The first advertising agency in Chicago was run by Charles H. Scriven. It was started about 1858 and operated till Mr. Scriven’s death around 1865.
The Printer’s Ink, December 13, 1905
Coburn, Cook & Company
The next (second) agency to get a foot hold in Chicago was that established about the year 1865 by Carlos A. Cook (right), who had associated with him at various times E. A. Carr, C. E. Coburn, E. B. Mack and A. H. Taylor; Carr, Coburn & Mack having interests in the Chicago office, while Taylor had the management of a Cincinnati’s branch, established later, where he divided the patronage with honest old S. H. Parvin, of whom it may be said that no agent ever, deserved better of the newspapers than he did. An old associate and friend of Mr. Cook’s “has furnished the following historical data concerning him:
Carlos Allen Cook was born June 23, 1828, in the town of Preston, New London County, Connecticut.
His years up to young manhood were spent on his father’s farm, and in his father’s woolen factory. Leaving these employments, he went to Lowell, Mass., and learned to be a druggist in the drug store of Dr. J. C. Ayer.
Then followed some years in travel, selling goods in thg provinces and States, and finally he had a drug store in Rock Island, Illinois.
In 1859 he was in the sewing machine business in Chicago and in 1862, he, in partnership with a relative, had a brewery in Peoria, Ill.
In 1863 he secured the agency of Dr. Roback’s Bitters, and coming back to Chicago, made his headquarters with the wholesale drug house of Fuller,
Finch & Fuller, and, in addition to selling bitters, started an advertising agency under the name of C. A. Cook. There was but one other advertising agency in Chicago at this time, that of C. H. Scriven. Mr. Scriven died very soon, thus leaving Mr. Cook the only advertising agent in Chicago.
Later E. A. Carr was admitted, as a partner, and the firm became Cook, Carr & Co.
On Mr. Carr’s leaving the business, Mr. C. E. Coburn became a partner and the firm was then Cook, Coburn & Co. This was in 1864. Mr. Coburn remained in the business ten years and, on his retiring, the firm was again called C. A. Cook & Co. and so continued until Mr. Cook went out of the business in 1886 or about that date. Mr. Cook had no partner after Mr. C«burn left the firm.
A branch house was established in Cincinnati in 1866 under the firm name of Cook, Coburn; & Taylor, Mr. A. H. Taylor becoming a partner, but this branch agency was discontinued in 1871.
Mr. C. A. Cook died at his home in Chicago, September 27, 1898. Mr. C. E. Coburn is still—in 1905—in Chicago engaged in the insurance business.
Mr. A. H. Taylor is also in Chicago in the advertising business, being employed in the agency conducted by Theodore P. Roberts, who places most of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. advertising matter.
Mr. Cook’s family are all gone from Chicago except a son. It was of this young man that Mr. Cook used to tell that as a boy he developed artistic tendencies and, thinking perhaps he should be given an education on the line of his tastes, sought advice from a friend thought competent to give it and who, after listening to all the pros and cons, volunteered the information that if the boy was his own he would put some bricks in the seat of his trousers and let him sit down In the lake.
The firm of C A. Cook & Co. was unfortunate at the end of its career. The cause of its decline was the advertising of Lawrence & Martin, “Tolu Rock & Rye.” When that firm failed they owed C. A. Cook & Co. $69,000, entirely unsecured. After discontinuing as much advertising as possible the net loss was $47,000 and not a cent of it was ever paid. This was more than Mr. Cook could stand and. after ad justing matters as far as possible, an effort was made to continue business with but indifferent success; the agency made no money and younger men coming into the field and new ideas coming up the struggle was a hard one, and finally Mr. Cook ceased to be an advertising agent.
The extensive advertising agency of Cook, Coburn & Co., in the Kendall Building. Sketched during business hours. The ad agent was a space broker; ads were simple bulletins handed back and forth as commodities. Agencies operated like banks, with tellers (left), clients (center) and clerks (right). The clients paid a straight commission.
Chicago Tribune, February 6, 1881
Cook’s Newspaper Directory.
The well-known, enterprising advertising firm, C. A. Cook & Co., Chicago, haa just issued a very handsome volume, containing a comprehensive and compact newspaper directory.
It is very systematic, giving place of publication. character, day of publication, and accurate or approximate statement of circulation of each. Advertisers will find tha book convenient and useful.
Lawrence & Martin
Tolu Rock & Rye Trade Card
About 1881
Chicago Tribune, May 22, 1881
LAWRENCE & MARTIN.
Some of the creditors of Lawrence & Martin have been making it lively for Mr. Trude and the other judgment creditors by trying to replevin goods, but so far they haven’t been very successful. Mr. Trude says there has been considerable perjury, and he is “going for” the parties criminally as soon as the affairs of the firm are in such shape as not to require his attention. And he said furthermore that the general creditors will not get anything at all if they don’t behave themselves. A meeting of them has been tallied at the office of Tenney, Flower & Cratty Thursday afternoon, at which time a statement of assets and liabilities will be submitted and an attempt made to secure a settlement, in order that Lawrence & Martin may continue business.
The rumor that C. A. Cook & Co., the advertising agents, were financially embarrassed in consequence of the failure of Lawrence & Martin seems to be untrue. Mr. Cook told a Tribune reporter yesterday that it was true that Lawrence & Martin owed him some money, but how much be couldn’t tell, nor would he be able to so until the statement was submitted to tie creditors. He was paying every bill presented, and the banks still had confidence in him,— pretty good evidence, he said, that there was no concern for alarm.
Chicago Tribune, September 28, 1898
Carlos A. Cook.
Carlos A. Cook died yesterday at his residence, 660 La Salle avenue, at the age of 70 years, after a lingering illness. He was an old resident of Chicago. He had been connected for many years with the North Chicago Street railroad company. His widow and five children survive him.
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