Hooker, Thomas P; 1905 Bio, Routt County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/routt/bios/hookertp.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Thomas P. Hooker Thomas P. Hooker, who is now a peaceful and progressive ranch and cattle man of Routt county, with a pleasant home in the vicinity of Hayden, has been active and prominent in the public life of this state and an energetic participant in some of the tragedies incident to the unsettled conditions of its earlier history. He was born on July 4, 1849, at Big Flats, New York, and is the son of Joshua and Margaret (Reser) Hooker, natives of Delaware, who, while living in the state of New York, were engaged in mercantile pursuits, the father being a lumber dealer there. He was an earnest Republican until 1866, then became a Democrat and remained one until his tragic death in 1877, in Elber [sic] county, this state, when he was killed by desperadoes whom he was assisting his son, Julius A. Hooker, then sheriff of the county, to arrest. There were five children in the family, three of whom are living, Thomas P., Virginia, wife of James Whetstone, and Patrick H. One of the deceased, Julius A., who died in 1901, was a prominent man in Elbert county, serving with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people as sheriff, county assessor of Elbert county and county treasurer of Routt county, holding the last named office six years. He was a Republican in politics, forcible and fearless in advocating the cause of his party, as he was in the discharge of his official duties. A daughter named Mary died in 1864. The mother resides with her son Thomas P. He received a common-school education in his native state, remaining there with his parents and working in their interest until he reached the age of twenty-one. From New York he moved to Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Wisconsin in succession, and in all those states worked at his trade as a carpenter. In 1869 he came to Colorado and located a ranch which he occupied and farmed until 1877, working at his trade also during that period. He then moved to Leadville and devoted two years to mining and prospecting, but without success. In 1879 he became a resident of Routt county, and after improving a ranch which he then sold to A. Pain, he bought the one on which he now lives, comprising eighty acres, all of which is under cultivation in hay, grain and vegetables, hay and cattle being his chief productions and main sources of revenue from the place. Although an old-time citizen, he is a progressive one and his example is well worthy of emulation by the younger generation. He is a Republican in political allegiance and as such served seven and one-half years as deputy sheriff of Elbert county. Having seen some of the sterner features of western life, which he confronted with a manly spirit, he has enjoyed all the more the quieter fields of productive industry in which he is now engaged, and to them he has devoted his energies and his fund of general information to good advantage for himself and for the section in which he has cast his lot, taking an active part in its development and improvement and performing with zeal and intelligence all the duties of good citizenship, thereby winning an enduring hold on the regard and good will of his fellow men. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.