Buckingham County, 1908: Part IV
Correspondence from Buckingham County printed in the December 1908 issue of the Appomattox and Buckingham Times featured notices about the Hopper and Fones families:
Mr. Charles Hopper, Jr., will move to a farm near Fredericksburg with the beginning of the new year, accompanied by his family and also his father, Mr. C. Y. Hooper. They will be greatly missed when they leave the county, however Mr. Hooper is not burning any bridges behind him by selling the old home place.
News of the Fones family was startling:
Mr. W. A. Fones, who was so unfortunate as to [lose] his house and contents by fire last week, is a good citizen and has the sympathy of the entire community. It is not known exactly how the fire started, but it seems to [have] caught from the inside of the house and had gained such headway when the flames were discovered that but few thing[s] were saved. Mr. Fones made a narrow escape of being burned himself in his effort to save something out of his home. Mr. Robert Fones was there and his twin babies were promptly rescued and carried a distance from the house and placed on a bed tick and covered up with a mattress or tick that had been saved. Mr. Fones and his family went to the home of a neighbor—Mr. George Holman. Ms. Nora Sheppard, who was boarding in the house by heroic effort managed to save her trunk which she dragged out after her when she left the room. Kind friends made up a purse at Dillwyn for the sufferers and many more kindnesses will be extended by the good people of this county.
Coming next: Buckingham County, 1908: Part V
slate river ramblings . . . . 
Dear Readers:
The Hooper family has been in Buckingham County since about 1761. The first member of the family here was Col. George Hooper, who was a Justice of the County in 1761. He later was sheriff and also led the county troops during the Revolution. The article refers to his great-great grandson, Charles Stringfellow Hooper, Sr., (1877-1957), who was the father of Charlie Hooper, the founder and many years Pres. of Southside Electric Coop in Crewe. The article mentioned C.Y. Hooper. He was the father of Charles Stringfellow Hooper. C. Y. Hooper, (1843-1918), was born at “Oak Grove,” currently the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Bowling. C. Y. Hooper was one of eight children born to John M. and Kitty Cox Hooper. These children were Nannie Hooper, wife of Samuel B. Clay, whose father was Pres. of the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad; Charles Yancey (mentioned in the article); John, called Jack, who lived at “Oak Grove;” Stephen; Benjamin, called Ben; Mrs. Mary Frances Word; Elizabeth; and Mrs. Jane Clay. Charles Yancey Hooper married Anna Melville (Nannie) Johns and had four children: Nannie Henry Hooper, the wife of Holman Hooper (my great-uncle); Mamie, the wife of Ben Gilliam; Charles Stringfellow Hooper (called Charles, Jr. in the article); and Emma, the wife of Dr. Claude Rucker;
Harry Stuart Holman
Harry, Many thanks for your comprehensive post. Slate River Ramblings readers will doubtless enjoy it! Joanne