General Notes

James Rooker was a prosperous farmer who lived near Mitchellville.  Hisfarm house was about one-half mile north of Highway 6 between Altoona andMitchellville, Iowa on Camp Creek.  It was called Camp Creek because itwas a favorite camping spot for travelers and Indians.

In his son William's biographical sketch there is information aboutJames.  Portrait and Biographical Album of Polk County, Iowa, page 717,published 1890.
"The Rooker family is of German Descent and was founded in America at anearly day.  He has been three times married, and by his first wife(Elizabeth Downs) had five children, two of whom are now living: WilliamD of this stetch (born in Tippacanoe Co, Iowa) and James W, an honoredfarmer of Beaver Township.  their mother died about 1848 in KeokukCounty, whither the family had removed five years previous.  In thatcounty James Rooker entered from the Government a tract of land which hetransformed into a good farm and made his home until 1851, when he cameto Polk County, settling near Rising Sun, in Four Mile Township.  Hethere purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, and engagedextensively in farming.  He was a second time married while living inKeokuk county, to Margaret Oglerie (Ogelvie), by whom he had sixchildren: Elizabeth, wife of Amassa De Long, a farmer of Beaver Twp:George W, who is also engaged in farming in that Twp; Louisa, wife ofWilliam H. Homan, of Colorado; John, a resident farmer of Beaver Twp,Joseph, of the same twp, and Margaret, wife of Samuel Crawford, ofMitchellville.  Mrs. Rooker's (Margaret) death occurred in the year 1857,after which Mr. Rooker wedded Mrs (Elizabeth Wheeler) Hayes.  They havetwo children: Franklin, deceased; and Amanda, wife of George Burgett.Mr. Rooker is still living (1890) in Beaver Township at the ripe old ageof eighty-two years, and ranks among the honored citizens of thecommunity."

1840 CENSUS Tippecanoe Co, Wayne Twp, Indiana  page 410
2 males under 5, 1 male tween 30-40; one female between 5-10; one femalebetween 10-15; and one female between 20-30

1850 CENSUS Keokuk Co, Richland Twp, Iowa, Dist 26, enumerated Aug 16,1850, page 224, line 29, Ancestry 4 of 115.
James Rooker, 40, farmer, 800, PA; Margaret 39, VA;, Mary J 16, Ohio,;Issac, 14, Ohio; Wm D. 19, IN; Catherine A 9, IN, James W. 7, Iowa;Elizabeth 2, Iowa; Geroge W. 1, Iowa, John G. 3 mo, Iowa
   (there is no Henry, age 10 listed.)

1856 CENSUS, Special Iowa Census in Beaver Township
James Rooker, 46, lived in IA 14 years, VA, farmer; Margaret, 35, b. VA;J.W.(James is Eliz's son) 12, Iowa; Eliza, 9, Iowa; G.W, Male, 8, Iowa;John, 6, IA; Louisa,4; Joe, 3, IA; Oliver (Olive) M (error-she'sfemale)1, IA; Issac N (Eliz's son) 20, M, 14 yrs in IA, b. Ohio, Farmer;Olliva (Issac's wife) 21, 14 yrs in Iowa, b.  Ohio.

In the CENSUS of 1860  Beaver Twp, Polk County, Iowa it shows JamesRooker, 50, Farmer, b. Pennsylvania, Wife Elizabeth 44, b. Ky; 10children Frank Benj,2;  Amanda, (youngest 4 mo old--born in March) andthree Hays children:  Martin 20, Farmer b. Indiana;  Angeline 17 b Mich(no Missouri); and Mary 10, b Mich (no, born in Missouri)

The 1870 CENSUS, Beaver Twp, Polk Co, Altoona P.O. page 7,(Ancestry pg 38of 730) ln 18:
Jas Rooker, 60, M Farmer, $10,000 land, $1,000 prop, Penna
Eliz wife, 57, keeping house, KY; George,21, Farmer b Iowa attendsschool; John,19, M, IA; Joseph 18, IA, Olive, 15, IA; Lucinda 13, IA;Benj, 11, IA; Amanda 10, IA;  Angeline Hayes, 25 b. Mo.

1880 CENSUS Beaver Twp, Polk Co, IA, pg 20E, dist 168, taken June 23rd
James Rooker, 73 (?), married, Farmer; Elizabeth, 64, wife, keepinghouse; Joseph, 26, son, single, Laborer.


In the Register of Marriages of Polk County , page 186, shows JamesRooker married Elizabeth (Wheeler) Hays (Hayes) at Rising Sun on July 9,1857.  Vol A, Pol 115, o1, Beaver Twp.

There is some controversy about his birth date.  His Death record stateshe  was "eighty (80) years and three months old".  The Censuses of 1850,1856, 1860 and 1870 all presume his birth year to be 1810,  However, the1880 Census states James was 73, and Will's Biographical Sketch writtenin 1890 says his father was "the ripe old age of eighty-two (82)"  I haveused the March 10, 1810 date.

Mary Maunu has James death date as June 29, 1890. (The Register ofDeaths, #2, 1888-1901, Polk County, Iowa also has this death date.)  Shegave me the information of his first wife, Elizabeth Downs, as Mary isdescended from Issac Newton Rooker. James' first wife, Elizabeth Downs(1832-1846) died in Richland Township, Keokuk County, Iowa.  GeorgeWashington Rooker, the son of James and second wife Margaret (1815-1856),was born in 1849 in Lee County, IA.  The family moved in 1851 and settlednear Rising Sun, Polk Co, Iowa.  In 1853 they moved to Beaver Twp, PolkCounty Iowa, one mile south and west of Mitchell, Iowa and son Georgespent the rest of his life there.