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Note: Joel settled in the Bartons Creek (1841) area on Franklin Road in Wilson County, Tennessee. (He came with his widowed mother before 1829 since she remarried in Wilson Co., then). They lived in a log house just east of Barton's Creek. 1860 Census of Wilson County Tennessee said he was born in North Carolina. He was a farmer and 39 at the time. Another source says Halifax, VA. 1870 Census of Wilson County Tennessee said he was 49. Thomas E. Partlow, comp. Wilson County TN, Deeds, Marriages, and Wills 1800-1902 (Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1987), p.74
5394 - 1853 May 10 -(Petition) Petition of Joel N. VANHOOK, admr. of Snowden HICKMAN, dec'd. against Jessee W. ROWLET and his wife, Lucy, formerly Lucy HICKMAN, William C. HICKMAN, Zachariah HICKMAN, Martha Ann HICKMAN, Jacob S. HICKMAN and Francis HICKMAN all of Wilson Co., TN, except William C. HICKMAN non resident of TN. Snowden HICKMAN died intestate in Wilson Co., TN in the early part of 1852 ... widow, Francis and 5 children all under 21 except Lucy ROWLET. Prior to his death Francis filed a bill of divorce ... they compromised and he gave her a deed of gift during her life ... remainder to children ... 6/7ths.
Joel M (sic) Van Hook will, 22 June 1900; wife; B. J. Van Hook; other children: John M. Johnson; grandson Walter Van Hook. Recorded August 15, 1900.
He was a private in the Civil War and fought in the Battle of Murfreesboro (See endnotes) He was discharged Feb. 2, 1863. (Comp. B 45th Infantry Reg.)
In late December an army of 50,000 under William Rosecrans moved out from Nashville to confront the Confederates thirty miles to the southeast. Once again, after successfully driving back the Union flank on the first day of battle, December 31, the Confederate advance faltered and wore itself down battering against strong defensive positions. On January 2, Bragg launched a disastrous infantry assault in which the Southerners were decimated by massed Federal artillery. The next day, as a bone-cold Army of Tennessee trudged away from Murfreesboro, it left behind one of the bloodiest battlefields of the war. One of every four men who fought at Stone's River became a casualty.
William Rosecrans was Joel's 7th cousin!
More on the battle from http://californiacentralcoast.com/commun/map/civil/statepic/tn/tn010.html
After Gen. Braxton Bragg's defeat at Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862, he and his Confederate Army of the Mississippi retreated, reorganized, and were redesignated as the Army of Tennessee. They then advanced to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and prepared to go into winter quarters. Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland followed Bragg from Kentucky to Nashville. Rosecrans left Nashville on December 26, with about 44,000 men, to defeat Bragg's army of more than 37,000. He found Bragg's army on December 29 and went into camp that night, within hearing distance of the Rebels. At dawn on the 31st, Bragg's men attacked the Union right flank. The Confederates had driven the Union line back to the Nashville Pike by 10:00 am but there it held. Union reinforcements arrived from Rosecrans's left in the late forenoon to bolster the stand, and before fighting stopped that day the Federals had established a new, strong line. On New Years Day, both armies marked time. Bragg surmised that Rosecrans would now withdraw, but the next morning he was still in position. In late afternoon, Bragg hurled a division at a Union division that, on January 1, had crossed Stones River and had taken up a strong position on the bluff east of the river. The Confederates drove most of the Federals back across McFadden's Ford, but with the assistance of artillery, the Federals repulsed the attack, compelling the Rebels to retire to their original position. Bragg left the field on the January 4-5, retreating to Shelbyville and Tullahoma, Tennessee. Rosecrans did not pursue, but as the Confederates retired, he claimed the victory. Stones River boosted Union morale. The Confederates had been thrown back in the east, west, and in the Trans-Mississippi.
Result(s): Union victory
Location: Rutherford County
Campaign: Stones River Campaign (1862-63)
Date(s): December 31, 1862-January 2, 1863
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans [US]; Gen. Braxton Bragg [CS]
Forces Engaged: Army of the Cumberland [US]; Army of Tennessee [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 23,515 total (US 13,249; CS 10,266)
1847, Jan 6 From records found in the Wilson Co Courthouse, Joel purchased 26 acres on Barton's Creek from William Hickman for
$200.00.
1848, May 24 Snoden Hickman to Joel N. Van Hook, 23 acres on Barton's Creek for $230.00. DB-X, pp 90-91.
1848, Aug 23 Joel sold 49 acres of land to Hope H. Skean (his brother inlaw) for the sum of $500.00.
1850 Wilson Co TN Census:
VAN HOOK, Joel 29 VA
Mary T. 26 TN
Martha 5
Littleberry 2
Sarah 8
1852, Nov 25 Joel was the Administrator to his step-father's estate. (Snowden Hickman, Jr).
1853, Apr 19 Joel N. Van Hook, Administrator of Snowden Hickman, deceased to Jesse W. Rawlott, 58 acres. DB-Z, p 312.
CONFEDERATE
1861, Dec 9 Enlisted Member of Company "B" 45th TN Inf. at Trousdale, TN, by Lt L. M. Hunt. Mustered in 4 Jan 1862; Temporarily consolidated with 23rd Batt'n TN Inf. about Nov 1863, & 26th TN Inf. in Jan 1865. Became a part of 4th Consol'd. Reg't TN. about Apr 9, 1865. He fought at the Battle of Murfreesboro.
1863, Feb 2 Pvt Van Hook discharged. I ceritify, that the within J. N. Van Hook, a private of..................., Co "B" of the 45th Reg't of TN
Volunteers, born in Person Co NC. Aged 41 years, 6' 2" high, light complexion, blue eyes, light hair, and by occupation a farmer, was
enlisted by Lt L. M. Hunt at Trousdale, TN on Jan 4, 1862, to serve one year, and is now entitled to discharge by reason of IMBALANCE
TO GENERAL. The said J. N. Van Hook was last paid by Capt L. P. ........................ to include the 31st day of Aug 1862, and has pay
due from that date to present date. There is due him........... For pay from Aug 31, 1862 to Feb 2, 1863 and being.....months and 2
days, at $11.00 per month. For pay for clothing, not........ to 8th day of Oct 1862, $66.73.
Amount $101.93
Balance paid $101.93
1885 The family moved to the 22nd Dist, Wilson Co TN.
1900, Aug 15 Joel's will recorded, it was handwritten on an ordinary piece of note paper. (Found on p 411, Bk 21, 1896-1902, Wilson
Co Courthouse).
About Winger, a slave of Joel Newman:
Here is the text from the interview. I used OCR and it needs a little
correcting but you'll get it.
Source: Works Project Administration. Federal Writers Project.Slave
Narratives. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Original data
from: Works Project Administration. Federal Writers Project. Slave
Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews
with Former Slaves. Washington, D.C.: n.p.
State: Texas Interviewee: \~~hc)o ~, Winger
"I was born at Wilson about thirty, miles east from Nashville, March 15,
1849, de year de white folks all rushed 'roun out to Kaliforni fer de gold.
My Mammy was Sarah Vanhook. My Daddy was Marse Vanhook a white man what owned
Mammv an I don't know no name fer him 'cep ole Marse. Sarah Vanhook was born
on a plantation in Virginia an' brought to Tennessee an' sold to Marse
Vanhook wen she was notnin but a baby. Marse Jim bought Mammy an' one sister.
I'ze nebber heard tell of nobody wid my name "Winger", my Mammy found it in a
book. She had seven bovs.
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger
"De dav ob Freedom, Mammy went up to de Marse's house, an atter a-while she
come back an call us all togedder an say: "Well chillun, I'ze got to hunt us
a home dis momin." She lef us an went about four miles to a man name Mr.
Vivrette, an' hired herself as a cook which all de count~ 'roun know she's de
bes what is. When she lef ole Marse's she had us four boys an a bed an' a few
clothes. Us tied em up an toted 'em to de cabin on de Vivrette place. Four ob
us boys was ole enough fer Marse to sen 'em to de War an dey nebber come
back. I wukked on de Vivrette farm an' Mammy cooked fer dem an us.
State: Texas Interviewee: \~anhook, Winger
"Durin' de war us made a crop ebery' year, but de Yanks took all de corn an'
meat an ebery' thing time an agin, an' lef us not a bite of somethin to eat.
I seed de slaves sold on a block lots ob times. Dev'd strip 'em an let de
buyers see ef dey had stripes, 'case de scars 'ud make a servant not worth so
much. Yessum, dey made de wimmen take all dere close off an effen dey fussed
'bout doin it, dey got de blacksnake whip 'rapped 'roun righ smart. No'm,
wam't none ob us chilluns sold. Ole Marse say dat's his young'uns an' dey
gwine lib at he home 'twel he die. He allus tole Mammy dat she gwine hab a
cabin an a patch ob ground' to raise her young'uns on, long as he got a spot
oh land.
State: Texas Interviewee: \~anhook, Winger
"But ole Marse Vanhook had consid'rble lan' an stock an was a big man 'roun
dere, but he got killed in de War an' de family los so much dey couldn't keep
us atler Freedom, 'case dev didn't hab nuttin' deyselves. Us'd stayed right
dere effen dey could, a-keep us. De Vanhooks thought Mammy was de fines
pusson on de airth. Dere wuzn't no oberseer an us nebber was whipped ceptin
by Mammy. Us had good close an cabins as good as eny servants eny whar but oh
course dev was home made cloth. "Us wukked fer de Vivrette family back in
Tennessee an when dey took a-notion to come to Texas whar dey folks was, dey
brought us all too.
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanllo~k, Winger
"Yessum, dere was some bad servants, but not on de Vanhook place. Us all
wukked an did as Marse said an' didn't want to run away. On some ob de places
near us, de servants runned way an staid in de woods some ob dem was shore
bad. Dey stole to git something to live on an' fought dere selves an every
boddy,. One was an outlaw. Ile stole a mowing blade from some whar an put a
handle on it. He's jes mow folkses down dat crossed he path. De ole folks sav
dev bet he killed someboddv ebrv hour. I don't know 'bout dat, but he was
shore a bad man. All us kids was feared to go fer from whar de folks tole us
case us jes knowed dat outlaw ud git us. Us kids was nacherlv wild as Jack
rabbits eny way~. I liked to play marbles but us wain't 'lowed to play fer
keeps.
State: Texas Interviewee: \~flho()k, Winger
"When us was little, dey put us down in a floor to eat. De cook ud put a ham
bone in a pot to boil an' make corn dumplins an' put a pot of dumplins an'
pot licker down in a trough in de floor an' us 'd git all 'roun it an eat
like hogs. But us Vanhook chilluns et wid Mammy in de big kitchen an us shore
was taught manners. Us had to turn thanks an us shore didn't drink our coffee
outen no sasser. Mammy was raised in de big house an she was mos white an she
could read an rite an sech. Yessum she an ole Mistis taught us Vanhook
chillun to read an rite an figger. But de odder sarvants didn't care so much
'bout it an dere mammies didn't care neidder. My Mammy got a switch atter us
an made us lam.
State: Texas Interviewee: \aiillo~~, Winger
"Oh, yassum us played lots. Us'd go fishin. Ud git a bent pin an put it on a
string an fassen a piece ob bacon on it an fish. No, didn't nebber catch
much, but it was fun. Den when us got bigger, us'd fish in a big tank. When
us catched a perch er a cat dat weighed one or t'vo pounds, did us holler! De
sarvants had lots ob picnics an ole Marse ud gibe us meat fer barbecue. Dere
was lots ob water melons in de field an us got one when ever us wanted one.
Dere was lots ob apples in de orchard, an' peaches an plums, jes all you
wanted. Mammy allus put up all dey could eat ob p'sarves an jelly an' sech.
After de War, she did jes de same fer de Vivrettes an dey gibed her lots fer
her chillun to eat. De bes fruit ob all kinds grows back in Tennessee, I
shore wish I could go dere before I dies.
State: Texas Interviewee: \'~l)ook, Winger
"For de War an atter, us'd haul cords ob wood an put it on de north side ob
de orchards. Den in real cold weather, us'd build big fires to save de fruit.
De smoke ud keep de fruit from freezin. Black berries, dew berries an
raspberries all grow wild on wore out hill sides. Dere ud be eight an ten
acres patches ob wild black berries an wild strawberries. Dey didn't plant
dem dey jes growed every. whar, in fence rows an ebery, whar. Us'd dry fruit
by de bucket fulls. Us'd build big shelves an tables in de yard to put de
peaches an apples on to dry'. Dere was fifteen er twenty acres ob grapes on
de Vanhook place an big patches ob grapes on mos all de odder plantations.
Dere was wild grapes but not no mustang grapes like in Texas.
"Dere was possums, coons, same as here (Texas), but no Jack rabbits nor no
horned frogs an no prairie dogs, but dere was a groun hog. Dat sayin 'bout de
groun hog seem he shadow, dat's whar de groun hog has he home, back in
Tennessee. Dey didn't raise no cotton, but dey raised Irish potatoes. corn,
wheat, red clover an hay. Hay ud last two or three years an clover ud too,
before it played out.
State: Texas Interviewee: \~nhoo~, Winger
"Back in Tennessee, dey had turnpikes an had to pay toll at de toll gates.
Dey paid ten cents on a horse; twenty-five cents on a wagon an team; walkers
(persons walking) did not pay; a double rig had to pay a quarter. Dey'd put a
long pole across de road an den no one couldn't git across de bridge. Dere
was a keeper at bofe ends ob de bridge. De main turnpike was made ob rock an
dey allus had good bridges an was kep in good condition. De toll gates was
ten or fifteen miles apart.
State: Texas Interviewee: V anhook, Winger
"I wukked at Pilot Knob in Tennessee jes before I come to Waco. Lots of
people come to Texas from dere. Mongs dese was Marse Berry Trice, Lee
Russell, John Vivrette, an Dick Vivrette. Mammy used to cook fer all dese
fore dey lef back dere. I bringed Nelse Vanhook out to Texas along wid Marse
John Vivrette when Nelse was jes a little boy. Den I went back an stayed till
Mammy an' Marse John Vivrette come here (Texas). I was married an had two
chillun when dey come to Texas. Mammy come us an I kep her till she died. She
said she was over a hunnerd years ole an all de white folks say she older dan
dat. She died eight years ago. (1929)
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger
"De Vivrettes come to Waco an us did too. By den wild turkey an' deer was
scace 'bout Waco, but I went wid de white folks an killed lots ob em on de
Bosque an up north ob Waco on de ribber. Dat was is now. Dears ago. Dev was
raisin cotton on Columbus Street as fer down town as whar Eighth Street
Suspension Bridge was a toll bridge den. Fer several years I wnkked fer
Marse James Baker at his brick yard in Fast Waco an' hauled brick. Drove a
span ob de meanest black mules to de brick wagon. I farmed fer fust one an
den anodder; wukked fer de Rail road an' jes general work. I had been doin
yard work fer de pas few years. De ole man gittin de rumatiz too bad an my
jints too contrairy to do much. De white women de say dat I got "green
fingers" as de ~'psy folks say. Dat means dat I hab good luck in gittin
flowers an' garden stuff to grow.
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger
"Oh, yassum, I members when I got married. Been married three times. Oh, dat
furs weddin? Well, musta had on a suit ob close. Don't member dat fur, but I
allus had good close case I wnkked hard an dressed an et good. Lordey, dat's
a powerful long time to member a woman. But dat fiirst one was
shore a good woman. She been dead dese twenty years now but deres none like
her. I'ze tried it twice sence den an dese young wimmin don't know nod din an
won't work. I'ze de fadder ob seven chillun.
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger "I belong to de African Methodist
church an am a Republican.
State: Texas Interviewee: \~anI1o()k Win2er
No'm no special song. Effen a song is sung good, I likes it, effen it is
sung like it ought to be. I likes all 'ligious songs.
State: Texas Interviewee: V anhook. Winger
"Yassum, I members de big house on de Vanhook plantation mighty well. It was
a big double house an had lean-to rooms on de back. It was two storied an'
had a big porch with big pillars all across de front ob it. It was made oh
weather board dat de sarvants cut an drawed outen de woods. Dere was lots oh
big trees around in front oh de house to big shade an fer de chillun to play
in. De Marster had him a little log house in de yard fer an office an' dere
was anodder little house whar de men had dere guns an dey sit in dere by de
fireplace an swop yarns. In de back was de barns an stables an my Mammy 5
house an fudder on was de "Quarters" whar de sarvants slep. Each family had
'em a little one room log house wid a split palm fence an back ob dese houses
in each yard was a chicken house sometimes a hog pen an' den a few fruit
trees ob various kinds. But mos ob de fruit trees was in de big orchard. Dere
was a smoke house, wash house, an carpenter shop. Dere was two gardens. One
wus fer flowers an one was fer vegetables. Dat was old Mistis' special
property.
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger
"Mv Mistis was de real king pin. She allus knowed whar every: supply was kep
an how much meat, flour, meal, sugar, coffee an sech was needed to run
things. She knowed jes how much thread de spinners oughter spin in a day an
how many yards ob cloth de wimmin oughter weave. Ebery mornin she us sot de
tasks fer de wimmin whether it was settin eggs, er makin butter, er in de
spinnin room or loom room er kitchen, she knowed jes what she wanted to hab
done an when an who. She was a little bit ob frail woman but she was a power.
She was de bes doctor 1 eber knowed. When folks got sick she'd take charge an
den effen her medicine didn't do de work, den she'd call a doctor. She took
keer ob de sarvants as like de family. She ud come down in de dead ob de
night to look atter things effen she got a worry' 'bout some of 'em.
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger
"My Mammy she was right long side ob ole Mistis. She nussed de chillun an
cooked but she had a couple of gals to hope her in de kitchen. She jes
managed things. She de one dat did de whippin, en case de chiliun got to
rambunctious. De Vanhooks held her as a member ob de fambly an effen dey
hadn't los eherything to dem Yankee soljers us'd had a piece ob land 'til
now. Dere was a Butler an a Kerridge Driver an ploughers, an wood choppers an
all like oh dat befo' de war.
"Lan sakes alive, us chill un, white an black had a good time. Us was all
ober de place; robbin birds nestes in de orchard; er fishing an goin in
washin in de deep holes; er riding de plough horses to an from de field effen
us could wangle de ride; runnin de calves; an colts an fightin de old
ganders. All de black chillun wore a long shirt, it come down to de middle ob
de legs an' you couldn't tell a gal from a boy, cepn de white girls. Dey wore
great big bonnets an dey was sewed to dere hair to make em keep em on to
perteck dere faces from de sun.
State: Texas Interviewee: V~hook, Winger
"De larger servant gals mos' en usual wore blue dresses. Mos all de servants
ud sing when dey wukked. In de summer, de white folks us go horse back ridin
any hay rides in de moon light an dances an visits to dere frens. Right atter
de War fer Sev'ral years, I'd go wid crowds ob white men on long huntin' an
fishin' parties an' show 'em what de bes places was. Bof in Tennessee an' in
Texas. I has ranged all ober de Bosque hills an known de bes fishin pools eny
whar."
State: Texas Interviewee: Vanhook, Winger
Interview wi~th Winger Vaithook, Waco, McLennan County, Texas.
I've got some interesting news. Here are some new documentation along with a
few found previously:
Thomas E. Partlow, comp., Wilson Co., TN: Trust Deed Book KK and Grand Jury
Evidence 1846-1880, (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 2000), 19, J. Z. [sic]
Blythe to Joel N. Vanhook a girl named Sarah, abt 17, 22 Jan. 1849 p.264.
Thomas E. Partlow, comp., Wilson Co., TN: Slave Schedule for 1860, 58, (for
Joel Newman Van Hook) 1 slave house; 1 f 32; 1 m 10; 1 m 8 mu; 1 m 2 mu.
Thomas E. Partlow, comp., Wilson County, TN: Trust Deeds, 1828-1868,
(Greenville SC: Southern Historical Press, 1997), 244, Joel Vanhook to Jesse
Rowlett my three Negroes, viz. Sam, about 12; Lewis, about 8; and SARAH,
about 27. 14 Dec 1860 (p. 139).
Wilson County, TN Deeds, Book F#2, O.C. Kidder, trustee for Patrick H.
Viverett, C. J. Owen, 50 acres in the 21st district. Bounded: Barton's Creek
Church, Vanhook, and Hickman, 5 Sept. 1866, p. 212.
Thomas E. Partlow, comp., Wilson County, TN: Chancery Court Records,
1842-1892, (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 1997), "Patsy Jennings, a woman of
color, vs. Julius Jennings, a man of color. Said parties married about 8
years ago. They lived together until a little over 2 years ago. The said
Julius Jennings abandoned the defendant. He took up with SARAH VANHOOK by
whom he has had a child. Said Patsy Jennings is seeking a divorce. 21 Aug
1876 p. 154-55.
1880 Census of Wilson Co., TN, Sarah Van Hook (B) Age 45 along with Cressy
age 6 [DOB would be 1835; however, ages are always estimates for former
slaves).
Notice that Joel got Sarah January 22, 1849. If Winger was born March 15,
1849, then Sarah was already pregnant when she arrived on the Van Hook
homestead. If a white man was the father of Winger, then it would have to be
J. G. Blythe. Of course, Winger could also be wrong on his own birthday as
he appears to be wrong on so much other stuff. In 1850 Joel did have an
infant slave; so I believe Winger's date is correct. Notice also the
citation putting a Viverette family next door to the Van Hook farm. It
appears that Winger and his mother moved to Waco, Texas in the mid-1880s.
Winger married Victoria Porterfield in May 30, 1882 and Sarah is on the 1880
census. I haven't check the 1890 census yet. Also, examine the Jennings
citation. If the child from Mr. Jennings soon after he "took up" with Sarah
then the child would have to be born in 1874. The 1880 census of Wilson
County lists Sarah Van Hook, age 45 (about right) and a Cressy, age 6.
Cressy is exactly the right age to be connected to Mr. Jennings, which I
think it likely is. There is a Sam Van Hook (B) listed in the 1880 census
which is very likely the same Sam listed in the deed to Jesse Rowlett (Joel's
step-sister's husband). It isn't clear whether he is connected to Sarah or
whether he is, in fact, Winger. Is there any family tradition of a Sam? It
is difficult to explain why Winger's interview is accurate in some areas
(like birth date, his mother's name, belonging to the Van Hooks in Wilson
County next door to the Viverettes) yet appear to be wrong about such things
as "Marse Van Hook" dying in the war and the Van Hooks given Sarah when she
was just a baby, when in fact she was about 17. Compare the Rowlett citation
with the 1860 slave schedule. Lewis is listed as about 8 which fits with the
8 year old mulatto in the slave schedule of the same year. Could Joel still
be the father of SOME of Sarah's children even if Winger isn't? Winger did
allude to Joel claiming a plurality of children! What happened to the two
small children from the slave schedule that doesn't appear in the Rowlett
deed? Why did he keep them just as the war started? Why does Winger give
such glowing report of the Van Hooks when they weren't especially unusual at
the time? This needs more research on Winger's side. Why isn't Winger
listed more in Wilson county other than of his marriage. Is Sam and Winger
the same person? Joel calling him Sam and his mother calling him Winger.
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