Oconto County Times-Herald
Date of this article is unknown: Researched, transcribed and contributed by: Richard La Brosse Oconto—One of the best known ladies in Oconto County
is our genial county clerk, Josie M. Cook. There are few people that
can boast as many friends as this lady and we feel proud to feature her
in this week’s issue of the Oconto County Times-Herald. We interviewed
Josie on St. Patrick’s Day and we learned with a minimum of coaxing that
the middle initial stands for Murphy. Naturally she was wearing appropriate
colors for such an important event. Josie’s parents, the Wm. Murphys
were pioneer famers that settled on a farm 4 miles west of the city of
Oconto on what is now state highway 22. This is in the vicinity of
the Victory School. At the time the woods ran right up to the pump
on the farm. The children used to be kept in line by telling them
that “Old Injun Looie on the pump handle would get them” if they didn’t
behave themselves. A situation that stands out in her youth is the
extreme mud in the spring of the year. She also remembers that during
election the polls were open so that voters could vote as early as six
in the morning. Mrs. Cook who was married to Charles Cook has three
children, Wm. Cook and Harlan Cook, Oconto; and Mrs. Mary Eileen Terp of
Green Bay, Josie who taught school for 22 years had all three of the children
graduate from the eighth grade under her teaching. Schools where
she taught were the Victory School, and schools in the towns of Chase,
Breed and Stiles. She was teaching in the Breed school when she was
elected County Clerk in 1933. Josie or jo, as she is addressed by
many, attended Oshkosh State Teachers College and Milwaukee State Teachers
College when she was teaching. She is very active in civis affairs
and is a member of many organizatrions in Oconto including the Co. Historical
Society of which she was secretary for 4 years. Josie, who was defeated
twice before she made it in 1933 for the county clerk’s post, has always
been very interested in government affairs. Even when she was very
young she would read the county board proceedings and other reports of
governmental bodies. When Josie made a successful run in 1933 she
was a Democrat but when Roosevelt had his troubles with the Supreme Court
in 1937 she switched her allegiance to the Republican party and since that
time has always been with the GOP. In 1938 she ran on all three tickets
and was a winner. She has always been a top vote getter for the party.
You can always find her at any Republican rally in the county and she particularly
likes to attend the party conventions. She is a great advocate of
getting 100 % of the vote out. Going back to her school teaching
background Josie is ver pleased with the progress made in education.
She feels sorry for the many who don’t avail themselves of the many opportunities
that are afforded young people today. Friendly and big-hearted, our
county clerk is an institution in our court house. She likes her
job because she likes people. She likes them to do their job well
and she thinks everyone should be a good citizen. But regardless
of who you are, you can be sure of friendly treatment from her. That
is why everyone likes Oconto County’s Josie Cook!
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