----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Wis.) 02/04/1921

Cook, Alfred (4 OCT 1850 - 30 Jan 1921)

Died, at St. Joseph’s Hospital on Sunday evening Jan. 30, 1921, Alfred Cook, aged 71 years.

While all the citizens of this community knew that life for Mr. Cook was but the matter of a short time, yet one realized that the grim reaper was to sever the threads of life so quickly. Sunday forenoon his family was hastily summoned to his bedside at the hospital for a sudden turn for the worse was plainly evident and that evening surrounded by his loved ones he passed into that sleep from, which there is no awakening. Thus passed from life into death a man whose entire life from early manhood had been passed in this community.

When a young man of twenty years he left the old homestead at Chilton, Wis. and worked northward into the great unbroken forest and located in this village (Unity, Wis.). From that day on the life and history of Alfred Cook has been so closely interwoven with that of this community that in writing the history of one you must of necessity write that of the other. When from out of the forests new towns were created, this became a portion of the town of Brighton and he was chosen to represent the town as its chairman time and time again. When the village of Unity was incorporated he was elected its first president and he has filled that position ever since, with the exception of one year. In 1901 he represented this district at Madison as assemblyman from the first district of Marathon Co., defeating Gilbert E. Vander Cook after a close and exciting race.

He always took great pride in the appearance of the village and to his careful supervision of its streets and walks is due much of the neatness and smartness of our village. In our Central Park he took great interest and devoted many hours to making it a place of beauty.

For half a century he has lived his life amongst us and he was known and respected by his large circle of friends, not only those of mature mind, but the children all knew him and called him friends, and there is no honor greater than this. His long residence and his calling has made him widely known through this section and many will hear of his death with regret.

After his death his remains were brought to the United Undertaking parlors, where they were prepared for burial and then taken to his residence in this village, where they were viewed by hundreds of his intimate friends, and the floral tributes not only from local but far away friends, were many and beautiful.

Alfred Cook was born at Lloydtown, Ontario, Canada, Oct. 4, 1850, and moved with his parents to Stockbridge, Wis. in 1854, where he grew to manhood. After the family had become settled in their new home in Calumet Co. the mother and one sister returned to Canada, where they sold their former homestead property and returning were passengers on the ill fated steamer "Lady Elgrin", which went down with all on board off the shore at Racine, the mother and sister being among those who failed to reach the shore. This loss made a great change in the lives of the Cook family.

In 1871 he came to Unity and worked here during the winter, returning to Stockbridge, where on Aug. 14, 1873 he was united in marriage to Amanda M. Blood, and brought his bride to this village, where they have resided since. To this union ten children were born, the oldest son Herbert died in 1896.

He is survived by his widow and nine children, Louis H. cook and Miss Mable Cook of Wausau, Mrs. Emma Hirsch of Park Falls, and George S. Cook, Mrs. Etta Mason, Walter E. Cook, Miss Edith Cook, Mrs. Ella Lueloff and Raymond D. Cook of Unity, three brothers, two sisters and twenty-four grandchildren.

The funeral services were held at the Methodist Church Wednesday afternoon and were attended by a large number of sorrowing friends. The interment was at the Colby Cemetery. (Unity Register)