They Are of the Worst Class of People

A search of GoogleBooks located a reference to the Mississippi murder and robber that Absalom Hooper was involved in. This item was located by searching for the year and a few other details of the event--not the name itself.

page 338 from the Manuscripts of the Earl of Dartmouth (citation below) contains an apparent reference to the "Murder on the Mississippi" which Absalom Hooper was apparently involved. It also suggests that there may be additional correspondence regarding this incident.

There's some general historical information here, including this statement:

"The murderers are now in custody, and are of the worst class of the people who have flocked to the Mississippi for the  past two years. As Mr. Chester foresaw, several of the first settlers on the river were persons who had fled from justice..."

That's always how one likes to see one's relatives described.

This reference was obtained digitally on GoogleBooks with citation information below:

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Reminder--we don't include complete citations on blog posts--just our personal preference. Complete citations are always included in Casefile Clues or you can learn about citations in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained. We always do include enough background information in blog posts that readers can find our original sources.If you think we don't, please fire off an email to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com 

Abfalom Hooper Was the Name

This is another account of the 1773 incident involving Absalom Hooper and several of his associates. The difficulty in locating this item was that the name was set in text as "Abfalom" and the image was indexed under that spelling instead of Absalom.

It indicates that the incident was originally attributed to the Spaniards.

Date: Thursday, September 2, 1773  

Paper: Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, VA) obtained 

on 

 Genealogybank.com

I need to do additional searching on Genealogybank.com and on other sites in an attempt to learn a little more about this incident. Of course, there may be additional records besides those in the newspaper.

Whites Killed--Blacks Wounded--The Absalom Hooper Incident of 1773

A quick search on  Genealogybank.com  for our Absalom Hooper located some additional references to the incident--these providing more details than the earlier item that was located which was a public notice that they were wanted by officials. This is getting to be a very interesting discovery.

Date: Monday, August 23, 1773  

Paper: Boston Evening-Post (Boston, MA)--obtained 

on 

 Genealogybank.com

Another account of the incident was also discovered, similar in content to the one of 23 August 1773 shown above.The names of these men are helpful in that they give me names of associates of Absalom--associates are not necessarily discovered in a positive light. I may need to research these men further in my attempts to locate information on Absalom.

And making a chronology of the events would be a good idea as well.

Date: Friday, August 13, 1773  

Paper: Connecticut Journal (New Haven, CT)

-obtained 

 on 

 Genealogybank.com 

I'll need to search earlier papers for an account of the incident that apparently attributes the actions to some Spaniards.

Give a thought to searching for your ancestors in the newspapers at  Genealogybank.com.

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Reminder--we don't include complete citations on blog posts--just our personal preference. Complete citations are always included in Casefile Clues or you can learn about citations in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained. We always do include enough background information in blog posts that readers can find our original sources.If you think we don't, please fire off an email to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com 

A Murder in West Florida and a Stooping Relative

This is going to take a little bit of work, but the reference does indicate some associates of my wife's probable ancestor, Absalom Hooper. 

According to this newspaper account Innis Hooper, Charles, Holmes, Absalom Hooper, Richard Holloway, and Reason Young were charged with the murder of five people and of robbing a batteau. The newspaper account gives some details about the case and their arrest. 

Date: Thursday, August 4, 1774  

Paper: Rivington's New York Gazetteer (New York, NY)  obtained on 

Genealogybank.com

 Second half follows--first line repeated.

Date: Thursday, August 4, 1774  

Paper: Rivington's New York Gazetteer (New York, NY)  obtained on 

 Genealogybank.com

This account also provides a description of Absalom Hooper--he was about 5 feet 8 inches, stoops much, has fair complexion and is about twenty-nine or thirty years of age. 

Hopefully we'll have an update. One never knows the items one will discover in old newspapers.