Peter VESS married Catherine “Katie” CROOK, daughter of John Emmanuel CROOK and Rachel HAYNES of Rutherford County, North Carolina.

The Haynes Family: Catherine’s Maternal Side

Catherine’s maternal grandparents are William Presley HAYNES and Sarah Emma GIBBS. Together they had 10 children: John, Mary, Sarah, William Jr., Hezekiah, Rachel (Catherine’s mother), Henry, Eli, and Levi.

William Presley Haynes was the first pastor at Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, which is believed to have been established in 1785. William is believed to have died in 1788 per his probate record. His 300 acres of land on Cove Creek near Broad River was split among his wife and younger sons. Several of his older children relocated to Kentucky. The last bit of William’s land was later sold to John Ledbetter in 1805, after Sarah’s death.

The Crook Family: Catherine’s Paternal Side

Catherine’s paternal grandparents are Andrew CROOK and Sarah BABER, daughter of James BABER and Mildred ARTHUR. Only two children are named in Andrew Crook’s 1814 Rutherford County, North Carolina probate record: Mildred Arthur Creighton Crook and “illegitamate” son, John Emmanuel Crook.

The Crook family is of Irish and Scottish descent, according to a biological sketch for Ira FOSTER, second husband of Mildred Arthur Creighton Crook (Catherine’s aunt). It further states that “Andrew Crook was born in Ireland and his mother was a Creighton.”

I strongly believe that SARAH “COOK”, listed as a member of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, between 1829-1835 with Peter and Catherine VEST is actually Sarah CROOK (Baber), Catherine’s grandmother, wife of Andrew Crook. According to Peter’s 1830 census, they had an elderly woman living with them, which I strongly believe is also Sarah.

John Emmanuel Crook married Rachel Haynes, daughter of William Haynes and Sarah Gibbs. Together they had 7 children: Zephaniah, William, Susannah, Mary Polly, David, Catherine, and Melinda. Marriage records for several children are witnessed by an Issac Creaton (which may be Creighton), a possible relative of Andrew Crook.

Crook Meets Haynes: Bill’s Creek Community

Andrew Crook, Catherine’s grandfather, obtained land in Buncombe County, North Carolina in 1804 on Gap Creek, which deed records suggest he turned around and sold it. In 1810, he is listed on the Rutherford County, North Carolina census (slave owner), but there doesn’t seem to be any (existing) land records for him in that county. However, his son, John Crook, is also listed on the 1810 census with a land record showing he obtained land in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1804.

According to the 1804 land record, John Crook obtained land on Cove Creek joining William Haynes (Sr.) original property on Cove Creek near Broad River; not too far from Bill’s Creek Baptist Church.

Crook Family of South Carolina: Possible Connections

Although the Biological Sketch of Ira Foster states Andrew Crook, Catherine’s grandfather, was born in Ireland, many family trees on Ancestry.com believe he is the son of Andrew Crooks and Janne (believed to be Creighton) of Newberry County, South Carolina, whose children (per probate records) are Samuel, John, Nancy, Elizabeth, and Andrew (Jr.).

Andrew Crooks Sr. and his sons, owned land between the Enoree and Broad Rivers in Newberry County, South Carolina (records kept in Abbeville Co.) prior to 1800. If related, could this possible give light to the mysterious Vess family living in Greenwood (once part of Newberry County) during the 1850’s??