General Notes

Elizabeth's family were from KY and they moved to Indiana after1815. She married James Hayes in 1833 and four of their children wereborn in Shelbyville, IN.  In 1840 left Indiana for boat trip down OhioRiver to Cairo, then up the Mississippi to the Missouri River to Linden,Mo or Rockport in Atchison County, Mo.  Four more children were born inAtchison County, Mo. (Angelina was the first white child born in thecounty on November 24, 1842.)  James left for California in 1850 andElizabeth was so certain she would meet with her husband soon that shesent her two oldest daughters (Ellendor, 18, and Judith, 16, to go aheadof her to California with their Aunt, Dicey Wheeler Gray in 1852. Shestill ran the little store until 1854 when relatives, worried about herbeing in dire circumstances, moved her to Rising Sun, Iowa.  The trip wasmade in covered wagon, and  her Mother, Sarah and her siblings probablyhelped with the move.  Many years later, her daughter, Mary, told herdaughter, Matie, about the trip and the fun of riding horseback.
     In Iowa, Elizabeth supported her family by sewing and tailoring, atwhich she was expert.  She heard nothing from her husband for 7 years.In 1857, she assumed James Hayes  was dead and remarried James Rooker,who had just lost his wife in  1856.  (Source: Polk County Marriages1857, Bk 1, pg 186)  Mr. Rooker was a prosperous farmer who was able toprovide a comfortable home for Elizabeth and the combined family of 13children.  (Several (4) had left the nest). She had two more childrenwith James Rooker, Frank and Nancy.
      After Elizabeth remarried, her former husband, James Hayes, Jr, didcome to Mitchellville by train. " A stranger alighted from an east-boundtrain at Mitchellville, near the Rooker home.  He began talking to agroup of men who were loafing in front of a store.  After a few minuteshe asked whether they knew anyone around there by the name of BetsyHayes.  One of the men said, "Oh, yes, isn't she that widow that marriedJames Rooker?"  The others agreed, and the stranger then began to askquestions:  Was she well?  Did she have a good home?  What about thechildren?  After hearing all the news, which was all good news, he leftof the next west-bound train.  It was later learned that this strangerwas James Hayes.  He found his daughter Ellender in California and madehis final home with her."
     Moved to Rising Sun, Elizabeth saw first person buried in thatcemetery in 1854 who was her cousin Lewis Barlow.
     The 1860 and 1870 Censuses showed the combined Rooker-Hayeshousehold in Beaver Township, Polk County.  In 1860, Elizabeth' schildren Martin, Angeline, and Mary Elizabeth were included with her twobabies with Mr. Rooker and 8 of his children from his previous marriage.Only Angeline Hayes was with her mother in 1870.  When the census of 1880was taken, James and Elizabeth Rooker, ages 73 and 64 respectively, wereliving on their farm in Beaver Township, Polk County, Iowa.  the only oneof their children shown in this household was Elizabeth's stepson JosephRooker, 26, listed as a laborer.
     In the Register of Deaths of Polk County years 1888. Shows ElizabethRooker, age 73, died September 1, 1888 in Rising Sun, buried inMitchellville.  She died of Heart disease with Brouchitis complications.She was a Farmers wife and was born in KY.  It was recorded Sept 24, 1888in vol 2, Pol 160 (microfilm) pg 44  01.  She had become unable to carefor herself and made her final home with her daughter, Mary EllizabethWeaver, at Rising Sun, Iowa.  She is buried in Mitchellville.
     NOTES:
     1856 Special Census of 4mile Twp, Polk Co shows Elisabeth Hays 41,in Iowa 2 years, b KY; Martin 16, farmer, b IN; Angaline 14, b Mo, JamesPolk 11, b Mo; J C 9, b MO; Martha (Mary) 6, b. Mo
     Elizabeth is mentioned in her brother Henry's will.  He died inApril or May 1851, in Polk County.  Book 1.  Archibald is hisadministrator.
     Until I found Elizabeth's date of her second marriage, (July 9, 1857in Polk Co. Marriages, Until then I did not know that she had two morechildren( Frank and Nancy Amanda) with her second husband, James Rooker,as this was not mentioned in Aunt Matie's Family History..

      Use Edna's internet site:http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~barlow/Parlur-Barler-Beriet-Barlow1.htm