William W. Cook

William W. Cook
William W. Cook
Born	April 16, 1858; Hillsdale, Michigan, US
Died	June 4, 1930 (aged 72); Port Chester, New York, US
Alma mater	University of Michigan (BA, JD)
Occupation	Attorney
Known for	Legal Scholar, benefactor of Hillsdale College and the University of Michigan Law School
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William Wilson Cook (April 16, 1858 – June 4, 1930) was an American attorney and legal scholar. He wrote extensively on matters of corporate law, including the seminal text, Cook on Corporations.^[1]^[2]^[3] Cook was also an early, major benefactor of the University of Michigan, particularly the University of Michigan Law School.

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Thumb — University of Michigan Law Quadrangle

Cook was born in Hillsdale, Michigan, to John Potter Cook, a founder of Hillsdale, and his wife Martha.^[4]^[5] Cook attended the University of Michigan from 1876 to 1882, earning his undergraduate (1880) and law (1882) degrees from that institution.^[6]

He practiced law for many years in Manhattan, primarily for the Mackay telegraph and cable companies, and amassed a substantial fortune. In 1915, Cook constructed the Martha Cook Building women's dormitory on the Michigan campus and donated it to the university.^[7] In 1922, Cook announced his intention to construct a lawyers club and dormitory at University of Michigan.^[8] Cook hired the architectural firm of York and Sawyer to design the Lawyers Club, the first of several buildings built in the English Gothic style, all paid for and constructed by Cook, which would come to comprise the Law Quadrangle at the University of Michigan.^[9]^[10]^[11]

When the Lawyers Club was completed, the New York Times described it as "one of the finest buildings of its kind on any campus in the world".^[12]

Cook left his entire estate to the Michigan law school. The estate, valued at $20 million in 1930, would have been equivalent to about $260 million in 2006 dollars.^[4]

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The law library constructed by Cook was named the William W. Cook Legal Research Library.^[13] In addition, several law professors at law schools abroad hold the position of William W. Cook Global Law Professor at Michigan, visiting the law school regularly and teaching courses.^[14]

[1]
Conard, Alfred F. (May 1995). "Cook and the Corporate Shareholder: A Belated Review of William W. Cook's Publications on Corporations". Michigan Law Review. 93 (6): 1724–1738. doi:10.2307/1289900. JSTOR 1289900.
[2]
Cook, William W. (1887). A Treatise on Law of Stock and Stockholders As Applicable to Railroad, Banking, Insurance, Manufacturing, Commercial, Business, Turnpike, Bridge, Canal, and Other Private Corporations. New York: Baker, Voorhis and Co., Law Publishers. Retrieved August 25, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
[3]
William W. Cook's Written Work, University of Michigan Law Library
[4]
Brief Biography by Margaret A. Leary, Director and Librarian, University of Michigan Law Library
[5]
A Brief History of 'Hillsdale County', Hillsdale County
[6]
Leonard, John. W., ed. (1900). Who's Who in America; A Biographical Dictionary of Living Men and Women of the United States 1899-1900 (1 ed.). Chicago: A.N. Marquis & Company. p. 151. Retrieved August 27, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
[7]
History of the Martha Cook Building, The Martha Cook Building, University of Michigan
[8]
The Lawyers Club, 1925, University of Michigan Law School
[9]
About William W. Cook’s gifts to the Law School, University of Michigan Law School
[10]
Michigan Law Benefactor William W. Cook Ensured School's Top Ranking, University of Michigan Law School
[11]
"A Full Block of Elegant Houses" by Christopher Gray, The New York Times, July 27, 2008
[12]
"Donor of $2,000,000 Michigan Law Club Proves To Be W. W. Cook, New York Lawyer" (PDF). The New York Times. Ann Arbor, Michigan (published September 21, 1924). September 20, 1924. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 4, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
[13]
The William W. Cook Legal Research Library, 1931, University of Michigan
[14]
Wm. W. Cook Global Law professors, University of Michigan Law School

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Cook, William W. (1887). A Treatise on Law of Stock and Stockholders As Applicable to Railroad, Banking, Insurance, Manufacturing, Commercial, Business, Turnpike, Bridge, Canal, and Other Private Corporations. New York: Baker, Voorhis and Co., Law Publishers. Retrieved August 25, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
Cook, William W. (1888). Trusts: The Recent Combinations in Trade, Their Character, Legality and Mode of Organization, and The Rights, Duties and Liabilities of their Managers and Certificate-Holders. New York: L. K. Strouse & Co., Law Publishers. Retrieved August 27, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
Cook, William W. (1891). The Corporation Problem: The Public Phases of Corporations, Their Uses, Abuses, Benefits, Dangers, Wealth and Power, with a Discussion of The Social, Industrial, Economic and Political Questions to Which They Have Given Rise. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Retrieved August 27, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
Cook, William W. (1913). A Treatise on the Law of Corporations Having a Capital Stock; In Five Volumes. Vol. I (7th ed.). Boston: Little, Brown and Company. Retrieved August 27, 2018 – via Internet Archive.

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Media related to William W. Cook at Wikimedia Commons
William W. Cook at Find a Grave

[1] [1]
Conard, Alfred F. (May 1995). "Cook and the Corporate Shareholder: A Belated Review of William W. Cook's Publications on Corporations". Michigan Law Review. 93 (6): 1724–1738. doi:10.2307/1289900. JSTOR 1289900.

[2] [2]
Cook, William W. (1887). A Treatise on Law of Stock and Stockholders As Applicable to Railroad, Banking, Insurance, Manufacturing, Commercial, Business, Turnpike, Bridge, Canal, and Other Private Corporations. New York: Baker, Voorhis and Co., Law Publishers. Retrieved August 25, 2018 – via Internet Archive.

[3] [3]
William W. Cook's Written Work, University of Michigan Law Library

[briefbio-4] [4]
Brief Biography by Margaret A. Leary, Director and Librarian, University of Michigan Law Library

[5] [5]
A Brief History of 'Hillsdale County', Hillsdale County

[6] [6]
Leonard, John. W., ed. (1900). Who's Who in America; A Biographical Dictionary of Living Men and Women of the United States 1899-1900 (1 ed.). Chicago: A.N. Marquis & Company. p. 151. Retrieved August 27, 2018 – via Internet Archive.

[7] [7]
History of the Martha Cook Building, The Martha Cook Building, University of Michigan

[8] [8]
The Lawyers Club, 1925, University of Michigan Law School

[9] [9]
About William W. Cook’s gifts to the Law School, University of Michigan Law School

[10] [10]
Michigan Law Benefactor William W. Cook Ensured School's Top Ranking, University of Michigan Law School

[11] [11]
"A Full Block of Elegant Houses" by Christopher Gray, The New York Times, July 27, 2008

[12] [12]
"Donor of $2,000,000 Michigan Law Club Proves To Be W. W. Cook, New York Lawyer" (PDF). The New York Times. Ann Arbor, Michigan (published September 21, 1924). September 20, 1924. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 4, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2023.

[13] [13]
The William W. Cook Legal Research Library, 1931, University of Michigan

[14] [14]
Wm. W. Cook Global Law professors, University of Michigan Law School

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William W. Cook

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William W. Cook

Born	(1858-04-16)April 16, 1858 Hillsdale, Michigan, US
Died	June 4, 1930(1930-06-04) (aged 72) Port Chester, New York, US
Alma mater	University of Michigan (BA, JD)
Occupation	Attorney
Known for	Legal Scholar, benefactor of Hillsdale College and the University of Michigan Law School
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