The Blume Brothers, W.A. and F.G., have gained a wide reputation as stock breeders and farmers and are also recognized as two of the most enterprising and progressive business men of Crawford county. As a result of their energy and good judgement they are now the owners of one of the finest farms in the county.

Charles T. Blume, their father, was born in the province of Saxony, Germany, and came to the United States in his young manhood. He worked in various eastern states and then removed to a farm near Streator, Illinois. In 1880 he came to Crawford county, Iowa, and settled on section II, Hanover township, where he improved one hundred and sixty acres of land. He passed away in 1910 and was buried in Morgan Cemetery, Morgan township. The mother, whose maiden name was Amelia Girard, is also a native of Germany and is of French Huguenot ancestry. She married Mr. Blume in Illinois and now makes her home with her two sons, F.G. and W.A. There were eight children in the family, namely: Theodore, who is living on the old homestead in Hanover township; Caroline, now the wife of J.L. Adams, of Maywood, Illinois; Clara, who married Ferdinand Hartman, of Klamath Falls, Oregon; Otto H., of Albany, Oregon; F.G.; W.A.; and Edward and Rosie, who died in infancy.

F.G. Blume was born at Livingston, Illinois, December 14, 1869, and W.A. Blume was born at the same place, August 12, 1871. The brothers grew to manhood under the parental roof and received their education in the district schools. At twenty one years of age F.G. Blume began farming for himself in Hanover township and three years later became associated with two of his brothers in operating a steam threshing machine, one of the first machines of the kind in this part of the country, and was identified with the threshing business for about seven years. In the meantime, however, he and his brothers, O.H. and W.A., engaged in farming in partnership in Otter Creek township and subsequently removed to Woodbury county, where W.A. and F.G. lived together, but each had his own farm. They succeeded so admirably that in March, 1901, they located on section 13, Boyer township, Crawford county, where they are now conducting a thoroughly modern stock farm. The place comprises three hundred and sixty acres and they have made extensive improvements, including large barns, repair shops where they do their own horseshoing ,a complete telephone system and a thorough equipment of machinery, the very best that can be bought in the market. They were the first in their part of the county to grow winter wheat successfully and they were also the first to rotate grain with clover. They have built a private steel bridge across Boyer river, the only individual enterprise of this kind in Crawford county. The predominating feature of their business is their registered herd of Aberdeen - Angus cattle. Eighteen years ago they began breeding this kind of stock and about 1900 they started a thoroughbred herd, which is now headed by the noted sire, Bardolino. The herd numbers thirty-five head of cattle. They also have twenty-one head of high grade Percheron horses and are feeders of stock, shipping extensively to the market each year, having recently made a shipment of three carloads of hogs.
The brothers have demonstrated on an important scale the results which may be expected from cooperation when each individual in a firm thoroughly understands his business and is deeply interested in the work. Their splendid success cannot fail to inspire young men who have the ambition to accomplish a worthy object in life. Progressive in their methods and always reliable in their dealings, they have truly earned the confidence which is instinctively accorded them wherever they are known. F.G. Blume is a member of the Odd Fellow lodge at Dow City.

H. Cook submitted by Dick Barton A. H. Cook was a lad of but twelve years when he first crossed the threshold of the business world, and since that time he has been dependent upon his own resources, the success which has come to him being the direct result of his own unaided efforts. One of Iowa's native sons, he was born in Jackson county, near Green Island, May 5, 1872, a son of Henry and Mary Cook, both natives of Germany. In the fatherland the parents resided until 1872 when, crossing the Atlantic to America, they made their way direct to Iowa and located first in Jackson county. They resided in various parts of that county for about eight years and in 1880 the family started for Crawford county, the father, accompanied by one son, coming with the stock. He was last heard of in Cedar Rapids, where he was seen talking with three men, and it is supposed that he met with foul play. In the meantime the mother with the rest of the family, traveling by rail, had arrived in Crawford county, and she established her home in Hanover township, where she remained for a time, later removing to Paradise township and subsequently to Charter oak, where her last days were spent. She passed away in 1902. She was the second wife of Henry Cook, and by her marriage became the mother of four children: A. H., of this review; Mary, deceased; Anna, who has also passed away; and Louisa, the wife of John Thielman, of Charter Oak, Iowa. By the former marriage of Mr. Cook there were three sons: Fred, of Wyoming, Iowa; Henry, of Mapleton, Iowa; and William, likewise of Wyoming. A. H. Cook spent the first eight years of his life in Jackson county, after which he came with his mother to Crawford county and was a pupil in the public schools near his home until twelve years of age. It then became necessary for him to seek employment, whereby he might earn his own livelihood, and thus early in life he put aside his text-books and entered the business world as a farm hand, being engaged in this capacity until twenty-one years of age. Upon attaining his majority he took up farming on his own account in Paradise township and has since been a resident of that township with the exception of three years spent in Denison township. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of rich farm land, upon which he has placed many modern improvements, and the well kept appearance of the property denotes a life characterized by thrift, industry and perseverance. Progress has also been a forceful element in his career and has been a potent factor in the acquirement of a goodly prosperity which has come to him with the passing years. On the 8th of November, 1893, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Cook and Miss Ellen A. Green, a daughter of Ezra and Emily (Clarke) Green, who came to Crawford county from Wisconsin about 1870 or 1871. The father passed away in this county on the 20th of August, 1880, but the mother still survives and makes her home at Rolfe, Iowa. They were the parents of ten children, as follows: Frank, of Dow City, Iowa; Fred, deceased; Elsworth, residing near Plover, Iowa; Ellen A., who became the wife of our subject; Charles, of Rolfe, Iowa; Bessie, Arthur and Jessie, all now deceased; Earl, a resident of Rockwell City, Iowa; and Raymond, also living in Rolfe. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cook have been born one son, Oliver Arthur, who was born July 19, 1899, and is now attending school. Before her marriage Mrs. Cook was an educator of much ability and taught school for twenty-five terms in Crawford county. She and her husband are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Cook is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America at Dow City. Interested as all American citizens should be in the political situation of the country, he has thoroughly informed himself concerning the questions and issues of the day and gives stalwart support to the republican party. He was school director and is a strong advocate of progress along educational lines as well as in other phases of community life. He early learned the lesson that success must be purchased at the price of earnest, well defined labor, and with the passing of the years perseverance, diligence and integrity have constituted the guiding posts of his career, bringing him to the honorable position which he now occupies in the opinion of his fellow citizens, among whom he has long lived and labored.