27 Feb 1899, p 12 -
FREDERICK COOK, Whose Inventions Have Made His Name Famous, And Whose Life Was a Model in Many Ways, called to His Maker
In the 70th year of his age Mr. Frederick Cook gave up his spirit to its Maker, and in that there came a desolation in the household that had never before been experienced. A husband and father, who had been everything a loving wife, devoted children and stanch friends could appreciate, admire and love in man, has been called to a reward earned by a sincere life, an observance of the golden rule, and by doing all things required of man by the Creator of man.
Every business or society man in the community has said that of Mr. Cook. He has been a man admired of men, because of his manliness, his artistic and inventive genius, his honesty and sincerity. He was an Englishman, the son of a retired banker, and was born in London seventy years ago. He came to this country with his brothers and engaged in the machinery business, which he kept up all his life. In the early 40s he was one of the few shippers of machinery that had to be transported by vessel around Cape Horn. He was the builder and owner of the Belleville Iron Works, which was situated in Algiers, LA. Out of that shop came a Bagasse-burner, of which he was the inventor. It is still in service on Ames Plantation, opposite Carrollton.
During the War Mr. Cook left this country and went to Canada, and there engaged in the oil business with Colonel Havemeyer, father of the present oil magnate. He sold out there eventually and returned to Louisiana and again took up the machinery business. He also ventured in sugar planting in St. Landry Parish. About this time he invented the arrow cotton tie, which yielded him a veritable mine. At the time of his death he had large interests in sugar industries, and was still deriving revenue from his tie and Bagasse-burner. He was the inventor of some sixty mechanical contrivances for which he obtained patents. He was honored by a number of scientific societies. He made the first commercial success of petroleum, and was invited by the government of Austria to visit the country and demonstrate the fact in the navy. Although tempted by a big consideration, his wife refused to consent to his going, so he remained here.
His spare hours were devoted to scientific study and occasionally to art. As he excelled in engineering and mechanical science, so did he in art, in that he did some work with the brush that permitted his paintings to go on exhibition with professionals and receive credit. A magnificent piece of work in this respect is a head of the crucified Christ. The coloring, the features, the anguish depicted, indicate to the beholder at once that the brain that conceived it and the hand that executed it were in delightful harmony. There are other paintings about he house done by his hand to disclose that his skill in this respect had latitude.
Mr. Cook was married in this city to Miss Tamelie Cavalier, a daughter of one of the antebellum merchants of this city. She survives, as well as all of the children born to the union, who are Misses Alice and Louise and Mrs. Lloyd Posey, Walter H., Sidney G. and Fred C. Cook.
Although at an advanced age, it was believed if Mr. Cook could have been induced to relax on study, business and energy, he might have lived for years. But he could not be induced to live the life of an idle man. He felt the vitality so alive in him that he would only yield when it had given out completely.
The home of the dead was swarming with friends yesterday and last night. Death came shortly after noon. The funeral will be from the family residence, No. 2915 Chestnut Street, this evening at 3 o'clock, and the interment will be in the new St. Louis Cemetery on Esplanade Street."
