My Genealogy Hound

W. R. Cook, a pioneer of Moniteau County, Mo., was born in Cole County, of the same State, in 1838, and was the third of thirteen children born to Washington and Elizabeth (Phelan) Cook, who were Tennesseeans by birth. They came to Missouri at a very early day, and became wealthy farmers of Moniteau County, and are now residing in Walker Township. After attending the common schools and assisting his father on the farm till about twenty-one years of age, W. R. Cook began tilling the soil on his own responsibility, and about 1858 located on the farm of 160 acres where he now resides. He has greatly improved his farm in many respects, and now has 100 acres under cultivation, on which are good buildings and an excellent orchard. He has added to his original purchase, and now owns 200 acres of valuable land, a considerable portion of which he devotes to the raising of stock. He has seen Moniteau County develop from a wilderness into well-cultivated fields, and has done a full share to aid in this development. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel at Spring Creek, and in his political views is a Democrat. During the late war he was in the Confederate service for a short time. In March, 1858, he was married to Violet Jones, a native of Georgia, and a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Clark) Jones, who were born in Tennessee, and were early immigrants to Missouri, locating in Moniteau County about 1855, where the father was engaged in farming. He is now residing with his daughter, Mrs. Cook. Mr. and Mrs. Cook became the parents of three children, two of whom are living: Marion Price, residing at McGirk Station, and Preston, at home. The family worship in the Baptist Church.