From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 581 - 583
 
EDMUND J. HOOPER.  A man who has long been influential in the advancement and 
prosperity of Walworth county, endorsing every movement which he believes will 
prove beneficial to humanity is Edmund J. HOOPER, president of the State Bank 
of Elkhorn.  His achievements represent the result of honest endeavor along 
lines where mature judgment has pointed the way.  He possesses a weight of 
character, a native sagacity, a discriminating tact and a fidelity of purpose 
that command the respect of all with whom he is associated, being a leader in 
financial, business, civic and social affairs of his vicinity.
 
Mr. HOOPER was born at Palmyra, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, December 26, 
1857.  He is the son of John B. and Jane Eliza (LEAN) HOOPER, both natives of 
Cornwall, England, where they spent their childhood, the father emigrating to 
America in 1844, when fourteen years old, accompanied by his father, George 
HOOPER, who bought a farm near Palmyra, Wisconsin, and established the family 
home there.  The mother of the subject was also a child when she was brought to 
Jefferson county, Wisconsin, from England by her parents, John LEAN and wife, 
who established their home at the town of Sullivan, near Palmyra, and there 
Jane Eliza grew to womanhood and lived until she and John B. HOOPER were 
married.  They spent most of their lives on the farm which George HOOPER 
settled in pioneer times, and there they reared their six children, and there 
the mother spent the rest of her life, dying in January 1905.  John B. HOOPER, 
now advanced in years, still lives there, an honored and well known pioneer.
 
Edmund J. HOOPER grew to manhood on his father's farm, where he assisted with 
the general work when a boy, attending the local schools in the winter months, 
remaining at home until he was nineteen years old, when he started in life for 
himself by going into the general merchandise business, in the Mitchell 
Brothers' store at Palmyra.  In February 1881, he went to Chicago, where he 
took a position with the wholesale jobbing house of Phelps, Dodge & Palmer, 
dealers in boots and shoes.  Returning to Palmyra in 1884, he and Giles HIBBARD 
formed a partnership in the general merchandise business, under the firm name 
of HIBBARD & HOOPER, which continued until 1887, when he purchased Mr. 
HIBBARD's interest and continued the business alone until January 1, 1896, 
building up a large trade.  Then he and W. J. BRAY organized the State Bank at 
Elkhorn and opened up for business the following July, Mr. BRAY as president 
and Mr. HOOPER as cashier, the latter remaining as cashier until in January 
1910, when he became president of the bank, which position he now holds, the 
duties of which he has discharged in a manner that has reflected much credit 
upon his ability and integrity and to the entire satisfaction of the 
stockholders and patrons, rendering this popular bank one of the sound and safe 
institutions of its kind in the southern part of the state.  Mr. HOOPER is also 
a stockholder in the Continental and Commercial National Bank of Chicago.  He 
has been very successful both as a banker and merchant, and is today one of the 
substantial and representative business men of the county, all through his 
individual efforts.
 
Politically, Mr. HOOPER is a Republican, and while living in Jefferson county 
he was on the county board of supervisors for six or seven years, and after 
moving to Elkhorn he was a member of the Walworth county board eight or ten 
years, also a member of the board of education in Elkhorn for a number of 
years.  He has been very faithful in the discharge of his duties as a public 
servant.
 
Mr. HOOPER was married on June 16, 1884, to Elizabeth M. VANDENBURG, a lady of 
culture and refinement, a daughter of Peter and Pamelia (CARR) VANDENBURG, the 
father having come to this state from Amsterdam, New York, and became well 
established here.  Mrs. HOOPER was born at Little Prairie, in Troy township, 
this county.
 
The union of the subject and wife has been graced by the birth of two 
daughters, Winifred and Elizabeth Jane, both now at home, the latter attending 
high school in Elkhorn, the former having been graduated from Milwaukee-Donner 
College, Milwaukee, with the class of 1911.
 
Mr. and Mrs. HOOPER are members of the Congregational church and fraternally he 
is a member of the Wisconsin Consistory, Delavan Commandery, Knights Templar, 
the Elkhorn Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and the Blue Lodge, Free and Accepted 
Masons.  He has long been prominent in Masonic circles of this part of the 
state, which is a criterion of his high standing among his fellow men.
 
Mr. HOOOPER has a beautiful home in one of the most desirable residence 
sections of Elkhorn, and here the many friends of the family delight to gather, 
finding an old-time hospitality and good cheer ever prevailing.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)