On the Red Bank

Daddy was born on the Red Bank, a slice of red dirt that formed a soft cliff, on the southside of Asheboro, Randolph County, NC. He was born Oct 30, 1937. There's a story about that, but I will save that for another time. With Daddy, there's always a story behind the story. It can go on and on. But the house on the red bank was called the old Chief's house. Mainly, because there was an old gravestone under a tree not far from where my Dad and his siblings played everyday. I asked my Dad who was buried under the tree near his house. He said, "I dunno."

Perhaps every family has a tale of an old chief somewhere in there. I kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I look at my Dad with his sandy, red hair and his blue eyes and then I look at his older brother David with his gray eyes and dark wavy hair. My uncle resembles my grandmother with her dark wavy hair and high cheekbones. Lovie Jane Goins was descended from Mollie Hooker c.a. 1871. No one really knew much about her. I found a charcoal portrait of her. She was a prim and proper looking woman with black hair and Asian looking eyes. The paperwork was good, revealing a tidy little family chart with dates and information. She was the daughter of William Clarkson Hooker (1844 1923). William Clarkson Hooker was the grandson of Robin Hooker (b. c.a. 1750) and Rachel Sanders.

He was the illigitimate child of Henly Nixon and Patsy Hooker.

In the Randolph County, North Carolina vertical files was the following information under HOOKER: (and I'm typing this as the record appeared in the file)

December 1 - 15, 1787 Senate Records

The Committee of Propositions . . .to whom the Petition of Johnathan (NATHAN) HOOKER was refered . . .

Repeat. That in the year 1769, John HOOKER, brother of the Petitioner, an infant of twelve years old was forced and carried off to the Musquito Shore in New Spain in America by a Certain Abraham Jennets . . . That the said NATHAN HOOKER . . .of him and Heir apparent to the said John HOOKER, who by wife was possessed of one hundred and eighty acres of land in the County of Tyrel in fee simple -- That the Commissioners of confiscated estates for the District of of Edenton on the . . . day of ... 178...under, and by virtue of the Laws commonly called the Confiscation Laws chosed and sold the aforesaid land at public venue. The said Nathan HOOKER became the purchaser as he believed in Justice the land was not confiscated and that consideration together with the information of . . all the aforesaid comments by whom the said tale was made, that the bond of the said purchaser Nathan HOOKER is not owed or payable until January next, are of opinion that the aforesaid lands were not subject to confiscation, therefore, resolved that the said Commissioners cancel the said bond and the the Comptroller credit his account accordingly.

John L JOHNSTON

North Carolina

In Senate 1787, The foregoing report being read was concurred with signatures

So as my father and I dig deeper into my grandmother's people, I wonder what adventures they faced. What life did young John HOOKER face on the Mosquito Coast? Is he related to our Mollie HOOKER? I understand the original of this document is now in the Randolph Room at the Asheboro, Public Library. I hope to receive a copy soon.

And someday, my father and I will have to climb up on the red bank. I will have to ask him if the house where he was born still stands. Perhaps we will find a single grave under a tree, if no one has disturbed it after all these years. Maybe it is the old chief. Or maybe it's Mollie's grandfather, waiting for someone to come back home.