John C. Cook

Who was John C. Cook?

John Calhoun Cook was a 19th-century American politician, lawyer and judge from Iowa. He was twice elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 6th congressional district, each time under unusual circumstances.

Born in Seneca, Ohio, Cook attended common schools as a child, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867, commencing practice in Newton, Iowa. He was judge of the sixth judicial district of Iowa in 1878.

In 1880 Cook won the Democratic Party and Greenback Party nominations for the U.S. House seat in Iowa's 6th congressional district. After a very close general election race against Republican Marsena E. Cutts, Iowa's State Board of Canvassers concluded that Cutts had won 106 more votes. This enabled Cutts to be sworn in in 1881 and to initially serve as a congressman, as Cook pursued a contest of the election with the Republican-controlled U.S. House in the 47th United States Congress. A commissioner took evidence regarding the contest in Oskaloosa, Iowa in the Spring of 1882, but the House Committee on Elections had not announced a decision by the date that the seat was again up for election in November 1882.