Ebenezer Cook was the son of Captain Ira Cook and was born at New Hartford, Oneida county, New York, February 14, 1810.  While yet a boy his father moved to Broome county in the same state, where he was extensively engaged in the lumber business.  Ebenezer at the age of seventeen went to Ithaca as confidential agent of Hiram Powers, in a wholesale house there.  When twenty-three years of age, at Undilla, he married Miss Clarissa C. Bryan, and soon after went into the mercantile business at Vienna, Ontario county.  In May, 1835, with his old friend and earliest patron, Hiram Powers, he traveled by way of the lakes to Green bay, then on horse-back through the Indian country to Galena.  There they heard such glowing accounts of Iowa and the opposite shore of the Mississippi that on returning to New York state the entire family decided upon leaving their home for a new one beyond the Mississippi.  Ebenezer did not accompany them, but followed in December, 1836.  Mr. Cook commenced reading law with Judge Williams and was appointed clerk of the federal court in 1839 and was admitted to the bar in 1840.  He soon secured an extensive and lucrative practice.  Under the act of congress of 1845 he commenced the locating of land warrants in 1847, which led him to active operation in real estate, which he successfully continued until the question of a railroad became almost the sole topic of discussion  in the years 1851-52-53, when he took an active part in the new movement for the advancement of the state by means of railroad communication with the eatern markets, becoming a director of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad from its first organization.  He was also elected secretary and vice president of the old Mississippi & Missouri road which was later merged into the Rock Island, and later he became treasurer, afterward vice president and was at the time of his death acting vice president of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company.  While engaged in the handling and locating of land warrants large sums of money came into his possession, which induced him to become a member of the banking firm of Cook & Sargent, remaining with this concern until 1859, when he withdrew to devote his whole attention to the interests of the railroad.  He never solicited or sought any office in his life, although he was always a consistent and patriotic member of the party with which he was affiliated.  In 1851 and in 1854 he was a member of the common council of Davenport and was elected mayor of the city in 1858.  In the sixty-second year of his age he died at his home in Davenport, on the 8th day of October, 1871. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L