My Genealogy Hound

WALTER A. COOK, who occupies the responsible position of superintendent of the Climax Road Machine Company of Marathon, was born at Norwich, Chenango County, N. Y., August 28, 1861.

His great-grandfather, David Cook, was a native of Rhode Island, who emigrated from that state to Athol, Warren County, N. Y., and from there removed to Plymouth, Chenango County, where he died, after settling upon a farm and engaging in agriculture for a number of years. Abial Cook, his son, and the grandfather of Walter A., was born at Athol, Warren County, and was taken from there with the rest of the family to Plymouth. Afterwards he moved to Norwich, in the same county, and lived there until his death. He was a lawyer by profession, and was a Democrat in politics. He stood high in his profession, and worked among the leaders in his district. He was once the candidate of his party for the office of Justice of the Supreme Court of New York.

Walter A. Cook, the father of our subject, was born in Norwich, in 1826, and died February 25, 1893. He was also an attorney by profession, and a Democrat in his political persuasions, taking an active and intelligent interest in the affairs of his party. He served as deputy county clerk in 1850, and was journal clerk of the Assembly every year from 1853 to 1875 — every Democratic Assembly. Daniel Lamont, Secretary of War in Cleveland’s last administration, was Mr. Cook’s deputy at one time. His relations with such men as Horatio Seymour and Samuel J. Tilden were very intimate. To him and his wife, Adaline S. (Eastman) Cook, were born three boys and one girl, as follows: Walter A., our subject; George E., who is an artist of Boston, Mass.; Mary Adaline, who is located in Boston, where she sings for private families; and David B., who is in the employ of the Climax Road Machine Company as a salesman.

Our subject was educated in the Norwich Academy, and in the high school at Norwich. He married Alice M. Lewis, a daughter of Edwin and Martha Lewis, and took his place in the business world. He was first interested in the lumber trade at South Plymouth, N. Y., being engaged in that business about two years. He then taught school for three years, when for two more years he again was identified with the lumber trade. His next employment was as a salesman for the Wheeler & Melick Co., manufacturers of agricultural implements of Albany, N. Y. In the second year of his connection he was appointed the superintendent of agencies for the company, and held that place until January 1, 1891. He then entered the employ of the Climax Road Machine Co., and was placed in charge of the sale of their product in Eastern New York and New England, and continued to manage this department of the work until February 1, 1896, when he came into the office, and took the position of superintendent.

The Climax Road Machine Company with which Mr. Cook is prominently connected, was founded in 1887 by the following gentlemen; Andrew S. Manning of Auburn, N. Y.; Oscar F. Pinckney of Lisle; William Clark of Union, N. Y.; and Calvin E. Kilpatrick of Marathon. This co-partnership continued until November, 1889, when the other three members of the firm purchased the interest of Mr. Kilpatrick, the inventor, and continued the business as a co-partnership until January 21, 1893. Upon this date the firm bought the patents of John O’Neil of Keeseville, N. Y., relating to a stone-crushing machine, and secured a charter of incorporation, with the following officers: Andrew S. Manning, president; Ed. L. Adams, vice-president; O. F. Pinckney, secretary, treasurer and general manager; and C. A. McAlpin, superintendent. At the beginning of the year 1894, the company employed J. G. Brown, a graduate of Cornell University, as its mechanical engineer and superintendent of the stone-crusher department. The officers remained the same until 1896, with the exception that T. R. Clark became secretary and treasurer, his father having died in 1892. In 1896, Mr. Manning retired from the presidency, and the following officers were elected: Fred H. Swift, president; Walter A. Brink, vice-president; T. R. Clark, secretary and treasurer; O. F. Pinckney, general manager; W. A. Cook, superintendent; and J. G. Brown, mechanical engineer. This arrangement still continues. At the time of the company’s incorporation, in 1893, the plant consisted of the necessary machinery for the manufacture of road graders only, so that it became necessary to have their stone-crusher plants manufactured elsewhere. On May 17, 1894, the plant at Marathon was entirely destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt on its former location at a cost of $50,000.00. The buildings are substantially constructed of brick; the foundry and machine shop is 250 by 50 feet, and the road machine building is 320 by 46 feet. The capacity of the entire plant is 60 road machines and three stone-crushing plants per week, thus giving employment to from 30 men at the minimum to 300 at the maximum capacity. The trade extends over the Eastern and Middle States, and even now the company are making strenuous efforts to have their machinery introduced in the South, with very satisfactory results in the orders taken.