HENRY ENGLEHART COOK the superintendent and general manager of the Beaver Valley Electric Light & Power Co., of Beaver Falls, Pa., a highly esteemed citizen and ex- sheriff of Beaver county, was born in Bridgewater, Pa., July 31, 1843 and is a son of Henry and Margaret (Reiter) Cook
Henry Cook was born in Weingarten, Germany, January 15, 1807. He was joined in marriage, in March, 1831, with Margaret Reiter, who was also born at the same place. Mrs. Cook is a daughter of Ferdinand and Margaret (Hurst) Reiter, and is still living at Beaver; Pa., enjoying the best of health. Much valuable information, data, etc., for this sketch were generously and cheerfully furnished by her, and were obtained from a Bible she carried to school when a child, being inscribed on the pages reserved for family records, in a well written German hand. She was born August 13, 18IO.
Henry Cook had a brother in Johnstown,Pa., who persuaded him to come to America. With his wife and three eldest sons, he started from the old country in June, 1838, taking passage on a sailing vessel; meeting with much bad weather, they did not arrive at New York until the following September. After landing, they proceeded by wagon and stage to Philadelphia, Pa., thence by canal to Harrisburg and Johnstown. Arriving there, they learned of a great boom in the Beaver Valley, where a canal was in operation and villages were built. They left Johnstown for Pittsburg, and traveled in wagons to Monaca, Beaver County, which was then called Phillipsburg. At that place, Mr. Cook followed the trade of a stone mason for some time, removing later to Bridgewater, and still later settling in Beaver, Pa., where he built a fine residence on Fourth street, now owned by his widow. While working upon this residence, he was taken ill with cholera, caused by drinking cold water, while overheated from work. This illness terminated in death July 14, 1845. He was a man who possessed a strong constitution and was unfortunately cut off in the very prime of life, and did not live to enjoy what he had planned, a haven of earthly rest.
Mr. Cook built much of the masonry of his day, in and around Beaver. He also built the reservoir now standing back of Henry E. Cook's residence. He was born and christened with the name of Koch, as the family formerly spelled their name. Upon getting his naturalization papers made out, he was asked his name, and omitted to tell the authorities how it should be spelled. Upon the completion of the papers, he accepted them, supposing them to be correct. Later, upon discovering the mistake, he thought it would make no material difference and did not have them changed; this course he afterward regretted very much as, by voting under the name of Cook, he soon became known by that name, until the family finally adopted that method of spelling it. He built his home on Fourth street in 1844, and there his death occurred. His good wife was left to rear and educate the family, which she did as few mothers have done,-devoting her whole life to that task. She is now esteemed by all and revered by her children, whose names are as follows: Jacob Frederick, born in Germany, January 19, 1832, died February 14, 1847, and lies buried in the Lutheran burial ground of Pittsburg; John Francis, who was born in Germany, February 23, 1834, and died October I8, 1855; Christian Frederick, who was born in Germany, January 10, 1838, and was killed May I2, 1864, in the battle of the Wilderness, being a member of Company F, I4oth Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf.; Christine Louise, born August 10, I84I, who became the wife of D. M. Miller of Beaver, and is the mother of five children; and Henry Englehart, the subject of these lines.
Henry Englehart Cook attended the public schools, and with a careful mother's training grew to be a boy who was respected and trusted by all who knew him. At the age of thirteen years (in 1856), he was appointed under James Buchanan, to carry mail on horseback from Beaver to New Lisbon, Ohio; this duty occupied two days every week, in all kinds of weather, and involved a trip of 28 miles. In addition to this, he carried the mail, four days each week, from Beaver to Rochester, Pennsylvania. In accomplishing this task he never failed, and his reliability and punctual habits won him a reputation which determined his future. At the age of eighteen years, he enlisted in the Union Army, October 9, I86I, on the first call for volunteers. He was a private in Company F, 101st Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and served three years. In the battle of Plymouth, N. C., he was taken prisoner and confined in the Andersonville prison, in Georgia, being removed thence to Charleston, and then to Florence, S. C., where he was exchanged December 13, 1864. Returning to parole camp at Annapolis, Md., he was granted a thirty days' furlough on account of his poor health, and went home to recuperate, and relieve an anxious mother's fears. He went back to his regiment and received an honorable discharge March I8, 1865, although his papers bore date of December, 1864.
On the termination of the war, Mr. Cook returned to his home, and, after following the carpenter trade for a short time, he became interested in the lightning-rod business. Subsequently he was elected constable of Beaver, serving three consecutive years, until I88I, when he was elected sheriff by the Democratic party by over two hundred majority. He served three years as sheriff, during which the great riot at Beaver Falls took place, in which some twenty rioters were placed in his custody, four of whom were convicted,-sentence being suspended. At the close of his term, Mr. Cook was appointed deputy revenue collector of the twenty-third district of Pennsylvania, serving four years and three months. He then became superintendent and manager of the Beaver Valley Electric Light & Power Co. of Beaver Falls, which position he is still filling in an eminently satisfactory manner. In 1873, he purchased about one acre of land on Fifth street, and built a fine residence thereon, grading the lawns surrounding it, and setting out an abundance of small fruit and shade trees. In addition to this he rebuilt his mother's residence, adding another story; he also owns a fine tenement house on Fourth street, built by his uncle, Jacob, in 1844. His possessions include a number of choice building lots, he having purchased, in 1890, a tract of land 120 by 300 feet. This tract is known as the Mark estate, and is situated on Beaver street. Mr. Cook divided a portion of it into five fine lots, one of which sold to each of the following persons: E. J. Allison, James Reed, Lewis Reed, and the purchaser of the premises where J. I. Martin now lives. These are among the best residents of Beaver.
The subject of this writing has been twice married. His first wife was Sarah K. Sheldrake, a daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Shoemaker) Sheldrake. She was born in 1845, and passed to her final rest; leaving five children, namely: Frederick H., a contractor and carpenter of Beaver; Carrie Louise, still unmarried; Charles O., an electrician of Beaver Falls, who married Ollie Miller, and had two children, Lloyd and Henry, Henry W., a carpenter; and Mary E., also enjoying single blessedness. - Mr. Cook contracted a second matrimonial alliance, this time with Mary E. Matheny, a daughter of John and Caroline (Shoemaker) Matheny. No issue resulted from this union. The family worship with the Presbyterians, and contribute liberally toward the support of that denomination. Mr. Cook's portrait accompanies this sketch.