THE FAMILY BUSINESS

THE FAMILY BUSINESS- Hoque & Sons Family Cancer Remedies

WILLIAM FRANCIS HOQUE.—No profession is more useful or important than that of relieving the, sufferings of mankind, and William F. Hoque has, through his cancer remedies, been able to assuage the suffering of many since he has taken up the work left by his father, the late Francis Marion Hoque. W. F. Hoque was born in Jackson County. Mo., December 25, 1872, a son of Francis Marion and Melissee (Goode) Hoque; the former was born in Clay County, Mo.. in 1844, a son of James M. Hogue, a pioneer of Clay County who had migrated from South Carolina in the early '30s. James M. was a man of many resources, investing in government lands upon which he conducted a large sugar plantation; his individual brand of maple sugar, marketed under his own label, being the most noteworthy. He died in 1884, aged eighty-six. Severe reverses were suffered during the Civil War and the Hogue family moved to Kansas City, where F. M. Hogue established a general merchandise business and carried it on until 1875, when he sold out and migrated to California, locating in Santa Clara County near San Jose. Melissee Goode Hogue was born and reared in Ray County, Mo., where her parents were highly esteemed. Two of her brothers survived service during the Civil War. The early records of the Hogue family show French and German ancestry, and the cancer remedy dates back to the old country and the formula has been handed down from generation to generation for over one hundred years, and thousands of cures have been effected by its application.  F. M. Hoque established and maintained his manufactory and business headquarters in Los Angeles, but always made San Jose his home. His successful practice covered a period of thirty-five years and many thousands are grateful to him for relief from their intense sufferings. He was a man of keen intellect and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He died on February 2, 1921. He was an active member of the Masons for over fifty years and held the first manual of the San Jose Chapter; and he was also a member of the Odd Fellows. Mrs. Hogue passed away some time prior to the death of her husband; and they were survived by four sons and one daughter: William F.; Arthur Lester, deceased, is survived by his widow and two sons and a daughter who reside in San Jose. He was a department manager for 0. A. Hale & Company up to the time of his death in 1919; James Edwin resides with his wife and two sons on a ranch at Ceres, Stanislaus County; Annie May is the wife of P. H. Hilderbrand and they reside in San Luis Obispo with their two sons and one daughter; and LeRoy is married and has two boys.  For several years William F. Hogue was the manager for the Hoque Cancer Remedies, which have become widely known all over California. He is a keen business man with progressive ideas and very wisely invested his profits in lands in Santa Clara, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. These properties he has partially improved and sold at comfortable advances. One of his latest investments was in apartment house Property in San Jose. When he became interested in the purchase of the Don Felipe Apartment house building. Mr. Hoque is a liberal patron of all progressive local enterprises, is broadminded and well informed, a typical representative of the wide awake, large hearted pioneer. The marriage of W. F. Hogue united him with Miss Bertha Merriweather, born in San Benito County in 1877, a daughter of David and Amanda Merriweather, both born in New York State, and who crossed the plains in the early 50's and settled at Mission San Jose. There the father engaged extensively in the sheep business. Mr. and Mrs. Hoque have four children: William David and Elmer Albert are ranching; and Herbert Volney and Florence are attending school. The two eldest sons enlisted for service in the U. S. Navy for service during the World War, from Stanislaus County and after their discharges returned to that county and are ranching near Modesto. In his national political convictions W. F. Hoque is a Democrat, but locally he is broadminded and supports the men and measures he considers best suited for the interests of the county and the people. He is always ready and willing to do his part to promote the greatest good to the greatest number and stands high in the community.

A note from Dave Hoque: 

This is all that is written in any book to my knowledge. The above paragraph is written in a California Biographies book wrote around 1922.The fact is we are not sure of our ancestry and even if the cancer remedies date back to the old country. James Hogue always listed himself in any census as a Farmer or laborer, but Francis and William had listed themselves as Doctors or physicians. The fact is that Francis Marion did own what is thought to be a Pharmacy/General store when he moved to Kansas City after the civil war. He was stll going by Hogue as we know. Somewhere in 1875 he moved his family along with his father, James Hogue, to the bay area of California. All that we can prove of the family business is what I have heard first hand. From the time William Francis ran the business it seemed to flurish. I know all his sons were involved in and worked for the family business. I have pictures of two of the locations. After 1921 it seemed harder and harder for the Hoques to do business the way they were accustomed to, so the cancer remedies basically went underground. I do have a document naming Elmer Albert Hoque the proprietor of the Hoque Family Cancer remedies. This document was drawn up by an attorney and witnessed and notorized. William Hoque thought that much of this process to protect it in his line of the family. All I can say to date is that the remedies and recipes live on to day, though this is not practiced currently.