Hanna Basin Museum
  • Museum
    • 2020 Carbon Cemetery Association and Hanna Basin Historical Society ​Spring Newsletter
    • 2019: Hanna Basin Historical Society and Carbon Cemetery Association Newsletter
    • Visitors to the Museum
    • Books and Magazines to Read Online about the Hanna Basin
    • Books Available for Purchase at the Hanna Basin Museum
    • Order Form for Materials Available for Purchase at the Museum
    • Membership and Support
    • Links to Other Wyoming Museums >
      • Medicine Bow, Wyoming, Museum and Hanna Basin Neighbor
      • Rock Springs, Wyoming, Historical Museum
    • Copyright Infringement Notification
  • Carbon
    • Hanna Basin Museum - Time Line
    • CARBON CEMETERY RECORDS
    • Carbon Mine Fatality Records
    • Visitors to the Carbon Cemetery
    • Carbon - Wings of Imagination - A Letter From Old Carbon
    • Carbon - A Poem by Mrs. C. E. Ellis
    • 2003: Carbon Cemetery Restoration
    • 2011: Carbon, Carbon County, Cemetery Restoration 2011
    • 2011: Bow River FFA Community Service Project: Carbon Cemetery
    • 2014: The Carbon Cemetery
    • 2015: The Old Carbon Cemetery Privy
  • Hanna
    • HANNA HAPPENINGS
    • THE HANNA CEMETERY: From the Bottom of the Mine
    • HANNA CEMETERY RECORDS
    • Hanna Burial Plots and Lots >
      • Hanna Blocks and Lots 1 - 6
      • Hanna Plots 1 - 50
      • Hanna Plots 51 - 80
      • Hanna Plots 81 - 129
      • Hanna Plots 130 - 175
      • Hanna Plots 176 - 209
      • Hanna Plots 210 - 298
      • Hanna Plots 299 - 349
      • Hanna Plots 350 - 379
      • Hanna Plots 380 - 419
      • Hanna Plots 420 - 500
    • Hanna Early Churches >
      • Introduction to Hanna’s Early Churches
      • Episcopal Church - History, Bell and Cross
      • Methodist Church - Organ
      • Colored Baptist Church
    • Hanna Military in the Hanna Cemetery >
      • Hanna Cemetery - In The Military
      • Arthurs, Peter Killed in Action World War I
      • Love, Michael V. Killed In The Line Of Duty
      • Jones, William D. Died of Wounds Received In Action World War I
      • Lucas, Bernard R. Killed In Action World War II
      • Lucas, William C. Died of Wounds Recieved In Action World War II
      • Luoma, Arvo A. Killed in Action World War II
      • McAtee, William J. Killed in Action Vietnam
      • Saari, John Killed in Action World War II
    • Hanna Cemetery - Japanese Monuments Transcribed
    • Grave Headstones for Hanna Miner Fatalities Buried Elsewhere than Hanna
    • Hanna Where Did They Come From?
  • The People
  • Schools
  • Coal Mines
    • A History of the Hanna Coal Miner from 1868 to 2017: Bob Leathers' Notebook
    • Hanna Basin Mining Companies and Mines
    • Men Injured in the Hanna Mines
    • 1903 June 30: Explosion of the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 mine in Hanna >
      • Hanna 1903 Explosion Explained
      • List of Miners Killed in the June 30, 1903 Explosion
      • 1904 State Mine Inspector's Report for 1903 Explosion
      • 1903 Explosion Coroner's Inquest
      • 1903 Explosion - Earle Holmes Letter to Wilson Gobble
    • Hanna 1908 Mine Explosions Explained >
      • List of Miners Killed in the March 28, 1908 Explosions
      • 1908 Explosion Coroner's Inquest Report
      • Noah Young's 1908 Hanna Explosion Report to Governor B.B. Brooks
      • 1908 State Coal Mine Inspectors Report - 1908 Hanna Mine Number 1 Explosion
      • David M. Elias - State Mine Inspector Killed in 1908 Explosion
      • 1908 Explosion - Gov. B.B. Brooks Communiations
      • April 3, 1908 Chums From Boyhood Died Side By Side
      • April 16, 1908 U.P. May Not Be Liable
      • 1908: Newspaper Articles from The Wigan Observer in England About the March 28, 1908 Explosion of the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine in Hanna
      • Death of Noah Young - State Mine Inspector for the 1908 Explosion of Mine No. 1
    • 1916 Labor Agreement Between the United Mine Workers of America and the Southern Wyoming Coal Operators
    • 1917 Labor Agreement Between the United Mine Workers of America and the Southern Wyoming Coal Operators
    • 1970 - 1980: Bill Becker's Hanna Strip Mine Blasting Videos
  • Gallery
    • 1889-1912: ​ Elmer Larson - The Butvier Collection from Sally Hafdell and David Eriksson in Sweden
    • Images from Early Hanna Basin and Wyoming
    • Early History of the Union Pacific Railroad
    • 1910-1920: McNulty Family Photo Collection ​Albert Film - Hanna Basin Adventurer
    • 1920 -1930: Gert Milliken's Photo Collection of Unknown Children, Women, Men, and Families in Hanna
    • 1963 October 2: A Large Cattle Drive from Palm Livestock Company at Elk Mountain ​ to Hanna's Union Pacific Railroad Stockyard
    • 2017 April 18: Un​ion Pacific Steam Engine 844 Stopped at Hanna, Wyoming
    • 2019 May 17 and May 4: Big Boy​ 4014 and Engine 844 Were Running the Rails Again
    • Images of Old Carbon Today
  • Notebook

Thomas and Martha Cook: Hanna Old Timers


"... at the age of ten years entered the mines of that country, thereafter following the occupation of coal mining in England until June 1885, on which date he sailed for America." (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1924)
Picture
Thomas Cook. Carbon and Hanna Miner, (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1924)

Thomas Cook
​Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1924

Thomas Cook, whose photograph accompanies this article, was born in Trimden, County Durham, England, on May 19, 1854, and at the age of ten years entered the mines of that country, thereafter following the occupation of coal mining in England until June 1885, on which date he sailed for America. Later, settling in Rock Springs, he entered the employ of the Union Pacific Coal Company as a miner, working as such until the year 1890, when he moved from Rock Springs to Red Lodge, Montana, working there as a miner until the year 1894, when he moved to the then lively camp of Carbon, where he worked until the year 1896. From Carbon he was transferred to Hanna, where he worked as a miner until the year 1897. Later he moved from Hanna to Almy, Wyoming, working there as a miner until the year 1900, at which time he moved to Spring Valley, remaining there until the mine closed in the year 1904. Mr. Cook then moved to Cumberland, and after working there for a short time, he returned to Hanna in the latter part of the year 1904 to work in No. 3 Mine, and has made his residence in Hanna since that date.

Mr. Cook was twice married, his first alliance made in his native country. From this union eight children were born. His second marriage took place at the town of Almy, Wyoming, his bride Mrs. Martha Wilkes, a widow of one of the Almy explosion victims and to this union was born three children, John H., Benjamin C., and Annie; all of whom are married with homes of their own in Hanna. Mr. Cook has always been a loyal and trusted employe, and is still in the harness, working every day attending to the pumps and generator sets in No. 4 Mine, and we hope and trust that he and his good wife may be with us for many years to come. (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1924)

Mrs. Thomas Cook: Hanna Old Timer

Picture
Mrs Tom Cook (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1927)
Picture
Thomas Cook (UPCCEM, May 1934)

Hanna Cemetery Records

Thomas Cook: ​1854 - 1934  -  Martha Cook:​ 1858 - 1947
​Buried in plot 326 in the Hanna Cemetery
Cook, Thomas R.
Link: ​​Headstone: "1854-1934" Shares a stone with Martha Cook.
Plot: 326
Born: 1854
Died: 1934
Age: 80
Note: Mr. Thomas Cook, a retired employee and member of the Old Timers Association, passed away at Hanna on Monday, March 19. Mr. Cook was born on May 19, 1854, his name first appearing on the payrolls of The Union Pacific Coal Company as a miner at Old Carbon in 1894. On two occasions, he left the service of the Company to work in Scofield, Utah field, returning to The Union Pacific Coal Company in September, 1902, and was retired from service on June 30, 1925, account physical disability.
If possible, to obtain same, a picture of Mr. Cook and a further story of his life will be published in the May issue of The Employees’ Magazine.  (UPCCEM, April 1934)
Note: Mr. Thomas Cook was born in England on May 19, 1854, and approaching 80 years of age, passed away at Hanna on March 19th last.
Mr. Cook married before leaving his native country, coming to the United States in 1880, locating in Franklin, Idaho, where he remained for a brief period. Thereafter he worked in the mines at Rock Springs, thence removing to work in a mine at Chestnut, Montana, where his wife passed away, leaving him with three young children.
Sometime thereafter, Mr. Cook left Montana, locating first at Carbon, from there moving to Almy, where he married Martha Bennett Wilkes of Almy. Later, Mr. Cook was employed for a short time in the Spring valley mines, thence transferred to the newly opened mines at Cumberland, where he was employed for some six years. During the period referred to, our friend was employed for a short time in the company’s mines at Scofield, Utah. 
In 1908, Mr. Cook was transferred to Hanna, serving in the capacity of gas watchman, continuing his work in the Hanna mines until he was retired on a pension May 1, 1926, his residence maintained in Hanna until his death. Surviving Mr. Cook are his widow and seven children, Edward, William, George and Clara Wilkes, born to his second wife, and two sons and a daughter born to Mr. Cooks first wife, namely John, residing in Los Angeles; Ben, residing at Hanna; and Mrs. Annie Cook Scott, residing at Medicine Bow.
Mr Cook’s funeral took place at Hanna on Thursday, March 22, the services conducted in the Methodist Church, and very largely attended. Mr. Cook was a member of the Latter-Day Saints Church, having joined that denomination before coming to the United States. Bishop Lyman Fearn of Rock Springs and Elder Clarence Meacham of the Rock Springs church conducted the funeral services, the music supplied by a mixed choir from Rawlins. 
With the passing of Mr. Cook, his friends lose a genial and kindly associate and friend, this fact well testified to by the very large number of people participating in the conduct of the funeral services. The sympathy of Mr. Cook’s many friends, particularly the members of the Old Timers Association who knew him for so many years, goes out to Mrs. Cook and the surviving sons and daughters.  (UPCCEM, May 1934)

Hanna Basin Museum Website – A Connection To The Past