[1] He was known also as Russell Salmon Cook, and built up colportage as basic to the Society's business model.
[4] Cook encountered in New York in November 1838 William Allen Hallock (1794–1880), a minister and one of the founders of the American Tract Society (ATS).
In 1841 he pioneered a new approach to the existing colporteur system, sending recruits to Indiana and Kentucky.
[7] After the Compromise of 1850, Cook defended the Society's policy of not circulating abolitionist material.
[8] Jay dropped his financial support for the ATS, explaining his reasoning in an open letter to Cook.