George Robert HOOPER, an extensive merchandise broker of Atchison, Kan., and president of the BABCOCK-ARNSBURG Shoe Company is a native of Virginia. He was born at Richmond, December 7, 1851 and is a son of John Hancock and Sarah Rebecca Hooper. The mother died when George R. of this sketch was a child and in 1867 the father removed from Richmond to Bowling Green, KY and later to Paducah, where he died in 1871. He was a contractor and builder. 

George R. Hooper was one of a family of six children and is the only one now living. He was reared in Virginia and was educated in private schools. He was about twenty years old when his father died and had just completed an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade. After the death of his father he returned to Virginia with the remains and the following year came to Atchison and entered the retail grocery business as clerk from 1872 to 1876. He was then a traveling salesman until 1884, and after that was engaged in the grocery business in Atchison about a year and one-half, when he engaged in the merchandise brokerage business, which he has successfully conducted to the present time. 

Mr. Hooper was united in marriage in 1876 to Miss Frances Lucy HOWE, a daughter of George W. Howe. Mrs. Hooper is a daughter of George W. Howe, who was one of the very early settlers of Atchison County. He conducted a store at the town of Sumner and was later engaged in freighting across the plains from 1860 to 1865. The Howe family came from Plattsburg, Clinton County, New York and Mrs. Hooper's mother bore the maiden name, Frances Lucy ELLIS. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Hooper have been born three children as follows: Edith married O.M. BABCOCK, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Gladys Ella is a graduate of the Conservatory of Music, Cornell University, and is now a teacher in the music department of the Iowa State Teachers' College; and George Frances Hooper a graduate of Wentworth Military Academy of Lexington, Mo., and is a traveling salesman. 

Mr. Hooper is a Democrat, but has never aspired to hold political office, although he takes a commendable interest in public affairs and is public spirited and is ever ready and willing to aid any movement for the betterment of the community. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and secretary of the lodge. He is also local secretary of the United Commercial Travels, of which he is a member. He also hold membership in the Knights of the Maccabees and the Independent order of Foresters.