Frank R. Cock
Frank R. Cock | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, c. 1921 | |
| Member of the South Dakota Senate from the 39th district | |
| In office 1921–1924 | |
| Preceded by | J. C. Milne |
| Succeeded by | Leonard M. Simons |
| Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 48th district | |
| In office 1919–1920 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 30, 1867 Davenport, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | May 2, 1937 (aged 70) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Louise C. Teall (m. 1895) |
| Children | 2 |
Frank R. Cock (April 30, 1867 – May 2, 1937) was an American politician and rancher. Born in Davenport, Iowa, he immigrated to Nebraska to work at his uncle's ranch in Central City, later moving to Lincoln County to begin ranching on his own. Cock moved to South Dakota in 1889, settling in Belle Fourche. He was elected to the state's House of Representatives in 1919, serving one term before running for the Senate in 1920. He won, and secured a second term in office in 1922; however, he was unable to achieve a third term in 1924. Cock died on May 2, 1937.
Life and career
[edit]Frank R. Cock was born on April 30, 1867, in Davenport, Iowa, to Charles C. Cock and Rebecca Raff. Charles moved from Ohio to Iowa in 1862, and was a member of Davenport's city council.[1] Frank received his preliminary education through the public schools in Davenport, and later went to the Davenport Business College.[2] In 1884, he was employed at his uncle's ranch in Central City, Nebraska; a year later, he moved to Lincoln County, Nebraska, where Frank began ranching on his own.[1] Frank later relocated to Belle Fourche, South Dakota, in 1889, where he opened a grocery store. During this time, he also traveled throughout North and South Dakota, giving provisions to ranchers.[3] He married Louise C. Teall on April 17, 1895.[1] Together, they had two children: Charles C. and Dorothy G.[4] In 1909, he became a board member of the newly created South Dakota state livestock sanitation department.[1] He was the board's secretary from April 1909 to January 1916.[5] According to the 1915 book History of Dakota Territory, at the time of its publication, Cock was the owner of a ranch in Butte County, South Dakota, sized at 1,200 acres (490 ha).[1]
Cock was first elected to the South Dakota Legislature in 1919, serving in the branch's lower chamber, the House of Representatives, representing the 48th district.[3][6][7] He won the Republican primary against T. G. Wall and A. L. Gurwell.[8] As representative, he introduced a bill in February 1919 that proposed erecting county hospitals in western South Dakota.[9][10] The measure was introduced following the Spanish flu epidemic that occurred the previous year, during which larger towns in rural areas were carrying more people than they could handle.[11] The bill was passed by both the House and Senate in March 1915.[12] In 1920, Cock was elected to the Senate, the branch's upper chamber, representing its 39th district,[5] and won re-election in 1922.[2] During his senatorial career, he was chairman of the Senate's highway committee.[13]
In January 1921, he was able to postpone a bill that would have modified laws surrounding animal trespass laws.[14][15] When the Senate convened again in February, the bill failed to secure a constitutional majority and did not pass.[16] Later in February, Cock proposed a bill that would have prohibited the killing of female deer by hunters, which was supported by the state game and fish protective association.[17] He was also appointed to a special committee to investigate the board of the state livestock sanitation department,[18] which was created in order to analyze the board's affairs beginning in 1913.[19] In January 1923, Cock proposed a bill that would have drawn circuit court juries on the same plan as federal jurors, from either the whole state or larger districts.[20] That same month, he introduced another bill which required that fabric products, such as clothing and blankets, have labels on them that display the percentage of virgin and reworked wool the product contains.[21] Nicknamed the "truth in fabric bill", it was brought down by the House in March.[22]
In February 1923, Cock introduced S. B. 68, a bill that would have provided resources "for the destruction of predatory animals", such as wolves and coyotes, due to the damages they caused to stock raisers.[23][24][25] The bill initially received objection from fellow legislators due to the appropriations that would have been required for an increase in the state game warden's salary, but that section was cut from the bill soon after.[24][23] After several discussions lasting multiple weeks, the bill was eventually passed by the Senate in February,[26] and then the House the following month.[27] In its final rendition, the measure employed hunters and trappers across western South Dakota to exterminate the predatory animals.[28] However, when the bill was passed, there was a defect with the bill: the name of the act referred to sections 1040 to 1047 of the South Dakota Compiled Laws, which covers usury laws, while the body discusses sections 10340 to 10347, which covers wolf bounties.[29] Because of this defect, according to a Sioux Falls lawyer, the bill was void and did not go into effect.[25] In early January 1924, Cock filed for a third term in office, although as an independent Republican after losing the Butte County Republican endorsement to Leonard M. Simons.[30] He was endorsed by the Capital Journal of Pierre.[31] Simons ended up defeating Cock in the primary, receiving 1,214 votes to Cock's 1,180.[32]
In 1934, upon the organization of the Belle Fourche-Lemmon production credit association, Cock served as acting chairman.[33] He later became an inspector for the association.[3] Cock died on May 2, 1937,[6] and his funeral was held two days later on May 4 at the Masonic Temple in Belle Fourche.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Smith 1915, p. 152.
- ^ a b South Dakota Legislative Manual (1923 ed.). Pierre, South Dakota: State Publishing Co. p. 508. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Last Rites Held at Belle Fourche For the Late Frank Cock". The Weekly Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. May 6, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Smith 1915, p. 153.
- ^ a b South Dakota Legislative Manual (1921 ed.). Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Mark D. Scott. p. 559. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "Frank R. Cock". South Dakota Legislature. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ South Dakota Legislative Manual (1919 ed.). Pierre, South Dakota: State Publishing Company. p. 612. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
- ^ "Butte County". Lead Daily Call. Lead, South Dakota. June 1, 1918. p. 5. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Successful Fight on Nurse Measure". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. February 5, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hospitals for Western Counties". The Deadwood Daily Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. January 12, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "New Gambling Bill". The Miller Press. Miller, South Dakota. February 13, 1919. p. 3. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Summing up Session". Custer Weekly Chronicle. Custer, South Dakota. March 15, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Commercial Clubs Held an Interesting Meeting". The Deadwood Daily Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. January 21, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Legislature". Custer Weekly Chronicle. Custer, South Dakota. January 29, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Legislative News". The Pioneer-Review. Philip, South Dakota. February 3, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The Week At Pierre". Queen City Mail. Spearfish, South Dakota. February 2, 1921. p. 2. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The Week At Pierre". Custer Weekly Chronicle. Custer, South Dakota. February 12, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Action on Various Bills". The Deadwood Daily Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. February 15, 1921. p. 6. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
The legislative committee to investigate the livestock sanitary board was appointed, consisting of Senators Cock of Butte and Boreson of Davison, ...
- ^ "Borenson Excused.—Will not Have to Serve on Livestock Sanitary Probe". Lead Daily Call. Lead, South Dakota. February 17, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Revision of State Jury System Proposed in Bill By Sen. Cock; Peyote Bean Menace Is Argued". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. January 12, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Proceedings of the State Legislature". Deadwood Daily Telegram. Deadwood, South Dakota. January 27, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Five Bridge Bill is Passed By the Senate". The Deadwood Daily Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. March 2, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "[Pierre, Feb. 5.]". Lead Daily Call. Lead, South Dakota. February 5, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Proceedings of the State Legislature". Deadwood Daily Telegram. Deadwood, South Dakota. February 3, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Defective Title Makes Law Void". Arugs Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. July 5, 1923. p. 10. Retrieved December 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Predatory Animal Bill". Lead Daily Call. Lead, South Dakota. February 17, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Proceedings of the State Legislature". Deadwood Daily Telegram. Deadwood, South Dakota. March 1, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Frogs and Fishes". Queen City Mail. Spearfish, South Dakota. February 21, 1923. p. 2. Retrieved December 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Defect in Predatory Animal Law Puts Wolf Bounty "Up in the Air"". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. July 7, 1923. p. 4. Retrieved December 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Independent Candidate for State Senator". Deadwood Daily Telegram. Deadwood, South Dakota. January 4, 1924. p. 2. Retrieved December 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "More State Senators Like Frank Cock Needed". The Deadwood Daily Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. March 11, 1924. p. 2. Retrieved December 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Simons a Sure Winner". The Weekly Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. April 3, 1924. p. 3. Retrieved December 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Farmers-Stockmen Form Credit Group Under Federal Act". The Weekly Pioneer-Times. February 15, 1934. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
Sources
[edit]- Smith, George Martin, ed. (1915). History of Dakota Territory. Vol. 4. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 152–153. Retrieved December 18, 2024.