Jefferson County, NY Pioneers
JEFFERSON COUNTY NEW YORK
Genealogical and Family History of the County of Jefferson,New York Vol 1 & Vol 2
New York Chicago - the Lewis Publishing company - 1905
Transcribed by: Kathaleen Smith
email me at kathaleensmith@gmail.com for lookups
COOK families from pages V2 1123-1124
HIAL COOK deceased, of Clayton, New York, was born and spent his whole
life in Jefferson county. He was an extensive farmer, and a man
of substantial worth in the community. He was diligent and
energetic in his business, and was open-handed and outspoken in the
support of the right as he saw it, while always tolerant of the
opinions of others.
Mr. Cook was born in 1815, in Rodman, where
his father first located on coming to Jefferson county. Later the
family moved to Lafargeville, where the father died at the age of
seventy, and where the son Hial was educated. The son learned the
mason's trade, and worked at it in Watertown for Alexander Cummings.
He was a highly skilled workman and his services were always on
demand. Later he returned to Lafargeville, where he built the
Lafarge mansion and a number of other pretentious dwellings there and
in Depauville.
A little later he occupied a farm about four miles
from the village of Clayton, where he cleared off a considerable
acreage, and rented an adjoining farm which he managed in conjunction
with his own. He worked in all three hundred fifty acres of land,
and was one of the largest farmers in the locality. He brought
the same industry and intelligence to the conduct of his farm that had
brought him success in his earlier work.
When he gave up active
work he bought a house in the village of Clayton, where he lived until
it was burned down in 1885. He then built the house on James
street, which is now occupied by his widow. He was a successful
and exemplary man and a member of the Universalist church.
He
married Susan Hurd,
who was born in Bennington, Vermont in 1809. Her father, Isaac Hurd, born in
Bennington, went to Jefferson county, New York, in 1812, going first to
Champion, but later locating at Lafargeville, where he built a log
house for his family. Afterward he lived at Antwerp, and in his
last years were spent with his children in Watertown. His wife
was Mary Cuthill,
born on Long Island in revolutionary times. Her father was
captain of a vessel on Long Island Sound. He had at one time an
exciting adventure with pirates, who at that early period preyed on the
shipping along the coast. He was captured and taken on board the
pirate ship, only escaping by jumping overboard and swimming
ashore. He had previously been exposed to smallpox, but made his
way under cover of darkness to a friendly cabin, where he was nursed
during his illness. The pirates traced him to this place of
refuge, but were frightened away by the story of the plague. He
recovered and obtained command of another vessel, in which he was lost
at sea.
Mrs. Susan
(Hurd) Cook, grand-daughter of this old sea captain, in now in
her ninety-fifth year, and the only survivor of a family of ten
children. This venerable lady, who has lived a life of kindly
usefulness, is held in the highest esteem by a large circle of friends.
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