Life History

Notes

• Chris' daughter has informed us through a mutual cousin that her father's name was Chris, rather than Christopher like his father.  His name does appear that way in all the records I have found, although so does his father's name in some records.  His father signed his WWI draft card, however, as Christopher Columb. Rooke.  In the 1940 census, Chris was reported as Chris Jr, which normally makes us think the name is the same as the father's.  My cousin comments on that too.
  
  "One thing my cousin has corrected me on - her father, my mother's brother, is Chris Columbus Rooke, not Christopher. It was news to me!  Especially since I've seen him as Chris C. Rooke Jr."
  --  Linda Tucker Matchett, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 22 July 2014
  
  We find some listings that, however, seem to reinforce the concept that his name was Christopher.  He is listed in some directories as Chris C Rook Jr.  His son (born about 1959) is listed in several records or references as Chris C Rooke III.  This is the name reported on the latter's grave and obituary.  I have not found a copy of the birth or death certificate for the 2nd and 3rd Chrises.  On the death certificatre of Chris (b 1898) his name is Christopher Columbus Rooke.
  
  Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997
  Chris C Rooke
  Birth 1 Sep 1933 Bexar County
  Father's Name Chris C Rooke
  Mother's name Bessie Clinton
  
  Chris' father and mother divorced in the 1930s.  In 1940, his mother Bessie is enumerated with her children in her father's home in Aransas County, Texas, where they were living before she and Christopher divorced.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Aransas County, Texas, 9 May, Rockport Precinct 2, District 4-4, page 5A, Liberty St, Hse #88, Owns $100
  Clinton, Jimmie Head M W 48 Married Grade 7 b Texas same place in 1935 No Occup stated [b abt 1892]
  [other Clinton family members listed here]
  Rooke, Bessie daughter F W 30 Divorced H1 b Texas same place in 1935 Seamstress, PWA Sewing Room [b abt 1910]
  Rooke, Fannie granddau F W 8 Grade 2 b Texas same place in 1935 [b abt 1932]
  Rooke, Chris Jr grandson M W 6 Grade 1 b Texas same place in 1935 [b abt 1934]
  Rooke, James grandson M W 5 Grade 0 b Texas same place in 1935 [b abt 1935]
  
  Ada Rooke [no maiden name reported]
  Birth About 1934 in Mississippi, Death About 2011 in  Hattiesburg, Lamar, Mississippi
  Spouse Chris Rooke
  Birth About 1932 in Texas, Death About 2009 in  Southaven, De Soto, Mississippi
  Son Chris C Rooke
  Birth Abt 1959 in New Orleans LA, Death 2005 in  Houston TX
  --  Rooke, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/61592922/person/34069893428
  
  In one listing, Chris is listed as Chris P Rooke.  His son also has this middle initial in one listing.  This is nothing more than one (two) of the periodic errors that occur in directories and compilations.  I have not found any of the three Chrises them in any City Directory publication, only in public record compilations on Ancestry.com, which constitute secondary sources.
  
  This record correlates with the right person, because Chris lived in South Haven, and his niece Linda Tucker Matchett told of visiting him there before his death.  The listing also matches the following listing below under the name Chris C Rooke at the same address.  Note this listing also lists him as Jr, reinforcing the idea that either his first name was indeed Christopher, or his father's was only Chris Columbus.
  
  "Rosemary, her last name was Chunn, is still living, in MS I believe. Chris Rooke Jr. married Ada Berniece Poole. He died June 2010, she died March 2012. While he was in the hospital learning he had terminal lung cancer and leukemia, she found she had leukemia as well."
  --  Linda Tucker Matchett, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 28 July 2014
  
  U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1
  Chris P Rooke Jr
  Birth Date 1 Sep 1933
  1834 Forrest Dr, Southaven, MS, 38671-1205 (1992)
  
  U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1
  Chris C Rooke
  Birth Date 1 Sep 1933
  Phone Number 939-6790
  Address Harle St, Pearl, MS, 39208
  1834 Forrest Dr, Southaven, MS, 38671-1205 (1983 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998)
  8721 Town Park Dr Apt 1194, Houston, TX, 77036-2641 (1993)
  9011 Sandpiper Dr, Houston, TX, 77074-6815 (1996)
  7397 Northbrook Cv, Walls, MS, 38680 (1996)
  Address 1402 Beverly Dr, Clinton, MS, 39056-3505
  2179 Parkhurst CT Apt 3, Memphis, TN, 38116-8770
  
  I see that there is a date of 1993 on the Southaven listing as well as the Houston listing.  I don't know the import of that, unless the compilation has combined listings for the father (b 1933) and the son (b 1959).  It may be that he moved from Houston in that year and was included in listings in both places.  These compilation listings come from various sources.
  
  U.S. Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002
  Chris C, Jr Rooke
  1834 Forrest Dr, Southaven, Mississippi 38671-1205
  Phone Number 662-342-4407
  Residence Years 2000 2001 2002
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Chris C. Rooke
  Born 1 Sep 1933
  Died 4 Jun 2010
  Last Residence Southaven, De Soto, Mississippi 38671
  SSN issued Texas (Before 1951)

Sources

• 1. 1940 Federal Census, Aransas County, Texas
  • 9 May, Rockport Precinct 2, District 4-4, page 5A, Liberty St, Hse #88, Owns $100
• 2. Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997
• 3. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 4. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1
• 5. Ancestry Trees
• 6. U.S. Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002
• 7. Linda Tucker Matchett
• 8. Obituary Daily Times Index, 1995-Current
• 9. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 10. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2