Gaithersburg, MD 20879
10 September 1989
Ms. Norma Sawyer:
I received your letter of August 30, 1989 today. Moreover, it had arrived and was waiting for my return from Columbus, OH where my wife Hilda and I have been all last week. We were visiting my oldest son, Edward Reginal Hood, and his wife, shirley Kay Lakin, during the arrival of their first child and my first grandchild, Andrew Tyson Hood, born 1 Sept 1989.
Your letter on Nathaniel Hood is very interesting and possibly very significant. I had dismissed the Nathaniel Hood listed in the 1790 Virginia Census because our Nathaniel is listed in the Wayne Co. NC Census, Although "Hood" is spelled "Whood" both for Nathaniel and William. Also, a 1786 Wayne Co. deed conveys 100 acres from Thomas Toler to Nathaniel Hood, and Nathaniel and William were listed in the 1786 list of NC taxpayers. However, as you point out, the Virginia Census is made from State enumerations made from 1782 through 1785. Therefore, this could be our Nathaniel who would moved to eastern NC sometime between 1782 and 1785. I presume the four males listed in the VA Census were himself and three sons: William (who died in Johnston Co. 11 Oct 1796, leaving his heirs Sally, Nathaniel, Susannah and Wealcomb [sic, Welcome] to the guardianship of his father Nathaniel), Bold Robin, and Britain [sic, Britton] Hood. I take it you did not find this Nathaniel listed in later records in VA? I would recommend we look there for marriage records for Britton's older sisters Molly Maxwell (Thomas Maxwell was present at Nathaniel's estate sale in Johnston Co. NC), and Joannah Byrd (and possibly for his younger sister Elizabeth Hanks, although she would have been less than 12 to 15 years of age in 1782 to 1785 and was more likely married in Johnston Co. NC or neighboring counties).
Britton's wife was Mary Bass. See the notes on her in the attached computer printout. Deed records also established her as the mother of all of his children. There were no children by his second wife Katherine Cox.
It is not clear to me whether the 1782 marriage to Susanna is Nathaniel Sr or William's son Nathaniel?
Do keep in touch and let me know if I can be of further assistance in your research.
Sincerely.
Darl Hood
