Milam County, TX Sheriff by Greg Kouba

Sheriffs of Milam County, TX

Researched and written by

Greg Kouba

Allen Duncan Hooks

#29 - Sheriff Allen Duncan Hooks was born September 13, 1872 in Saltillo, Hardin County,

Tennessee.

He married Ida Hobbs on September 22, 1902 in Temple, Texas.

He was elected on November 8, 1910; re-elected on November 5, 1912, November 3, 1914,

November 7, 1916 and served until November 19, 1918.

Of the officials who were upholding the governmental prestige and civic prosperity of

Milam County at the time, none has shown greater discrimination and fidelity or commands

a higher degree of popular confidence than Sheriff Allen Hooks, who has been a resident

of Texas since his boyhood days and who was one of the loyal and progressive citizens of

Cameron.

Sheriff Hooks acquired his early education in the schools of his native state and after

the family removal to Cameron, he attended the public schools until he attained to the

age of fourteen years.

He then became a clerk in a grocery store, then as a salesman at a local hardware store.

The following six years found him in active and efficient service as marshal of Cameron,

and he resigned this position to assume that of county sheriff.

His administration was so satisfactory to the public that he was re-elected several more

times.

He was a popular member of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas and a stockholder of the

Cameron Weekly Herald, his political allegiance given unreservedly to the Democratic

party.

He was also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Pretorians. He and his wife

were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

As City marshal and as Sheriff, Mr. Hooks has shown the greatest circumspection and

tolerance, and he has never yet been compelled to use weapons in making an arrest, as he

has gained the good will of even malefactors, the while he has had the fullest

confidence and esteem of the public. His record as an officer is one of which he may

well be proud.

During the campaign of 1918, due to ill health, Sheriff Hooks withdrew his name from the

ballot on May 16, 1918.

Sheriff Hooks served until about November 19th. On November 19, 1918, in the County

Court of Milam County, Texas, Sheriff Allen D. Hooks was declared of unsound mind.

Leonard L. Blaylock, the sheriff-elect was appointed November 22nd, by the

commissioner’s court to finish out Hooks un-expired term.

He was admitted December 1, 1918 to the Austin State Lunatic Asylum. He died there on

January 31, 1920 at 4:00 a.m. His death certificate lists his cause of death as “general

paresis”.

It is believed that he is buried in an unmarked grave at Oak Hill Cemetery next to his

parents and brother, Frank Hooks.

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