Ward W. Cook

WARD W. COOK. Among the prominent citizens and solid business men of Clinton, one whose varied interests have made his name widely known is Ward W. Cook, president of the Peoples Trust & Savings Bank. He completed his school period at Clinton, but, losing his father in childhood, early became dependent upon his own abilities and efforts and for a number of years was connected with business houses at different points. In 1894 he entered his present institution, as bank messenger, and has continued to be identified with this banking house ever since, having been its chief executive since 1923. It is not unusual in America to trace the steps of many a man's successful career back to a courageous, industrious youth, as in the case of Mr. Cook, but it is rather out of the ordinary to find in these men of large affairs a compelling interest in simple things as in the growing of flowers and a delight in their perfection.

Mr. Cook was born at Dunleith (now East Dubuque), Illinois, September 1, 1866, and is a son of Samuel and Josephine (Williams) Cook, natives of New York State, Early in life Samuel Cook was taken by his father, also named Samuel, to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was introduced to the wholesale business by the elder man. Later he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and then came to Lyons, Iowa, where from 1856 until 1866 he was employed as a steamboat clerk, in the latter year going to Dunleith, Illinois, where he entered the lumber and fuel business with Ashley & Cook. He remained in that community until 1871, when he closed out his interests in Illinois and came to Clinton, Iowa, with the intention of going into the sawmill business, but almost immediately after his arrival was stricken with a fatal illness and passed away six days later, December 6, 1871. Mr. Cook had reached the age of only thirty-five years, but already was making his way to a substantial position in business life, and had he been spared doubtless would have become a wealthy man, as he possessed great ability and industry, and had established a reputation for high character and probity. His widow survived him until December, 1918, and died at the age of seventy-eight years. They became the parents of two sons: Ward W., of this review; and Ben C., who lives on a beautiful farm in Virginia, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Ward W. Cook attended the public schools at Clinton, where he was graduated from high school, and in 1885, at the age of nineteen years, went to Chicago in the pioneer book store of H. D. Chapman & Company, where he received a salary of nine dollars a week. He left this position to accept employment with the Drovers National Bank, at the Union Stock Yards, Chicago, and after a year became an employe of the tallow, hide and glue firm of Ira C. Darling & Company, also located at the Stock Yards. His next connection was with the Eureka Company, of Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois, and left this establishment to come to Clinton, where he entered the office of the W. J. Young Lumber Company. In September, 1894, Mr. Cook became identified with the Peoples Trust & Savings Bank, in the capacity of bank messenger, later was advanced to the post of clerk, and continued to gain promotion until he became, in 1923, president of this institution, which has a capital of $300,000, and a surplus of a like amount, and is known as one of the strongest banks in Iowa. Mr. Cook is widely known in banking circles and is a member of the Iowa State Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association. He is a thirty-third degree Scottish Rite Mason, and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Clinton Boat Club, the Clinton Country Club and the Wapsipinicon Club. A man of great public spirit and civic pride, he is a member and constructive worker of the local Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, secretary of the Clinton Airport Company and for the past seven years chairman of the Board of Park Commissioners, and during the World war took a very active part in the drives of the Liberty Loan and War Savings Stamps. His hobby is the growing of rare iris and peonies, and his garden, covering about three acres, is probably the largest individual garden of its kind in the world and one of the showplaces of the city and state. His flowers have won medals and trophies at various large exhibitions in this country and Canada, and Mr. Cook is treasurer of the American Peonies Society of the United States and Canada.

On December 30, 1888, Mr. Cook was united in marriage with Miss Mary Sampson, daughter of Albert and Lucetta (Cooke) Sampson. Mr. Sampson, a pioneer merchant of Sterling, Illinois, where he arrived in 1838, was a direct descendant of Henry Sampson, who came to America in the Mayflower. Mr. and Mrs. Cook have had three children: Samuel S. sales and publicity manager of the Curtis Companies, of Clinton, Iowa; Lucetta, a graduate of Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts, who resides with her parents; and Ward W., who died at the age of three years.