Thomas Thornton Cook, a citizen of San Bernardino County, was born near Nashville, Tennessee, March 29, 1830 His parents, James and Rhoda (Falkner) Cook, were both from Georgia and moved to Tennessee soon after their marriage. They had a family of twelve children, of whom our subject is the eleventh. His first experience in business for himself was a journey across the plains to California in 1851. He stopped for two years in Oregon, and then came on to California, in 1853, and mined in the northern part of the State for seven years. In 1860 he went to Virginia City, where he spent one year, and then went to Idaho and Montana, where he mined for about thirteen years. In 1874 he went to Arizona and mined for one year.
Then, in 1875, he came to San Bernardino County and has been one of her favored citizens since. In 1876 he married Mrs. Amanda Weaver, of Indiana, a daughter of Joseph Applegate, who died a soldier in the Mexican war. By her first husband she had five boys, Warren, Augustus, Abraham , Henry and William. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cook are members of the Congregational Church and active workers in the Sunday-school. Mr. Cook is an intelligent supporter of the Prohibition party and commands the respect and confidence of all who know him.
