Richard Joseph Cooke
Encyclopedia
Richard Joseph Cooke was a Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
, elected in 1912. He also distinguished himself as a Pastor
, an Editor
, a Theologian, an Author
, and a university
administrator.
, the son of Richard and Joana (née
Geary) Cooke. He came South at an early age, working as a timekeeper for a railroad construction company for a time.
Richard married Eliza Gettys Fisher 20 April 1881. They had four children. She died in 1904. Then he married Ella B. Fisher in 1908 (his first wife's sister).
. The University of Tennessee
awarded him the honorary degree
D.D. Likewise, Willamette University
awarded the LL.D.
Annual Conference
of the M.E. Church, South in 1873. He also served as a Pastor in the Holston Conference, where he served the Cleveland, Tennessee
church, and First Methodist of Knoxville
. He also taught at both Athens University and Chattanooga University. Later he was also the Editor of the Methodist Advocate Journal.
. He died Christmas Day, 25 December 1931. He was buried at Athens, Tennessee
.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
, elected in 1912. He also distinguished himself as a Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, an Editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, a Theologian, an Author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
administrator.
Early life
Richard was born 31 January 1853 in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the son of Richard and Joana (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Geary) Cooke. He came South at an early age, working as a timekeeper for a railroad construction company for a time.
Richard married Eliza Gettys Fisher 20 April 1881. They had four children. She died in 1904. Then he married Ella B. Fisher in 1908 (his first wife's sister).
Education
Richard graduated in 1880 from East Tennessee Wesleyan University. He afterwards studied at the University of Berlin, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
awarded him the honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
D.D. Likewise, Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
awarded the LL.D.
Ordained Ministry
Richard was admitted to the Central TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
of the M.E. Church, South in 1873. He also served as a Pastor in the Holston Conference, where he served the Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
church, and First Methodist of Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. He also taught at both Athens University and Chattanooga University. Later he was also the Editor of the Methodist Advocate Journal.
Death and Burial
A break in his health led to his retirement in 1920. Yet his influence continued to be felt throughout MethodismMethodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. He died Christmas Day, 25 December 1931. He was buried at Athens, Tennessee
Athens, Tennessee
Athens is a city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of McMinn County and the principal city of the Athens Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Chattanooga-Cleveland-Athens Combined Statistical Area. The population was 13,220 at the 2000...
.