COOK, Sophia - b. 1837 - d. September 9, 1916

[genealogynut]

Howard Courant
September 14, 1916

Mrs. Sophia Cook lived in Michigan the early part of her life and was married at Constantine, Michigan in 1855 to Jonas H. Cook.  As a bride of 18 she set out with her husband to the state of Kansas.  They traveled all the journey in a "prairie schooner" enduring as she did with pioneer fortitude the hardships incident to the journey and the life in an unknown and untried country.  A country which at that time was infested with the adventurers of border warfare and later strained by the uncertainties of civil strife.

Mr. and Mrs. Cook settled first at what was then Ohio City, a town which has ceased to exist.  Two years later, in 1857 they moved to Ottawa and in 1883 came to Howard which has since been her residence.  Mrs. Cook united with the Presbyterian church of Howard in 1898.  Her husband and companion of pioneer days preceded her to the Land O' the Leal (?) in 1904.  To this union five children were born of whom the eldest, Homer, died at the age of seven; her daughter Mrs. DeVore, died in 1911, Mrs. C. F. Osborn, Mr. Fred Cook, Mrs. S. W. Gregg and 2 grandchildren, James DeVore and Fred Osborn and a host of friends mourn her loss.

Mr. and Mrs.. Cook in active life were engaged in the hotel business.  Besides making a true home for her children, the home spirit permeated all the hospitality of frontier life, and there was a genuine interest and welcome for the stranger within the gates. She did what she could.  She lived in her house by the side of the road and made others glad.

At half past eleven on the night of September 8th, Mrs. Cook was stricken with apoplexy and scarcely moved again, passing away quietly about 7 o'clock on the following morning.  Had she lived until next February she would have been 80 years of age rounding out an active life of four score years.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Kearns at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Gregg.  Interment was in the Grace Lawn cemetery.