Rev. Thomas Hooker - Founder of Connecticut Colony
Family Connection - 9th great-grandfather of Roy Ellsworth Stricker
Since it was sculpted over 200 years after his death, the sculptor used some of Hooker's descendants as models.
Thomas Hooker was born in Marefield, Tilton, Leicestershire, England in 1586. In 1604, he enrolled in Queen's College, Cambridge, then transferred to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1608 and a Master of Arts in 1611. From 1609 to 1619 he was a Fellow at Emmanuel College.
In 1620 he became rector of St. George's Church, Surrey. In 1621, he married Susannah Garbrand in Surrey. Together, they had eight children:
Joanna b. 1622 d. 1646
Mary b. 1624 d. 1675
Anne b. 1626 d. 1626
Sarah b. 1628 d. 1629
Sarah b. 1630 d. 1725
John b. 1631 d. 1684
Samuel b. 1633 d. 1697
Unknown son b. unknown d. 1634
Around 1626, he was appointed Lecturer and Curate at St. Mary's, Chelmsford. In 1629, Archbishop William Laud eliminated all church Lecturer positions, so Thomas moved to the town of Little Baddow, where he led a school.
By 1631, Hooker and his family fled to the Netherlands to escape persecution from Archbishop Laud. From there, they migrated to Massachusetts on the ship Griffin in 1633. They arrived in Boston and quickly settled in Cambridge.
He became the Pastor of First Church, Cambridge in 1633. He served there until 1636. His beliefs were not always in compliance with church leadership. He had a long-standing disagreement with Rev. John Cotton, the very powerful minister of First Church, Boston over who should be allowed to vote. At the time, only Freeman could vote in Massachusetts. (See post from May 15th for more details). Hooker believed that all men of age who held property and were not indentured servants should be able to vote, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Hooker and his followers founded a new settlement called Hartford. In his first sermon, he declared "the foundation of authority is laid in the free consent of the people" - a statement that was deemed very radical at that time.
In 1638, he brought together the leadership of the towns of Hartford, Weathersfield, and Windsor. Together, with his leadership, they created a written constitution called the "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut". That document laid out the basis for the Colony and later State of Connecticut. It is also considered one of the primary influencing documents for the U.S. Constitution.
In 1647, an influenza epidemic swept through the colonies. Thomas Hooker died of influenza on
July 7, 1647. In his will, written just prior to his death, he willed his house and lands to his son John after the death of Thomas' wife Susanna. He willed his books and manuscripts to his son John if he returned from England, where he was studying. Since John chose to remain in England, the will stipulated that the books and manuscripts were to go to Samuel. He gave cash to his daughter Sarah and to the children of his daughters Joanna and Mary. The rest of his substantial estate was left to his wife.
Thomas Hooker was buried in Hartford's Ancient Bury Grounds, but no stone exists. A memorial stone was placed in the cemetery at a much later date.
N MEMORY OF THE REV. THOMAS HOOKER
WHO IN 1636 WITH HIS ASSISTANT MR. STONE
ReMOVeD TO HARTFORD WITH ABOUT 100 PeRSONS
WHeRe HE PLANTED ye FIRST CHURCH IN CONNeCTICUT
AN ELOQUENT. ABLe & FAITHFUL MINISTeR OF CHRIST
HE DIED JULY 7th 1647 AET LXI
WHO IN 1636 WITH HIS ASSISTANT MR. STONE
ReMOVeD TO HARTFORD WITH ABOUT 100 PeRSONS
WHeRe HE PLANTED ye FIRST CHURCH IN CONNeCTICUT
AN ELOQUENT. ABLe & FAITHFUL MINISTeR OF CHRIST
HE DIED JULY 7th 1647 AET LXI
Rev. Thomas Hooker > Sarah Hooker > Sarah Wilson > Margaret Torrey > Mercy Chapin > Mary
Palmer > Aaron Palmer Grover > William Grover > Eugene Aaron Grover > Lilliam May Grover > Gertrude Myra Newland > Roy Ellsworth Stricker Charts S-D and S-Main
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