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The entire Fooks/Fowke family line owes a huge debt of gratitude to the work of Herbert C. Fooks. Without his efforts and those of Gerald Fowke, whose earlier handwritten manuscript inspired Herbert to complete the Fooks/Fowke family history though his book, the early history of the Fooks/Fowke family of my line would remain mostly a mystery. Herbert is also the main reason I am endeavoring today to learn and record what I can of my family history and genealogy.

Steve Fooks
An additional note: The Fooks Family, By Herbert C. Fooks, has been reprinted and is for sale from the Lower Delmarva Genealogical Society. Their website is located at the following URL http://www.rootsweb.com/~ldgs/pubs.htm or at Lower Delmarva Genealogical Society. I have personally purchased the full reprint (which includes an index) and the Index by itself. It is a wonderful reproduction and its quality is first-rate.

April 2003

Herbert C. Fooks was the author of the Fooks (Fowke) Family. This photo was taken about 1920.

Herbert C. Fooks, was born in Worcester Co., Md., March 3, 1886. His parents were George W. Fooks of Irving, and Sarah Emily Causey Fooks. The Fooks Family had owned much of the land in that region since 1784, his great?great?grandfather Jesse Fookes having obtained patents for some of it by resurvey. He was the fifth child of his parents. When old enough for school, he went with his brothers and sister to Longridge school about two miles from the dwelling place of the family having to cross two branches which were called the big puddle and the little puddle. After heavy rains both were big puddles and a footway was built to keep the feet dry. The school house is standing now. The life on the farm had not changed much from the primitive life of the pioneers who were the first settlers. The land was cleared and used for agriculture the first time by his Fooks ancestors. A saw?mill was part of the equipment. In Winter time the forests yielded as valuable crops timber for lumber as the cultivated lands yielded for orchards and agriculture. The loom was still in use. The clothes were to some extent of home spun cloth made in the home from wool of sheep raised on the farm. The cooking was by the open fireplace. The playcake and Johnnycake seemed to have a special flavor after a day in the fields and forests. The rabbits that were caught in box traps were appetizing and those caught by hunting afforded much enjoyment in the chase.

After his grandfather, Irving Fooks, died George W. Fooks of Irving, bought a farm about a mile away in the adjoining County of Wicomico. The children went to the Johnson School about two miles away. This school was named for the Johnson Family for the Johnsons owned much of the land in that region. He is a descendant of Benjamin Johnson who owned large acreage and his descendants added to these acres. The county road was known as the Johnson Road. His father was a descendant of Benjamin Johnson through his grandmother Fooks. His mother was descended from Benjamin Johnson through her mother Sallie Nutter Causey. Sallie Nutter's mother, Phyllis Dykes, was devised two hundred acres of land by her grandfather, Benjamin Johnson. On this land his mother, Sarah Emily Causey Fooks, and her mother, and grandmother resided for some years. The land where he was born has reverted to the Forest again, and large pine trees are growing where there were orchards send crops of corn in his childhood. The Johnson school building is standing but not used for school purposes.

After completing the course in the graded school he and his brother, Reuben, drove to the High School, Salisbury, Md., a distance of nine miles. They were seldom late. His father was elected sheriff of the County and they moved to Salisbury. He continued his course in the high school and completed It. His teachers encouraged him to go St. John's College, Annapolis, Md., and by waiting on the table in the college mesa hall he reduced the costs sufficiently to attend college. While in college he was a member of the first team in football and accompanied the team on its trips for games. He broke the college record in the throwing of the sixteen pound hammer. He was president of his literary society. In the cadet company at college, he was cadet first sergeant.

After his graduation from college he was employed at a hotel in Ocean City, Md., one summer, taught school during the school year in a small school of the Episcopal Church near Washington, D. C.; worked with the Jackson Brothers Lumber Company in Whaleyville, Va., one summer; taught school in the Orchard Lake Military Academy, Orchard Lake, Mich., (near Detroit) and while there learned of an examination for those wishing to become officers in the regular army. He was designated to take the examinaton at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He took the examinations in the summer of 1908, and went to Salisbury, Md., and taught Mathematics in the High School until November when he reported to Fort Howard, Md., for duty as a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army. He was then sent to join the 16th U.S. Infantry, Fort Crook, (near Omaha, Nebr.), and them lived the life of a Junior lieutenant in the army. in 1910, the regiment was sent to Alaska. He served with his company at Fort Gibbon, two years, this being near the Junction of the Yukon and the Tanana Rivers, about one hundred and fifty miles from Fairbanks.

After two years in Alaska his regiment was sent to the Presidio of San Francisco, Calif. He remained with the regiment about one year and was sent to the University of Idaho as Professor of Military Science and Tactics. While on that duty he studied law for three years and was graduated with honors and was admitted to the practice of law in Idaho. During the summers he was not for duty in the training camps in California, and once he was sent for the summer training with the Utah Militia in their annual maneuvers.

After three years at the University of Idaho, he rejoined his regiment in Mexico and there commanded a company of Infantry and went through the field training that was very valuable for future combat. He was promoted to the grade of first lieutenant while in Mexico in 1917. The regiment and the Punitive Expedition left Mexico in February marching the entire distance and was stationed along the Texas border as border patrol for a while near El Paso. The companies were increased to strength from about seventy to about two hundred and fifty enlisted men so that the training was constant and exacting. While there he was promoted to the grade of captain.

In June 1917 the regiment was one of four taken for the lot 1st U.S. Division for duty in Europe and left Texas for Now York and in June 1917 left New York. On the way to Europe the convoy was attacked by submarines and a torpedo passed near the ship on which he was traveling. They arrived at St. Nantes, France, 26 June 1917. There the training was continued. in the fall of 1917, the battalion of which his company was a part occupied front line trenches, this being the first time U.S. troops occupied the front line trenches in Europe. Soon after being relieved the enemy attacked and some of the American troops were captured.

He attended the company officers' course, 1st Corps School in the fall of 1917, Gondrecourt, France. In the early part of 1918, his regiment occupied the front line trenches for about six weeks near Mourns, France. In the spring of 1918, the U.S. First Division was sent to relieve the serious situation in Picardy, France. The Division remained in that region in the front line service for about seventy days during which time the battle of Cantigny was fought. Also the enemy attacked along a front of several miles in that vicinity, Some of his company were killed near Cautigny. He was promoted in June 1918, to the temporary grade of Major of Infantry. On the movement to another sector, he commanded the brigade trains of the first brigade.

He was in the battle of Soissons 18-23 July 1918 in command of the regimental trains. After that battle he was placed in command of the 3rd battalion, 16th Infantry which occupied the front lines until about the time of the St. MIhieI battle, 12 Sept. 1918. in that battle he commanded the brigade reserve of the 1st brigade, First U.S. Division, the 3rd Bn. 16th U.S. Inf., and attached troops.

His next battle service was in Belgium. The 37th U.S. Division advanced Oct. 31, 1918 from the Lys river and on Nov. 1st, 1919 crossed the Escaut, (Scheldt), river.

On November 4th, 1918, the enemy counterattacked and the troops under his command were the only troops of the 37th Division that held the bridgehead across the river after the counterattack. The following citation for the distinguished service cross was awarded him for his service in that battle:

Fooks, Herbert C.
Near Eyes, Belgium, Nov. 4, 1918.
B. Salisbury, Md.
R. Salisbury, Md.
G. 0. 19, W. D., 1920.
(See decorations U.S. Army,
1862 1926, p. 287)

Major, 145 Infantry, 37th Division. Al.
though severely wounded and his jaw
shattered by a machine gun bullet, he refused
be evacuated, administered
first aid himself, and continued to fear
lessly direct his battalion during a
strong counterattack. The personal ex.
ample of this officer was a vital factor
in the success of this operation.

He was slightly wounded Nov. 1, 1918. For his service in three of the four Major operations of the First U.S. Division, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallant and courageous conduct. (General Orders No. 5, 1st Infantry Brigade, June 1, 1919.)

After being wounded, 4 November, 1918, he was treated at the first aid station of his battalion. The shelling was so severe the medical officer did not send him with the stretcher bearers Immediately to the ambulance fearIng the stretcher bearers might take cover from the fire and abandon him and the stretcher. The stretcher bearers finally took him to the ambulance and he was conveyed to the field hospital. At the evacuation hospital he was being prepared for an operation but realizing he could not breathe on his back wrote a message for the surgeon to that effect. When he became unconscious from the anaesthetic, he stopped breathing. A rapid tracheotomy operation was performed and the surgeon told him that he, the surgeon, spent the most anxious night over him he had spent in Europe working three hours to keep him breathing. While in a hospital in Belgium his relatives were notified that he died of Lobar Pneumonia Nov. 6, 1918, and later "probably severely wounded." He was sent to the base hospital at Wimereux, near Boulogne, France, on Armistice Day, 11 November, 1918. There he recovered sufficiently for other treatment including surgery for the Injury to the lower Jaw. He was sent to the hospital in Dartford, England, early in the year 1919. While there one of the nurses who had been with him in the Evacuation hospital in Belgium heard his name called and remarked she thought he died in the Evacuation hospital. She had been sent back herself for shock after long strain in the treatment of the wounded.

He left the Hospital, Dartford, England, and returned to New York City, and remained there a few days, and was sent to Walter Read Hospital. Washington, D. C. about February 1919.

The treatment for his wound continued at Walter Reed Hospital, and he recovered enough to study law which he did in the George Washington University, and about May 1919, he was ordered to such duty as he was able to perform in the legal department of the Army, the Judge Advocate General's office, Washington, D.C. He remained on this duty about 2 years.

He was awarded the degree of Master of Laws in 1920 and won first prize in International law George Washington University, Washington, D.C. for best essay in course in International Law.

He remained on duty in the office of the Judge Advocate General two years. When he was due for promotion to the permanent grade of Major of Infantry, he was retired for wounds in battle 4 November 1918. He left active duty June 1921, and began the practice of law in Baltimore, Md., in 1921 which he has continued until the present time.

Since he has been in Baltimore, Md., he has studied Fine Arts at the Maryland Institute of Art, completing the regular four year course, and one year post graduate course, and five years special course, a total of ten years. He has made many oil paintings, and some sculpture work. One piece of sculpture in bronze on small scale is in the base of the Washington Monument, Mt. Vernon Place, Baltimore, Md. This is in memory of the Maryland Soldiers at the battle of Long Island where these troops enabled the soldiers under General Washington to withdraw. It is entitled the "SPIRIT OF THE BAYONET" and is accompanied by a poem he wrote with the same title.

He is a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity; Balta. Bar Association; Eastern Shore Society; Life Member A.F. and A.M. No. 91, Salisbury, Maryland; Sojourners Club (Masonic) which he helped to organize; Soc. Preservation Md. Antiquities which he helped to organize; Boumi Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S.; Member of Chapters Boumi Temple; Prisoners of War Association; Sons of American Revolution and apparently eligible by service of Jesse Fooks, Patrick Causey, Ben. Johnson, John Perdue, Benjamin Nutter, John Coulbourn, Charles Hayman, Edmund Cropper, James Ward. His ancestor, Elijah Laws, served as Justice of Worcester Co., Md., and clerk of Militia Company in Colonial Days.. Descendant of William Bozman who in 1663 was ordered to call together and command the early settlers between Manokin and Pocomoke Rivers. He is author of Fooks Family published in 1928; Prisoners of War; Leading Cases Federal Taxation; Forms of Wills. He collected much of the data for Fooks Family from the ancient records for this edition.

He helped to organize Wicomico His. Soc.

Biography from the Fooks (Fowkes) Family, pages 258-261.

The Spirit of the Bayonet

by Herbert C. Fooks (Copy)

The Spirit of the Bayonet - a copy of the sculpture by Herbert C. Fooks

Courtesy of Joanne Conti

SPECIAL NOTE:

I am interested in being contacted by anyone who has knowledge of Herbert C. Fooks, author of The Fooks Family, or his family and descendants, as requested in my article published in Volume 1, Issue 2 of the Fowke/Fooks Focus family newsletter. I can be contacted by mail at:

Steve Fooks
3511 N.W. 19th Place
Gainesville, Florida 32605-3650
USA

or send email to:

Steve@fooks-robb.com

Last updated 14 October 2005.