Louis H. Poock (March 19, 1839 – September 12, 1897) was a prominent German-American banker, educator and Dayton city official. He served as vice-president of Dayton's board of education, a secretary of Dayton Building Association, and a treasurer of Ohio's Germania Building Association. He has established one of Dayton's most prominent financier families. ^[1]

Louis H. Poock (German: Ludwig Heinrich Poock) was born on March 19, 1839 at in Hannover, Germany. His father, Frederick Ludwig Poock, worked as a building inspector at Arnts-Zimmermeister county. His mother, Fredericka Poock(née Katz), was a housewife , most likely, of Jewish-Ashkenazi ancestry. ^[2] Louis H. Poock was the youngest child in his family. His father passed in 1842. Two years after his death his remaining family immigrated to Dayton, Ohio. Louis received his primary education in a school in Germany, so he spoke very little English. Because of that he worked as a manual worker in Dayton at jobs that did not require English language fluency. In 1857, after working at the factory of Blanchard & Brown as an apprentice, Poock was involved in an industrial accident resulting in a permanent injury to his arm, preventing him from taking on any more manual labour. The disability has changed Poock's course of life, pushing him to take serious interest in the American education. He first attended a grammar school and then a high school in Dayton in order to acquire a better knowledge of the English language. After completing his high school education he attended Grier's Commercial College. He graduated with a professional degree in accounting and served for a short time as a substitute deputy in the office of the county auditor, later serving as a book-keeper at the Dayton city government offices. ^[3]

Educator

In September, 1862 he started working as a teacher of German language in the Twelfth District school. After three years of service, he became a German language instructor in the Sixth District school, where he remained until December, 1874. While working as a teacher, he conducted many extra-curriculum classes to assist children you need additional help. ^[3]

In April, 1875 he was elected to Dayton's Board of Education. He was later appointed a vice-president of Dayton's Board of Education in 1879.

City official

In 1880 Poock was appointed to serve as a deputy county treasurer, working under Treasurer H. H. Laubach. He later served in the same position under Stephen J. Allen. In the fall of 1883 Poock was elected county treasurer, and was reelected in 1885, serving in this capacity until September 1888. ^[4]

Financier

In January 1868 Poock was appointed to serve as a secretary of Dayton Building Association. After organization's closure in 1873, Poock was elected to serve as a secretary of the Concordia Building and Loan Association, serving in this capacity until April 1875. In April 1873 Poock and partners have established Germania Building Association where he served as secretary and a treasurer. ^[5]

In February 1883 Poock was appointed to serve as a director of Dayton Savings Bank, as well as being one of the bank's major stockholders. On January 7, 1885 he was elected to serve as a president of the bank, remaining in this office until 1889. In 1889 he established Teutonia National Bank, where he served as a Chief Cashier (equivalent to CFO).

Philanthropist

Poock served as a member of several beneficiary associations, social, military, and musical societies.

In March, 1897, a few months before his death, Poock completed construction of one of the largest, now historical, residential buildings in Dayton's Oregon Historic District. The building, located at 33 Hess Street, still bears Louis H. Poock's name on a copper plate displayed on the house's facade. ^{[6] [7]}