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Nancy Cook
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Nancy Cook
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Nancy Cook with Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1934

Nancy Cook (August 26, 1884 – August 16, 1962) was an American suffragist, educator, political organizer, business woman, and friend of Eleanor Roosevelt. She, Marion Dickerman and Roosevelt, were co-owners of Val-Kill Industries, the Women's Democratic News, and the Todhunter School.

Birth and early life

[edit]

Born in Massena, New York, she attended Syracuse University where she was an avid supporter of woman's suffrage and campaigned for protective labor legislation for women. She was graduated with a bachelor's degree in arts in 1912.[1]

Career

[edit]
Eleanor Roosevelt, Marion Dickerman, and Nancy Cook on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada, in June 1926

From 1913 to 1918 she taught art and handicrafts to high school students in Fulton, New York. It was here that she met Syracuse classmate Marion Dickerman, who taught history at the high school. These two women become lifelong partners, spending almost their entire adult lives together.[1]

Her respect for Woodrow Wilson's vision overcame her strong antiwar sentiments and she and Dickerman both became active in the Red Cross. As Dickerman later recounted, they "really believed this was a war to end wars and make the world safe for democracy."[2] In 1918, they both traveled to London to assist the women-staffed Endell Street Military Hospital and "scrub floors or perform whatever other chores were required."[2] Cook would, with less than two weeks training, begin to make artificial limbs for soldiers that had lost an arm or a leg.[1]

Political activist

[edit]

Upon their return from Europe, Dickerson had been asked to run for the state assembly. Although Dickerson had little chance to unseat the incumbent speaker of the assembly, Cook's work in managing Dickerson's campaign did not go unnoticed. Cook, who had never felt teaching to be her element, was delighted when Harriet May Mills, chair of the Women's Division of the New York Democratic Party asked Cook if she would accept the position as executive secretary, a post she would hold for nineteen years. She held an important role in Al Smith and Franklin Roosevelt's gubernatorial and presidential campaigns.[2]

Cook and Dickerman became frequent guests of the Roosevelts. In 1929 Cook, Dickerman and Eleanor Roosevelt visited Europe together.[3]

Val-Kill Industries

[edit]

Franklin encouraged Eleanor Roosevelt to develop land near the Fall Kill Creek as a place that she could promote some of her ideas to provide winter jobs for rural workers and women. The three women, with FDR's encouragement, built Stone Cottage at Val-Kill, on the banks of the Fall Kill creek. Cook and Dickerman made this their home and Eleanor had her own room, although she rarely spent the night. Cook, an expert woodworker, made all furniture. Towels, linens, and various household items were monogrammed "EMN", using the three women's initials.

In 1927, Val-Kill Industries was founded by friends, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Cook, Marion Dickerman, and Caroline O'Day (Associate Chairwoman of the New York State Democratic Committee). The women established the project to provide work for immigrants, but also to farmers on their off-seasons as a means for them to support their families through the less profitable times of the year, by producing furniture in the Colonial Revival Style that was sweeping through America at the time. They hoped the factory would be a haven for small-town people during off-seasons and would provide many full-time jobs to those in need.[4] Dickerman and O'Day were financial investors, but not actively involved in the business. Cook managed the daily operations of the business until it closed in 1936. The project failed to survive during the Great Depression, closing due to setbacks and Eleanor's need to focus on her duties as First Lady.

Thrilled with FDR's victory, Cook and Dickerman found it difficult to understand Eleanor's anxiety over her role as first lady. When Val-Kill Industries dissolved in 1936, Eleanor moved out of the Stone Cottage and had the factory building remodeled.

Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook House, New Caanan, CT

Lorena Hickok took an active dislike to Dickerman and this started to unravel the relationship between the three. Dickerman and Cook continued to live in Stone Cottage until after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death in 1945. They sold all interest in the Val-Kill property to Eleanor in 1947 when they moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, where Dickerman became the educational programming director for the Marine Museum.

Cook lived there with Dickerman until her death and is buried next to Dickerman at Westfield Cemetery, Westfield, New York.

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Cook, Blanche Wiesen. Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume One, 1884-1933. New York: Viking Press, 1993
  • Cook, Blanche Wiesen. Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume Two, 1933-1938. New York: Viking Press, 1999
  • Davis, Kenneth. Invincible Summer: An Intimate Portrait of the Roosevelts Based on the Recollections of Marion Dickerman. New York: Atheneum Press, 1974
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Nancy Cook

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Nancy Cook (August 26, 1884 – August 16, 1962) was an American suffragist, educator, and Democratic Party activist recognized for her roles in women's political organizing and her close collaborations with . Born in , and educated at , Cook began her career as a teacher and became active in efforts before forming a lifelong partnership with fellow educator Marion Dickerman, whom she met while teaching in Fulton, New York. Through her work with the New York State Democratic Committee, Cook introduced Dickerman to Roosevelt, leading to joint ventures including the purchase and operation of the Todhunter School for girls in 1927—where Dickerman served as principal, Roosevelt taught classes, and Cook directed crafts—and the establishment of Val-Kill Industries to promote rural crafts. These endeavors highlighted Cook's commitment to and economic empowerment for women, alongside her contributions to Democratic outreach via publications like the Women's Democratic News.

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Nancy Cook was born on August 26, 1884, in Massena, a village in St. Lawrence County, New York. Historical accounts provide scant details on her immediate family or parental occupations, with no prominent lineage noted in biographical records of her era. Massena, situated along the St. Lawrence River near the Canadian border, was an emerging industrial center by the late 19th century, though Cook's early upbringing there remains largely undocumented beyond her birthplace.

Entry into Education and Suffrage

Cook attended , graduating in 1912 with a degree. During her time at the university, she became an active supporter of , engaging in efforts to advance voting rights for women. She also campaigned for protective labor legislation specifically benefiting women workers, highlighting her early focus on gender-specific economic safeguards within the progressive reform milieu. Following her graduation, Cook entered professional education as an instructor in manual arts at the public schools in Fulton, New York, serving from 1912 to 1918. In parallel, she taught art courses at Syracuse University's during portions of this interval, emphasizing practical and vocational skills in line with contemporary educational emphases on handicrafts and . Her initial teaching roles involved hands-on instruction in crafts, which later informed her advocacy for labor-oriented reforms. Cook's involvement at Syracuse aligned with the national push that secured the Nineteenth Amendment's in 1920, though her specific contributions were primarily campus-based and advocacy-oriented rather than leadership in major organizations. This period marked her transition from to professional pursuits, bridging educational training with political engagement on women's issues.

Political Involvement

Advocacy for Women's Rights and Labor Reforms

Nancy Cook emerged as an advocate for during her time at in the early 1900s, where she actively campaigned alongside peers for women's voting rights amid the broader push for electoral reforms. Her suffrage efforts aligned with state-level campaigns, including New York's eventual granting of women's suffrage in 1917, though national ratification via the Nineteenth Amendment occurred in 1920. In parallel, Cook championed labor reforms, particularly protective legislation for women workers—such as limits on working hours and hazardous conditions—and the abolition of child labor, reflecting concerns over industrial exploitation prevalent in factories and mills at the . These positions drew from empirical observations of urban poverty and dangers, as documented in contemporaneous reports from bodies like the U.S. Bureau of Labor, which highlighted excessive child rates exceeding 1.8 million minors under 16 by 1900. Cook's advocacy extended to broader initiatives, linking labor protections to anti-war sentiments by arguing that economic inequities fueled international conflicts, though her specific contributions here remained organizational rather than legislative. Following her return from in August 1919, where she had served in wartime relief efforts, Cook assumed the role of executive secretary for the Women's Division of the New York State Democratic Committee, a position that amplified her influence in mobilizing women for political and reformist causes. In this capacity, she focused on integrating women's priorities into party platforms, including expanded labor safeguards and enforcement, by coordinating fundraisers and voter outreach that emphasized empirical data on wage disparities—women earning roughly 50-60% of men's wages in comparable roles during the . Her work facilitated women's greater participation in Democratic politics, countering institutional resistance to female leadership, though it faced challenges from conservative factions skeptical of rapid gender role shifts.

Role in Democratic Campaigns and New York Politics

Nancy Cook entered New York Democratic politics through her management of Marion Dickerman's unsuccessful 1919 campaign for the , demonstrating organizational prowess that led to her recruitment by party leaders despite the defeat. Her skills in mobilization and campaign coordination positioned her as a vital operative in the state's emerging women's political networks. Cook served as executive secretary of the Women's Division of the New York State Democratic Committee for nineteen years, a role that centralized her influence in directing female voter outreach, fundraising, and organizational logistics for Democratic candidates. In this capacity, she coordinated statewide efforts to register and engage women voters, including a 1922 tour across New York with and Dickerman to promote female participation following ratification. Her invitation to Roosevelt for a Women's Division luncheon that year initiated a sustained political partnership, amplifying Cook's role in elevating women's issues within the party. Cook held key responsibilities in the gubernatorial and presidential campaigns of and , focusing on women's divisions to secure endorsements, rallies, and votes in pivotal New York districts. For Smith's 1922 gubernatorial victory and subsequent runs, as well as Roosevelt's 1928 gubernatorial win and 1932 presidential bid, she orchestrated targeted appeals on labor protections and social reforms to mobilize urban and working-class women. Her tenure solidified the Women's Division as a powerhouse in New York Democratic strategy, contributing to the party's dominance in state elections during the and 1930s through data-driven voter targeting and coalition-building with labor unions.

Association with Eleanor Roosevelt

Formation of Key Friendships

Nancy Cook initially met Marion Dickerman in the early 1900s while both women resided in a Syracuse as students attending . Their paths diverged briefly after graduation, but they reunited around 1915 when Cook joined the faculty at Fulton High School in , where Dickerman taught history; this encounter marked the beginning of their lifelong partnership, characterized by shared professional and personal commitments to education and progressive causes. In 1922, amid their involvement in the New York State Democratic Committee's Women's Division, Cook encountered Eleanor Roosevelt during fieldwork supporting Democratic candidates and women's suffrage efforts. Cook soon introduced Dickerman to Roosevelt, drawing the three women into a tight-knit alliance forged through mutual dedication to labor reforms, political organizing, and educational initiatives; Roosevelt later reflected that their bond formed rapidly via collaborative activism, independent of her familial ties to Franklin D. Roosevelt. These friendships provided Cook with influential networks in Democratic politics and female-led ventures, though they remained grounded in pragmatic alliances rather than ideological conformity, as evidenced by their joint resistance to certain party orthodoxies.

Contributions to Todhunter School

In 1927, Nancy Cook joined and Marion Dickerman in purchasing the Todhunter School, a private institution for girls located in that emphasized college preparatory courses alongside instruction in the arts. This acquisition preserved the school's progressive orientation, which had been established prior to their involvement, and allowed it to continue serving upper-class students with a beyond traditional fare. Cook's prior experience art and handicrafts to high school students in Fulton, New York, from 1913 to 1918 aligned with the school's offerings in creative subjects, though records do not indicate she held a formal or administrative position there. As a co-owner, Cook contributed financially to the school's operations during a period when Dickerman served as principal from 1927 to 1937 and Roosevelt acted as associate principal, teaching subjects such as American history, , and current events. The trio's joint ownership facilitated the integration of their shared interests in women's education and Democratic activism into the institution's environment, though Cook's primary documented role remained that of and partner rather than direct educator. The ownership arrangement persisted until 1939, when legal and financial disentanglements among Cook, Roosevelt, and Dickerman resolved their stakes in the Todhunter School alongside other joint ventures like Val-Kill Industries. This separation marked the end of Cook's direct involvement, amid evolving personal and professional priorities for the group.

Val-Kill Ventures

Establishment of Val-Kill Cottage and Industries

In 1925, , Nancy Cook, and Marion Dickerman constructed Stone Cottage on the estate in , with financial and logistical support from , establishing a private retreat on land along the Fall Kill stream. The following year, in , the trio partnered with Caroline O'Day to expand the site by building a larger structure intended as a , prompted by concerns over rural economic distress and a desire to revive traditional crafts among local farmers during the pre-Depression agricultural crisis. This initiative, known as Val-Kill Industries, aimed to employ underutilized farm families in producing reproduction early American furniture and other handcrafted items, drawing on and Crafts movement's emphasis on quality workmanship to foster self-sufficiency. Nancy Cook played a central role in conceiving and operationalizing the venture, proposing the focus on furniture based on her experience with and her advocacy for practical economic relief in rural areas. She managed the day-to-day affairs from the site, overseeing production of colonial-style pieces such as chairs, tables, and cabinets, which were sold to generate income while training local artisans in skills like blacksmithing and . The workshop building, initially serving as the factory for Val-Kill Industries, functioned without electricity or modern machinery to preserve authentic craftsmanship, aligning with the project's goal of countering industrialization's erosion of traditional livelihoods. By 1927, Val-Kill Industries commenced sales of its products, with the partners investing personal funds to sustain operations amid limited initial market demand. Cook's hands-on leadership ensured the employment of approximately a dozen local workers at peak, though the enterprise faced challenges from fluctuating costs and , reflecting broader tensions between idealistic revival and commercial viability in the economy. The establishment solidified Val-Kill as a hub for Roosevelt's social experimentation, distinct from the main family residence at Springwood, and underscored Cook's influence in translating friendship-driven collaboration into tangible economic action.

Operational Challenges and Management Disputes

Val-Kill Industries faced significant operational hurdles from its inception in 1927, primarily stemming from its rural location in , and reliance on local farmers for part-time labor to produce handmade furniture, pewter, and textiles as supplemental income during economic uncertainty. Nancy Cook, as day-to-day manager, oversaw production emphasizing colonial-style reproductions, but the enterprise struggled with inconsistent workforce availability and limited market reach beyond niche outlets like showrooms. Initial profitability in the first two years gave way to mounting losses as the deepened, with sales unable to cover costs after 1929, exacerbated by competition from mass-produced goods and the artisanal model's high labor intensity. Eleanor Roosevelt's election as First Lady in 1932 intensified these pressures, diverting her attention and financial support while drawing unwanted public scrutiny to the operation, which some critics viewed as an elitist hobby rather than a viable economic experiment. Key staff turnover, including head craftsman Frank Landolfa's departure after eight years in search of stable employment, further hampered efficiency. By 1936, cumulative deficits forced a reckoning, with Roosevelt's formal withdrawal from the partnership in May of that year precipitating closure; she cited her national duties as incompatible with ongoing involvement, though the decision hinged on the business's insolvency. The withdrawal sparked management disputes among the partners, disrupting the longstanding collaboration between Roosevelt, Cook, and Marion Dickerman, and effectively ending Val-Kill Industries' operations later in 1936. Dickerman later attributed closure to overwhelming order volumes, a claim at odds with documented financial records indicating persistent unprofitability and Depression-era contraction, suggesting an attempt to preserve the venture's reputation amid relational strain. Cook, who had invested heavily in design and operations, relocated aspects of her work but could not sustain without Roosevelt's backing, highlighting underlying tensions over and dependency on personal subsidies rather than self-sufficiency. Post-closure, the site was repurposed as Roosevelt's private residence, underscoring the enterprise's failure to achieve its goal of rural revitalization.

Later Career and Personal Life

Post-Val-Kill Activities and Relocation

Following the dissolution of Val-Kill Industries in 1936 due to operational challenges and management disputes, Nancy Cook persisted in her political engagements, maintaining her position as executive secretary of the Women's Division of the New York State Democratic Committee until 1944. This role, which she had held since 1924, involved organizing women's participation in Democratic campaigns and advocating for labor reforms. Cook and her partner Marion Dickerman continued residing in Stone Cottage at the Val-Kill estate through the period following Franklin D. Roosevelt's death in April 1945, amid the emotional strain of the era's political transitions. In 1947, they sold their ownership interest in the Val-Kill property to and relocated to , where they purchased a home on Sunset Hill Road. Upon settling in New Canaan, Dickerman took on the direction of educational programming at the local Marine Museum, though specific professional activities for Cook in this phase remain less documented, suggesting a shift toward quieter, community-oriented pursuits in her later years. The move marked the end of their direct ties to the Roosevelt circle's Hyde Park operations, allowing for a more private existence away from public political life.

Relationships and Speculations

Nancy Cook maintained a lifelong with Marion Dickerman, beginning during their time as students at around 1908, where they shared boarding accommodations and developed a close bond that endured for over five decades until Cook's death in 1962. The two women cohabited continuously, co-owned businesses such as Val-Kill Industries, and jointly purchased properties, including a residence in , after their departure from the Roosevelt estate in the late 1930s. Dickerman survived Cook by two decades, and they are buried together at Westfield Cemetery in . No records indicate Cook entering into marriage or forming significant romantic attachments with men, nor did she have children. Historians, drawing from their shared living arrangements, mutual professional collaborations, and the cultural context of "romantic friendships" or marriages among unmarried women activists in the early , have interpreted Cook and Dickerman's relationship as a committed same-sex , potentially involving romantic or sexual elements, though direct contemporaneous evidence such as explicit correspondence remains limited. Biographer Emily Herring Wilson describes them as "lifelong partners" who integrated Dickerman into Roosevelt's circle but prioritized their own bond amid evolving dynamics. Speculation about deeper intimacies within the Roosevelt-Cook-Dickerman trio has arisen in some accounts of Roosevelt's , attributing tensions leading to the 1936 rift partly to jealousies or shifting affections, but these claims rely on interpretive readings of letters and anecdotes rather than definitive proof, with Roosevelt's biographers like Blanche Wiesen Cook emphasizing emotional rather than physical overtones in the friendships. Cook retained cordial relations with post-rift, serving in his administration, but no evidence suggests romantic involvement beyond professional ties.

Death and Legacy

Final Years and Passing

In 1947, following the sale of their interest in Val-Kill Industries to , Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman relocated from , to , primarily due to Cook's deteriorating health. The move marked the end of their direct involvement in the Val-Kill ventures, allowing Cook to retire from active business management amid ongoing health challenges that had intensified in the preceding years. Cook spent her remaining years in New Canaan, residing with Dickerman in a home that reflected their long-term partnership, which had endured since their meeting at Syracuse University in 1912. During this period, she maintained a lower public profile compared to her earlier roles in Democratic Party organizing and women's political activism, though she remained recognized as a longtime associate of Roosevelt and a key figure in New York state politics. Prior to her passing, Cook reportedly destroyed most surviving records of Val-Kill Industries, a decision attributed to personal discretion rather than any formal archival intent. On August 16, 1962, Cook died at St. Joseph's Manor in New Canaan at the age of 77, following a prolonged illness. Her death occurred less than two weeks before her 78th birthday, concluding a life marked by contributions to , education, and progressive enterprises alongside Roosevelt and Dickerman.

Achievements, Criticisms, and Historical Assessment

Nancy Cook's primary achievements encompassed advocacy for social reforms and pioneering efforts in women's education and economic independence. As a committed suffragist, she actively campaigned for women's protective labor legislation and the abolition of child labor in the early 20th century. In 1927, Cook, alongside Eleanor Roosevelt and Marion Dickerman, acquired the Todhunter School for Girls in New York City, where she taught crafts, managed operations, and integrated progressive educational methods emphasizing practical skills for female students until its sale in 1939. She also demonstrated organizational prowess by managing Dickerman's 1920s campaign for the New York State Assembly, which, though unsuccessful, highlighted Cook's strategic abilities in political mobilization. Cook's most enduring contribution was as the driving force behind Val-Kill Industries, founded in 1927 on the Roosevelt estate in , to produce reproduction early American furniture and crafts, thereby creating rural employment opportunities amid the ; the initiative employed up to 30 locals at its peak and symbolized self-sufficiency for women. Criticisms of Cook were limited but notable in her professional relationships and administrative practices. A major rift occurred in the summer of 1938 with Roosevelt, stemming from Roosevelt's perception that Cook and Dickerman disregarded her input on Val-Kill operations, prompting Roosevelt to buy out their shares and sever the . Furthermore, Cook's destruction of Val-Kill's financial records shortly before her death in 1962 has hindered precise evaluations of the enterprise's profitability and sustainability, fueling speculation about underlying mismanagement. In historical assessment, Cook is regarded as a foundational figure in progressive women's networks, instrumental in nurturing Roosevelt's shift toward public activism through shared ventures in and industry that prioritized female agency and economic viability over traditional domestic roles. Her legacy endures as a model of economic experimentation during interwar America, though evaluations note its dependence on Roosevelt's resources and visibility; scholars emphasize Cook's role in fostering environments of intellectual and personal independence for women, distinct from male-dominated spheres, while acknowledging the opacity introduced by incomplete records.

References

  1. https://erpapers.columbian.gwu.edu/nancy-cook-1884-1962
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/1962/08/17/archives/nancy-cook-77-a-party-leader-democratic-womens-aide-friend-of.html
  3. https://www.nps.gov/people/nancycook.htm
  4. http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/daybyday/resource/april-1933-9/
  5. https://www.facebook.com/fdrlibrary/posts/in-1927-eleanor-and-her-friends-marion-dickerman-and-nancy-cook-purchased-a-smal/866738682167088/
  6. https://uncpress.org/9781469635835/the-three-graces-of-val-kill/
  7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136551886/nancy-cook
  8. https://chalkboardchampions.org/chalkboard-champion-political-activist-nancy-cook/
  9. https://chalkboardchampions.org/vocational-ed-teacher-suffragist-and-friend-of-eleanor-roosevelt/
  10. https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/abouteleanor/erbiography.cfm
  11. https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/womens-div-ny-dems.cfm
  12. https://www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/womentakethelead/exhibit/eleanor-roosevelt-politics-and-public-life/
  13. https://www.fdrlibrary.org/documents/356632/390886/findingaid_dickerman.pdf/44fa9343-1959-426b-97f4-a7b1317af92d
  14. https://www.nps.gov/people/mariondickerman.htm
  15. https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/todhunter-school.cfm
  16. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/val-kill-industries.htm
  17. https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/elro/valkill.html
  18. https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/valkill-industries.cfm
  19. https://www.iu17.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Val-Kill-power-point.pdf
  20. https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2018/10/16/val-kill-industries-hyde-park-produced-fine-furniture/1648620002/
  21. https://www.nps.gov/places/val-kill.htm
  22. https://wheninyourstate.com/new-york/eleanor-roosevelts-failed-furniture-business-that-built-the-new-deal/
  23. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9781469635842_wilson
  24. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/nyregion/eleanor-roosevelt-up-close.html
  25. https://npshistory.com/publications/elro/hrs-1980.pdf
  26. https://newcanaanite.com/new-canaan-there-then-a-life-of-firsts-marion-dickermans-legacy-of-equality-and-service-13595061
  27. https://uncpressblog.com/2017/10/11/author-interview-emily-herring-wilson-the-three-graces-of-val-kill/
  28. https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/the-three-graces-of-val-kill-eleanor-roosevelt-marion-dickerman-and-nancy-cook-in-the-place-they-made-their-own
  29. https://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/2767413.html
  30. https://www.oah.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/508_ELRO.508.pdf
  31. https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/cook-nancy.cfm
  32. https://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/documents/d/guest/hrvr-26-1-futral?previewFileIndex=0
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