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Below is a family biography included in The History of Miller County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Henry T. Cook, a prominent agriculturist and stock-raiser of Saline Township, Miller County, was born in Russell County, Ky., in 1833, and was the third of nine children born to Edward and Nancy (Ellis) Cook, both natives of Kentucky. The paternal grandfather came from North Carolina to Kentucky at an early day, and was among the first settlers of Russell County. He married a Miss Green, and to them were born a family of nine children. Mr. Cook opened a large tract of land and added largely to the development of that section. The father and mother of the subject of this sketch died in Kentucky, respectively four and seven years ago. Henry T. Cook was reared to farm labor, and had rather meager educational advantages, but by individual labor, and the assistance of a friend he acquired a fair knowledge of figures. At the age of twenty years he began farming, and at about the same time he married Miss Melissa Jane Carinder, a native of Kentucky, and the daughter of William and Minerva Carinder. At the end of three years Mr. Cook immigrated to Missouri, settling in Cole County, ten miles southwest of Jefferson City, and there rented land. Here Mrs. Cook died, leaving three children: Harriet Ellen, Sarah A. and William E. After her death Mr. Cook moved to Moniteau County, where he remained one year. He then returned to the same locality in Cole County, and soon after married Miss Margaret Johnson, a native of Cole County. After marriage he made Cole County his home for about fifteen years, and at the beginning of the war he enlisted in the State Militia. He served in the State for about three years on scouting and guard duty. In the fall of 1864 he enlisted in Company H (in which he was a non- commissioned officer), Forty-eighth Missouri, for twelve months, and was immediately assigned to Thomas’ Army Corps. He was sent to Nashville, Tenn., from there to Columbia, and from there to Chicago, to guard prisoners that had threatened a revolt. After this the company had charge of exchange of prisoners, and continued in that service until the close, of the war. He was mustered out at St. Louis in July, 1865, and returned to the family in Cole County, from whom he had been separated for several years. His second wife died after bearing six children: Nancy, Mary Ann, Rosie B., James Henry, Maggie May and Josy. A few years later Mr. Cook married Miss Sarah Jane Foster, who only lived about five years, and died without issue. Prior to this he moved to Miller County and bought a tract of eighty acres of practically wild land, which he has diligently worked upon until he now has about sixty acres under cultivation. In 1888 Mr. Cook married Miss Martha Tearhune, a native of Illinois. He is not very active in politics, but votes with the Democratic party; has been a member of the First Baptist Church at Spring Garden, organized in the spring of 1884 with thirteen members, and now has a membership of over one hundred, and is the banner church of Concord Association.

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This family biography is one of 120 biographies included in The History of Miller County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Miller County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Miller County, Missouri family biographies here: Miller County, Missouri Biographies

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