----Source: 1881 HISTORY OF NORTHERN WI, Chicago: The Western Historical Company, A. T. Andreas, Proprietor (grammar as is), Pg. 576

J. H. COOK, merchant, Unity, was born in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 14, 1841, he grew to manhood on a farm, and at the age of fourteen years came to Fond du Lac, and finally located in Calumet County, which place he considered his home till 1874. He enlisted in 1861, in the 5th Wis. Vol. Inf., Co. I, and served till 1864, having been promoted several times in June, 1861, to second sergeant then to first sergeant, January, 1862 to second lieutenant in March, and first in May, receiving his captain's commission in August, 1862. He was wounded at Cold Harbor, and on this account was mustered out, in 1863. He went to farming in Calumet, then in Rock County and having learned something of drugs in Canada, he opened a drug store in Spencer, in 1874. He was burned out, and moved to Unity, opening a drug store in 1875. He married Miss Anna E. Halsted. They have three children Jennie, Adel, Harrie W. and Leslie. They have lost two, Anna E. and a babe named Illa. Mr. Cook has been Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Brighton since the town was organized in 1874, president of the Unity Literary Society, captain of the Unity Guards, is a member of the I. O. O. F. also the Encampment belongs to the Mason, A. F. A. M. and R. A. M. He once had a narrow escape from a watery grave being one of the passengers saved from the wreck of the Lady Elgin, in 1860 where his mother and oldest sister were lost. His father died in 1868.