Haywood-Jackson County NcArchives Biographies.....Hooper-Burke, John March 15, 1783 - July 23, 1871 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Tammy Wheeler trwheeler@att.net March 10, 2010, 7:30 pm Source & Author: Dr. William M. Mann, Jr. John Hooper was born in Georgia on March 15, 1783 and died on July 23, 1871 in Jackson County, N.C. (Census Records, John Hooper's Bible). According to Mr. Hayes hooper of R.F.D., Glenville, N.C., John Hooper is buried in the Hooper graveyard at Tuckaseigee. The graveyard is located "across the river from the Baptist Church" there. According to information which Albert D. Quentel obtained from his grandmother, Lula Rachel (Hooper) Drew, John Hooper died "after falling from a porch rail". About 1812 (date approximated since first child born in Hooper Bible was born in 1814). John Hooper married Margaret Ledbetter who was born on June 2, 1794 in South Carolina and who died in Jackson County, N.C. on July 1864 (Census Records, John Hooper's Bible, Data Albert D. Quentel obtained from Lula R. H . Drew.) The exact place of birth of John Hooper in Georgia has not yet been located, but he was probably born in the same county in which the Revolutionary War Soldier, Absolom Hooper, resided in 1783, since Absolom Hooper was from Georgia and settled in Jackson County, N.C. near John Hooper. According to the pension records of Absolom Hooper and his wife, Sarah which are in Washington, D.C. Absolom and his wife Sarah were married in Elbert County, GA., about 1783. Clemmons Hooper, a brother of Absolom Hooper, testified that they were married on "Pistol Creek inthe state of Georgia" the exact year being not stated but according to him "it was very soon after his aforesaid brothers returned home from the army". Sarah, the widow of Absalom Hooper testified that the "road about 25 miles to the house of an uncle of her aforesaid husband in order to obtain the services of a preacher by the name of Mackey who lived in that settlement where declarant lived". Absolom Hooper was born about 1760 and died on December 9, 1845 in Haywood County, N.C. (Jackson County had not been formed). Therefore, it is probable that John Hooper was born in Georgia in Elbert County or very near it. According to a descendant of Absolom Hooper, Absolom's wife was named Sarah Sailors before her marriage. Members of the Sailors (Sailor) family lived in South Carolina in 1790 (Census). Also, an old map of South and North Carolina printed about 1775 shows a place called "Hoopers" located on the Savannah River in the 96th Precinct slightly north of where the Cherokee or Broad River joins the Savannah River.On the opposite side of the Savannah River is Georgia and it appears to be the section of Georgia which formed Elbert County in 1783. Absolom Hooper does not appear on the census of Buncombe County, N.C.for 1800, but is listed there for 1810. In 1810 a John Hooper was living in the county but as he had five children under 10 years of age living with him it is doubtful that he was the John Hooper who married Margaret Ledbetter since their Bible shows their first child born in 1814 and there are no indications of children born earlier than that date. Since Margaret Ledbetter was born in 1794 it seems unreasonable to think that the four children born 1800-1810 were hers. If the John Hooper of the census of 1810 in Haywood County, N.C. was not the John Hooper who married Margaret Ledbetter his identity is not then known. He appears to have left the county for later only John Hooper who married Margaret Ledbetter appears in the census records, except for John Hoopers of a younger generation. In 1791 a new county was formed from the western parts of Burke and Rutherford Counties and called Buncombe. In 1808 Haywood was formed from Buncombe County and in 1828 Macon County was formed from Haywood. The Tuckasegee River was a portion of the boundary between the newly formed Macon County and the original Haywood; so although Absolom Hooper lived in Haywood and John Hooper lived in Macon for the years 1828-1851, they did not live far apart. When Jackson County was formed from Macon and Haywood Counties in 1851 most of the Hoopers once again came to live in the same county, Jackson County, the county seat of which today is Sylva. Because of the formation of new counties the records of Buncombe, Haywood, Macon and Jackson Counties have to be searched in order to trace the activities of the Hoopers after they settled in what is now Jackson County, N.C. In 1865 many of the records in Buncombe County, N.C. were destroyed by fire, but some records, including deeds still exist from 1789. However, no records pertaining to the early Hoopers have been found in this county and since neither Absolom nor John Hooper is listed on the census of Buncombe for 1800 it is probable that Absolom Hooper came to Haywood about 1808. The oldest son of John Hooper and Margaret Ledbetter was born in 1814 and he states on subsequent census records that he was born in N.C. Therefore, John Hooper was apparently in N.C. by 1814 and probably earlier. Whether he married his wife in North or South Carolina or Georgia is not known. Matthew Ledbetter appears on the census of Haywood County, N.C. for 1810 as being over 45 years of age. Living with him was a male born 1794-1800, a male born 1800-10, a female born 1765 -1784, a female born 1800-10, and two females born 1794-1800. Since Margaret Ledbetter was born on June 2, 1794 she could have been one of the females in the household of Matthew Ledbetter, on the census of Haywood County, N.C. in 1820 he finds that the number of females in his household for the same period is not less, indication that Margaret Ledbetter was not his daughter. The first record of John Hooper obtaining land was a grant to him in Haywood County, N.C. in 1831 (Deed Book c, pp.250-52) so far found. Thereafter he appears in the records of Macon County, N.C. and on Dec. 1, 1852 J. J. Hooper made a bond with John Hooper and Margaret Hooper that he would support them as long as they lived (Macon Co.,N.C. :DeedBook G p. 83). A picture of John Hooper taken when he was a very oldman is in the possession of his great- granddaughter, Mrs. Albert Quentel. She was gracious and kind in lending it to the compiler who has had it copied. John Hooper appears on census of Haywood Co. for 1820, on the census for Macon County for 1830 and 1850 (1840 not searched) and the censuses of 1860 and 1870 for Jackson County, N.C. The last census (1870) shows him living with J.J. Hooper. He gave his age as 89 and stated he was born in Georgia. EXPLANATORY NOTE: The sources of the information contained herein on descendants of John Hooper and his wife Margaret Ledbetter are varied. In many cases the source is evident from what is stated in the manuscript. However, in order to give credit and acceptability to the material they are being listed in outline form as follows: 1. The John Hooper Bible was printed in 1835 and is now in the possession of Mrs. William Oliver Smith, Sr. of 917 Holt Dr., Raleigh, NC. It is the source for the list of Children of John and Margret Hooper and for all dates giving month, day and year except where other wise stated in the manu script and as follows : (a) dates pertaining to Ephraim Manassa Hooper (b) dates pertaining to the death of Thyrza Ann (Potts) Hooper and the births and deaths of the children of James Jackson Hooper (c) the dates pertaining to the children of descendants of Henry M. Hooper. 2. That the maiden name of John Hooper's wife was Ledbetter is information sent to the compiler by Albert D. Quentel of Miami, FL. He obtained it from his grandmother Lula Rachael Hooper Drew a granddaughter of John Hooper, and making notes as she dictated the information to him. 3. The marriages (except for first one to Rachel Brown the source of which was the John Hooper Bible) of James Jackson Hooper and the data on his wife and children comes from the same source mentioned in no. 2 above. 4. The census records and other data mentioned in the manuscript. 5. On March 26, 1961 the compiler visited Mr. Lloyd C. Hooper who gave him (dictated) the data on the descendants of William Hooper, son of John and Margaret and John A. Hoopers on of John and Margaret. He also stated that Gov. Ben Hooper was the son of Dr. L. W. Hooper, who was also the son of John and Margaret. 6. On March 26, 1961 the compiler visited Mr. Hayes H. Hooper and obtained from him and his wife dates on the descendants of Henry M. Hooper, son of John and Margaret Hooper. Sources The sources of the information contained herein on decendants of John Hooper and his wife Margaret Ledbetter are varied. In many cases the source is evident from what is stated in the manuscript. However, in order to give credit and acceptability to the material they are being listed in outline form as follows: 1. The John Hooper Bible was printed in 1835 and is now in the possession of Mrs. William Oliver Smith, Sr. of 917 Holt Drive, Raleigh, NC. It is the source for the list of children of John and Margaret Hooper and for all dates giving month, day, and year except where otherwise stated in the manuscript and as follows: a. dates pertaining to Ephriam Manassa Hooper b. dates pertaining to the death of Thyrza Ann (Potts) Hooper and the births and deaths of the children of James Jackson Hooper c. the dates pertaining to the children and decendants of Henry M. Hooper. 2. That the maiden name of John Hooper's wife was Ledbetter is information sent the compiler by Albert D. Quental of Miami, Fla. He obtained it from his grandmother, Lula Rachel (Hooper) Drew, a granddaughter of John Hooper and his wife Margaret Ledbetter, making the note as she dictated the information to him. 3. The marriages (except for first one to Rachel Brown the ---------- of which was the John Hooper Bible) of James Jackson Hooper and the data on his wife and children comes from the same source mentioned in number 2 above. 4. The census records and other data mentioned in the manuscript. 5. On March 26, 1961 the compiler visited Mr. Lloyd C. Hooper who gave him (dictated) the data on the decendants of William Hooper, son of John (b. 1783) and John Ansal Hooper son of John (b. 1783). He also stated that Gov. Hooper was the son of Lemuel Hooper son of John b. 1783. 6. On Mar. 26, 1961 the compiler visited Mr. Hayes H. Hooper and obtained from him and his wife date on the decendants of Henry M. Hooper. Dr. William M. Mann, Jr. San Antonio, Texas June 11, 1962 Note from contributor: Absolom & Sarah Hooper raised John Hooper, but, it has been proven by DNA (www.hooperconnections.com) that his DNA matches the Burkes not the Hooper's. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/haywood/bios/hooperbu103gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 11.3 Kb