John Hoover (ca 1744—?)

Kris Hocker on 29 Dec 2009

John2 Hoover (Andrew1) was born about 1744, probably in Ellerstadt, Germany, the eldest son of Andrew Hoover and his wife Catharine. John was alive at the time his father’s estate was settled. He likely died sometime after 2 Nov 1811 when a deed recording his sale of some Union Township land to James Fletcher was recorded.1 No record of the settling of his estate has been found in southwestern Pennsylvania or Monongalia County, West Virginia.2

John Hoover married Mary (___), most likely sometime after 1764 in Maryland, when he would have been about 20 years old. However, no records for his marriage or the births of his children, if any, have been found. I have no birth date for Mary. A best guess based on census records puts her birth sometime around 1755. She died sometime after 2 Nov 1811, when she co-signed the deed with her husband (see above).

John Hoover was living with his family in Maryland in 1771 and was fined 2 shillings for not contributing to the war.3 He apparently went to Fayette County, Pennsylvania with his family, likely sometime around 1779.

John Hoover's Union Township property

John Hoover’s Union Township property (H, lower left)

When John’s father Andrew died in 1784, he divided his Union Township property between three of his sons. John, as eldest, got first pick. He sold this property to his brother Andrew, who, in turn, sold it to brother Henry and Henry Beeson, co-executors of their father Andrew’s will, on 16 Aug 1785.4 John appears in Springhill Township tax records for 1785 and 1786, and Union Township tax records for 1787 through 1789.5

A John Hoover appears in Union township for the 1790, 1800, and 1810 US Census enumerations, as follows:

1790 US Census, Fayette County (Union Township)

John Hoover household6

  • 1 free male, over 16 (John2 Hoover)
  • 3 free males, under 16 (born since 1774)
  • 1 female (Mary Hoover)

1800 US Census, Fayette County (Union Township)

John Hoover household7

  • 1 male, 45+ (John2 Hoover, age abt 54)
  • 1 male 16-25 (born 1776-1784)
  • 3 males, under 10 (born 1791-1800)
  • 1 female, 26-44 (Mary Hoover, born 1756-1774)
  • 1 female, under 10 (born 1791-1800)

1810 US Census, Fayette County (Union Township)

John Hoover household8

  • 1 male, 45+ (John2 Hoover, age abt 64)
  • 1 male, 10-15 (born 1796-1800)
  • 1 female, 45+ (Mary Hoover)
  • 2 females, 16-25 (born 1786-1794)
  • 1 female, 10-15 (born 1796-1800)

John Hoover [Jr.?] household9

  • 1 male, 26-44 (John Hoover, born 1766-1784)
  • 1 female, 26-44 (born 1766-1784)

Also in Union Township, living adjacent this second John Hoover was a Joseph Hoover with a household, as follows:10

  • 1 male, 16-25 (Joseph Hoover, born 1785-1794)

Assuming, that all the children in the census households are, in fact, John and Mary’s children—and it’s quite possible that they’re not—then John and Mary had children as follows:

  1. Son Hoover, born 1774-1790 (possibly John Jr., born 1766-1784)
  2. Son Hoover, born 1774-1790 (possibly Joseph, born 1785-1794)
  3. Son Hoover, born 1774-1790
  4. Daughter Hoover, born 1791-1800 (or per 1810: 1786-1794)
  5. Son Hoover, born 1791-1800
  6. Son Hoover, born 1791-1800
  7. Son Hoover, born 1791-1800

Those children born prior to 1779 were most likely born in Maryland. Those born between 1779 and 1785 could have been born in either Maryland or Pennsylvania, but most likely in Pennsylvania. Those born after 1785 were born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

Luella Hoover believed that it was possible that John Hoover took his family west to Licking County, Ohio like his brother Henry. I found two John Hoovers in the Licking County in the 1820 US Census:

  1. John Hoover, age 45+, in Franklin township (also listed Charles Hoover) 11
  2. John Hoover, age 45+, in Hartford township12

Tens years later in the 1830 US Census, I found three John Hoovers:

  1. John Hoover, age 80-90, in Newark township (also listed Charles Hoover)13
  2. John Hoover, age 60-70, in Hartford township14
  3. John Hoover, age 30-40, in Hartford township (listed as John Jr. in 1840)15

The John Hoover in Franklin, then Newark townships could possibly be John2 Hoover. The age 80-90 in 1830 puts his birth circa 1740-1750, perfect for our John’s birth circa 1744. This, however, does not prove that this John is our man. Additional research needs to be done.

The John Hoover in Hartford Township in Licking County was aged 82 in 1850, placing his birth circa 1768, making it possible that he was the son of John2 Hoover. He died at age 88 in 1857. Additionally, he was born in Monongalia County, West Virginia placing him in the right area to be John Jr.16 But again, this does not prove the connection.

As you can see there is a great deal of work the still needs to be done to flesh out this family. Any clues, insights, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Footnotes

  1. Fayette County Deeds, Book K: 10-11, dated 2 Nov 1811 ↩
  2. Hoover, Luella Schaumburg, “Some Descendants of Andrew Hoover” (typescript; State Library, Pennsylvania), page 12 ↩
  3. Maryland Historical Magazine (Baltimore, Maryland: Maryland Historical Society, unknown), Vol. 12, pages 262 ↩
  4. Fayette County Deeds, Book A: 36-37 ↩
  5. Pennsylvania Archives, Series III, Vol XXII: 566, 630; Fayette County, Pennsylvania Taxpayers, 1785-1799 (Miami Beach, Florida: T.L.C. Genealogy,1991), page 77. ↩
  6. John Hoover household, 1790 United States Census, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Union Township, page 12; National Archives micropublication M637, roll 8 ↩
  7. John Hoover household, 1800 United States Census, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Union Township, page 619; National Archives micropublication M32, roll 38 ↩
  8. John Hoover household, 1810 United States Census, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Union Township, page 904; National Archives micropublication M252, roll 54; adjacent to George Hoover household ↩
  9. John Hoover household (#2), 1810 United States Census, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Union Township, page 904 1/2; National Archives micropublication M252, roll 54; adjacent to Joseph Hoover household ↩
  10. Joseph Hoover household, 1810 United States Census, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Union Township, page 904 1/2; National Archives micropublication M252, roll 54 ↩
  11. John Hoover household, 1820 United States Census, Licking County, Ohio, Franklin township, page 33; National Archives micropublication M44, roll 94 ↩
  12. John Hoover household, 1820 United States Census, Licking County, Ohio, Hartford township, page 55; National Archives micropublication M44, roll 94 ↩
  13. John Hoover household, 1830 United States Census, Licking County, Ohio, Newark township, page 403; National Archives micropublication M19, roll 134 ↩
  14. John Hoover household, 1830 United States Census, Licking County, Ohio, Hartford township, page 483; National Archives micropublication M19, roll 134 ↩
  15. John Hoover household, 1830 United States Census, Licking County, Ohio, Hartford township, page 483; National Archives micropublication M19, roll 134; John Hoover Jr. household, 1840 United States Census, Licking County, Ohio, Hartford township, page 364; National Archives micropublication M704, roll 408. ↩
  16. Hoover, Luella Schaumburg, “Some Descendants of Andrew Hoover” (typescript; State Library, Pennsylvania), page 12 ↩

Cite This Page:

, "John Hoover (ca 1744—?)," A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy, the genealogy & family research site of Kris Hocker, modified 4 Sep 2015 (https://www.krishocker.com/biographies/john-hoover/ : accessed 27 Apr 2024).

Content copyright © 2015 Kris Hocker. Please do not copy without prior permission, attribution, and link back to this page.

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5 Replies to “John Hoover (ca 1744—?)”

  1. Kathleen 10 Jun 2013 at 12:13 pm

    Comments are interesting – I have searched for a 1st gr-grandfather name John , his father was Dominicus. Unable to go back any further.

  2. Beverly Hoover Watson 8 Oct 2010 at 12:41 pm

    I descend from John w Hoover of In ,born in Oh. and his father John who moved to Ohio. Johns brother Peter corresponded with his cousin Jesse Hoover for many years. They were all decendants of Andreas Huber.

    1. Kristen 14 Oct 2010 at 11:45 am

      Beverly, you do realize that there were several Andreas Hubers, don’t you?

      1. Beverly Hoover Watson 15 Oct 2010 at 4:08 am

        Kristen, What’s your point???

        1. Kristen 17 Oct 2010 at 2:50 pm

          Based on the names in your post, it looks like you’re referring to Andreas (1724—ca 1794) and Anna Margaretha (Pfautz) Huber, the ancestor of President Hoover, as your ancestor. However, the page you posted on was for John, son of Andreas (1723—1784) and Catharina (___) Huber, who was not related to Andreas Huber (1724—ca 1794).

          Both of these Andreas Hubers were immigrants from Germany. Both settled in Maryland for a time. Both had sons named Andrew, Jacob, John, Henry and daughters named Catharine and Elizabeth. Andreas Huber (1724—ca 1794) emigrated in 1738. Andreas Huber (1723—1784) emigrated in 1754. They are often confused with one another and much of their information has been interwoven in their histories online. However, no relationship between them has ever been proven.

          There was yet a third Andreas Huber (1720—1805) who emigrated in 1741 and settled in Lebanon Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He married Gertraut Schwartz. He also named two of his sons Andrew and John and had daughters Catharine, Elizabeth and Anne.

          That is the point I was trying to make.