Hooper, John R. & Mary

Lea County Families, "Then and Now", Vol I. 1979

Published with permission.

Submitted by: Mildred M. Jones

The John R. and Mary S. Hooper family came on a chartered train from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, to Kenya, New Mexico. They came to the territory in the spring of 1909, for my fathers health, living in Kenya for a short time before filing on a homestead of 320 acres at Ranger Lake in July 1909 .I was the youngest of the family and born in Kenya on August 15, 1909, shortly before we moved to the two bedroom house my father had built at Ranger Lake.

The community was quite large with families living on 320 acres for miles around. The store and Post Office was owned and ran by Frank and Mary McKnight. Mrs. Mary KcKnight was the first the first Postmistress of Ranger Lake. The land the school was built on was donated to the community for as long as it was being used for a school, then reverted back to the original owners. Long after the school was gone Mrs. McKnight sold me the four acres of surface and mineral, which I still own. The schoolhouse was used for all community gatherings, such as church, singings, and what was called a Literary Society, that met at night about once a month, with everyone taking part in the program of songs, readings and sometimes a one-act play. Any preacher that came through the country either on horseback or buggy, held church services in the schoolhouse, and all the people came regardless of denomination. Everyone took basket dinners and stayed all day and into the night hearing the preaching, singing and sometimes shouting. People really enjoyed being together and getting to visit with the neighbors in those days.

My father died in Roswell and is buried there on July 12, 1912. The remainder of this about the Hooper family is parts taken from a story written by Mrs. Agnes K. Head and published in the Lovington Leader, Tuesday March 13, 1953.

What would you do if your husband died leaving you with eight children ranging from 22 years of age, and you had only $2.20 in money, some mules, a plow and an unproved homestead of 320 acres?

What Mrs. Mary S. Hooper did is one of America's success stories, sparked with determination, courage and hard work.

You wouldn't think to look at this 86 year old Lovington resident and booster that she had almost singled handedly raised a large family. She looks many years younger than her age and twinkling eyes and calm, intelligent facial expression make you think life has been good to her. It has, and no one will tell you quicker than Mrs. Hooper. She earned her families and her living by washing and ironing for ranchers at .70 cents a dozen combined price, heating her wash water over a fire kept blazing with cowchips and using sadirons for her work. 

She also added to the family fund by caring for babies and mothers. She assisted in bringing hundreds of babies into this world. At one time she made and backed big loaves of light bread, selling it at .10 cents a load.

She has swelled her original $2.20 into a home and land holdings and raised a family that she is proud of and this is proud of her and she's enjoyed doing it.

On that day 41 years ago at Ranger Lake, when Mrs. Hooper was notified that her husband had died at Roswell where he had gone for medical care, she didn't have time to worry about "HOW" she was going to provide for her children and has never had time since. She was too busy pitching into work and getting the job done. "It never occurred to me to be discouraged", Mrs. Hooper said this week as she thought back over the years, "I don't have time."

The 45 year old mother began the job of providing for her family in a country that was new to her. Born and reared in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, which she calls "the most beautiful place in the world." where she was married, later she and her husband went to North Dakota. Then back to Midland, Virginia and then came in 1909 to the New Mexico Territory for her husbands health.

In those days many of the settlers, including the Hooper's, did most of their shopping in Roswell to save paying high freight on articles bought closer to home. It took three days by team and covered wagon to make the trip each way. It was this trip Mrs. Hooper had to make, when she went to Roswell at the time of her husband's death. Her oldest son Guy (Mud) got a job for $5.00 a day, and she took a job of housework for $1.50 a day, pay. She worked 21 days to earn enough money to pay they small debts they owed and then went back to Ranger Lake where she took out a land claim and did nursing and laundry work. She and the family moved to Lovington in 1916 and she continued nursing until she was 72 years old.

In 1949 Mrs. Hooper fell and broke her pelvis and walked with a crutch until until she died in January 1957.

"Nobody's had a richer life than I've had," Mrs. Hooper says. "Nobody could have enjoyed their family more than I have." And she continued happily, "no boys ever gave their sweethearts more flowers than my boys did after they were grown and could buy them. I surely enjoy my family." Her children are: Maude Fleetwood, Guy (Mud), Bill, Syl, Carl, Marven, Pete and Mildred Jones.

Most of all she enjoyed watching Lovington grow and keeping in touch with her family and friends, (She had friends by the hundreds.) Her $2.20 original investment, her children, and her strong traits that typify the best in Americans have given her a life she wouldn't trade for anyone's, if she could.

She was born Oct 11, 1886 at Coot's Store and is buried in Lovington. Her age at the time of death was 90.

At this time, June, 1978, the children that have died are: Guy, buried in Roswell and Pete, buried in Lovington.