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Henry Christopher McCook (July 3, 1837 – 1911) was an American Presbyterian clergyman, naturalist, and prolific author on religion, history, and nature. He was a member of the celebrated
He spent his summers studying the behavior of ants and spiders. He published his observations and discoveries in a number of journals and books, as well as in a series of well-received illustrated children's books that explained the insects characteristics and traits in language and drawings for young minds. Many of McCook's books used illustrations drawn by Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America.
In the summer of 1877, he travelled to Texas to study agricultural ants. Two years later, McCook wrote ''The Natural History of the Agricultural Ant of Texas''. In 1889–93, he published his most ambitious work, ''American Spiders and Their Spinning Work'', in three illustrated volumes. He also wrote a book on his ancestors in the Whiskey Rebellion, and delivered a number of papers on Civil War history at meetings of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States veterans organization.
McCook was Vice President of both the
''Nature's Craftsmen: Popular Studies of Ants and Other Insects''
(1907) * ''Ant Communities and How They Are Governed: A Study in Natural Civics'' (1909) * ''Prisca of Patmos: A Tale of the Days of St. John I'' (1911)
The Fairy Tale World of Henry McCookHenry C. McCook Illustrations of Insects
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCook, Henry Christopher 1837 births 1911 deaths People from Lisbon, Ohio Union Army chaplains American Presbyterian ministers American biologists American arachnologists People of the Spanish–American War Clergy from Philadelphia People of Ohio in the American Civil War Washington & Jefferson College alumni McCook family
Henry Christopher McCook (July 3, 1837 – 1911) was an American Presbyterian clergyman, naturalist, and prolific author on religion, history, and nature. He was a member of the celebrated Fighting McCooks
The Fighting McCooks were members of a family of Ohioans who reached prominence as officers in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Two brothers, Daniel and John McCook, and thirteen of their sons were involved in the army, making the fami ...
, a family of Ohio military officers and volunteers during the American Civil War.
Life and work
McCook was born inNew Lisbon, Ohio
Lisbon is a village in and the county seat of Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, along the Little Beaver Creek. The population was 2,597 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Salem micropolitan area, southwest of Youngstown and northwe ...
, to Dr. John McCook and Julia Sheldon McCook. He learned the printing trade as a youth, then taught school for several years. attended Jefferson College. He was a member of the Franklin Literary Society and founded the chapter of Theta Delta Chi at Jefferson College. After graduation in 1859, he studied theology privately and in the Western Theological Seminary in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in the 41st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment {{Infobox military unit
, unit_name= 41st Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry
, image=Flag of Illinois.svg
, image_size = 100
, caption=Illinois state flag
, dates= August 10, 1861, to December 23, 1864
, country= United States
, allegiance= Unio ...
as a chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
with the rank of first lieutenant, and helped tend the wounded. As a minister in Clinton, Illinois, St. Louis, and Steubenville, Ohio, McCook became known for his compassion and intellect, and for his leadership in the movement to create Sunday School
A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West.
Su ...
s. In 1869, he became pastor of the Seventh Presbyterian church of Philadelphia, where he lived for the rest of his life.
He spent his summers studying the behavior of ants and spiders. He published his observations and discoveries in a number of journals and books, as well as in a series of well-received illustrated children's books that explained the insects characteristics and traits in language and drawings for young minds. Many of McCook's books used illustrations drawn by Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America.
In the summer of 1877, he travelled to Texas to study agricultural ants. Two years later, McCook wrote ''The Natural History of the Agricultural Ant of Texas''. In 1889–93, he published his most ambitious work, ''American Spiders and Their Spinning Work'', in three illustrated volumes. He also wrote a book on his ancestors in the Whiskey Rebellion, and delivered a number of papers on Civil War history at meetings of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States veterans organization.
McCook was Vice President of both the American Entomological Society
The American Entomological Society was founded on March 1, 1859. It is the oldest continuously operating entomology society in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the oldest scientific societies in the United States. It is headquartered in Philade ...
and the Academy of Natural Sciences. In 1880, Lafayette College conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity
A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity.
In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...
to McCook. In 1895, he designed the official flag of the city of Philadelphia. He again served as an Army Chaplain during the Spanish–American War in 1898.
McCook's works
* ''Object and Outline Teaching'' (1871) * ''The Last Year of Christ's Ministry'' (1871) * ''The Last Days of Jesus'' (1872) * ''The Tercentenary Book'' (1873) * ''Mound-Making Ants of the Alleghenies, Their Architecture and Habits'' (1877) * ''The Natural History of the Agricultural Ant of Texas'' (1879) * ''Historic Ecclesiastical Emblems of Pan-Presbyterianism'' (1880) * ''Honey and Occident Ants'' (1882) * ''Tenants of an Old Farm: Leaves From the Note-book of a Naturalist'' (1884) * ''The Women Friends of Jesus'' (1884) * ''The Gospel in Nature'' (1887) * ''American Spiders and Their Spinning Work'' (1893) * ''Old Farm Fairies: A Summer Campaign Against King Cobweaver's Pixies'' (1895) * '' The Latimers: A Tale of the Western Insurrection of 1794'' (1897) * ''The Senator: A Threnody'' (life ofMarcus A. Hanna
Marcus Alonzo Hanna (September 24, 1837 – February 15, 1904) was an American businessman and Republican politician who served as a United States Senator from Ohio as well as chairman of the Republican National Committee. A friend and ...
) (1905)
''Nature's Craftsmen: Popular Studies of Ants and Other Insects''
(1907) * ''Ant Communities and How They Are Governed: A Study in Natural Civics'' (1909) * ''Prisca of Patmos: A Tale of the Days of St. John I'' (1911)
References
* * Whalen, Charles and Barbara, ''The Fighting McCooks: America's Famous Fighting Family'', Westmoreland Press, 2006. *External links
* *The Fairy Tale World of Henry McCook
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCook, Henry Christopher 1837 births 1911 deaths People from Lisbon, Ohio Union Army chaplains American Presbyterian ministers American biologists American arachnologists People of the Spanish–American War Clergy from Philadelphia People of Ohio in the American Civil War Washington & Jefferson College alumni McCook family