- Frederick Cook (politician)
Frederick Cook (
December 2 ,1833 Bad Wildbad ,Kingdom of Württemberg -February 17 ,1905 Rochester,Monroe County, New York ) was an American businessman and politician.Life
He came to the
United States in 1848, and changed his German name Friedrich Kuch to Frederick Cook. He first lived inBuffalo, New York , and worked for his brother-in-law who was ashoemaker . Then he opened his ownbutcher shop atBatavia, New York . After that he became abrakeman on theBuffalo and Rochester Railroad , and later a conductor on theNew York Central Railroad a position he held for twenty years during which he became wealthy. (There is a story about this: Asked byCornelius Vanderbilt how he could buy vast pieces of real estate and live expensively on $75 a week, Cook is said to have answered "Oh, I makes (sic) my money trading horses with Jockey Mason," which became something of a proverb at the time.)Political career
In 1872, he left the railroad, and entered politics. Governor
John Thompson Hoffman appointed himJudge Advocate of the 7th Division of the National Guard. In 1874, he ran for Mayor ofRochester, New York but was defeated byGeorge G. Clarkson while otherwise the whole Democratic ticket was elected. In 1875, GovernorSamuel J. Tilden appointed him AssistantAdjutant General and Chief of Staff of the 7th Division of the National Guard. He was a delegate to the1876 Democratic National Convention . He wasSecretary of State of New York from 1886 to 1889.Business
In 1892, he sued the Silver Lake Ice Company, and tried to establish his claim to be the owner of the Silver Lake in
Wyoming County, New York .He was the President of the Rochester German Insurance Company, the German-American Bank of Rochester, the Rochester Driving Park Association, the Rochester Telephone Company, the Rochester Street Car Company, Vice President of the Bartholomay Brewing Company, and had interests in many other companies.
He was married twice and had one daughter. He died of
apoplexy .ources
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F02E4D9153FE533A25755C2A96F9C94649FD7CF] His "record", in NYT on September 26, 1885
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/cook3.html The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Cook, E to F ] at politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D01EFDC1F31E033A25753C3A9679D94639ED7CF] His lawsuit, in NYT on November 30, 1892
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B07E7DD1F3BE631A2575BC1A9649C946497D6CF] Obit, in NYT on February 18, 1905
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