by Cody Heber Smith
30 September, 1983
I have in my posession a book entitled,"John Hood of Lynn, Mass. and some of his descendents", by Mrs. Jennie Hood Bosson, printed by the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass. in 1909. I have also donated a copy of this book to the Public Library of Johnson County and Smithsfield, Smithsfield, N.C.
According to this book, John Hood was born about 1600; his parents were John and Anne Hood of Halsted, England. He came to America with his father and was living in Lynn, Mass. before 1650. He married Mary Newhall. They had 13 children born in Lynn, Mass. Their 10th child and 4th son was Nathaniel, born 9 June 1669. This Nathaniel married Joanna Dwinnell of Topsfield, Mass. Their first son was named Nathan and their second son was named Nathaniel. There is no birth date given for either of these two sons. Nathan Hood married Elizabeth Palmer 6 March 1731, at Rowley, Mass. They resided at Topsfield. She died 10 June 1782 in "a very sudden manner. "They had 13 children children born at Topsfield; two of the children died at childbirth. Their oldest child was named William; he was born 26 Dec. 1731. They did not have a son Nathaniel, but they did have a son Nathan who was born 10 January 1739-40. None of their children were named Bold Robin or Britton. Their youngest child was born 17 June 1754. Since Elizabeth Palmer was born in 1710, she would have been 57 years of age when Bold Robin was born in 1767, if she were his mother, which is unlikely because of her age alone. Nathan Hood married second, Lydia Corliss, of Salem, N.H. He was a housewright, a surveyor of highways in 1738, and a Constable in 1756. He died 4 May, 1792.
One concluding remark about this book - there is no mention in the book of anyone by the name of Bold Robin Hood or Britton Hood.
I think it is safe to say concerning Bold Robin Hood that we do not know anything about him prior to his living in N.C. As indicated above, there has been no proof developed linking him with the Hoods of Mass. or Vermont, but the family tradition is so strong that he must be descended from them.
In May 1981 I discovered at the Johnston Co. Library a copy of some pages of a Hood Family Bible. This copy revealed that Bold Robin Hood was born5 Dec. 1767, the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Hood, and that he died in Barbour Co. Ala. in 1838.
This Bible is now in the possession of Mrs. Mary Miller, RD 1, Box 46, Corsicanna, Tex.
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THE NATHAN HOOD TREE:
Nathan Hood was born in 1707. Nathan married Elizabeth Palmer on 6 March 1731. Nathan became the common ancestor of all the Vermont Hoods.
Nathan and Elizabeth had 14 Children. They were:
William - Born 26 December 1731 Mary Born 1 January 1744
Child - Died 24 May 1734 Joseph Born 2 February 1746
Child - Died 26 May 1734 Benjamin Born 13 February 1748
Mary - Born 1 January 1735 Elizabeth Born 19 April 1750
Joanna - Born 19 November 1737 Mehitable Born 15 March 1752
Nathan - Born 10 January 1739 ?? Susanna Born 17 June 1754
Daniel - Born 11 November 1739 Johnathan Born Unknown
NATHAN to NATHAN 2nd to HARVY P. ( H. P. Hood Milk Company )
On 17 February 1763 Nathan's six child Nathan 2nd married Mary Perkins. Nathan 2nd and Mary had five sons, one of which was Enos, born 26 May 1767. Enos married Gillen Lane on 29 September 1791. Enos and Gillen, in turn, had a son, Harvy, born 1 June 1798. Harvey married Rebecca Smith 23 September 1821. Living in Chelsea, Vermont, on 6 January 1823, Harvey and Rebecca bore a son Harvy P. In 1850 Harvey P. married Carolyn Corwin and moved to Derry, New Hampshire. In Derry, Harvy P. founded the H.P. Hood dairy which became the largest independent dairy industry in New England.
NATHAN to NATHAN 2nd to AMOS
Among the children of Nathan 2nd were twins Thomas and Amos. While Thomas's record is unclear, in 1792 Amos, also known as "carpenter Amos", married Sally Ramsdale and moved to Chelsea Vermont. Amos and Sally bore sons Amos R. and Ira. Amos R. was a druggest in Chelsea. Amos R. married Abigail Calley of Turnbridge, Massachusetts in 1836. Among their children was Charles I. who was later to achieve medical fame in Lowell, Massachusetts.
