John Hooke Esq (1655 - 1712)

Born 1655 in Drogheda, County of the Town of Drogheda, Ireland

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Descendants

Died 1712 at about age 57 in England

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Biography

John Hooke Esq was Chief Justice of Wales from 1706 to 1711.

John Hooke was born in Drogheda, Ireland, the eldest son of nonconformist minister Rev John Hooke and his wife Margaret, daughter of Christopher Hooke of Alway, Gloucestershire. He matriculated at Trinity College Dublin on 28 June 1672, age 17, and entered Gray's Inn on 3 February 1675. ^[1] He was called to the bar on 8 February 1682 and named Ancient 23 November 1692. On 30 October 1700 he was named Serjeant at Law. He was appointed a Justice in Wales and later Chief Justice, but he lost his position in 1711 due to accusations of bribery. ^{[2] [3]}

Some time before 1687, when they had their first son Nathaniel, he married Elizabeth, daughter of imprisoned Parliamentarian Major-General John Lambert. He was thereafter associated with some of Lambert's other sons-in-law, particularly in a venture to settle lands in New Jersey, where they hoped to establish a refuge from the Catholicism they feared overtaking England under the rule of James II. ^[4] In 1688, he vainly attempted to convince his Catholic convert brother Nathaniel to return to protestantism. ^[5] Hooke was keenly interested in religious issues and in 1698 a founder of The Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge.

He died a "poor man". ^[2] on 22 April 1710, he wrote his Will, ^[6] leaving his estate to his wife Elizabeth. He was buried 4 May 1712, the event being recorded in both London ^[7] and in Devon ^[8], making it unclear where his remains actually were interred.

Sources

1. ↑ Foster, Joseph. The register of admissions to Gray's inn, 1521-1889, p. 320, folio 1,263. London: Hansard, 1889. Gray's
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Williams, William Retlaw. The History of the Great Sessions in Wales 1542-1830 Williams
3. ↑ Farr, David. "New Information with Regard to the Imprisonment of Major General John Lambert, 1662-1684 " Cromwelliana 1998, p. 56, note # 46. note # 46
4. ↑ Farr, David. "Notes and Documents: John Blackwell and Daniel Cox: Further Notes on Their Activities in Restoration England and British North America" The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 123, No. 3 (Jul., 1999), pp. 227-233 Notes
5. ↑ Byrne, Thomas. From Irish Whig Rebel to Bourbon Diplomat: the Life and Career of Nathaniel Hooke (1644-1738), p. 102. National University of Ireland, Maynooth, 2006. Byrne
6. ↑ "Will of John Hooke, Serjeant at Law" proved 21 May 1712 PROB 11/526/421
7. ↑ Register of St Dunstan in the West 1709-1939 Dunstan
8. ↑ Register of Branscombe Devon FindMyPast