HomeMy Public PortalAboutCook, Helga and WarrenRowers dock near Sylvan Beach.
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This is the story of Helga Meri.e Cook (n' ee-eterson) end Wa.rren. Cook, as recalled
by her daughter Yrs. Filth McRae. Interpolated into the interesting and humorous everts
as told by young Yrs. Cook.
John Suen Peterson, his wife Caroline and 2 small da.ugl-tors, Tina and Francis
bod?ed an ocen liner in late Oct. 1884 enroute from Sweden to .America. T'..n9_r des-
tination was whitehell, Michigan, where they would be at home among people of their
own nationality who were a so imigrants. The ocean tri- was rough and Mrs. Peterson
was in her eight month of pregnancy. Before the ship docked in New York near mi_d-
nite )ct. 31 R: Nov, 1st. Resp., she was delivered of twins a. girland a boy. I.ustly
and redheaded. Their names were Helga larie and Henry Peter. Helga was born minutes
before Henry arrived, making Helga' s birthday on Halloween , while Henry's b I.rthday
is Nov. 1st.
Four more children joined the family during the neat 10 years, 2 boys F 2 girls.
Fa.rly schooling .for the children consisted of regu.ler classes in the puplic school
followed by specialclasses after school and on Sat. in swedish. The language spoken
in the home.
Yrs. Peterson was a very devout christi.ar: a congregationel.ist almost nu.ritan in
her beliefs. Dancing watt forbidder, a. Ceck of Bards was a device of the devi.' which
when discovered in the Lome was promptly swept up into the dust-nan and burned. But
accompanying this old country discipline was an abundance of , ove: the children were
well adjusted and successful in school. Helga won special honors in ma.them: ties,
which talent would serve her well in later life. She had also acquired en under-
standing and appreciation of children having served as built in baby --sitter for four
younger brothers and sisters. At the suggestich of her high-school principal she
entered Teachers College at Upsilanty, Mich. Specializing in Primary grade sub, ects
a.nd taking Mk the math courses offered for her own pleasure and satisfaction. The
obtained her teaching certificate and her first tee.ching position was in Iron Mountain,
--2_
Mich, Her primary- students included children from newly arrived rnd d _sadventaged
Polish families whose .fathers had b311" brought from Europe to �•-ork in t,I-e iron mines.
Head lice and bed bugs were among the problems confronting her intte class• -room as
she struggled to teach chi'dren who understand little or no eng'i_sh. But her sense
of humor and love of children proved invaluable and her year was crowned with surcess.
The spirit of adventure that had drawn her twin brother Henry to a ,job in the
woods of the Pacific Northwest, brought her in 1905 to Nampa, Idaho, Where she had
obtained a teaching position at Lakeview School. Another young teacher at Lakeview
was Ennis McGee (later Mrs. Doss MCCall.) whose family were pioneer Nampa.ns. Helga
and Ennis spent 2 summer vacations at Payette Lakes, staying in the old I:akevi.ew
hotel, boating in the lake, and riding blooded race horses -owned by a half Indian
hotel owner and stockman named Clem Blacl^yell.
On one memorable occasion Helga was riding- a spirted horse on the old rase track
east of McCall when the animal shied. She was thrown and found unconscious, by the
horseman sent, out to locate her.
Her puri.tantical upbringing had precluded any acquaintance with acbM1 so when
anxious .friends used it to bring her to, she responded ruickly but vra.s .into,kYpted
and tipsy for several hours afterwards, much to the del.igl-t of hotel_
When-Aahigher salary was offered for a, tacker at the mining town. of '.arren 50
miles north, she accepted the position. And it was there in the winter of 1907 that
she meet the young forest ranger Warren E. Cook.
Enroute to her new teaching position which was reached by a. horse drawn stage
or on horseback. She spept the night at the Squaw Meadows State Station in this
isolated mining region of central Idaho. The station was owned and operated by Yr.
and t'rs. Hendricks and their three stalwart sons. The men were in a nearby meadow
harvesting the wild hay for winter use. Helga and Z'rs, Hendricks were enjoying the
sunshine just outside the low log house when a dapper New York mining man arrived
on horseback. He waa dressed in .fashionable ridi.nF habit with boots, ruirt and
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gauntlets. Quickly dismounting he strode over to hrs. Hendricks and ordered curtly
"I want dinner tonite, a good bed and an early breakfast for myself in the 7rorrin.g.
I also Grant my horse curried, fed oatse& ha,y.and bedded in str'aw."
Mrs. Hendricks, a tall, guant woman of sixty, stared blankly. Then she cupped -
her hands to her mouth and yelled loudly to her son, "Claude, C�a.ude, come Quick
Jetsus Christ is here, and he's brought his horse."
Warren Cook was born Feb. 26, 1876 to John Barnnister Cook at Dayton, Wash.
When Warren was 2 the family moved to Gra.n_gvill..e, Idaho, where his father had a
blacksmith shop. This was his home until he came to Warren, Idaho in 1904. In
1898-99 he served in the Spanish American. War and the Phillipine Insurraction as
quarter -master sergent of the comissary of Volunteer Company C. When the forest
service was created. in 1905 under the Dept. of Interior, he became a. .forest ranger
stationed at Warren, Idaho.. At one time he had under his supervision the ertire
Warren areas the primitive area, Chamberlain Basin, Rig Creek snd. 71k Summit, one
half of the forest area created at that time.
On Oct. 23, 1908, Warren t Helga were married in Warren, Tdaho by G. W. Luck
surveyor - preacher from Weiser, Idaho.
Warren was known as tough little mining tom and the town salon, tl-e Tony
Saloon was the western style gathering place for all the sour-doughs and town drunks.
'adhere all discussions ended in wagers or fights. The ranger station was detached
from the town, on the outskirts. Warren was away on forest business and Helga was
buitly catching up on housework after weeks of teaching.
Looking out of the window she was terrified to see staggering up the kitchen
path "Boston" Brown and Ira McGa.ry, two of the towns worst drunks ---guns and bottles
protuding from their pockets. They came to the kitchen door and knocked.
Ira, a, redheard Irishman, was spokesman, "excuse us, Ladd- Coo!:, for troubling
you but you're a teacher. Me and "Boston" have a, stake of twent-five dollars at
the saloon and we call on you to settle the wager. "Boston" says its Xy-loph-a; oUs,
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says he; and I says it Xylo--phogous, says I. Now which is after being correct? Sure
and itts all right we've been waiting to settle this bet."
Though she had never heard or seen this word before in a desperate, frightened
voice she chanced Xylophagous. Ira accepted it with a look of dismay but "Boston"
was beaming. As soon as they were out of sight Helga hurried over to the TTebster
Unabridged at the school house and there glory be it was "Yy-loph--agous"I As a
matter of interest the word refers to an insect or -mollusk larves which. bores holes
in wood.
In 1909 a daughter Dorothy was born and Helga was striker with Sciatic Rheu-
matism which kept her bed -fast for many. months. In spite of this infi.rimy she
taught a number of pupils from families who lived on ranches on the South Fork of
the Salmon River. Also living on a ranch on the South Fork at that time were
Carl and Ida Brown and small daughter, Elizabeth (now MTS. Ted Harwood of McCall).
The Browns had come from New Hampshire on a disappointing mining venture and
stayed to make their home, Mr Brown was carrying mail for the Govt. into the
back country and Mrs. Brown's ranch home served as stopping place for prospectors
and sourdoughs passing thru to Big Creek, Thunder Mtn. and Chamberlain .Basin. .forest
service employees. She and Helga began warm friendship which lasted until my
mothers death in the fall of 1955.
Dads next forest job took him to faddy Fiat Ranger Station in the summer, which
is over the hill east of Roseberry (ghost town). They built a home in Roseberr5 and
spent their winters there. In 1911 a son John was born and a. year 'titer the family
moved to a new assignment in McCall at the Lake Fork Ranger Station near Slick Rock_.
Winters were spent in McCall and there in Feb. 1913, a daughter Ruth was born.
I can remember Mom's story of the wagon trip to McCall from Roseberry. All their
earthly belongings were eith them. Doctor bills had depleated away savings the-- had.
As mom said "we were poor as church ,.rice with 2 babies, and h-d .'list discovered a
thridone on the -may. I bawled all. the way to McCall." I :Wie.faNays felt that be-'
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cause sho so frankly and openly resented my coming, guilt feelings were later trans-
lated to indulance to atone as I grew up.
In McCall the post -office came ,.in for examinetion and Helga took the test out-
doing al.lher opponents with ease. She was aprointed post --mister in 191h b- "resident
Wilson, when I was only a year old. he held this position for ^%' rears, serving
under 5 presidents, in as many different McCall locatl_ons to accomoratc the growing
community. Beside local mail also passing thru her office was r,ai 1. for the br ek
country Warren, Burgdorf, Edwa.rdsburg and regularly pole bricks from ?Jarrers ::: nes
came thru as registered mail. These areas were served by horse drawn stapes in
summer, sleds
tobaggans in winter pulled by horses
mumer mail for the back country was transported. by
Fisher Station to be picked up there by stages thus
equipped with snow -shoes. In
boat to the head of the L:ake-
elemina.ting the long trip
around the lake. Way stations for overnite stops were necessary. Halfway ind
Squaw Meadows offered. Lodging, home cooked meals, hay and pasture for horses. The
next, stop was Burgdorf Hot Springs owned, developed and operated by Fritz and
Jeannette Purgdorf unique colorful early day characters who played an 1_mportant role
in both refrea,shi_ng and entertaining the weary traveller.
DR. ROBIN S. McRAE
1307 W. JEFFERSON
BOISE, IDAHO 83702
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