Various lines of the Hooks family of Covington and surrounding counties have been featured in two much earlier columns. Some descendants of even another line of this family have recently shared their records, which allows even a third look at this genealogy. The marriages of these descendants into the Bodie and Farnell families are outlined in this writing.

Robert Melvin Hooks, son of George Hooks, was born in 1837 and died tragically of “brain fever” at the young age of 25 years on Aug. 12, 1862. He was serving as a sergeant in Company F., 37th Alabama Infantry Regiment (Dowdell’s Volunteers). He had married Martha Ann Grant, daughter of Wilson and Lucy Ann (Stubbs) Grant, on Feb. 24, 1857. Martha was born May 24, 1841 and died Oct. 8, 1924. Robert M. was buried in the Friendship Cemetery in Columbus, Miss., with an “unknown” Confederate Soldier marker, and Martha Ann, was buried in the Concord Cemetery at China Grove, Ala. Several years after Robert’s death, Martha Ann married Hardy M. “Cage” Williford in 1881.

Robert and Martha Hooks had two children, with which Martha was left as a young widow. She then reared these two: James Thomas, b. 1859, d. 1934, m Mamie Queen Isabells McLemore; and Martha Monassa, b. 1862, d. 1937, m. Jim M. Farnell. (1852-1915).

The descendants of James Thomas Hooks will be presented first, and these will be following by those of his sister, Martha Monassa (Hooks) Farnell.

James Thomas Hooks was married to Mamie Queen Isabells McLemore on Dec. 19, 1880. She was born in 1852 and died in 1932. They made their home in China Grove, Ala., where they were both buried in a local cemetery. They reared the following eight children: Emma A., b. 1882, d. 1929; Comer G., b. 1883, d. 1941; James Grover, b. 1884, d. 1974; William Adolphus, b. 1886, d. 1968; Ewel Gafford, b. 1889, d. 1980; Charlie Talmage, b. 1889, d. 1927; Fannie Lou, b. 1893, d. 1966; and Mary Lou, b. 1894, d. 1971. All the children were buried along with their parents at China Grove.

Martha Monassa Hooks was married to James “Jim” M. Farnell in Pike County on Nov. 22, 1887. They had made their home in Andalusia where they both died and were buried. They reared the following 11 children: Clay, b. 1880, m. Cora ?; J. Lee, b. 1882, d. 1884; Bishop M., b. 1984, m. Susie ?; William M., m. 1900 Armitta Alford; Carl Erutta, b. 1886, d. 1957; Fannie Mae, b. 1888, d. 1966, m. Norman Kight Bodie; Farnell Infant, b. 1891; Arthur Chesley, b. 1893, d. 1950, m. Annie Rogers; Thomas “Tom” H., b. 1895, d. 1923, m. Mamie Fryer; Andrew Lang, b. 1899, d. 1900; and Mabel Ruth, b. 1901, d. 1938, m. John Roquemore.

The grandchildren of Martha Monassa (Hooks) and Jim Farnell include the following: Ramon Farnell and Marvin Clay Farnell, who married Susie Davis, sons of William M. and Armitta Farnell; Blondell Farnell and Voncille Farnell, daughters of Arthur and Annie Farnell; Roy Farnell, son of Clay and Cora Farnell; Tom Farnell and Virginia Farnell, children of Tom H. and Mamie Farnell; John William Roquemore, son of Mabel (Farnell) and John Roquemore; and the children of Fannie Mae (Farnell) Bodie who will be outlined in the next paragraph.

Fannie Mae (Farnell) was married in 1909 to Norman Knight Bodie, son of John and Mary “Polly” “Stephenson” Bodie. Fannie Mae was born in Pike County in 1888 and died in 1966 in Andalusia. Norman was born in 1874 in South Carolina and died in 1926 in Andalusia. They were buried in the Magnolia Cemetery in Andalusia. They reared the following children who would also be the grandchildren of Martha Monassa (Hooks) and Jim Farnell: Martha Lodelle, b. 1910, d. 1977; Addie Bell, b. 1912, d. 1986, m. Ezra Barnes; Mary Louise, b. 1914, d. 1983; Marvin Norman, b. 1916, d. 1962; James Thomas, b. 1918, d. 1919; Bonnie Jewel, b. 1920, d. 1979; Anne Coreen, b. 1921, d. 1994; and (twin) Fannie Irene, b. 1921, d. 1992.

The oldest daughter, Martha Lodelle Bodie, was married in Andalusia to Willie Frank Carter (1906-1972). They reared the following two sons: Donald Eugene, b. 1933, d. 1958; and Billy, b. 1936, m. Glenda Castleberry.

Another daughter of Fannie Mae and Norman Bodie was Mary Louise Bodie who was married to Henry Donaldson, a native of Andalusia. At some point, the family moved to Bakersfield, Cal., where Mary and Henry were buried at their deaths. They reared the following four children: Norman, b. 1941; Linda Ruth, b. 1943, m. Carl LeRoy Sparks; Kathryn Faye, b. 1948, m. Mike Smith; and Kenneth Ray, b. 1948, d. 1990.

Fannie Mae and Norman Bodie’s oldest son, Marvin Norman Bodie, was born in 1939 in Brewton to Lucy Elizabeth Ward, daughter of William and Hattie (Knowles) Ward of Covington County. They reared the following two sons: Marvin Wayne, b. 1946, m. 1969 Nikki Martin; and Frankie Levon, b. 1951, m. 1974 Barbara Brooks.

Fannie Mae’s next daughter, Bonnie Jewel Bodie, was married in Andalusia to Charles Oglesby Burge Jr. who was born in 1918 in Wing. They reared the following three children: Norma Elizabeth, b. 1941, m. J.W. Williamson, a native of Searight, Ala.; Miriam Frances, b. 1944, m. Winston Foshee, a native of Covington County; and Charles Oglesby III, b. 1952, d. 1978, m. Mary Evelyn Palmer, a native of Andalusia.

Fannie Mae’s next daughter, Anne Coreen Bodie, was married in 1943 in Covington County to Ray Bush, son of Claude and Emily (Knowles) Bush (1920-1980). Anne and Ray were buried in the Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery located on Brooklyn Road. They reared the following three children: Harold Ray, b. 1944, m. Paulette Wells; Terry Glen, b. 1948, d. 2005, m. Doris Patterson; and Donnie Hugh, b. 1950, m. Deloris Duncan.

Fannie Mae’s youngest daughter, Fannie Irene Bodie, was married in 1944 in Crestview, Fla., to Otis Hall (1918-1996), son of Thomas and Emma (Spears) Hall. They appear to have resided in the Andalusia area, and they reared the following two children: Jenny, b. 1944, m. 1962 Franklin Rockwell, a native of Clarendon, N.C.; and Tyler, b. 1946, m. Judy Alice ?, a native of Henderson, Tenn.

The source for this writing was the family records of descendants of the Hooks and Farnell families.

Anyone who might have a correction to the above or additional information on these families is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HISTORICAL MEETING: The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Aug. 29, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. Guests and prospective members are cordially invited.