Ira Cook was born in the Town of Union, Broome County, New York, on October 6, 1821. His childhood years were spent mostly attending school. In October of 1835, his father, one sister and her husband moved to Iowa and settled on land in what is now present day Davenport. Ira and the remainder of his family moved to Iowa the following spring. The spring move took two months to accomplish mostly by river travel. Ira worked on the family farm planting corn for a few years and also for a while lived in Tipton, where he once met then Territorial Governor Robert Lucas.
In 1849, Ira Cook teamed with John Evans on a contract which began his four-plus year career as a government surveyor. During his time as a surveyor, Ira and his crews subdivided several townships in parts of Iowa and Wisconsin.
After leaving his surveying career and Davenport in the mid 1850's, Ira Cook moved to Des Moines and entered the banking business with the firm of Cook, Sargent & Cook. Around 1860, he engaged in insurance and real estate with C. C. Dawson.
Ira was married in 1854 to Mary C. Owens. It seems that around 1857, Ira and his wife were given a three year old girl to care for by the child's father. Ira and Mary adopted the child. Ira and Mary also had one other daughter of their own born in 1859.
During the Civil War years Ira again took up government work. He was elected Mayor of Des Moines in 1861 and resigned not long after. In 1862, he moved to Washington D.C. and assumed a position in the Post Office Department and also held a position as a Deputy United States Revenue Collector.
Moving back to Des Moines, Ira was elected to two terms on the City Council beginning in 1866. In the 1870's, he became a stockholder in the Iowa Loan and Trust Company and in 1880, was elected one of its Trustees. In 1879 he partnered with G. M. Hippee and others to form the Des Moines Syrup Refining Company which operated to make syrup, sugar, and glucose from corn.
Ira Cook, wanting to pass on something for future generations, wrote a couple pieces for the Annals of Iowa. "Government Surveying in Early Iowa," about his days as a surveyor and another recollection of his earlier years in Davenport and Eastern Iowa titled, "Reminiscences."
Ira Cook passed away on March 11, 1902, and is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines. Today, visitors to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines will find Ira Cook featured in the "You Gotta Know the Territory" exhibit.
In 1849, Ira Cook teamed with John Evans on a contract which began his four-plus year career as a government surveyor. During his time as a surveyor, Ira and his crews subdivided several townships in parts of Iowa and Wisconsin.
After leaving his surveying career and Davenport in the mid 1850's, Ira Cook moved to Des Moines and entered the banking business with the firm of Cook, Sargent & Cook. Around 1860, he engaged in insurance and real estate with C. C. Dawson.
Ira was married in 1854 to Mary C. Owens. It seems that around 1857, Ira and his wife were given a three year old girl to care for by the child's father. Ira and Mary adopted the child. Ira and Mary also had one other daughter of their own born in 1859.
During the Civil War years Ira again took up government work. He was elected Mayor of Des Moines in 1861 and resigned not long after. In 1862, he moved to Washington D.C. and assumed a position in the Post Office Department and also held a position as a Deputy United States Revenue Collector.
Moving back to Des Moines, Ira was elected to two terms on the City Council beginning in 1866. In the 1870's, he became a stockholder in the Iowa Loan and Trust Company and in 1880, was elected one of its Trustees. In 1879 he partnered with G. M. Hippee and others to form the Des Moines Syrup Refining Company which operated to make syrup, sugar, and glucose from corn.
Ira Cook, wanting to pass on something for future generations, wrote a couple pieces for the Annals of Iowa. "Government Surveying in Early Iowa," about his days as a surveyor and another recollection of his earlier years in Davenport and Eastern Iowa titled, "Reminiscences."
Ira Cook passed away on March 11, 1902, and is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines. Today, visitors to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines will find Ira Cook featured in the "You Gotta Know the Territory" exhibit.
Ira Cook was born in the Town of Union, Broome County, New York, on October 6, 1821. His childhood years were spent mostly attending school. In October of 1835, his father, one sister and her husband moved to Iowa and settled on land in what is now present day Davenport. Ira and the remainder of his family moved to Iowa the following spring. The spring move took two months to accomplish mostly by river travel. Ira worked on the family farm planting corn for a few years and also for a while lived in Tipton, where he once met then Territorial Governor Robert Lucas.
In 1849, Ira Cook teamed with John Evans on a contract which began his four-plus year career as a government surveyor. During his time as a surveyor, Ira and his crews subdivided several townships in parts of Iowa and Wisconsin.
After leaving his surveying career and Davenport in the mid 1850's, Ira Cook moved to Des Moines and entered the banking business with the firm of Cook, Sargent & Cook. Around 1860, he engaged in insurance and real estate with C. C. Dawson.
Ira was married in 1854 to Mary C. Owens. It seems that around 1857, Ira and his wife were given a three year old girl to care for by the child's father. Ira and Mary adopted the child. Ira and Mary also had one other daughter of their own born in 1859.
During the Civil War years Ira again took up government work. He was elected Mayor of Des Moines in 1861 and resigned not long after. In 1862, he moved to Washington D.C. and assumed a position in the Post Office Department and also held a position as a Deputy United States Revenue Collector.
Moving back to Des Moines, Ira was elected to two terms on the City Council beginning in 1866. In the 1870's, he became a stockholder in the Iowa Loan and Trust Company and in 1880, was elected one of its Trustees. In 1879 he partnered with G. M. Hippee and others to form the Des Moines Syrup Refining Company which operated to make syrup, sugar, and glucose from corn.
Ira Cook, wanting to pass on something for future generations, wrote a couple pieces for the Annals of Iowa. "Government Surveying in Early Iowa," about his days as a surveyor and another recollection of his earlier years in Davenport and Eastern Iowa titled, "Reminiscences."
Ira Cook passed away on March 11, 1902, and is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines. Today, visitors to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines will find Ira Cook featured in the "You Gotta Know the Territory" exhibit.
In 1849, Ira Cook teamed with John Evans on a contract which began his four-plus year career as a government surveyor. During his time as a surveyor, Ira and his crews subdivided several townships in parts of Iowa and Wisconsin.
After leaving his surveying career and Davenport in the mid 1850's, Ira Cook moved to Des Moines and entered the banking business with the firm of Cook, Sargent & Cook. Around 1860, he engaged in insurance and real estate with C. C. Dawson.
Ira was married in 1854 to Mary C. Owens. It seems that around 1857, Ira and his wife were given a three year old girl to care for by the child's father. Ira and Mary adopted the child. Ira and Mary also had one other daughter of their own born in 1859.
During the Civil War years Ira again took up government work. He was elected Mayor of Des Moines in 1861 and resigned not long after. In 1862, he moved to Washington D.C. and assumed a position in the Post Office Department and also held a position as a Deputy United States Revenue Collector.
Moving back to Des Moines, Ira was elected to two terms on the City Council beginning in 1866. In the 1870's, he became a stockholder in the Iowa Loan and Trust Company and in 1880, was elected one of its Trustees. In 1879 he partnered with G. M. Hippee and others to form the Des Moines Syrup Refining Company which operated to make syrup, sugar, and glucose from corn.
Ira Cook, wanting to pass on something for future generations, wrote a couple pieces for the Annals of Iowa. "Government Surveying in Early Iowa," about his days as a surveyor and another recollection of his earlier years in Davenport and Eastern Iowa titled, "Reminiscences."
Ira Cook passed away on March 11, 1902, and is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines. Today, visitors to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines will find Ira Cook featured in the "You Gotta Know the Territory" exhibit.
