Rags to RICHES on Trial - HISTORY of a Montana LEGEND!

Some men are born for Greatness, but how they attain that greatness is up to them.
In this Episode of Life in the West, I attempt to answer a question buried in the past! Was one of Montana's greatest rags to riches stories tainted or pure? Let's find out together.
More at lifeinthewest.com/

[@MarkHohn]

Thanks! You have a gift to be able to tell a story. I rode the school bus past the Cook Ranch every day. The morning he died his body laid near the rode covered with a tarp or sheet as the bus went by.

[@LifeintheWest]

Thanks Mark. Do you remember what year that was?

[@tomhohn922]

Mark, I believe that was Hervey Cook who was murdered. I believe that was 1971 or 72. I think He was the last Cook on the ranch.

[@MarkHohn]

@@tomhohn922 you are proabably correct.

[@MarkHohn]

@@LifeintheWest see my brother's comment below.

[@LifeintheWest]

You are correct. Hervey was the adopted son of A. B. Cook. A. B. Died in 1928. 👍

[@wu7690]

You’re one of the most underrated dudes on KZbin. Really cool and informative history.

[@Granny2470]

I’m loving your channel!!!! I started watching your shorts now watching the cook series! Thank you ☺️

[@bladerlaur]

This is fascinating - thank you so much! I have no idea how I happened on your site, but I saw the two films you made on the Stone House Mansion. I grew up in Townsend (born in 1948) and my dad was born in Winston, and the Stone House was always such a mystery. I always wanted to see the inside and thanks to you, now I have. My dad took me fishing many times at Beaver Creek, and we used to catch the biggest grasshoppers ever (to my 7-year-old self, anyway) on the hike across the fields to the creek. I look forward to seeing the second half of the story of A.B. Cook, another familiar site.

[@davidbuben3262]

So fascinating learning so many stories of that era. Back in the early 80s, I had finished a two year job on Kodiak island and drove from Anchorage to Cody Wyoming, to visit my wife's parents over Christmas and new year's. While there I got to meet the Edgar brothers, Bob and Larry. Bob was the game manager for the Pitchfork, and a historian of that area. Albeit somewhat of a controversial rogue, he built 'Old Trail Town', a tourist destination, and was the best pistol shot I've ever seen in real life. We had lots of adventures. But his stories, and the history of the Pitchfork Ranch are amazing. Thanks for sharing your content Trinity. FYI, it never got above 30 below zero, and the wind howled pretty much the whole time we were there. I wound up working construction there later on. Cody, Greybull, Metetse, Redlodge, Billings, etc.

[@johnlewis6569]

Love history. I like that the research and passion that is placed on it. I grew up in Helena and the history there has always been amazing, from the Broadwater Hotel to Reeders Ally. When Urban Renewal came to Helena so many things were lost except for the memories I have. Keep doing the great work.

[@warriorsgreatness6182]

Absolutely incredible, exceptional historical documentary professional videography. Well done, interesting, intriguing, educational. Mucho Gracias. Keep up the great work. Mysteries of Montana

[@iloveTRUMP]

Ok I went and looked it up...William Clark owned The Clark Chateau where a man named James A Murray who owned the Butte copper mine had a feud with another man named Ferdinand Van Zant who owned another mine that Murray wanted...Van Zant said no so Murray flooded that mine and wiped him out financially....I went through that town when I was 18 and I got the creepiest feeling...we had run out of money on our way from Tennessee to Washington...I had to stay at a very old hotel that was very near to that copper mine...I remember thinking I was creeped out because of that great big hole...you could see it from practically any place in town...it seemed to want to swallow the whole town...this was in 1977...I've never forgotten it....I was so glad to leave that town!

[@lonniekramlich6241]

I love trump, How's that working out for you ?

[@ericbuck7045]

Great video ! You have a knack for storytelling 👍😊

[@charlesgray2034]

Intriguing story can’t wait to hear the rest

[@jasonours5422]

Great stuff!

[@iloveTRUMP]

This is really weird ...I just watched a paranormal show about a Butte hotel that's supposedly haunted by a guy who was said to be in an ownership battle over that great big mine there...I wonder if the ghost is Clark or Cook

[@peggyharwell3674]

Fascinating info. Keep on with your inspector hat on. You have a gift from God.

[@lynnettegrimes339]

Love you reels. Keep up the good work

[@simplelivingmontana]

Love it. Our history is awesome. My favorite class in school was Montana History.

[@The_Woof_Pack]

Very interesting

[@Septembar67]

Great story, man

[@helenkelley8788]

I love history...and would like the other segments you did of this man and his family... Great job explaining what you've found... Thanks for sharing Trinity...

[@gaidhliglass]

This is interesting. Will have to visit there one day. We've been to the Daly Mansion in Hamilton when we went out to the Bitterroot Highland Games. We served as Colour Guard there a few years ago. The Daly Mansion was still being renovated at the time, but you could still see the burned walls. Daly was a copper king, but dabbled in cattle, horses, etc.

[@blakepreston9108]

Man you do a good job on Documentaries, could be the next Ken Burns?

[@carolmac5944]

Love these videos! Thank you

[@ConservativeTeacherReacts]

Great video!

[@anguskelly9655]

Terrific history!!

[@diannaleigh9914]

Hope I am getting the next week

[@lunagal]

Love getting background of this Montanan. Especially with my love for that property along the road to Townsend. Did he actually move that house across the frozen lake? Rumor?

[@xroadscabaret2811]

Yes he did. My grandma opened that house when I was little. I think we had newspaper clips or pictures of the move

[@alanweber6805]

I really enjoy your vedios and like your Christian values you have today it is really nice to see and your family values which are a good role model for us all keep up the g.ood work thanks again

[@papaburf7275]

My theory about why Cook would have been "friendly" with the Democrats is there is only one political party - "The Haves". We are the "Have nots" and everything politicians do carries an element of maintaining the division between the haves and the have-nots. It is a higher priority than overt party loyalty and must be maintained above all else. Love your history videos!

[@badgerpa9]

Cool story.

[@randygraf2474]

enjoyed

[@mynameis......23]

0:59

[@sallymonaghan8639]

I knew a cook that came from Valentine Nebraska

[@wolfgangknoll-ev6gl]

Perfekt history

[@karleggers3125]

I agree with you, A.B. Cook was not a crook. This took a lot of digging on your part. Thank you and God bless.

[@mkidd8806]

We're is part 2 etc.

[@doriangrey5550]

Background music is to loud

[@SunsetStarship]

All great men have passionate detractors for a host of reasons. The important thing, as far as I am concerned, is to take inspiration and ideas from their success and leave their failures to the dust bin of time. It's funny how that concept in reverse is now touted as "highly educated" in certain social strata.

[@bobbieolsen7264]

Trinity Vandenacre, find out about Joseph Prendergast, Mayor of Montana, and who SHOT him in 1925 Butte Montana for more Montana intrigue!

[@connieream8192]

No background music please? It just isn't needed and it make me want to turn off the video.

[@friedahutchison7487]

have done geneology on the cook faimly

[@LifeintheWest]

I haven’t gone backwards yet. I talked on the phone with his only granddaughter and her daughter, so I have from A. B. Cook to now. Other than he was was Dutch and Scottish I don’t know much about his ancestors.

[@LifeintheWest]

Did you mean that you have done a genealogy on the Cook family?

[@friedahutchison7487]

@@LifeintheWest yes

[@LifeintheWest]

Frieda Hutchison I would love to see it.

[@graylobo133]

Great info, minus the awful music.

[@george2113]

Ethics is a recent college course

[@deborahmcham7895]

Such a neat story. Sounds like the Democrats in the Whitehouse today......😢

[@jedadruled984]

Yo, but there is a church on his property, so he cant be a crook.