My Genealogy Hound

William J. Cook, farmer, merchant and postmaster at Cookville, Mo., is a native of Osage County, Mo., and was born in 1842. His parents, J. B. and Margaret (Mouser) Cook, were born in New York and Pennsylvania, in 1800 and 1806, respectively. The former was a farmer by occupation, and at the age of eighteen years immigrated from his home to Osage County, Mo., and in 1845 came to Pulaski County, where he died on the 25th of November, 1877. William J. Cook is the tenth of their twelve children, and until he attained the age of twenty-two years his time was employed in attending the common schools and assisting his parents on the farm. In 1868 he was married to Miss K. M. Barnard, a daughter of Mrs. Susan Barnard. She was born in Indiana in 1841, and died on the 26th of April, 1887, having borne a family of six children. In January, 1888, Mr. Cook married Miss Jessie, a daughter of George and Salisba Goldsberry. She was born in Iowa in 1865. In 1883 Mr. Cook located on his present farm, which consists of 320 acres. It is situated on the Roubideaux River, and 100 acres are in a good state of cultivation. In 1872 Cookville Post-office was established, and Mr. Cook was appointed its postmaster. In connection with the post-office he keeps a stock of general merchandise, which brings him quite a nice little sum annually. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.