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Thomas K. Hooper

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Compiled and written by Kimberli Faulkner Hull © Chasing Light Media
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Thomas K. Hooper was born on 3 Feb 1830 in Bond County, Illinois, to James Hooper and Elizabeth “Betsey” Harlan Hooper.1

Thomas married Frances Louisa “Fanny” Smith about 1858, and the couple had two known children, a son, John, born about Dec 1859., and a daughter, Louisa Jane, born 17 Apr 1860.2 Frances died on 6 Sep 1861 and is buried in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois.3

Thomas married second to Malissa Parrot Lancaster on 3 May 1865.4 Malissa was the widow of Newton Lancaster.5 Thomas and Malissa’s marriage ended by 1870 and Malissa married third to Sylvester Riley on 20 Oct 1871 in Fayette County, Illinois.6 Malissa died in Craig County, Oklahoma on 6 Nov 1921.7

Aside from living briefly in Lincoln, Neosho County, Kansas, with his cousin, Obediah, Thomas lived the majority of his life in Bond County.8

Thomas K. Hooper died at the age of on 49 on 27 Dec 1879 in Bond County and is buried in Camp Ground Cemetery in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois.9


Citing this page: Kimberli Faulkner Hull, author, “Thomas K. Hooper” Chasing Light Media, Cool Adventures ( https://cooladventures.com/genealogy/thomas-k-hooper-1830-1879/ : posted 2021).


  1. Bond County, Illinois, Register of Deaths, vol. A, p. 22, no. 282, Thomas K. Hooper, 27 Dec 1879. Age of 49 years, 10 months, 24 days on death record calculates to 3 Feb 1830 for birth.
    Also,
    Alpheus H. Harlan, compiler, History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family, vol. 1 (Baltimore, Maryland, The Lord Baltimore Press, 1914), p. 264, no. 2852, Betsey Harlan.
    “Betsey, b. 1813, in Bond Co., Ill; d. there, 1866; m. there, James Hooper, and left one son, Thomas K. Hooper, who d. 1879, in Bond Co.” This statement was incorrect as James and Elizabeth had additional children.

  2. 1850 U.S. census, Dade County, Missouri, population schedule, dwelling 99, family 101, James D. Hooper household.
    – James D Hooper, age 41, laborer, born in Kentucky
    – Elizabeth Hooper, age 38, born in Tennessee
    – Thomas Hooper, age 20, born in Illinois
    – William Hooper, age 19, born in Illinois
    – Mary Hooper , age 16, born in Illinois
    – Obediah Hooper, age 10, born in Illinois
    – Sarah Hooper, age 6, born in Illinois

  3. Marriage date based on ages and birth of son in 1859, as recorded on the
    1860 U.S. census, Bond County, Illinois, population schedule, p. 129, dwelling 64, Thomas Hooper household.
    – Thomas Hooper, age 25, laborer, born in Illinois
    – Fanny Hooper, age 20, born in Illinois
    – John Hooper, age 6 months, born in Illinois
    – Betsey Hooper, age 50, born in Illinois [Betsey Harlan Hooper, Thomas’ mother]
    – Obediah Hooper, age 20, laborer, born in Illinois
    – Polly Hooper, age 19, born in Illinois
    Also,
    Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947 Index, Pekin, Tazewell, Illinois, Louisa Jane McCance, 6 Sept 1930. Birth: 17 Apr 1860, Dudleyville, Bond County, Illinois. Age: 70. Parents: Thomas Hooper, born in Missouri, and Louisa Smith, born in Missouri. Spouse: Henry A. McCance. Burial: 8 Sept 1930, Prairie Rest Cemetery, Delavan, Tazewell County, Illinois. Also,
    “Mrs. Louisa J. McCance,” obituary, The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois), 7 Sept 1930, p. 2, col. 2.

  4. “Hooper, Francis, wife of T. K., born about 1837, died Sept. 6, 1861.” Bond County Historical Society, Tombstone Inscriptions Found in the Cemeteries in Bond County, Illinois,, Part 1, (Greenville, Illinois : Bond County Historical Society, 1970), p. 40, Camp Ground Cemetery, Francis Hooper. Also,
    Find A Grave, memorial 58435204, Frances. Hooper (1837–1861), Camp Ground Cemetery, Greenville, Bond County, Illinois; memorial created by Kimberli Faulkner Hull (contributor 49572158).

  5. Bond County, Illinois, Marriage Register, vol. A, p. 33, Thomas K. Hooper–Mrs. Melissa Lancaster, 3 May 1865. Also, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Records Division, Craig County, Malissa Riley, 6 Nov 1921. Maiden name from Melissa’s daughter from her third marriage, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Belle Riley Williamson. Parents: Milissa Parrot and Sylvester Riley.

  6. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, D.C., Index to Pension Applications Files of Remarried Widows Based on Service in the Civil War and Later wars in the Regular Army after the Civil War, NAI no. 2588478, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 – 2007, group no. 15, series no M1785, roll 6, Malissa Riley, remarried widow of Newton Lancaster, 4 Oct 1912.

  7. Malissa living with Nancy White, 1870 U.S. census, Mulberry Grove, Bond County, Illinois, population schedule, p. 8, dwelling 58, Nancy White household.
    – Nancy White, age 71, born in Kentucky, keeping house
    – Melissa Hooper, age 28, born in Illinois, at home
    Also, Fayette County, Illinois, Marriages Index, Sylvester Riley–Melissa Hooper, 20 Oct 1871.
  8. Oklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Records Division, Craig County, Malissa Riley, 6 Nov 1921.

  9. 1875 Kansas state census, Lincoln Township, Neosho County, Kansas, population schedule, p. 18, dwelling 5, Obe Hooper household.
    – Obe Hooper, age 38, farmer, born in Illinois, moved to Kansas from Missouri
    – Elizabeth Hooper, age 35, born Ohio, moved to Kansas from Illinois
    – Becca Hooper, age 10, born in Kansas
    – John Hooper, age 5, born in Kansas
    – Henry Hooper, age 1, born in Kansas
    – Thomas K. Hooper, age 45, born in Illinois, moved to Kansas from Missouri
    – Thomas Hooper, age 28 or 98, born in Missouri, moved to Kansas from Missouri
    – Ida M. Hooper, age 5 born in Kansas
    – Charles Hooper, age 2, born in Kansas

  10. Bond County, Illinois, Register of Deaths, vol. A, p. 22, no. 282, Thomas K. Hooper, 27 Dec 1879. Age: 49 years, 10 months, 24 days. Widower. Farmer. Birthplace: Beaver Creek, Bond County, Illinois. Resident of Bond County 43 years. Place of death: Dudleyville, Bond County, Illinois. Cause of death: Erysipelas. Burial: Camp Ground, 28 Dec 1879.
    Also,
    1880 U.S. census, Beaver Creek Precinct, Bond County, Illinois, mortality schedule, enumeration district (ED) 74, p. 7, Thomas K. Hooper. Thos. K. Hooper, age 49. Widowed. Birthplace: Illinois. Mother born in Tennessee. Occupation: Day laborer. Death month: December [1879]. Cause: Erysipalas. Resident: 40 years. Physician: Dr. H. C. Dunham.
    Also, Find A Grave, memorial 222366809, Thomas K. Hooper (1830–1879), Camp Ground Cemetery, Greenville, Bond County, Illinois.

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