California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


WILLIAM H. COOK. The earliest recollections of Mr. Cook are associated with the San 
Joaquin valley. Many wonderful changes have been wrought since the days of his childhood. 
Often he has seen wild horses and antelopes in large droves roaming unmolested through the 
wild grass which grew in undisturbed luxuriance on every hand. As a boy more than once he 
was present at round-ups on the present site of Merced. The only transportation facilities were 
such as could be secured on the stage running between Stockton and Mariposa, the route lying via 
Snelling, which was then the county-seat. In 1872 the county-seat was moved to Merced, which 
has since then attained a distinctive place among the cities of the valley. 

A native of California, Mr. Cook was born in Stockton. August 17, 1858, being a son of Josiah 
C. and Maria (Sheridan) Cook, natives respectively of Virginia and England. As early as 
1852, while still a single man, the father crossed the plains to California and engaged in forming 
and stock-raising in San. Joaquin county. From there in 1863 he came to Merced county and set- 
tled ten miles east of Merced, where for many years he made a specialty of raising cattle and 
sheep. Meanwhile he also bought and developed a mine in Mariposa county, known as the Green 
Valley mine, and this property he still owns, in addition to a quartz mine at Hornitos. The year 
after he crossed the plains Miss Sheridan made the same trip, starting from Missouri and pro- 
ceeding with a band of immigrants to the coast. Of their marriage five sons were born, namely : 
William H., of Merced ; John Franklin, who died in Humboldt county, this state ; James and Ben- 
jamin, who are living in Merced county; and Archibald, a resident of Stockton. 

Fortified with such advantages as the common schools offered, William H. Cook began to earn 
his livelihood at seventeen years of age, his first employment being in the harvest field. In 1878 
he settled on two hundred and forty acres lying on Bear creek, ten miles east of Merced, and 
there he raised grain and stock. Meantime he had gained prominence as a local Democratic leader, 
with sympathies in favor of the free coinage of silver. Without being a candidate for any of- 
fice, in 1894 he received the nomination for county auditor at the Populist convention to which he 
had been a delegate. There were two other candidates for the position, but he won by a large 
plurality. In January, 1895. he assumed the duties of the office. At the expiration of his first 
term he was again nominated by the Populists and indorsed by the Democrats, winning again by a 
fair majority. When his second term had expired, in 1902, he was renominated on the Democratic 
ticket and elected by a majority of two hundred and eighty-seven, to serve until January of 1907. 
In point of years of service, he is the oldest incumbent of a county office, and his service has 
not only been long but eminently satisfactory. Devoting his entire time to the work of auditing, 
he has proved himself a painstaking, efficient and trustworthy representative of the people, and has 
carefully conserved the interests of the taxpayers wherever possible, especially through his la- 
bors in fighting illegal claims. 

The union of Mr. Cook and Rosa Demick ( daughter of Nelson Demick and a native of Ohio) 
was solemnized at Turlock. in 1878, and terminated with her death ten years later in Mer- 
ced county. Two children comprise their family. The son. W. H., Jr., is a number in Merced, 
while the daughter. Mrs. Nettie May Hollister. lives in Fresno. On the organization of the 
Woodmen of the World at Merced Mr. Cook became one of the charter members of the lodge 
and is still identified therewith. After coming to Merced he identified himself with the lodge 
and encampment of Odd Fellows, but is no longer active in the latter. As past president of 
Parlor No. 24, he was officially connected with the Native Sons of the Golden West.