COOKE, Edward, educator, born in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 19 January, 1812. He was graduated at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, in 1838, and taught natural science in Amenia seminary, New York, from 1838 till 1840, when he became principal of the newly established seminary at Pennington, New Jersey From 1847 till 1853 he was pastor of Methodist churches in and near Boston, and in 1853 became president of Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin While holding this office he was one of the first to become interested in the education of the northwestern Indians. In 1857-'60 he was one of the regents of normal schools in Wisconsin. Harvard gave him the degree of D.D. in 1855, and on his return to Massachusetts, m 1861, he became one of the board of examiners of that College, and pastor of the Cambridge Methodist church. From 1864 till 1874 he was principal of the Wesleyan academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and from that year till 1884 president of Claflin University and State agricultural College at Orangeburg, South Carolina In the latter year he resigned on account of ill health, and has since resided at Newton Centre, Massachusetts.