brother-in-law,
Thomas P. Kerr, he came into McLean County and bought land on the line
of the projected Ill. Central R.R. This he had decided to do before leaving
New York. Together they laid out the village of Oneida. The ICRR laid it
out more effectually, however, by locating the stations at Hudson and Kappa.
He commenced work for the company in '52, constructing culverts and also
assisted in building the old bridge across the Mackinaw. In the spring
of '53 he moved from Oneida to Kappa and took charge of the station. He
was appointed notary public and was one of the first school directors at
Kappa. In 1860 he was elected to the general assembly in opposition to
the
late Judge
Richmond, with whom he had a series of joint discussions, beginning at
Lacon and ending at El Paso. In September, '61 he entered the army as Captain
of Company G, 4th Reg., Ill. Cal. The majority of his company were young
men from Kappa, and vicinity. He was promoted to the office of Colonel.
At the close of the War he returned to Kappa, arriving here Nov. 5, 1864,
and on the
suceeding
Tuesday was by an immense majority again elected to the legislature. At
the conclusion of his service at Springfield he was appointed military
state agent for Illinois by Gov. Oglesby. He spent about six years in Washington
in this work, devoting most of his time during the last two years to the
collection of rejected war claims of Illinois against the U. S. He collected
something over $600,000 of the old claims. It was a long and severe struggle
and should have made him a rich man. His total compensation was less than
one-sixth of one per cent, per year, as he was paid a salary for his services.
In 1872 Gov. Beveridge appointed him one of the R. R. and Warehouse Commissioners
and he was chairman of that body. The severe labor incident to the organization
of the work of the Commission, brought back the dreadful biliary calculi
induced by exposure at Fort Donaldson, and from which he believed himself
cured. He died Nov. 9, '73. He passed away in the full flush of his matured
manhood. Col. Cook was well and favorably known throughout the State. His
son, Prof. Cook, writes, "In my frequent pilgrimages about the State, I
meet many of his old friends, and few things afford
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