My Genealogy Hound

G. W. Cook is a successful agriculturist and stockman of Oak Bluff Township, Clay County, Ark., and was born in Weakley County, West Tenn., in 1840, being the youngest in a family of seven children born to Richard A. and Ann (David) Cook, both of whom were born in Old Virginia. At an early day they moved to West Tennessee, where the father opened up a farm and there died in 1860, at the age of fifty-eight years. His widow came to Greene County, Ark., in August, 1874, and here died in October of the same year at the age of seventy-six years. G. W. Cook grew to manhood in his native State, and received his education in Weakley County, being also married there, in 1864, to Miss M. M. Jenkins, a daughter of C. P. and Mary G. (Boothe) Jenkins, who were born in North Carolina, and were early immigrants of Tennessee, where they became wealthy farmers and spent their declining years, the father dying in 1889 and the mother in 1872. After his marriage Mr. Cook settled on the old homestead, and there made his home until 1873, when he came to Greene County, Ark., and purchased a timber tract of eighty acres, which he cleared and sold in 1888. In 1874 he moved to Clay County, and five years later purchased the farm on which he is at present residing, which consisted of 120 acres, with thirty acres under the plow. He has increased his lands until he now has 960 acres, 200 of which are under cultivation, in the home farm, and 320 acres, with thirty-two under cultivation, in Blue Cane Township, Greene County. He is interested in stock-raising, and makes a specialty of Berkshire and Poland China hogs. His principal crop is corn. He has never been very active in politics, but usually votes the Democratic ticket. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. lodge at Rector, and is interested in all worthy public enterprises. He is in every respect a self-made man, and all his property has been acquired by his own exertions. He and wife are the parents of the following children: Ella, now Mrs. Bolton; Daniel Elvis, Joseph, Oda and Edar living, and six children deceased. In 1861 Mr. Cook enlisted in Weakley County in Company C, Fifty-second Tennessee Infantry, and was mustered into service at Henderson Station, afterward participating in the battle of Shiloh. At the end of six months he returned home.