Libertyville's Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, NSDAR celebrates its namesakes 200th birthday

The Libertyville Historical Society and the Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) hosted a birthday party in honor of Ansel Brainerd Cook's 200th birthday.

The celebration was held Aug. 20, at the Ansel B. Cook house, home to the Libertyville Historical Society from 2 to 4p.m.

Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was honored to host a booth at the event.

Visitors were invited to write notecards to veterans that will be going on Honor Flights thanking them for their service. These cards will be delivered to the veterans during mail call. Children were encouraged to draw pictures to the ceterans as well. About 30 cards and five children's drawings were collected.

The nine-chapter members in attendance also talked with the public about Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter's monthly genealogy workshops held at Cook Library and handed out ice water as the weather was very hot.

The Libertyville Historical Society offered tours of the Cook home, invited visitors to sign a birthday card and take a selfie with a cutout of Ansel B. Cook. Children activities included a scavenger hunt and hands on history table. Ansel B. Cookies were also given out.

Ansel B. Cook purchased land in the center of Libertyville in 1870, from his father-in-law, Dr. Jesse Haven Foster, one of Libertyville's earliest settlers. The house was built in 1878, for use as a summer or country home. Mr. Cook's masonry business was in Chicago, so he didn't live there full time until his retirement in the late 1880s. Mr. Cook died in 1898. His third-wife, Emily Barrows Cook, continued to live in the house until her death in 1919. After her death, the house and grounds were given to the village of Libertyville for use as a library and park.

Ansel B. Cook was a state legislator and stone masonry contractor. His mansion facing Milwaukee Avenue in the center of town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the village's most recognizable landmarks.

The Libertyville Historical Society was established in 1955, the Libertyville Historical Society collects and preserves historical material and information from the Libertyville area.

The Ansel Brainerd Chapter, NSDAR, is celebrating its 46th year. The chapter was organized in September 1977, in Libertyville by 17 members. The chapter has now grown to include more than 175 members. In 2022, the chapter members logged in 6,821 volunteer hours in the communities in which we work and live.

For information about Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, visit

www.ildar.org/chapters/anselbrainerdcook or email uABC4DAR@gmail.com.

For information about the Libertyville Historical Society, visit www.libertyvillehistory.org