Hook, Ellis J. 1870 – 1942

HOOK, MANKER, KERR, IRELAND, REED

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/25/2015 at 11:26:05

ELLIS J. HOOK.

There is much that is remarkable in the life record of Ellis J. Hook who since 1912 has been a representative of the legal profession in Decorah as a member of the firm of Boice & Hook. For many years he was successful as a school teacher and for over nine years served efficiently as superintendent of the Winneshiek county schools, doing valuable work in promoting the cause of education in this county. His work along that line can hardly be overestimated and it must be readily conceded that thereby he has done as much as any other one individual to promote advancement along intellectual and moral lines.

Born in Tazewell county, Illinois, on December 5, 1870, Mr. Hook is a son of George W. and Catherine (Manker) Hook, the former a native of Highland county, Ohio, of Irish and English descent, and the latter born near Hillsboro, Ohio, of German, English and Welsh ancestry. The parents were married in Ohio and went to Illinois in 1855, but later returned to the Buckeye state where Mr. Hook enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of Company D, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, remaining with that command for three years and six months or until the close of the war, when he returned to Ohio and took his family to Tazewell county, Illinois, in the spring of 1866. There he successfully followed agricultural pursuits until 1892, when removal was made to Grundy county, Iowa, where he remained in the pursuit of his occupation until 1907, removing in that year to Grundy Center, Iowa. In that city his wife passed away on October 3, 1912, but Mr. Hook is still living, being venerated and honored by all who know him. In their family were eleven children of whom seven are living, as follows: Charles V., a carpenter of Bowman, North Dakota; Luella, the wife of W. E. Kerr, a farmer of Cohasset, Minnesota; John W., engaged in agricultural pursuits at Grundy Center, Iowa; Jennie, who married J. M. Ireland, a farmer residing near Oskaloosa, Iowa; Ellis J., of this review; Roy E., engaged in farming at Grand Meadow, Minnesota; and Sanford L., an employe of the Iowa Telephone Company of Des Moines, Iowa.

Ellis J. Hook attended public school in Tazewell county, Illinois, graduating from the Hopedale high school in 1890. Making good use of his educational opportunities he made himself master of what was taught him and in the fall of 1890 engaged in teaching, being so occupied in Illinois for two years. Making removal with his family to Grundy county, Iowa, in 1892, he there taught for one year and then came to Decorah with the intention of augmenting his knowledge. Entering the Decorah Institute he graduated therefrom in the fall of 1894 but did not sever his connection at once, remaining for two years as teacher of the commercial department of that school. He then returned to Grundy county where he again taught for one year, removing from there to Fort Atkinson, Winneshiek county, in the fall of 1896, becoming principal of the public schools of that city. Mr. Hook then returned to Decorah as principal of the fifth ward school on the west side and taught in this city until the fall of 1899, when he resigned in order to enter upon the duties as county superintendent of schools. His wide and varied experience and his excellent preparation for the profession well fitted him for this position, and his service was of such conspicuous benefit to the cause of education in the county that he was twice reelected, serving in all for nine years and three months in this most important office. Mr. Hook then accepted a position as traveling salesman for a Chicago supply house but after only eight months discontinued this connection to enter at last the profession in which he has already established a fair reputation. He entered the law office of Clayton S. Boice in Decorah in the fall of 1909 but after one year of preliminary office work and study matriculated in the College of Law at Iowa City, graduating in June, 1912. He then became a member of the firm of Boice & Hook and was admitted to general practice by the Iowa state supreme court in 1912. A deep student of human nature, he has come in contact with many different characters as an educator and makes use of this experience as lawyer, and has quickly become recognized as one of the progressive and rising attorneys of the county. While advancement at the bar is proverbially slow no dreary novitiate awaited him as he soon demonstrated his ability. He handles the most intricate and important law problems with skill and ability, and although but a year in the profession, his practice is extensive and of an important character. "In all this world the thing supremely worth having is the opportunity, coupled with the capacity, to do well and worthily a piece of work, the doing of which shall be of vital significance to mankind." This maxim seems to have moved Mr. Hook when as educator he tried to the best of his ability to instruct youth and it accompanies him on his legal career and no doubt will guide him to a position where he will accomplish significant work.

In 1898 Mr. Hook was married to Miss Minnie M. Reed, a daughter of Daniel A. and Mary L. Reed, of Decorah. The parents were pioneer settlers in this part of the state and here the father died January 24, 1911. The mother is living in Decorah, and is the oldest resident of Winneshiek county.

Mr. Hook supports the republican party, keeping well informed upon the issues affecting the public. Fraternally he is a member of Winneshiek Lodge, No. 58, I. O. O. F., of Decorah, and also of the Knights of Pythias lodge. He was one of the organizers and is still a stockholder and a director of the State Bank of Decorah. For ten years he was a prominent member of the Iowa State Teachers Association and in that connection did much to stimulate the interest of its members in their vocation.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913

Phelps Cemetery gravestone
 

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