S. A. Cook Timeline | Outagamie and Beyond

The S. A. Cook Business Empire Timeline

In November 2015 as I attempted to determine what type of touring car S. A. would have owned in 1906, I came across another business venture that he was involved in that I never knew about. Because of this, I thought I needed to timeline his life. This ongoing project will be listed in bullet points, all sourcing will be done in my database, so if you would like more information, please contact me.

28 Jan 1849 – Born in Lloydtown, York, Ontario, Canada
Aug 1856 – Emigrated from Canada to Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin, USA and then to Stockbridge, Calumet Co., Wisconsin, USA
19 Jan 1865 – Enlisted in the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, Company “A”
1873-1881 – Merchant in Unity, Brighton Township, Marathon Co., Wisconsin, USA
16 Sep 1873 – Married Abbie F. Kelliher in Brothertown, Calumet Co., Wisconsin, USA
20 Apr 1874 – Appointed Postmaster for Unity, Marathon Co., Wisconsin, USA. At this point the postoffice was moved from Unity, Clark County, to Unity, Marathon County
3 Sep 1874 – Son, name unknown, was born in Unity, family lore states Stockbridge, but the family was residing in Unity at this time…?
8 Sep 1874 – Abbie F. Kelliher passes away in Unity, family lore states Stockbridge
24 Sep 1874 – Infant Son, name unknown, passes away in Unity, family lore states Stockbridge
17 May 1876 – Married Jennie Christie in Stockbridge.
22 May 1878 – Daughter, Maud Christie Cook was born in Unity.
February 1880 – Merchant in Unity, also in logging operations with John Weeks.
11 Feb 1881 – Son, Harry Harold Cook was born in Neenah – Location per family lore, but is this accurate?
20 Jun 1881 – It was reported that Wm H. Whitcomb had embezzled $10,000 belonging to the firm Samuel A. Cook & Co.
27 Sep 1881 – Passed the position of Unity Postmaster on to his brother, Jacob H. Cook.
June 1882 – The Neenah Gazette announced that he had purchased the Webster homestead on the island. The home was located on the NE corner of 1st and Forest. Ave. residing with the family was his sister-in-law Miss [Emeline] Christie. They were listed as residing in this home in the Appleton City Directory 1884-5.
After 1884-5 – The family resided in the Dr. Nathaniel Robinson home located on Commercial Street.
1885 October – Along with Henry Sherry purchased 1,160 acres of pine lands in Taylor county.
1889 – Mayor of Neenah.
1890 – In co-partnership with his nephew J. H. Healy, began the Cook & Healy Lumber Co.
10 Jan 1891 – Petitioned for Citizenship, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin, USA
27 May 1891 – Re-elected President of the West Range Railway Company. J. J. Fish, Vice President, and A. D. Eldridge, Secretary and Treasurer.
8 Oct 1891 – Purchased Henry Sherry’s interest in the Neenah Paper Company. He and F. T. Russell are now sole proprietors.
1891-1892 – Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
4 Feb 1895 – Elected President of the newly formed Soldiers’ Monument Association in Neenah, Wisconsin.
19 Sep 1895 – Jennie Christie Cook passes away in Aurora, York, Ontario, Canada.
October 1895-1897 – Representative from Wisconsin
23 Sep 1895 – Jennie Cook is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Neenah.
7 Jul 1896 – Dissolved his co-partnership with his nephew J. H. Healy, in the Cook & Healy Lumber Co.
1897 – Candidate for U.S. Senator from Wisconsin
27 Oct 1897 – Filed the articles of incorporation for the S. A. Cook Manufacturing Co., Menasha, in partnership with Miner H. Ballou, Watson Yule, and son Harry H. Cook.
29 Jun 1899 – The Alexandria Paper & Investment Co. was incorporated with a capital stock of $300,000. Directors are S. A. Cook, M. H. Ballou and A. E. Bunker.
22 Dec 1899 – The Alexandria Paper & Investment Co., changed its name to the Alexandria Paper Company.
11 Jun 1900 – The S. A. Cook Manufacturing Co., paper and shingle mill, was sold to M. H. Ballou and S. Elmer Smith of Menasha for a “price in the neighborhood of $125,000.”
February 1904 – His name was submitted for the nomination of governor.
11 Jan 1906 – Elected president of the A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Company, which he had recently purchased controlling interest.
2 Feb 1907 – The S. A. Cook Armory was dedicated to Co. I, 1st Infantry, Wisconsin National Guard, Neenah.
1907 – Candidate for U. S. Senator from Wisconsin.
25 Dec 1913 – Maud Christie Cook is married to Charles Frank Lancaster in Neenah.
1916 January – Selected at the Republican State Convention to be one of four candidates to nominate delegates-at-large for the National Convention which was held in Chicago in June 1916.
30 Jun 1917 – Harry Harold Cook is married to Martha Wheeler Paine in Oshkosh, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin, USA.
4 Apr 1918 – Died in Neenah.
10 Apr 1918 – Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Neenah.
17 Apr 1919 – After the terms of the will were completed, the estate remaining to be distributed was $320,002.11, the Cook homestead in Neenah, and eight (8) lots in Orono, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
25 Feb 1933 – The final report was filed regarding Harry’s will. Seven of the above lots were listed as being part of his estate.
1935 – The YWCA moves into S. A.’s former home at 138 Commercial Street.
1965 – 138, along with two other homes were torn down to make way for the current YWCA building, now known as the Neenah Menasha Y.