Last week, we looked at John Wesley Hooker and Margaret Derency Akers Hooker and their two oldest children, William Crawford “Bill” Hooker and Mary Ellen Hooker Houchins. This week, we will learn about the third, fourth, and fifth children born to John Wesley and Margaret Akers Hooker, Ruth Josephine; Nancy Alma; and Ida Belinda Hooker.
Ruth Josephine Hooker was born to John Wesley and Margaret on April 12, 1861, the same day that Fort Sumter was first fired upon by Confederate troops. Ruth married George Sparrel Nolen on March 8th, 1877, at the home of her parents. George was the son of Charles Patterson Nolen, Sr. and Nancy Adams of the northern part of Patrick County, near the Shooting Creek area. Interestingly, Charles P. Nolen’s father spelled his last name as Nowlin, so it seems that Nolens and Nowlins are the same family line.
Ruth and George’s first child, Nancy Derency Nolen was born on the 4th of February 1878 and in 1893, married George Claiborne Rakes of Floyd County. Martha Ellen Nolen was born to Ruth and George on the 18th of December 1879. Martha never married and remained at home until her passing at the age of 88. Charles William Nolen was born to the couple on the 12th of April 1882. Charles married Miss Martha Lillian Taylor, the daughter of Dr. William F. B. Taylor and Pencie Purdy Taylor of Elamsville. Charles and Martha raised a large family in Patrick County.
John Tazewell, the fourth child of George and Ruth Hooker Nolen was born in 1884; he became a physician and worked for a coal company in West Virginia. Exony Alice was born next in 1886 and married James Lester Roberson of Dodson; they had a couple of children before Exony passed away at the young age of thirty-five. Emma Josephina was born in 1889, and she too married a local man, George Lee Pendleton. Emma and George had six children before Emma also passed away at the young age of thirty-six.
Lucinda Alice was the last child born to George and Ruth Hooker Nolen on the 5th of January 1896. Lucinda married Robert Lee Brammer, the son of Peter Cassell Brammer and Elizabeth Alice Helms Brammer of Goblintown area. Lucinda and Robert had three children and at the time of his passing, Robert was the general manager of Bassett Furniture Industries.
Nancy Alma, the fourth child of John Wesley and Margaret Derency Akers Hooker was born on the 15th of September 1862. Nancy married John Shadrach Turner on the 7th of October 1880 at her parent’s home. John Shadrach was the Stephen Hubbard Turner and Malissa Ruth Turner.
Nancy Alma and John Shadrach had three children, Ruth Elizabeth who was born the 15th of September 1881. Ruth married John Chapman Terry, the son of John Jackson Terry and Mary Alibard Harbour Terry. Ruth and John had two children, Eugene and Pauline before moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tragically, Ruth died there in 1909 at the age of twenty-seven.
Nancy Alma and John Shadrach’s second child, Samuel Tyler Turner was born on the 20th of December 1882. Sadly, little Samuel died of cholera in March of 1885. William Wesley Turner was born to the couple in August of 1885. William married Miss Pearlie Gay Jones, the daughter of Joshua Adams Jones and Pencianna Brammer Jones in April of 1906. William and Pearlie had two daughters, Ruth and Ruby and a son, Coy Jones.
Ida Belinda, the fifth child of John Wesley and Margaret Derency Akers Hooker was born on the 26th of July 1864. Ida married John Abram Ross on the 9th of March 1882. John Abram was the son of Charles Ross and Luvenia Dicey Penn Foster Ross of Elamsville Post Office.
Ida and John Abram’s first child, Charlie was born on the 2nd of January 1883, but only lived for six years, passing away on the 24th of February 1889. Ida and John Abram’s second child, John Abe Ross was born on the 5th of June 1885. John Abe also moved to Philadelphia, then later to New York where he married in 1917. John Abe and his wife, Emma eventually moved to Florida where they owned a furniture store.
Ida and John Abram’s third child, Margaret Louvenia was born on the 1st of August 1887. Little Margaret only lived five months and twenty-six days, passing away on the 22nd of January 1888. The couple’s fourth child, Nancy Alberta, was born on the 23rd of April 1889. Nancy married Luther Jackson Hopkins on the 2nd of January 1907. Luther was the son of Samuel Austin Hopkins and Mary Elizabeth Rorrer Hopkins of Buffalo Ridge. Nancy and Luther had seven children whose names are very familiar in Patrick County, Elbridge Lee; Joseph Arthur; John Raymond; Luther Noel; Samuel Alvis; Elizabeth Ross Hopkins Smith; Lucille Fay Hopkins Harris; and Mary Orene Hopkins Harris.
Samuel Lee Ross was the fifth child born to Ida and John Abram on the 14th of April 1891. Samuel married Miss Ella Laura Rakes, the daughter of Charles Jefferson Rakes and Exony Ellen Ross Rakes of Poplar Camp. Samuel and Ella had three daughters, Dovalee who married Joseph Lloyd Soyars of Woolwine and Annie Mae who married “Deck” Roberson. Sadly, Samuel and Ella’s third daughter, Alice Alberta only lived to be two years old.
Ida and John Abram’s sixth child, Lucy Penn Ross was born the 4th of October 1898. Lucy married Edward Lyle Clark on the 14th of June 1924 and the couple had three children, Edward Lyle; Jr.; Betsy Ross Clark; and Clayton Martin Clark who was born and died the 18th of October 1939.
George Greene Ross was the seventh child born to Ida and John Abram on the 18th of July 1901. George moved to California where he married and managed a ranch. Beatrice Mary Ross, child number eight, was born on the 4th of May 1905. Beatrice married James Bane Broyles from Giles County, and they settled in Roanoke where he worked for Norfolk & Western Railroad.
The ninth and youngest child of John Abram and Ida Belinda Hooker Ross was Miss Martha “Patty” Ross born on the 9th of August 1908. Patty was a silk worker at Viscose Corporation in Roanoke when she went in the hospital for minor surgery on her nose. Tragically, she died a day later from a blood clot to her brain; she was nineteen years old.
Well, we have spent two weeks looking at the first five children (and their children) of John Wesley Hooker and Margaret Derency Akers Hooker. We only have eight more children to go! I would not be able to share these stories and photos without the contributions of Katherine Hooker Boaz, to whom I am very grateful. Woody may be reached at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com or (276) 692-9626.
