Background
He was born in Newburn, Fife the son of Rev Professor John Cook FRSE (1739–1815) and Janet Hill.
He was born in Newburn, Fife the son of Rev Professor John Cook FRSE (1739–1815) and Janet Hill.
He studied at Street Andrews University graduating Master of Arts in 1790.
He received a licence to minister in 1795 and the following year took over in the parish of Laurencekirk where he preached until 1829. In 1829 he was offered the Chair of Moral Philosophy at Street Andrews University (a post held by his father from 1773 until 1802) where he continued until death in 1845. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1816, his proposer being John Playfair.
In 1808 the University of Street Andrews conferred a Doctor of Divinity (Doctor of Divinity) upon him.
He continued to address the Assembly late into life. He died in Street Andrews on 13 May 1845 and is buried there within Street Regulus Chapel (Street Rule’s Tower) in the churchyard of Street Andrews Cathedral.
His mother’s brothers included Rev George Hill FRSE (1750–1819) and Professor John Hill FRSE (1747–1805).