John W. Hook
was born August 26, 1854, at West Union, Ohio, in what was then known as the "Dyer Burgess property," now the Palace Hotel. His father, James N. Hook, was at that time, clerk of the courts of Adams County. His mother's maiden name was Sarah Jane Baird, daughter of Joshua Baird, a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and her mother's name was Susan (Gibson) Baird. The last named was left a widow early in life with a large family to care for. She is said to have been a woman of great natural ability and force of character. She was able to take care of a farm and raise and educate a large family of children. She lived near Bentonville, and it is said of her that nothing but serious sickness prevented her from attending the services of the Presbyterian Church at West Union, of which she was a devoted member, and of bringing her numerous family with her in an old buggy over the worst roads in the world, every Sunday, rain or shine, winter as well as summer.
John W. Hook passed the greater part of his boyhood on the farm of his father, attending the village schools of his native town in the winter and assisting with the farm work in the spring and summer. At the age of eighteen years, he began teaching school, which occupied him for a part of the time. During the remainder of the time, he either attended school or pursued the study of the law, having determined early in life to make that his calling.
In September, 1876, at a session of the district court of his county, he was admitted to the bar, having had the firm of Bayless & Thompson as his instructors. After teaching another year, he began the practice of his profession in his native town and has continued therein for the greater portion of his time to the present.
In 1881, he was elected a member of the board of education of the West Union village school district. He was mayor of his native town in 1884 and was re-elected again in 1886.
On July 1, 1889, he accepted the position of chief deputy under the United States Marshal for the southern district of Ohio, which position he held for four years. After leaving the marshal's office he returned to the practice of law at West Union where he has since been actively engaged in the courts of Adams and adjoining counties and in the United States Courts.
In 1898, Congress having passed a national bankrupt law, Hon. George R. Sage, United States District Judge, appointed him referee in bankruptcy for Adams County, which position he now holds. In politics, he has always been a Republican, and being a young man located at the county seat in a Democratic county, he has been called upon to act as chairman and secretary of the county executive committee a number of times, and has thereby been more or less prominent in the local politics of his party for a number of years. At the Republican State Convention of 1880, without his knowledge or solicitation, he was made an alternate delegate from his congressional district to the National Convention at Chicago, where General James A. Garfield was made the Republican candidate for the presidency. In 1883, he connected himself with the Presbyterian Church and has continued a member of that church to the present time. He is one of the charter members of Crystal Lodge, No. 114. He was its first presiding officer and has remained an active member of that organization to the present time. He is a member of the uniform rank of Central Division No. 37 and a present regent of Adams Council, No. 830, Royal Arcanum.
In November, 1884, at West Union, Ohio, he was married to Miss Rachael, daughter of William and Rebecca Wilson, and at that time, a member of the corps of teachers of the West Union schools. They have had five children, three of whom are living at this time.
A gentleman who knows Mr. Hook well and is capable of judging says of him: "There is no better citizen than he; his influence is always for good citizenship; that on every question of morals, he will be found advocating that side which is for the best interests of society. Mr. Hook is a man of excellent reasoning powers and a good lawyer. He is one of the most sensitive men and this is against him as a lawyer as the latter should have no feelings or sensibilities. He is not aggressive, but that is owing to natural diffidence born with him. He is a very companionable man and had he lived in the days of the Greek philosophers, he would have been the chiefest among them. He is a born counsellor and adviser, but he lacks just what John Alden lacked—he does not always speak for himself when he ought to. He can always do better for a friend than for himself. He is an estimable citizen and one who is always ready and willing to do his part in the community.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900