William R. Hooten was born in February 13, 1806 in Grayson, Virginia. He was the son of John Hooten. The Hootens were church leaders in central Tennessee. His brother, John Hooten, Jr. preached for years around Lewisburg, Tennessee. He is buried in the Reed Cemetery in Lewisburg.

     John Hooten, Sr. was a Methodist preacher who moved from Indiana to Tennessee. Upon his arrival he came in contact with the Restoration Movement. His son, William R. is said to have been one of the first traveling preacher into the state of Georgia. In a history of Georgia by Nathan W. Smith, he said that Hooten had spent the winter and spring of 1836 in Georgia. Along with Tolbert Fanning, he is perhaps the first preacher to travel into Alabama and Southern Tennessee. Some of the earliest church records in Maury County mention the work of W.R. Hooten as being one of its earliest preachers.

     John & Mary S. Berry Hooten were married November 12, 1839. To this union were born eleven children, among whom were Elijah R., and William, who was ordained in 1829 – one of the first to preach in Texas. Also, Joseph Hooten, another early preacher in Texas.

     W.R. Hooten passed from this life in June 28, 1892. He is buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee.

Kenneth Randolph, Alabama Restoration Journal, Vol. 4 #4, 12.31.2010, p.4

The William R. and Mary Hooten family plot is locate in the old cemetery at Mount Olivet. He lies among many of the saints who built the church in Nashville, and throughout the land. The cemetery is located at 1101 Lebanon Pike, Southeast of downtown Nashville. Click over to Mt. Olivet for map and location of the grave in the cemetery. His remains rest in Section 14. See pinpointed location on Mount Olivet map here. Section 14, Lot 145

Editor's Note: Finding the grave of William R. Hooten has been a great accomplishment. I have been searching for the final resting place of this man for years. As he was one of the earliest preachers of the gospel in my home states of both Alabama and Georgia, it was very important to locate his grave.