Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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Amanda Herron Cook
Margaret Russell. In 1847 they moved to Boulder
Township. Linn County. with their infant son, Martin.
William was a carpenter and farmer. by trade. In
1848 he and Henry Clingsmith erected the first frame
building in the small settlement of Anamosa for C.C.
Rockwell. the first attorney of the area. The building
Samuel P. White (Submitted by Jo Walters)
William Cook
was erected across from the inn owned by Gideon Ford.
The frame building was destroyed by fire in 1880.
Margaret died in January 1849. apparently from the
hardships of pioneer life. After her death. William was
married to Lumanda Herron. April 14. 1850. She was
later known as Amanda to her descendants. They
became the parents of Monterey B.V.(White O'Brien);
Carrie L. (Kalbusi: Jerome C.: Preston Marion:
Elizabeth (Herr); Belle (Pierce): Mary Letty (Baum);
Douglas. Hannion and Emeletta.
Amanda was born Mar. 23. 1830. in Indiana. She
came to Linn County in 1847 with her mother. Mrs.
Lydia Herron. her brothers. William and George W..
sisters. Sarah Ann (Storm). and Mary. and an uncle.
Isaac Herron.
Amanda Cook died Aug. 29. 1923. leaving 150
descendants. some of whom are Allan Lee Cook.
Maquoketa: Annie Baldwin Geyer. Cedar Rapids: Irma
Belle Drexler. age 91. of Marion; Helen Drexler
Repstein, of Marion; Donald H. Drexler. Central City;
Shirley Batcheler Beebe. and Dick Merritt. Anamosa.
Janet McRoberts Campbell. Vinton; JoAnn
McRoberts Walters. rural Anamosa: Dale O. McRoberts.
Jr.. Sterling, Va.; Annie G. Geyer Griffins. Cedar
Rapids; Grace M. Champlin. Minn.: Louise McRoberts
Schneider Hakes. Medford. Ore.. and Dr. Jerry
McRoberts.
Aug. 20. 1853. William gave up farming and
purchased a 66 x 150 ft. lot from Warren Austin for
$40. This site was in the Walworth's Addition. of
Anamosa.
William continued in the carpenter trade until 1862.
when he enlisted as a Pvt. in Co. E. 31st Regiment of
the Iowa Volunteer Infantry.
The following is an excerpt from his Civil War records
"While on duty near Black River Bridge. in Mississippi.
in August 1863. he and five others were in a wagon.
guarding a cotton train. While driving into camp -— the
wagon master. driving the six mule-team — the team
became unmanageable and started to run out of the
road. The six mules and wagon carrying the six
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