Contra Costa-San Francisco-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Hook, Henry 1848 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 31, 2007, 8:02 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

HON. HENRY HOOK.—One of the best known officials of the United States Custom
House of San Francisco, is Assemblyman Henry Hook, of Martinez, Contra Costa
County, who is cashier. He, like many other prominent citizens of this State,
came to California with his parents in early times, his family arriving here in
1850, coming direct from Arrow Rock, Missouri, where young Hook was born,
October 1, 1848. Almost immediately upon the family's arrival in this city they
departed for the gold fields of Hangtown, now Placerville, where they remained
till 1851, when they moved to Sacramento and engaged in the merchandise
business, and continuing in that line until the fall of the following year, when
they moved to this city, and continued in the same line of business, locating on
Jackson street, where they carried on a very large business, until they were
driven out by the fires of 1852-'53. William Hook next turned his attention to
the building of a hotel to accommodate the State Legislature at Vallejo; but
before the completion of the hotel a change was made in the location of the
State capital, and the capitol building started here in Vallejo was never
completed. We next find the enterprising father of the subject of this sketch
located in the mercantile business at Martinez, Contra Costa County, going there
in 1854, where the family has since resided, the firm then being known as Agnew
& Hook, the former being the founder of the well-known dry-goods firm of Murphy
& Grant, of this city. Mr. Hook amassed a large fortune, and converted the same
into farms throughout Contra Costa County, giving his realty interests his whole
time. He gave up his mercantile pursuits, and died, near Martinez, in 1882.
Young Hook was given an excellent education, attending the public schools of
that county till 1865, when he entered the Benicia College, graduating in 1867.

  Returning to his home, he engaged in farming one year. At the age of twenty
years he was appointed abstract clerk in the naval office of the United States
Custom House, remaining in that position until 1875, after which he accepted the
position of salesman in the carpet department in E. Hook's well-known store in
Oakland. After ten years of continuous labor, he took a trip over the United
States, visiting every large city of the country, and was the guest of President
Hayes, at Columbus, Ohio, just before his election. He commenced farming on the
ranches he now owns, in Contra Costa, in 1877. In 1886 he was nominated for
County Treasurer of Contra Costa County. Having made such a thorough canvass
when running for that office, and being energetic and active, the Republicans of
that county nominated him for the Assembly in 1888. He was elected by a large
majority. While a member of the State Legislature, Mr. Hook filled several
prominent positions on various committees. He was the father of the agricultural
bill that was passed by both houses, separating his county from Alameda and San
Francisco. He was also a strong advocate of, and was mainly instrumental in
having the appropriation bill of $10,000 passed for the location of the United
States Grange, thereby causing the first sitting of the United States Grange in
California; was also the main-stay and backer of the Feeble-minded Home bill,
which is now located at Hillgirth, Sonoma County. At the solicitation of his
many friends he was induced to accept the position which he now fills,—cashier
of the United States Custom House. Since he has been connected with the Custom
House he has made many friends, who speak of him in the highest terms.

  In 1873 Mr. Hook married Miss Elizabeth A. Benningham, assistant principal of
the Oakland High School, and they have one child, born February 8, 1875, and
named Elizabeth Benningham.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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