Early Life
Born in Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations on 3 February 1717, Nicholas Cooke was the son of Daniel Cooke and Mary Power. Early in his life he followed the sea, and eventually became the master of ships, which led to his later vocation as a merchant. He also operated a distillery and a rope making business. After acquiring a fortune, he invested his assets in land in the colonies of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
Cooke first became politically active at the age of 35, when he was elected as an Assistant from Providence in 1752, being elected again to this position three more times within seven years. In the mid-1750s, the Boston portraitist, John Greenwood followed a group of sea captains and merchants to Surinam on the northeast coast of South America. The trading usually took time, so the men often waited in pubs. Being commissioned by the merchants to create a satirical painting, Greenwood concocted a 22-figure tavern scene, showing himself among the affluent traders, all subject to the "intoxicating effects of alcohol and economic ambition." Different accounts agree that Cooke is the man wearing a hat, seated at the back of the table, facing right and smoking a pipe.
Cooke became a trustee of Rhode Island's new college, later named Brown University, in 1766 and served in that role until his death. As a trustee he represented the Beneficent Congregational Church, of which he had been a member since 1647.
In 1768 Cooke became the Deputy Governor of the colony under Josias Lyndon, both men leaving their offices after one year. As difficulties with Great Britain worsened, and the Continental Congress formed, Cooke became chairman of the Providence Committee of Inspection. He was responsible for seeing that the town faithfully adhered to the declarations of the Congress relating to trade with Great Britain. Some of the provisions included discontinuing the slave trade; refusing to purchase tea; stopping all exports to and imports from Britain; selling goods at reasonable prices, and discouraging horse racing, gaming, expensive shows, and expensive funerals.
In May 1775, Cooke was once again elected to the office of Deputy Governor, and Joseph Wanton was elected for the seventh time as Governor. Wanton, however, had maintained a very conservative position regarding Great Britain, and did not want to break the ties binding the mother country to the colonies. Meanwhile, the General Assembly took on a strong stance toward independence, and detailed four points against Wanton, after which the magistrates were forbidden to administer to him the oath of office during their June meeting. Wanton refused to approve the creation of an army of 1500 men, would not sign commissions for officers, neglected to issue a proclamation for the fast-day appointed by the Assembly, and did not take an oath of office. Wanton addressed the four points in a letter to the Assembly, but to no effect. Without an impeachment trial, Wanton was suspended from his office, with Cooke becoming acting governor. The suspension act against Wanton was continued during each Assembly session until November, and having failed to give satisfaction to the Assembly, and continuing to manifest Tory sympathies, he was formally deposed on 7 November 1775. Cooke became the Governor, with William Bradford of Bristol becoming Deputy Governor, and served out the remainder of Wanton's term before being elected for two additional one-year terms.
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