Posted by Warren Tooker on January 15, 1999 at 12:30:02:
The following information, which may of interest to some of you, was sent to me by Mike Tooker of Aukland, New Zealand:
Transcribed from a photocopy of a copy, written from a copy, dated 1898, obtained from the Vicar of Milton Abbott Church, by Charlotte Mary Hodge, only surviving daughter of John William Tooker, the eldest son of James Saunders Tooker, Plymouth (Devon, England) May 1st 1918.
The Tooker family in Milton Abbott and the neighbourhood and in the parish of Tavistock (West Devon).
We find the name spelt in different ways. On Parish Records and Deeds we may find these various spellings: Tooker, Toocher, Toker, Touker, Tokar. In the deeds and registers of Milton Abbott it is most commonly spelt "Tooker". In the following account and extracts the name will be spelt as found in the place named.
1330 The earliest mention of the name is found in a deed at Tavistock dated 1300, lands
of John Toker and of William Toker are mentioned there; again, in a deed there
1434 dated 1434 Roger Toker is mentioned as one of the witnesses. In another deed
1444 dated 1444, Stephen Toker is mentioned as a witness; he is mentioned again in a
1476 deed dated 1476 as Stephen Tooker. It might possibly be the same man
1500 mentioned in a deed dated 1500 as Stephen Toker. In another deed of the same
date we find John, Stephen and Roger Toker all mentioned together.
1533 Then in a deed dated 1533 mention is made of John Toker of Carsanton in the
parish of Lawhilton, possibly a branch of the Milton Abbott Tooker who had
1538 moved on further from Tavistock. In the Tavistock Churchwardens accounts for
1539 the 1538-1539 we have the bell tolled for Stephen Toker and Richard Toker.
1552 And in a deed dated 1552 we read of a grant of land to John Tooker. Whilst in 1588 the churchwardens accounts for 1588-1589 we have the tolling of the ....missing
line...
For in the year 1588 we have the Parish accounts of the parish of Milton Abbott.
These are the earliest records of any kind relating to this parish. When we turn to
them we find, as might be expected from the close connexion (sic) of Milton
Abbott with the Abbey, and therefore the town of Tavistock, some branch of the
Tooker family already established there. In these accounts we read, "For one
shepe which came from Maud Tooker, Wyddowe, and sold to Richard Tooker,
iis.jd. For one other shepe which came from the same Maud, which was the gifte
of John Tooker, her late husband, deceased, towards the churche and sold
likewise to the same Richard iis.jd. and John Tooker pays to the collectors for the
1593 year for the poor iiiid. For the year 1593 in a Tavistock Deed, we read of a
garden in tenure of Mary Toker. And returning to Milton Abbott, we have a
tombstone 1645 now in the churchyard, and in a wonderful state of preservation,
dated 1645, and with the following inscription on it:
'William Tooker of Longbrooke, deceased the 3 Day of March, An Dom: 1645
This man to eighty years compleat
A batchelor's life did live,
And when he died, unto the poore
Neare halfe his goods did give
His heart, his hand, his dore, his purse
To them were open still'
..............last line obscured....
It will be clearly seen that if this William Tooker lived to "eighty years complete",
he must have been 23 years old in the year 1588, the year in which we have the
parish accounts referred to above. It follows therefore, that he must have known
and was probably nearly related to Maud Tooker and her deceased husband and
Richard Tooker; in fact he may have been a son of Maud and John Tooker and
1730 brother of Richard Tooker; for we read in the register of marriages for 1730 of
"Mr John Tooker of Longbrooke". From the names William and John and
Richard recurring in so many generations of the Tookers as will be seen from the
Registers following, it will be clear that this William Tooker whose death is
recorded on the tombstone,must have been closely related to the Tookers of the
Register of Marriages.
1653 The Registers of the parish of Milton Abbott commence with the appointment of a
Registrar in the year 1653. The earliest appearance of the name of Tooker in the
1655 Registers is in the Register of Marriages for the year 1655, just 10 years after
William Tooker's death recorded on the tombstone thus, "The bands of
Augustine Egbear of the parish of Milton Abbott and Elizabeth Toker of the
same came to my hands the 12th May and were published the 13, the 20 and 27
of the same month."
1655 Then , "Augustine Egbear and Elizabeth Tooker were married the 27th of
August 1655."
The marriages in which the name of Tooker appears follow as below;
"The bands of John Dobbins of the parish of Torbryan, and Margaret Tooker
of the parish of Milton Abbott 1658".
1658 "John Dobbins and Margaret Tooker were married the 20 of June 1658."
1662 Ralph Tooker & Julian Cary were married the 8 of April , 1662
1666 John Tooker married to Elizabeth Bray November 26 1666.
1690 Nicholas Codlope (Cudlip) was married to Elizabeth Tooker the 24 July 1690
1700 Edmond Tooker & Barbara Hart were married the 25 day of December 1700.
1702 William Tooker & Mary Horrell were married the 17 day of February 1702.
1727 Edmond Tooker of Brentor to Dionsyia Blatchford after banns, October 22.
1728 Edward Tooker to Anne Hatch of Stoke Climsland after banns, Oct 9th 1728
1729 Robert Traise to Elizabeth Tooker April 2, 1729
1730 Mr John Tooker of Longbrooke to Jane, daughter of Mr. Thos. Edgecombe
after banns 1730.
1742 Benjamin Wordman to Mary, daughter of widow Agnes Tooker, May 8, 1742.
1745 Richard Tooker to Elizabeth, daughter of Mr Joseph Maynard April 28, 1745
Edmund Tooker to Joanna Barradle, widow, of Sidenham Damarel, Sep 11,
1745.
1751 John, son of Agnes Tooker, widow, to Mary Tooker of Tavistock, widow,
Sept 11, 1751.
1752 Richard Tooker to Grace Clarke, July 5 1752.
1757 Oct 23, Richard Tooker is mentioned as one of the witnesses to a marriage.
1772 William Prout to Agnes Tooker, Nov 21, 1772
After this date the name of Tooker does nor appear in any Register of Marriages
of this period of Milton Abbott
Signed:- C.H. Taylor, Vicar
A margin note states "Longbrook said to have been gambled away in a game of cards."
From the Register of Births and Baptisms in the parish of Milton Abbott.
1655 John, the son of John Tooker was borne July 8, 1655
1658 Elizabeth, the daughter of John Tooker, was born Oct 2, 1658.
1665 Richard, the son of John Tooker, baptised July 8, 1665.
1667 John, the son of John Tooker baptised Oct 5, 1667.
1667 William the son of Roger Tooker baptised Dec 10, 1667
1672 Susan the daughter of John Tooker baptised June 24, 1672.
1677 Roger the son of Roger Tooker baptised Jan 23, 1677.
1702 Edmund the son of William Tooker was baptised Nov 18, 1702.
1708 Elizabeth the daughter of Richard Tooker baptised Oct 9, 1708.
1728 William son of Edmund & Dionysia Tooker Dec 28, 1728.
1731 John son of Mr John Tooker of Longbrook and Jane his wife Feb 24, 1731.
1731 Edmund the son of Edmund & Dionysia Tooker, June 11, 1731.
1745 John Maynard son of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Sep 10, 1745.
1747 Agnes daughter of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Jan 20, 1747.
1750 Mary daughter of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Feb 14, 1750.
1752 Dionysia daughter of Richard & Grace Tooker Oct 29, 1752.
1755 William son of Richard & Grace Tooker April 20, 1755
1755 Richard son of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Dec 27, 1755.
1759 John son of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Aug 8, 1759.
1761 Joseph Maynard son of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker March 31, 1761
1762 Mary daughter of Richard & Grace Tooker Jan 30, 1762.
1763 Pasco Ward son of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Jan 12, 1763.
With this last entry the name of Tooker disappears from the Register of Baptisms of the parish of Milton Abbott.
C. H. Taylor, Vicar.
Register of Deaths
From the Register of Deaths in the parish of Milton Abbott.
1645 On a tombstone in the churchyard, as mentioned previously, William Tooker of
Longbrook, decessed March 3, 1645.
In Register of Burials
1656 Joane Tooker was buried Feb 23, 1656.
1658 Philop the daughter of John Tooker Jan 8, 1658.
Next entry obscured
1665 Roger Tooker March 10, 1665
1670 Alice Tooker April 16, 1670
1670 Elizabeth the daughter of John Tooker Aug 2, 1670
1675 Joane the wife of William Tooker Feb 17, 1675
1676 Roger the son of Roger Tooker Jan 7, 1676
1677 William Tooker of Enedor April 29, 1677
1689 Mary the wife of Roger Tooker Aug 29, 1689
1691 Richard Tooker Aug 30, 1691
1692 Pasco Tooker March 27, 1692
1694 William Tooker Aug 9, 1694
1696 Roger Tooker Dec 25, 1696
1699 John Tooker April 2, 1699
1703 John Tooker Nov 24, 1703
1728 Barbara ye wife of Edward Tooker June 16, 1728
1731 Edward Tooker of the parish of Coriton July 22, 1731
1733 John Tooker of Weele March 28, 1733
1734 Mr Richard Tooker of Higher Edgecumbe Nov 29, 1734
1735 Richard Tooker of Wildey Mills July 5, 1735
1739 John the son of John Tooker Nov 26, 1739
1743 Anne the wife of Edward Tooker August 23, 1743
1743 Edward Tooker Sep 12, 1743
1746 John Maynard son of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Jan 12, 1746
1752 Mary daughter of Richard & Elizabeth Tooker Aug 9, 1752
1754 John Tooker, Gent: Oct 7, 1754
1760 William son of Richard & Grace Tooker Nov 21, 1760
1767 Agnes Tooker, widdow May 12, 1767
1771 John, son of Richard Tooker April 20, 1771
1771 Elizabeth the wife of Richard Tooker Aug 14, 1771
1773 Maynard Tooker son of Richard Tooker April 14, 1773
1774 Pasco son of Richard Tooker Oct 6, 1774
1776 Richard Tooker, Junior Jan 23, 1776
1786 Richard Tooker July 10, 1786