John Cook (Haddington)

Very Rev John Cook DD (1807–1874) was a 19th-century Scottish minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for the year 1866/67.
Life.
He was born in Laurencekirk on 12 September 1807 the son of Rev George Cook (1772-1845) the local minister, and his wife, Diana Shank. He was one of several children including Rev George Cook minister of Borgue. John followed in the family tradition and studied Divinity at St Andrews University.
In 1827 his father served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland following in the footsteps of his own father, Very Rev John Cook who served in 1816.
In 1833 he became minister of St Mary's in Haddington and remained in service there for 41 years.
In 1866 he succeeded Very Rev James Macfarlane as Moderator of the General Assembly. In 1867 he was succeeded in turn by Very Rev Thomas Jackson Crawford. His position created the only grandfather-father-son sequence of Moderator's in the Church of Scotland.
He died in Haddington on 11 September 1874, the day before his 67th birthday.
Family.
He was married to Helen Davidson. Their daughters included Diana Shank Cook and Martha Mary Cook.
His great uncles included Rev George Hill and Prof John Hill.
Artistic Recognition.
He was photographed by Hill & Adamson in 1866.
He was also painted by James Edgar (copied as a mezzotint by John Moffat).
Memorials.
The main east window in St Mary's Collegiate Church, Haddington was restored in his memory and this is marked by a granite plaque on the outer east side of the church.