Artist: Robert Wadsworth Grafton (1876–1936)
Andrew Braid Cook
COOK, ANDREW BRAID (1864–1928), inducted between 1920–1936
Wisconsin-born A. B. Cook found Montana to be a land of opportunity when he moved there in 1883. He gained a railroad and civil engineering background working on transportation expansion projects, and he used that experience to land major railroad contracts. His concrete company was also involved in major infrastructure projects as the American West grew. Cook started a real estate business in Missoula and established holdings in mining, lumber, banking, and more. He served as Montana state auditor for one term as well, but A. B. Cook was best known for his extensive Hereford cattle ranches, starting with Flying U Ranch in 1907. He produced grand champions at the International, the American Royal, and the National Western between 1914 and 1927. Cook was elected president of the American Hereford Cattle Breeders Association in 1920 and served on the board of the International. After losing a major lawsuit in 1928, A. B. Cook was forced to apportion his cattle but was planning to establish a new sheep operation; however, he died just one month after the sale.
Source: Saddle & Sirloin Guidebook 2026, p. 70