In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa .. (1903)
ALLEN HAWK. This gentleman is the youngest child of David and Elizabeth Hawk, as referred to above. He is the present efficient trustee of Steady Run township and is a man of influence in the affairs of the county. In connection with his farming, which is conducted upon the Hawk homestead, where the father lived a long time and died, he is also interested in the financial institutions of the town of Hedrick, being stockholder in one of the banks of that city. Mr. Hawk was born on the 2d of January, 1855. on the old home farm where his brother now resides. He received his education in the little old log schoolhouse of the home district and was reared with the rest of the children to the severe labor of a pioneer farm. He remained at home until his marriage, which occurred on the 24th of October, 1877. The lady he married was Miss Sara Bottorff, a native also of Steady Run township, the daughter of J. L. and Mary M. (Heninger) Bottorff. Her father was a pioneer of the county, who emigrated to the west from the Hoosier state. The parents of Mrs. Hawk were married in this county and remained here until their deaths. After his marriage Mr. Hawk immediately began housekeeping on the old homestead, where he has since continued to reside, engaged in farming and stock raising. They have two children, Roy and Lulu.
The farm which Mr. Hawk cultivates consists of two hundred and forty acre* at the home place, which body of land is regarded as one of the best and most highly improved farm properties in Keokuk county. He also operates a tract of one hundred and twenty acres on section 29.
As stated in the first part of this article, Mr. Hawk is also interested in the banking business, being a stockholder in the First National Bank and also in the Savings Bank of the neighboring city of Hedrick. He supports the party of Lincoln and Garfield and is at present serving his fourth year as trustee of Steady Run township. Mr. Hawk is very actively interested in the Masonic fraternity, having his Blue lodge membership in Martinsburg, a member of the chapter at Sigourney, and a member of the commandery at Oskaloosa. In these different branches of the order he has served frequently in the different chairs. He was master of his lodge for a continuous period of twelve years, senior warden for four years, and is now master of the lodge at Martinsburg. He is a man who has passed his entire lifetime within the bounds of his native county, is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, and his prominent identification with the business interests of the county all go to make him universally recognized and honored. The authors of this volume are glad to give representation to this family in the pages of a work which is devoted to the honorable families of Keokuk county.
As printed in A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa .. (1903). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1903. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.