A Decatur/Cooksville merchant turned his attention exclusively to farming.

The evidence

• “P. 0. Cooksville; born in Massachusetts July 25, 1819 ; came to Wisconsin in 1846, and located in Porter Township, Rock Co., on the farm he now cultivates, of 320 acres ; in 1850, he engaged in the mercantile business in Decatur, Green Co., and in Cooksville, Rock Co., which he continued until 1856, when he again turned his attention exclusively to farming. He was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature in the fall of 1858.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/31-bios-porter.md, PDF p. 867 / book p. 871

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources