PETER D. COOK
PETER D. COOK, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Wilder, was born in Cardington, Morrow Co., Ohio, June 19, 1838, and reared in the city of Columbus. In 1852 he went to the coal regions of Pennsylvania, and was employed as surveyor and engineer in the coal fields of Huntingdon and Redford counties until 1856, when he returned to Ohio and engaged in mercantile business in Franklin County. In the fall of that year he moved his stock to Galena, Ohio, and in 1857 closed out and went West through Illinois and Indiana, and taught school for some two years. He came to Kansas in 1859; returned to Decatur, Ill., a few months later and again taught school, and was also for a time engaged in grain commission business. On June 10, 1862, he enlisted in the Seventieth Illinois Infantry; was mustered out in October following, and shortly afterwards came West to Johnson County, Kan. Mr. Cook took up a claim, but abandoned it in the spring, and going farther west, engaged in mining and mercantile pursuits in Idaho.
In the spring of 1865, he returned to Illinois, and engaged in in sic business at Springfield. This he sold out in the summer of 1866; came West again, and located in Topeka, where he engaged in the grocery business, in company with his brother, L. S. Cook. In 1874 they disposed of their grocery store, but continued in partnership in real estate and general speculation until November, 1879. The subject of our sketch was elected Treasurer of the city of Topeka in 1870, '71, '72, '73 and '74. In 1874 he purchased his present property in Monticello Township, Johnson County, and four years later removed here. He has 466 acres of fine land, and in June, 1881, had surveyed and laid out on his land the town of Wilder. He is also largely engaged in raising live stock. Mr. Cook was one of the first directors of the K. C. T. & W. R. R. built in 1875. He is a prominent Mason; has held various high offices in Chapter, Commandery, etc., at Topeka, and still retains his connection with the same.
From William G. Cutler, History of the State of Kansas, first published in 1883 by A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL.
