Benjamin E. Cook

Benjamin E. Cook, Jr. (Feb. 14, 1841 - Dec. 14, 1930) served in Company C, 52nd Massachusetts Regiment. He enlisted in the Union army in 1863 at age 22 and completed his service in 1864. Northampton’s first mayor, longtime city businessman and active in local real estate, he was born at 75 Bridge Street at the family homestead settled by his father after arriving in Northampton in the 18th century, later resided himself at 83 Pomeroy Terrace and was a lifelong resident of the city. Known locally as “Honest Ben”, he was one of the last surviving members of the W.L. Baker post of the Grand Army of the Republic.

His father was General Benjamin Ely Cook of the 6th Brigade Massachusetts Volunteer Militia and his brother was Admiral Francis A. Cook of the United States Navy. As a town official, he served as selectman and became the first chief executive of the city in 1883 and was re-elected in 1884 and 1885. Together with his father, they were engaged in a jewelry store on Main Street which had been established in 1785 by Samuel Stiles. Mr. Cook attended Bridge Street School, Northampton High School (when it was on Center Street) and Lewis J. Dudley’s School for Boys on Gothic Street. As a young man he was a member of the local militia company and the Northampton Volunteer Fire Department, belonging to the famous old “Deluge” team of volunteers, and was later foreman of the Hook and Ladder company. Twice married, the second time at the age of 83, Cook and his new bride went on a three month journey to Europe, where they traveled extensively by automobile.

Cook was a prominent Democrat and was said at the time to have been, perhaps, one of Northampton's leading political orators, together with his friend Judge J.B. O’Donnell and, across party lines, Henry S. Gere. IN collaboration with the architect and builder Charles H. Jones, he built and developed new housing on Eastern Avenue, New South St. (this building now bears his name) Woodbine Avenue, Williams St. and Hawley St. and built the block at Pleasant and Armory Street.

Excerpts from Benjamin E. Cook's Obituary in the Springfield Daily Republican, Monday 15 December 1930:

"B E Cook, 89, Dies; Was First Mayor of Northampton
Served Three Terms, being Unopposed Last Time-Known as a Speaker
Was a ‘Grand Old Man’ in Municipal Affairs
Served as Selectman Under Town Government, Held Many Other Offices – Served in Civil War
Northampton, Dec 14 – Benjamin E Cook, 82, first mayor of Northampton, died this morning at 8.30 at the Dickinson hospital, where he was taken after an illness of two months, during which he received devoted attention at his home, 83 Pomeroy terrace…

Benjamin Ely Cook was born February 14, 1841, on the Cook homestead on Bridge street, the son of Benjamin E and Elizabeth Griffin) Cook. He attended the graded and high schools and the Lewis J Dudley private school on Gothic street. At the age of 16, he entered the jewelry store of his father and at the age of 20 enlisted in the 52d Massachusetts regiment for service in the Civil war. He was made 2d sergeant of Co C of Northampton. Before going to war, he had been a member of the local militia company and of the volunteer fire department. He was a member of the famous old Deluge company, and, subsequently, was foreman of the hook and ladder company.

The year Mr Cook returned from war, 1864, he was taken into partnership with his father. The partnership continued until the death of Gen Cook in 1900 at the age of 96. The same year Mr Cook sold the jewelry business to Phelps & Gare. Before and after his retirement from the jewelry business, Mr Cook engaged in the development of real estate. He built the block at Pleasant and Armory streets now occupied by Quinn’s furniture business. Eastern Avenue was developed by Mr Cook, and Woodbine avenue by Mr Cook and John B O’Donnell, two ex-mayors, who had long been associated in friendship, business and politics.

Was City’s First Mayor
The political career of Mr Cook began with his service as selectman of the town of Northampton in 1876...When the town was made a city in 1884, Mr Cook was elected first mayor, and continued in that office three years. In election for his third term, no opponent was nominated against him, a distinction that has fallen to the lot of only one other mayor, Alvertus J Morse. Mr Cook served on the board of water commissioners and the board of sewer commissioners, and gave two widely separated periods of service on the school board.

Mr Cook was a member of the Democratic city committee at least 50 years, and probably longer, though the years were not all consecutive, and had been chairman of the Democratic county committee...Mr Cook had been a director of the First National bank and a trustee of the Northampton Institute for Savings nearly 50 years. He was associated with Judge Richard W Irwin in settlement of the affairs of the Hampshire County National bank and the Hampshire Savings bank in 1898. He was a director of the Connecticut Valley Street Railway company, which built lines to Amherst and Greenfield. He and his brother, Rear Admiral Francis A Cook, established the illuminated clock in the tower of the First church as a gift to the city in memory of Gen Benjamin E Cook, their father. Mr Cook was a member of W L Baker Grand Army post and president of the 52d Regimental association.

Mr Cook was, perhaps, Northampton’s leading political orator. On his own side of the political fence was the late Judge John B O’Donnell, Mr Cook’s closest political friend, and one of his closes personal friends, who was a leading promoter of Mr Cook’s first nomination for mayor in 1883…Besides their association in politics, the two were associated in real estate...
The two factors that most contributed to Mr Cook’s platform success were his extraordinary retentive memory and his storm manner of speech. He could fairly be called an orator, but not a silver-tongued orator. His speech was explosive and commanding. It was not his method to open with a calm manner and smooth phrases, but to start a bombardment at once, which provoked early applause and was sustained to the end."