Obit: Cook, Charlotte Baer (1872 - 1953)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Cook, Baer, Stockwell, Herold, Poplett, Wanner, Holway, Magnuson, Short   
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) January 15, 1953 
 

Cook, Charlotte Baer (14 July 1872 - 10 January 1953) 
 

Charlotte Baer Cook died January 10, at 7205 W. Bluemound Rd., Milwaukee; Tuesday, January 13, followed in accordance with Mrs. Cook’s wish, by cremation.  The ashes will later rest in the Neillsville City Cemetery. 
 

Mrs. Cook was widely known in Clark County, having at one time been local writer for the Granton News, which was conducted by herself and her husband, Francis Joseph Baer. 
 

She was born Charlotte I. Stockwell, oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Stockwell. Birth took place July 14, 1872, at Port Huron, Michigan.  The Stockwells came to Wisconsin in 1877, locating in La Crosse County.  There Mr. Stockwell held various county offices.  His name has been perpetuated in local history by appearing in the name of one or more subdivisions of Neillsville.  His daughter "Lottie" worked in the office of register of deeds. 
 

Lottie’s marriage to Mr. Baer took place in 1903, and it was then that they became partners in the Granton Newspaper as well as in family relation.  In addition to getting out the Granton News, they wrote and published a history of Clark County. 
 

The Baers returned to Neillsville in 1921, having merged their newspaper interests with others published in the county.  Their activities continued on the old Neillsville Press, predecessor of The Clark County Press.  They also pioneered in establishing the Neillsville Golf Course.  To that enterprise great effort and much money was devoted.  A beautiful course was created, which remains a community monument to their enterprise, though something less than a commercial success.  Eventually, after various vicissitudes, the course was taken over by the present non-profit organization, consisting of stockholding members. 
 

Mr. Baer died in 1936.  In 1938, Lottie married Samuel J. Cook of the Town of Grant, an old friend.  They lived in Neillsville until his death.  Since then Mrs. Cook has usually spent the open season in her house on Fifth Street and the winter with her daughter Helene, Mrs. Milton Herold, at 7205 W. Bluemound Rd., Milwaukee 13, Wis. 
 

In addition to the daughter Helene, Mrs. Cook is survived by a granddaughter, Mrs. Ray Poplett of Chicago.  There are two surviving brothers, C. D. Stockwell of Eau Claire and A. R. Stockwell of Neillsville, and two surviving sisters: Mrs. Ernest Wanner of Bismarck, N. D., and Mrs. William Holway of Madison.  Daughters of Mr. Cook are Mrs. Alfred Magnuson and Mrs. Eugene Short, who reside locally. 
 

Mrs. Cook was a charter member of Carmi Chapter No. 60, O. E. S., and a past matron.  She was active in this order 50 years.  Her funeral services were in charge of the Ada B. Hewitt chapter of the Eastern Star, following the Episcopal rites.