Gustave Cook (1835–1897) was an American politician and judge. Born on 3 July 1835 in

Lowndes County, Alabama Lowndes County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 10,311. Its county seat is Hayneville. The county is named in honor of William Lowndes, a member of the United States Con ...

, to parents Nathaniel and Harriet Anthony (Herbert) Cook, Gustave Cook moved to Texas in 1850. While employed at a pharmacy, he studied law under John B. Jones. After his admittance to the bar, Cook served as district court clerk in

Fort Bend County Fort Bend County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county was founded on December 29, 1837, and organized the next year. It is named for a blockhouse at a bend of the Brazos River. The community developed around the fort in ...

and was county judge between 1856 and 1858. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, Cook served with

Terry's Texas Rangers The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of Texas volunteers for the Confederate States Army assembled by Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Although lesser ...

and attained the rank of colonel. In 1870, Cook settled in Houston. He contested the 1872 Texas legislative election, and was awarded the seat held by

Richard Allen Richard, Rick, or Dick Allen may refer to: Artists *Dick Allen (poet) (1939–2017), American poet, literary critic and academic *Richard Allen (abstract artist) (1933–1999), British painter *James Moffat (author) (1922–1993), Canadian-Britis ...

. Cook was affiliated with the Democratic Party and represented district 14 of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...

from 22 March 1873 to 13 January 1874. Later that year, Cook was appointed to a criminal court judgeship representing

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...

and

Galveston County, Texas Galveston County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located along the Gulf Coast adjacent to Galveston Bay. As of the 2020 census, its population was 350,682. The county was founded in 1838. The county seat is the City of Galveston, ...

. He resigned the judgeship on 1 October 1888. Cook attended the Philadelphia Peace Convention of 1866 to represent Texas, and ten years later, served as a delegate to the Democratic Party's state convention, held in the city of

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...

. From 1887, he actively opposed prohibition-related measures. Cooke supported the 1888 reelection campaign of Roger Q. Mills, and subsequently sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1890. The party's eventual nominee,

Jim Hogg James Stephen Hogg (March 24, 1851March 3, 1906) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the List of Governors of Texas, 20th governor of Texas from 1891 to 1895. He was born near Rusk, Texas. Hogg was a follower of the conservativi ...

, won the governorship. Cooke moved to San Marcos in 1892, and died there in July 1897.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Gustave People from Lowndes County, Alabama County judges in Texas People of Texas in the American Civil War 19th-century American judges Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Politicians from Houston People from Fort Bend County, Texas People from San Marcos, Texas 1835 births 1897 deaths 19th-century members of the Texas Legislature