To make a record of the death of young Sam F. Hengstler, the night telegraph operator here, which occurred shortly after nine o'clock, while attending to the regular duties of his office on that night. There were frequent and heavy flashes of electricity coming into the office, and once or twice had set papers on fire, and which he had succeeded in putting out, by the aid of Mr. Albert Hook of Oregon, who was in the depot, waiting for the 9 o'clock train, to go north. He once asked Mr. Hengstler if he had broken a lamp chimney, and was told that it was lightning that had exploded in his office. Soon more papers were on fire and Mr. Hook rushed in to extinguish these which he did by throwing them upon the floor and stamping the fire out. Sam (as he was familiarly called) stooped down with his hand resting upon the table, to remove some papers that were yet on fire in the little cupboard under his table. He had scarcely commenced to do so when another bolt came and knocked him senseless upon the floor. Mr. Hook kept calling to him, asking if he was hurt &c., and when he had got the fire out, took hold of him to raise him up but was astonished to find him yet insensible, and carried him out into the sitting room, where other persons were in waiting. Finding that something must be done, sent up town and Doctor Evans responded without any delay. The Dr. applied restoratives but noticing that his pulse was gone pronounced him dead. He was taken to the Central House, where he was properly laid out and placed in a refrigerator.
The bolt struck him in the region of the heart, passed diagonally across his bowels, down his right leg and passed off at three or four places in his shoe. His friends--a widowed mother, brothers and sisters--live at North Freedom, and to whom telegrams were sent, as well as to a brother, an operator at Sleepy Eye, Minn. A reply from the latter was received in fifteen minutes, stating that someone would be there by the first train. The 9:25 a.m. express brought a brother and brother-in-law from North Freedom and returend with the remains by the afternoon train. By request of the brothers, prayer was offered before the corpse was removed, by Rev. F. M. Washburn, of the F. W. Baptist church.
That it was sad, does not adequately express the feelings of his young associates here; they had learned to love him for his mental and moral worth. He was a German by birth; was 19 years of age, and had been night operator here four months. Agent Potter did all he could to inform the young man's friends, and in procuring the necessary means for refrigerating the body; likewise the same from day operator Frank Rowley. Other Thanks are expressed elsewhere.
A Card

Evansville, Wis., July 20th, 1881
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I wish to return my sincere thanks to Walter Sargent, Wm. Hutson, and C. G. Lehman, for their kind assistance rendered me in laying out our friend, Samuel Hengstler. Also to Arvin Potter, Frank Case, Natie Potter, and Frank Hanover for getting and preparing ice and other minor favors shown in preparing the last sad rights of our departed and esteemed friend. Wm. Burk

July 27, 1881, Evansville Review, p. 3, col. 3, Evansville, Wisconsin
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Mr. Albert Hook writes us he will be in Evansville next Tuesday, April 1st, and remain several days to tune and repair organs. All orders left at Mr. Morse's jewelry store will be promply attended to.

March 28, 1884, Evansville Review, p. 3, col. 3, Evansville, Wisconsin
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Albert Hook of Baraboo, visited his sister, Mrs. Robt. Hankinson over Sunday.

May 4, 1911, Evansville Review, Evansville, Wisconsin
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He enlisted 19 Aug 1864 at Camp Randall, Madison, Dane, Wisconsin in the 42nd Infantry Regiment Wisconsin and was mustered out 20 Jun 1865 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Name: Albert Hook , Residence: Oregon Enlistment Date: 19 August 1864 Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Side Served: Union State Served: Wisconsin Unit Numbers: 3096 3096 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 19 August 1864
Enlisted in Company F, 42nd Infantry Regiment Wisconsin on 19 August 1864.
Mustered out Company F, 42nd Infantry Regiment Wisconsin on 20 June 1865 in Milwaukee, WI
Source: Ancestry.com (database online)

1. 2. Harley Temple HOOK   b. 15 Jan 1876, Oregon, Dane, Wisconsin; d. 25 Aug 1953, Beloit, Rock, Wisconsin; bur. Aug 1953, Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin.
2. 3. Floyd Burdette HOOK   b. 7 Apr 1880, Oregon, Dane, Wisconsin; d. 29 Dec 1942, Seattle, King, Washington.
3. 4. John Carroll HOOK   b. 1 Jul 1887, Oregon, Dane, Wisconsin; d. Aft 1942.

1. 5. Vanetta Catharine HOOK   b. 16 May 1896, Baraboo, Sauk, Wisconsin; d. 14 Jul 1986, Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin; bur. 16 Jul 1986.
2. 6. Francis Harley HOOK   b. 1 Jun 1899, , Sauk, Wisconsin; d. 18 Jun 1970, Edgerton, Rock, Wisconsin.
3. 7. Albert Roger HOOK   b. 9 Oct 1903, Baraboo, Sauk, Wisconsin; d. 7 Oct 1990, Herrin, Williamson, Illinois; bur. Oct 1990, Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin.

Reel 0044, Record 002967

Certificate 5348.

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Obituary -

Floyd Hook, 62, Dies in Seattle
Music Dealer Left City 10 Years Ago

Floyd B. Hook, 62, former Madison music dealer, died Dec. 29 in Seattle, Wash., after a brief illness with pneumonia.
Mr. Hook left Madison for the west coast about 10 years ago. Born in Oregon Apr. 7, 1880, he was in the music business at Baraboo several years before coming to Madison in September, 1912, to establish Hook Brothers Piano Co., which for many years occupied the corner store at State and W. Mifflin sts.
A civic leader and outdoor sports enthusiast, Mr. Hook in 1927 donated a piano and phonograph as grand prizes for the Dane county girl and boy doing the best agricultural club work. He was inspired to make the gift by talks of state and county club leaders before the Madison Rotary club, of which he was an early member. In the same year he was elected vice president of the Wisconsin Association of Music Merchants.
In Seattle he lived at the Lowell apartments, 8th and Spring sts.
Survivors are his widow and two brothers, Harley, formerly of Madison, and Carroll, Janesville.

Wisconsin State Journal, January 6, 1943
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Reel: 0040; Record: 000247

1. 8. Jessie May HOOK   b. 1 May 1912, Baraboo, Sauk, Wisconsin; d. Jul 1981, Bradenton, Florida.
2. 9. Jeane Eleanore HOOK   b. 1 Mar 1914, Madison, Dane, Wisconsin; d. 16 Aug 2002, Carlsbad, San Diego, California.
3. 10. Ruth Virginia HOOK   b. 29 Feb 1916, Madison, Dane, Wisconsin; d. 2 Apr 2003, Fedhaven, Polk, Fl.

1. 11. Living  
2. 12. Living  

1. 13. Living  
2. 14. Living  

Reel 0265, Record 001539

1. 15. Living  
2. 16. Beverly Jane HOOK   b. 1936; d. Feb 1986.

Reel: 0266; Record: 000227

1. 17. Living  
2. 18. Living  
3. 19. Living  

1. 20. Living  
2. 21. Daryl J. DAVIS   b. 8 Mar 1939; d. 4 Jun 1990.

From the Polk County (FL) Ledger, April 4, 2003:

RUTH HANNON, 87
Homemaker
FEDHAVEN -- Mrs. Ruth Virginia Hannon of Fedhaven died of cancer Wednesday (April 2, 2003) at home. She was 87.

Born in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 29, 1916, she came to Fedhaven from Bradenton five years ago. She was a homemaker, an artist and an instructor for the Fedhaven Art Group. She was a member of Community Baptist Church at Fedhaven.

Mrs. Hannon is survived by her husband of 64 years, John P. "Red"Hannon; daughter Kathleen Fairman, Atlanta; son, John P. Hannon Jr., Flint,Mich.; two grandchildren; one great-grandchild.
Johnson Funeral Home, Lake Wales.