hundred acres of land.
The original of this sketch is the second in order of birth of the nine children born to his parents. five of whom are living. Of the family, William Lewis, the eldest son, was married and left a family of four children at his death; Mathew Scott died in infancy; John Joseph passed away when twenty-two years of age; Margaret E. married Milo Rockwell, and makes her home in Washington C. H. James F., who is also residing in that city, served as Sheriff of the county two terms, and was Treasurer for a like period; in 1862, he enlisted in the War of the Rebellion, and served until the close of that struggle, being captured at the battle of Stone River, and confined at Atlanta and in Libby Prison. He received a slight wound on the cheek by the fragment of a shell, and at the time of his honorable discharge was promoted to the rank of Brevet-Major. Benjamin F., who was the next in order of birth, is now living on the old home place; Sarah C, who married H. D. Marcy, whose sketch will be found on another page in this book, is deceased; and Mary A., who is the present wife of the above-named gentleman.
Isaac Cook, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War, in which conflict he served under Washington. His seven sons were also engaged in that memorable conflict, one of whom, Capt. Joel Cook, continued in the regular service, commanding a company of the Fourth Regiment at the battle of Tippecanoe. The first representative of the Cook family in America was Henry Cook, who emigrated hither with Capt. John Endicott, in 1628. Our subject's grandfather was elected County Judge in Ross County, this State, and also a member of the State Senate. Mr. Cook lias in his possession a cane, which was presented to his grandfather by members of the Bar in Ross County.
Isaac Scott Cook grew up on the home farm, and after receiving a fair education in the common schools, was engaged as a clerk in the store for his uncle at Cliillicothe for two years. He then took a course of study at Delaware, and in April, 1861, enlisted as a Union soldier in the three-months' service, but his company was not mustered into service. He participated in the Morgan raid, but was prevented from going further than Chillicothe, on account of arms.
In his political relations, Mr. Cook comes of a long line of Whigs, and himself votes with the Republican party. His father served as County Conimissioner for fifteen years, and was an active member of the Methodist Protestant Church. Benjamin F., a brother of our subject, was attending school at Antioch, on the outbreak of the Rebellion, and, coming home, enlisted when twenty-three years of age in the three-months' service, but, like our subject, was not called upon to go to the front. In November of that year, however, he became a member of Company C, Sixtieth Ohio Infantry, and after three months was transferred to Company H, and served his country for one year as Second Sergeant. He was present at the battle of Cross Keys and Harper's Ferry, in which latter battle he was taken prisoner, and after three days was paroled and sent to the camp at Chicago. From that city he returned home, his term of service having expired, and took part in the Morgan raid. Our subject has never been married.
The lady to whom Benjamin F. was married in February, 1879, was Miss Fannie J., daughter of Levin and Susan (Sollars) Bennett, who was born in Fayette County, January 18, 1856. They have become the parents of five children, namely: Benjamin F., who was born March 22, 1880; Elizabeth Lewis, November 4, 1882; Fannie Margaret, January 7, 1885; Thompson Scott, September 2, 1887; and Mary Lorette, March 8, 1890.
Benjamin Cook has been Township Trustee for eight years, and in social circles is a Mason, having taken the Commandery Degree. Isaac Scott is also connected with that fraternity, being identified with the Blue Lodge.
From PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF FAYETTE, PICKAWAY AND MADISON COUNTIES, OHIO - Chapman Bros. [Chicago, 1892]