#jfhook

[lindseyhook]

One of these days I’ll finish the page on my website dedicated to my great-grandfather’s work. Today is not that day, but here’s another of his little birdies for a #fridayflourish 🕊

[lindseyhook]

#FridayFlourish 😊 Another of my great grandfather's doodles 🕊

[lindseyhook]

I’ve always wondered if my great grandfather (J.F. Hook) was ever mentioned in any of the penmanship periodicals from the early 20th century (like the business educator etc...). I believe he studied under Behrensmeier. He definitely knew him well enough to drop in for visits in later years (according to a letter I have).

I’ve looked through issues, but never found mention of him... until now! A couple days ago @danieldubois007 (thank you!!!) sent me a little pic of his photo, with the tidbit that he’d found it in one of The American Penman issues from around 1907. The hunt was on! I couldn’t find him in the 1907 issues, but in 1908, his photo was included in the March issue, and in the August issue he was listed as a planned contributor for the Business Writing dept. in 1909 😃. No luck yet on later issues, but still.... pretty cool 😎

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I have a page on my website dedicated to him and his work - https://www.lindsey-hook.com/family-history-jf-hook

Lindsey Hook — Family History - J.F. Hook

Lindsey Hook — Family History - J.F. Hook

[lindseyhook]

Last week I finally started organizing all the photos I have of my great grandfather's work and this certificate caught my eye. I hadn't looked at it that closely before because this photo is all I have and it's small and of poor quality, but I think it's probably a really lovely piece. I hope someone in the extended family still has it. It's a certificate for the Christian Endeavor Society honoring my great grandfather's brother, Clarence, who died at a relatively young age I believe. I'm not confident on the date because that part of the photo is a bit washed out, but it looks like April 29th, 1901 or maybe 1907?

[lindseyhook]

#FridayFlourish from my great grandfather :) I like the movement of the two heavily shaded lines the bird in this one is resting on

[lindseyhook]

This weeks #FridayFlourish :) This is another of my great grandfathers birds that I think was done when he was a student at the Gem City Business College. It's a little less elaborate than some of his others, but I think it has a nice flow to it, and those are some serious shades 🕶

[lindseyhook]

#FridayFlourish! This is another of my great grandfather's birds on Gem City Business College paper. I did a bit of digging with my Dad and it seems he was a student there at least through the beginning of 1905. I'm assuming the 'Emily' included here refers to his wife.

[lindseyhook]

It's been a while since I've had any time to dig through the copies I have of my great-grandfather's flourishes, so I pulled them out today during a break from finishing up this weeks pens. I hadn't noticed before, but he did quite a few lovely flourished birds on practice sheets from the Gem City Business College at the time it was headed by Behrensmeyer. I'm wondering if my great-grandfather studied under him. I really wish I had better reproductions or originals of these. It's hard to tell when they're digitized just how fine and delicate the line work is.