 Thomas Hooker was born in July 1586 at Markfield, near Leicester. He
received two degrees from Emmanuel College, and took his first pastorate
at Esher, near Surrey in 1620. The stipend was only £40 per year, but
his pay was supplemented by Francis Drake, who took Hooker into his
house. Drake’s wife was in despair, believing that she had committed the
unpardonable sin. Previous attempts by John Dod and James Ussher had
failed to convince her otherwise; but Hooker was successful. From this came
his book [published by Soli Deo Gloria] The Poor Doubting Christian
Drawn to Christ.
Hooker married Susanna, Mrs. Drake’s maid. In 1626 he was called to
the church at Chelmsford, Essex. He was popular with the other ministers,
but his puritanism brought him into great disfavor with the avowed
enemy of the Puritans, William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury. The
opposition made Hooker decide to leave England for Holland, where he was
assistant for a time to the renowned William Ames. In 1633 he sailed for New
England, settling in what is now Cambridge, and in 1634 was installed
at the eighth church in the colonies. But in 1636 he moved with his
congregation to Connecticut, and founded the town of Hartford.
Hooker died suddenly in 1647. The likeness of him we have used is
taken from a statue of Hooker in the capitol building in Hartford, done by
Charles Henry Niehaus (1855-1935). Since no portrait of Hooker exists,
Niehaus studied portraits of Hooker’s lineal descendants, and formed a
composite of family features.
Lord HowardLords Member of the Westminster Assembly. |
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