Charles Hook
One of the leading men and most substantial farmers of Greene County is the subject of this sketch. He was born August 27, 1814, on the place where he now resides, three miles southeast of Xenia. He is a son of James and Mary (Lewis) Hook, who were both born in Augusta County, Va., which was also the place where their marriage was celebrated. They lived for a few years in Rockingham County, Va., when they removed to Greene County, Ohio, in the fall of 1812. They made the journey in a wagon and met with the usual delays and trials incident to that method of travel in those days. They were six weeks on the road and were glad, indeed, to reach the end of their trip. They bought land and settled on the place where our subject now resides. Their farm embraced some four hundred and eighty acres and the first house was the usual log cabin of the pioneers. It stood about seventy-five rods east of where the spacious dwelling of our subject now stands. The father of our subject cleared one hundred and fifty acres and made a comfortable living for his family. He died in October, 1844, in his seventy first year. Politically, he was a Whig. His wife survived until 1861, when she, too, crossed to the “great beyond,” being in her eighty-sixth year. They were the parents on nine children, whose names are: William, Rebecca, James C., Robert, Sarah, Lewis, Anna, Charles and Martha. Charles, the subject of this notice, is the only one living at the present time. The parents were members of the Associate Reformed Church. They increased their original farm of four hundred and eighty acres to some five hundred or more before their death.
The grandfather of Charles Hook was one of a family of two sons and five daughters, of Irish ancestry. His grandmother Lewis, was twice married; her second husband was a Mr. Carr. They located in Woodford County, Ky., where she died, at the age of ninety-six. Our subject has passed his entire life on the farm where he was born and is highly respected by all who know him. He received such an education as the common schools of the time afforded, and has added to what he learned in school by a wide course of reading, so that he is now an intelligent and well-informed man. Mr. Hook owns three hundred and twelve acres of land, all but one hundred acres being an heritage from his father. For some years he was engaged in the business of raising Short-Horn cattle, but is now living more retired. He has prospered in his chosen vocation and in the summer of 1873 erected a substantial and elegant brick residence, in which he and his family live. Politically, he is a Republican. He has been honored by his fellow-citizens with the position of Township Trustee.
Mr. Hook has been three times married. His first wife was Clarinda Johnston, a daughter of James C. Johnston, who was married to Miss Paulin, of Ross Township. By this union our subject became the father of four children, three of whom grew to maturity. Their names are: Harvey C., Mary J., who is the wife of Henry H. Conklin; and Thomas C. The second wife was Mrs. Lucinda Heath, a sister of the first wife. There were no children by this union. The third marriage was contracted with Miss Prudence Dillingham. She is a daughter of Levi Dillingham and an estimable lady in every respect. This union has resulted in the birth of three children, of whom two are living, named respectively: Minnie and Bertha E. They are bright and intelligent, and will be given every advantage in the way of education.
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Clark and Greene Counties, Chapman Bros., Chicago, published 1890