Last week, we took a look at the life of Horace G. Brown and his wife, Minnie Maude Hooker Brown. For the next couple of weeks, we will learn more about Minnie’s grandparents, John Wesley and Margaret Derency Akers Hooker, and their children’s many contributions to Patrick County.
John Wesley Hooker was born on the 22nd of December 1833, the second child born to Elizabeth Hooker. On John Wesley Hooker’s marriage license or death certificate, no father’s name is given. Elizabeth’s first child, Mary, was born on the 15th of February 1830. Elizabeth Hooker married again on the 22nd of May 1836 to John Martin, and they had two children, Crawford Martin and Eliza Ann Martin Burgess.
John Wesley Hooker married Miss Margaret Derency Akers on the 30th of June 1857, he was twenty-three and she was fifteen years old. Margaret was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Adams Akers of the Elamsville district of Patrick County. John and Elizabeth Akers’ other children were William Tyler, John Abram, Isaac Nathaniel, Exony Akers Conner, and Samuel Reed Akers.
William Crawford “Bill” Hooker was the first child born to John Wesley and Margaret Derency on the 15th of April 1858. One year later, Mary Ellen Hooker was born to the couple, followed by Ruth Josephine on April 12, 1861, which interestingly was the day that troops first fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.
Nancy Alma Hooker was born on the 15th of September 1862, followed by Ida Belinda was born on the 26th of July 1864. Eight sons came next, John Abram on the 29th of April 1867; Robert Lee on the 17th of April 1869; Samuel Hairston on the 4th of April 1871; James Murray on the 29th of October 1873; Isaac Tilden on the 22nd of March 1876; George Wesley on the 30th of May 1879; Charles Perry on the 21st of November 1880; and Henry Lester born on the 25th of April 1885.
John Wesley and Margaret Derency raised their family alongside Buffalo Creek, in the community described on the census as Elamsville, but locals would probably describe as Buffalo Ridge, not too far from where the Hanesbrands/ Apex textile plant is located today.
I am sure John Wesley and Margaret Derency must have worked incredibly hard to provide for their family of nine sons and four daughters, instilling a tremendous work ethic into their children. The oldest son, William “Bill” Crawford Hooker married Miss Mary Alice Ross on the 25th of January 1877. Mary Alice was the daughter of Harden D. Ross and Martha Jane Conner Ross. Bill and Mary Alice had two daughters, Margaret Ella Hooker who married Sparrell Tyler Rakes and Minnie Maude Hooker who married Horace G. Brown and was featured in our Fayerdale story last week.
Bill Hooker ran a successful store and post office in Elamsville for many years and served as treasurer of Patrick County from 1903 through 1910. According to the History of Patrick County, Virginia, Bill served as chairman of the Republican Party in Patrick County while his brother, James Murray Hooker served as chairman of the Democratic Party in Patrick County!
Mary Ellen, the second child of John Wesley and Margaret Derency married James Tyler Houchins on the 10th of May 1877. James Tyler was the son of Isaac Columbus Houchins and Nancy Elgin Houchins. Mary Ellen and James Tyler had five sons and two daughters: John Columbus married Rosa Lee Grogan of Leaksville, N.C., and was a foreman in a cotton mill; George Lafayette Houchins, DVM married Azula Ollie Salmons of Woolwine and set up a veterinary practice in Martinsville; William Abram married Louisa Weaver of Floyd County and moved to Leaksville to work in a cotton mill: Walter Lee who was widowed twice, went into a career in finance, and lived in Northern Virginia and Florida; Laura Elizabeth who never married and settled in Leaksville; Margaret Alice married Walter Reed DeHart of Raven’s Den along Rock Castle Creek; and James Robert Houchins, DVM married and settled in Henderson, North Carolina.
According to the History of Patrick County, Virginia, Dr. George Lafayette Houchins was still vaccinating dogs when he was 100 years old and lived to be 102! He and Azula’s only child, Daphne Houchins Blackwell passed away June 9th of this year at the age of 99.
Next week, we will look at the contributions of some more of John Wesley and Margaret Derency Akers Hooker’s children. I am so grateful to Katherine Hooker Boaz for her willingness to share her wonderful collection of family photographs and information! Woody may be reached at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com or (276) 692-9626.
