Christian J. Cook Portrait and Biographical Record, Pages 414, 415 CHRISTIAN J. COOK. Ottawa County, Mich., is an Eden of fine farms and agricultural tracts. There are comparatively few very small tracts, and each farmer tries to out-do his neighbor in the cultivation and improvement of his land. Of the many fine, attractive places none are more conspicuous than that belonging to our subject. Olive Township, like many other parts of Ottawa County, has benefited by an influx into it of the better class of British emigrants, who have helped to build up the agricultural and commercial prosperity of this section of the country. Christian J. Cook was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, January 29, 1830, and is a son of William and Frances (Johnson) Cook, also of English nativity. For many years the father followed the hotel business in his native country, but seeing a better opening for that business in America he sold out and crossed the ocean. This was in 1838, and he located at Cleveland, Ohio, where he opened the old St. Clair and Farmers’ Hotel. Later he returned to the land of his birth and received his final summons there, in the town of Spaulding, Lincolnshire. He was the father of three children, as follows: William H., who resides in West Point, Wis.; Frances E., deceased, who was the wife of Edward Thompson; and Christian J. The latter was about eight years of age when his father emigrated to the United States, but he remained in England until 1859. When about fifteen years of age he started out to fight his own way of life, and decided to become a sailor. For four years he was on a vessel which sailed from Blythe, and for many years he followed the sea. Finally he came to America, in 1859, and located at Chicago, where he remained for twenty-one years. Most of this time he was engaged in the furniture business, and also engaged in painting, which he carried on very successfully. He came from there to this county in 1880, purchased thirty acres of land, and since then has added to the original tract, until he now owns two hundred acres of valuable land, seventy-five acres being under a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Cook has been twice married, first in Bristol, England, to Miss Mary A. Bourton, daughter of William and Ann (Price) Bourton. Eleven children were born to this union, six of whom lived to mature years, namely: Frances M., deceased, who was the wife of G. Anys; Harriet E., deceased, the wife of William Goodin; H. E., deceased; Christian B., at home with his parents; Martin J.; and Ella M., who resides in Kansas City. Mrs. Cook died in 1883, when fifty-four years of age. Mr. Cook’s second marriage was to his first wife’s sister, Mrs. Caroline Scott, their nuptials being celebrated in 1888. In the year 1892 Mr. Cook was elected Justice of the Peace, and discharged the duties incumbent upon that position in a very satisfactory and creditable manner. Although a representative Englishman, Mr. Cook has ever been a strong advocate of American institutions, and gives his hearty support to all worthy enterprises. In politics he is a Republican, and is deeply interested in all public improvements, contributing liberally of his means to further all enterprises.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & Ottawa Counties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company 

Transcriber: Susan Gates Davis
Created: 12 May 2003
URL: Return to Bios Index