Jacob Karns was a preacher who was angry about the red light district in the 1860s and later returned as the Hook Man spirit. |
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The Hookman legend has many different versions, and is retold as urban legend. Mostly, he is summoned to take revenge on someone who deserves it. In Supernatural, he was not summoned on purpose, but he came to take revenge on people who were not moral.
A man by the name of Jacob Karns, who was a preacher circa 1860s, lost his right hand in an accident and had it outfitted as a silver hook. In 1862 he was so angry about the red light district in town he went out to Nine Mile Road and killed 13 prostitutes with his hook. For his crime he was hung until death, then buried in an unmarked grave with his silver hook being donated to the church. The church had it melted down and created into something else, one of the items being a silver chain and cross necklace.
Just like a spirit, the Hook Man can appear and disappear. He is vulnerable to all things that make spirits vulnerable.