He also represented Simcoe East in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal member from 1879 to 1882.

[1] He was born in Williamsburgh Township in Dundas County Upper Canada in 1826,[1] the son of George Cook and Sarah Castleman, and was educated in Iroquois.

[2] He established himself as a lumber merchant in Simcoe County and set up a sawmill near the current site of the town of Midland, Ontario.

[2] His brother James William represented Dundas in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and his brother Simon represented Dundas in the House of Commons of Canada.

His uncle John Cook had earlier represented Dundas in the legislative assembly for Upper Canada.