Hooker, THOMAS

Hooker, THOMAS, one of the founders of Connecticut, was born at Markfield, Leicestershire, in 1586, studied at Cambridge, and became a Fellow of Emmanuel College, and was for four years a curate at Chelmsford. Ejected for nonconformity, he lived in Holland until 1633, when he went to Massachusetts, and received a charge at Cambridge. In 1636 he removed with his congregation to Connecticut, and founded the town of Hartford, where he died, 7th July 1647. Hooker was a man of great influence in New England, and published many sermons and polemical works. A selection, with a Life, was printed at Boston in 1849.