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          
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