HENRY J. HOOGENAKKER.
The personal biography of a successful newspaper man is always interesting. The average newspaper man or editor is generally a self-made individual who began as "printer's devil" and rose to the rank of manager and owner. The newspaper man of today wields a more powerful influence over the minds and hearts of the people through the medium of his publication than any other single factor in the arrangement of things as they are and must be in this great and free Republic. The press rights our wrongs and redresses our grievances and its tremendous influence shapes and forces the better legislation which the people are continually demanding. Its power is tremendous when one considers that the recent tariff and monetary legislation was brought about by the people expressing their sentiment through the columns of the newspapers. The men at the head of the newspapers of today are, as a rule, well educated and thoroughly practical men of affairs. The old time "hit and miss" editor who led a precarious sort of existence, while he was a lovable character in many ways, has given way to the younger men of business ability who have placed the publishing of the newspapers upon a firmer financial basis. The newspaper man is a member of a distinct profession; his newspaper is an established business institution in which the community takes a just and abiding pride. The success of a local newspaper generally reflects the standing and prosperity of the community in which it is published. Audubon county is fortunate in having some excellent newspapers published within its borders and one of the most successful is the Audubon Republican, which is edited and managed by a wide-awake editor whose ability is unquestioned and who rose from the ranks of the printers to become a proprietor since early manhood. Henry J. Hoogenakker is one of the able young newspaper men of western Iowa and has had a striking and successful career along the lines of his chosen profession.
Henry J. Hoogenakker was born on August 10, 1879, in Pella, Iowa, son of Arie and Harriet (Brucklander) Hoogenakker, natives of Holland. Arie Hoogenakker was born in 1840 and crossed the ocean when fourteen years of age in 1854. He was a painter by trade and located at Pella, Iowa. Here he was married on August 31, 1865, and reared his family. The Hollanders have customarily settled in colonies in America and Mr. Hoogenakker formed one of a large colony of immigrants who settled in the vicinity of Pella. This colony came across the country by rail as far as Keokuk and then traveled by wagon and afoot one hundred and twenty-five miles to Pella. Arie Hoogenakker and wife still reside in Pella and have reared a family of ten children. Arie was one of eight children. Henry J., received his education in the Pella public schools, and when still a youth, entered the office of the Pella Advertiser to learn the printer's trade. He remained in this office for a period of three years. He then spent one and one-half years at Knoxville, Iowa. Following this employment he worked at his trade in various printing offices at Des Moines until 1898. He then spent one year in the office of the Pella Chronicle. He started a job printing office in Colfax, Iowa, and remained there three years, in the meantime buying out the Colfax Tribune. For four years thereafter he was editor of the Review at Donnellson, Iowa. He was then owner of the Clarion, at Richland, Iowa, for four years. He purchased the Audubon Republican on October 1, 1911. Since taking charge of the newspaper he has made a financial success of the enterprise and has built up the circulation to the large number of twenty-six hundred subscribers. The office is well equipped with modern linotype and the latest machinery and does excellent printing.
H. J. Hoogenakker was married on January 17, 1900, to Marie Keeler, of Colfax. They have one child, Harriet, born on May 19, 1913. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is also an Odd Fellow and Modern Woodman.
The political career of this successful and enterprising publisher has been worthy of note and shows another phase of a well-rounded character and pronounced capabilities. He is allied with the Republican party, and has taken an active and influential part in the politics of his state. While editor of the Richland Clarion, he served the city as mayor.
In 1908 Mr. Hoogenakker was the Republican candidate for representative from Keokuk county and two years later was urged to become the nominee without opposition for state senator. He has attended every state convention of his party as a delegate since 1898. He has resided in the first, sixth, seventh and ninth congressional districts during the course of his newspaper career and is widely and favorably known in those districts. At the present time, Mr. Hoogenakker occupies the honored position as president of the Western Iowa Editorial Association. He is a genial, energetic character who allows nothing to stand in the way of making a success of all of his undertakings and is possessed of those attributes which make for good citizenship. He is eminently fitted by nature and by training for his profession and the appearance of his publication justifies the statement that he is a talented and capable editor.
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Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 830-831.
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