Key Facts

Snapshot:	migrated from New York to North Carolina; owned slaves
Parents:	1948John Hood 1949Rachel van Bunschoten
Baptized:	22 February 1719 Kingston, New York
Died:	between 12 April and October 1797 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Buried:	Rocky Spring Meeting House Burial Ground, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Cemetery's coordinates: N35.1821 W80.6152

Records of the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, New York show that 974Theunis, son of 1948Jan Hoed and 1949Rachel Van Buntschooten, was baptized on 22 February 1719.1 His parents had married just four months earlier.2

974Tunis later relocated to Virginia (We know so thanks in particular to a deed dated 1 August 1770 from Frederick County, Virginia in which 974Tunis describes himself as "the only surv[iv]ing son and Heir of [...] John Hood." 3), but when he moved there isn't entirely clear.* He purchased some items at an estate sale in Augusta County, Virginia on 1 September 1748, so he may have moved to Virginia at a fairly young age.4 Subsequent records, however, don't emerge until several decades later, as you'll soon see.

"Tunas Hood being the only surving son and Heir of the said John Hood"—This Frederick County, Virginia deed helps prove that 974Tunis had relocated to Virginia. Full page.3

974Tunis listed as a buyer at an estate sale in Augusta County, Virginia in 1748. Full page.4
(Although written as "Wood" rather than "Hood," this is generally believed to be an error.)

On 1 and 7 August 1771, 974Tunis sold some land that previously had belonged to his father.3,5 The second of these two deeds mentions 974Tunis' wife Elizabeth, and is the first evidence I've found of their marriage.5 Later that same month, in two separate deeds 974Tunis purchased land along Linville Creek, Augusta County, Virginia.6 All four of these deeds describe 974Tunis as being from Frederick County, so he may have continued living there a while before finalizing his move to Augusta County.

974Tunis' wife Elizabeth mentioned in a deed dated 7 August 1771 from Frederick County, Virginia. Full page.5

He apparently didn't remain in Augusta County for long. He witnessed deeds there on 27 May 17727 and 26 April 1773, but seems to have been absent when the latter deed was proved on 17 August 1773.8 In August 1775 he sold his land that lay along Linville Creek.9,10

Meanwhile he had relocated to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, where he would spend the rest of his life. He purchased land there on 12 December 177211 and again in 1774.12 A memorial plaque at N35.138567 W80.684550 claims to mark the location of 974Tunis' plantation, although I have not attempted to confirm the accuracy of this location.

The 1790 census shows 974Tunis in Mecklenburg County. The numbers below represent: 1 white male age >16, and 7 slaves. The third column (which is blank) is where his wife would've been listed, so she probably had died by this time.13

1790: 974Tunis in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Full page.13

974Tunis wrote his will on 12 April 1797. The original copy of his will survives, a somewhat rare treat, so we can see 974Tunis' actual signature:14

974Tunis' original signature on his will. Full page.14

His will reveals that he had re-married to a woman named Jane; names sons John, Tunas, Soloman, and Reubin; names daughters Elizabeth, Reachel Shaffer, 487Pheby Herison, Lidia McGinty, Mary Neel; and names slaves Charlotte, Prudence, Young Hager, Hannah, Young Dinah, Sarah, Joseph, Old Jacob, Old Hager, and Cliandy. The will was proved at the October 1797 court. A few excerpts from the will are below.14 You can see a transcription here.

Excerpts from 974Tunis' will.14

The Rocky Spring Meeting House Burial Ground lies at coordinates N35.1821 W80.6152. Within this cemetery is a small, simple stone labeled "T H." 15 This is widely believed to be the grave of 974Tunis Hood. I'm offering a monetary reward for a better photo of the stone and more precise coordinates of its location within the cemetery.

This stone is generally believed to mark 974Tunis' grave.15

Footnote:

*

Dellmann O Hood's book The Tunis Hood Family on page 93 transcribes an Orange County, Virginia court record dated 27 August 1742 that supposedly mentions 974Tunis Hood, but the transcription is erroneous. The transcription begins, "Tunis Hood, appearing on last Court's order to be fined [...]," yet the original record clearly shows that the man's name is Thomas Hood, not Tunis. Perhaps Dellmann Hood suspected that the original record was simply wrong, but he doesn't mention so or justify why he felt that way. The original court record that Dellmann O. Hood erroneously transcribed in his book The Tunis Hood Family. Full page.16

Sources Cited:

1: Roswell Randall Hoes, ed., Baptismal and Marriage registers of the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, Ulster County, New York (De Vinne Press, New York, 1891), page 125, entry #2643 for the baptism of Theunis on 22 February 1719.

2: Roswell Randall Hoes, ed., Baptismal and Marriage registers of the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, Ulster County, New York (De Vinne Press, New York, 1891), page 535, entry #397 for the marriage of Jan Hoed and Rachel van Buntschooten.

3: Frederick County, Virginia. Deeds book 15, pages 81-84, a deed dated 1 August 1771 involving 216 acres. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLD-1K3V?i=49&cat=408287>, accessed 13 July 2021. 974Tunis describes himself as the sole survivor of 1948John Hood on page 82, lines 9-10.

4: Augusta County, Virginia. Wills book 1 (1745-1753), pages 208-209. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P7-3C2C?i=406&cat=279443>, accessed 13 July 2021.

5: Frederick County, Virginia. Deeds book 15, pages 84-86, a deed dated 7 August 1771 involving 130 acres. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLD-1KC6?i=51&cat=408287> et seq., accessed 13 July 2021.

6: Augusta County, Virginia. Deed book 17, pages 398-400 and 401-404. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-MGWP?i=207&cat=282708> et seq., accessed 13 July 2021.

7: Augusta County, Virginia. Wills book 5 (1772-1778), pages 114-115, a deed dated 27 May 1772 and proved 17 August 1773. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P7-3931?i=64&cat=279443>, accessed 13 July 2021.

8: Augusta County, Virginia. Deed book 19, pages 349-350, a deed dated 26 April 1773. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-MGBY?i=752&cat=282708>, accessed 13 July 2021.

9: Augusta County, Virginia. Deeds book 22, pages 418-420, a deed dated 20 August 1775 from Tunas Hood to Abraham Brandeman. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-939B-L?i=219&cat=282708> et seq., accessed 13 July 2021.

10: Augusta County, Virginia. Deeds book 22, pages 420-423, a deed dated 27 August 1775 from Tunas Hood and Elizabeth his wife to Abraham Brandeman. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-939B-D?i=220&cat=282708>, accessed 13 July 2021.

11: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Deeds book 7, pages 58-59, a deed dated 12 December 1772. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L983-ZHWF?i=426&cat=168633>, accessed 14 July 2021.

12: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Deeds book 7, pages 53-55, a deed dated 23 ___ in the 15th year of the reign of King George III [i.e., 1774]. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G983-ZHT9?i=423&cat=168633>, accessed 14 July 2021.

13: 1790 U.S. Federal Census. Mecklenburg, North Carolina, page 377, line 10, Tunis Hood Senr. NARA microfilm publication M637, roll 7. Internet Archive, <https://archive.org/details/populationsc17900007unit/page/n544/mode/1up>, accessed 14 July 2021.

14: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Original wills, volume 9 (Hip-Jet), the will of Tunis Hood dated 12 April 1797. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GW-T9GD-S?i=303&cat=358210>, accessed 14 July 2021.

15: Carol Ann Selis, "Tunis Hood 1719 tombstone (TH)" (online image), uploaded to Geni.com on 17 March 2011. <https://www.geni.com/photo/view/6000000007611074638?album_type=photos_of_me&photo_id=6000000011852685206>, accessed 15 July 2021.

16: Orange County, Virginia. Order book 3 (1741-1743), page 205, minutes for the 27 August 1742 court. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4N-W99S-L?i=102&cat=402491>, accessed 16 July 2021.