Contra Costa County
Biographies
JAMES SIMEON HOOK
JAMES SIMEON HOOK. A large land owner and successful
farmer of Contra Costa county, James Simeon Hook has attained his present
position of prominence through a thorough and comprehensive study of conditions
existing in the field wherein his energies have been enlisted. Trained to a
practical and useful life, he became independent upon the close of his college
days, following the example of his father in the accumulation of landed
property, until to-day he has in his possession
nearly one thousand acres, devoted to orchard fruits, vineyards, grain and hay.
In the prosecution of his agricultural duties he has met with a success which
has numbered him among the representative citizens of this community. A native
of California, he was born in Martinez, Contra Costa county,
January 27, 1853, a son of William Hook, a pioneer and for many
years an esteemed citizen of this section.
William Hook was born in Salem, Va., February 14, 1805,
but was reared in Old Franklin, Howard county, Mo.,
whither his parents removed at an early date. With his twin brother, Elijah, he
took up carpenter work and together they purchased supplies and went as far
south as Texas, where they carried on their trade. In 1835 he married
Miranda Brown, and in 1850 crossed the plains with his family, arriving in
Placerville September 1. There his daughter Emma was born,
October 15, 1850, the first white child born in that place. For a
time he carried on a small business in Placerville as a trading point, later
removed to Sacramento, then to San Francisco, and from that point to Vallejo.
In 1853 he established one of the first stores in Martinez, Contra Costa county, and was very successful in his enterprise. As his
financial ability increased he invested his savings in real estate, purchasing
land west of Concord, this county. In a few years he owned hundreds of acres,
upon which he made improvements, erecting a residence that became the home of
the family and in which his son, Vincent Hook, now lives. He also dealt
extensively in cattle and horses. Fraternally he was a prominent member of the
Masonic order. His death occurred July 24, 1882, his wife surviving
him until 1902, dying then at the age of eighty-three years. The children born
of this union were as follows: Adam, Mary, Amanda, Ada,
Elijah, Henry, John, James, Vincent and Walter E. Always a stanch supporter of educational advantages, Mr. Hook
gave all of his children a fine college training.
James Simeon Hook was reared to young manhood upon his
father’s ranch, receiving his preliminary education in the public schools,
after which he entered the state university, graduating therefrom
with the class of 1874, the first graduating class of the college. Returning to
Contra Costa county he entered at once upon the life
which has since occupied his attention, beginning systematically and continuing
his methods up to the present time. The ranch upon which his home is located
consists of five hundred acres, which he purchased in one tract, and in
addition he owns one hundred and fifty-five acres on the E. Hook tract,
and one hundred and fifty-one acres at Pacheco, which he inherited. He has set
out forty acres to orchard and one hundred acres to
vines, the success which has accompanied his efforts being a credit to his
thorough study and management of the situation. He has built a winery and makes
up his own stock. He has a fine house and barns, and his lawns are covered with
an abundance of shade trees and flowers, all the result of his own labors. His
principal crop is hay, which he has found to be more profitable than
stock-raising.
The marriage of Mr. Hook united him with Louise Gambs, a native of California and the daughter of
John Gambs, a resident of Oakland. John Gambs was born in Germany, near Frankfort on the Rhine,
December 24, 1827, and was reared to young manhood in his native
location. In 1847, in February of that year, he came to New York state and engaged in farming for a year in Dutchess county. In 1848 he worked his passage to
California around the Horn on the ship Oregon, arriving in San Francisco
April 1, 1849. He went at once to the mines, where he remained only a
short time, returning to San Francisco to engage in the hotel business. He lost
this property by fire May 5, 1851, after which he went to Mariposa county and engaged in the stock business for ten years, when
he sold out and located in Pacheco, Contra Costa county. In addition to the
mercantile business which he here took up he bought a ranch and set out an
orchard, retiring from active life in 1895, when he removed to Oakland. His wife, formerly Helen Ohl, was also
born in Germany, and of this marriage were born the following children:
Louise, John C., Helen, Harriett and Elsie.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hook were born three children,
of whom Theodore Harold graduated in the Oakland high school in 1904 at the age
of eighteen years, and is now a student in the State University;
Cyril Randolph and James Stanley are students. Fraternally
Mr. Hook is prominent, being a member of the Masonic order; Independent
Order of Odd Fellows; the Rebekahs, of which his wife
is also a member; the Woodmen of the World, of which he is council commander;
Ancient Order of United Workmen, of which he is past master; Artisans, of
Portland, Ore.; and Native Sons, of which he is past president.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 03 April 2016.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California
by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
1064-1067. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Marie Hassard.
Contra Costa County Biographies