Tooke GARRET-SHARPE-BROWN-POINTDEXTER
AND ALLIED LINES

A GENEALOGICAL STUDY
WITH BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
 

Compiled by Anne Sharpe Garrett Holmann
Privately Published by The American Historical Company, Inc. 1971, pages 285-293

TOOKE

Various origins, of almost equal probability, have been assigned to the name of "Tooke." It has been spelled in seventeen different ways, The form "De Tuke" or "De Touke," found in the midland counties, of England, points to a local origin, and that family is said to have sprung from the Sicur de Touque, whose ancient barony in Normandy was written in charters as "De Touqua." Domesday Book authority for this has not been found; but the record contains the names "Toc," "Tocho," "Tochi," and "Toka," as well as the Patronymic form "Godric Tokeson." Again, it may be from "At-Hoke" or "At-Hook," im~ying the residence of the first bearer on an elevated spot. It has also been suggested that the name is of Old English origin and signified "thick." One of the most ancient spellings is "Toke," as preserved in the Godington family for many centuries. The "Tookes" of Hurston Clays, County Sussex, of London, Hertfordshire, Dor-set, etc., proven descents of that house, have employed this orthography from the XVIth century.  (M.A. Lowcr "Patroriyrnicz Britannica.")

ORIGIN OF NAME

The surname Tooke was rare in England in the Seventh Century, as it has always been, so that most persons bearing it were probably related.  The Tookes of Herts, Sussex, Dorset, London, etc., - the name was then chiefly found in the cadets of the ancient family of Godington Hall in County Kent.  A brief account of this family is given in S. Baring-Gould's "Family Names and Their Story - London - 1910, p. 273."  Tooke or Touque is a place in the arrodessement of Pont l'Eveque. The sire of Toques appeared in a list of those who fought under William rhe Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings.  Henry Tooke served Edward I in his Scottish wars and obtained from him a grant of lands.  Sir Brian Tooke was Treasurer under Henry VIII, and was one of those drawn by Holbien.  ("Genealogical History of the Tooke and Related Farnilies' compiled by Mary Tooke Rockwell and Ida Gertrude Tooke, p.2)  The family of Toke of Godinton is often referred tom English genealogy and heraldry and is included in the relatively small list of the proven ancient families of England.  An interesting story connected with the Tooke family is given in the Genealogical History of the Tooke and Related Farnilies compiled by Mary Tooke Rockwell and Ida Gertrude Tooke:

"THE TICHBORNE CURSE"

"A 797~year~old hex is staved off by baronet's annual gift of flour"  "In the year 1150 in the manor house at AIresford, Hants, England, old Lady Mabel de Tichborne took to her deathbed. Her husband, Roger, a man of great wealth and small charity, felt obliged to go to her chamber to hear her last words. As she had done many times before, she begged him to give some of his property to the poor. Sir Roger snorted. But insomuch as he was a sporting man, he made her a proposition. "You may give away the harvest of as much of my land," he sneered, "as you can walk around, carrying a torch in your hand." Whereupon gallant Lady Mabel rose up and crawled around 13 of Sir Roger's fattest acres, encompassing an area which to this day is known as "The Crawls." The effort killed her, but as she expired she bound the Tichhornes with a curse. Unless each year on Lady Day (March 25) they gave to every adult in the village one gallon (one-half peck) of flour and to each child one-half gallon, a blight would fall on the House. Seven sons would be born followed by seven daughters, the manor would collapse and the name of Tichborne would die. And so, except for one lapse of the dole between 1796 and 1835-whereupon a flood of daughters threatened the direct family line- Tichbornes have been handing out flour on Lady Day for 797 years.  "In 1947, the duty fell upon 32-year old Sir Anthony Doughty~Tichborne, 14th baronet. But as Lady Day drew near and Lady Mabel's ghost fidgeted in the family vault, another Specter- bread rationing - threatened to cancel the performance Sir Anthony asked the Ministry of Food for 1 1,000 bread units. The Ministry said no. Then, as it seemed the tradition would be broken again, sentimental Britons rushed to the rescue. They sent their own units -more than 6,ooo- to Tichborne Manor. With these and the Ministry's belated permission, although he could give only half-measure to the 8oo villagers who applied, happy Sir Anthony carried on for another year."  Also, I might mention the fact that some Tooke descendants have been under the impression that John Horne Tooke (1736-1812), English writer, politician and philologist, was an ancestor of the family of Tooke which came to America. He was a brave man and a fine character but his name was John Horne. He assumed the name of Tooke and called himself Horne Tooke due to gratitude and admiration of William Tooke who treated him as a son.

"There are those who discredit the supposition of Boddie (17th century -97 ap. 260-6880) that James of Virginia was the son of James Tooke and Dorothy Gray of Herts, England.  "However, it seems to me that the record as we have found it, does support the theory that he was the son of James Tooke of St. Albans, Hereford, England.  "Of course, we have no positive  documentary evidence, but this James did have a Son named James, one of twenty children.  "The reason for doubt given was, the name James was not carved on his father's tomb, and is not mentioned in his father's will in 1655, written seven years before James of Virginia's death. However, only seven of James of St. Albans children were mentioned in his will and they seem to be the younger children, except Edward, who was executor of the will.  There is no record of the death or burial of the youngest James Tooke of Herts in the Church of Essenden, where his parents are buried, or elsewhere. "A John Tooke, a mariner of Herts, made a voyage to Virginia on the 'Abigail', arriving there in 1622 and received payment for the passage of a Joseph Deane from William Spencer of Virginia, who had also paid for the transportation of JAMES TOOKE of Virginia, 1621.  "This John Tooke may have been a relative of James as the name John is frequently found in the Early American families.  "In 1660, four more Tooke's, James, Thomas, Nicholas, and John arrived in Virginia, and from their names evidently were members of the Herts family and apparently were grandsons or nephews of JAMES TOOKE of St. Albans and Herts.  "It is also well to consider in relation to above, that JAMES TOOKE of Virginia named his only daughter DOROTHY, the name of the wife of James Tooke of Herts, and supposedly the mother of James of Virginia. Also, his sons are named Thomas and William, well known family names.  "This family (Tooke) had a propensity for naming their children for relatives and still do so.  "It is believed that James Tooke of Virginia was from Herts and if not a son was probably a brother or nephew of James of St. Albans and Herts.  "In either case, the ancestry would be practically the same.  "This (James of Virginia) possession of a silver signet ring, which he willed to his eldest son, THOMAS, and which probably bore the family Crest, his status in Virginia indicates that he was of "family" in England. Also he was listed in Hotton's original list "persons of quality who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations.  "By the 11th of November, 1640, he had taken up 900 acres in the county of the Isle of Wight. This tract  re-patented by Nicholas Cobb, June 17, 1664, had been assigned to Cobb on January 3, 1661, by WILLIAM TUKE, 'son and heir' of JAMES TOOKE, the original patentee.  "On September 14, 1653, JAMES TOOKE patented I78 acres in the Isle of Wight County, Virginia, upon 'the head of one of the backwater branches near Thomas Prichard's cartway'. This tract was re-patented March 9, 1662, by THOMAS TOOKE 'as due said Thomas as son and heir to James Tooke'.  "A grant to William Spencer of James City, later Surrey County, furnishes proof of JAMES TOOKE's coming in the 'George', for Spencer obtained a grant of 250 acres in 1632, of which 50 acres were on the north side of Lawn's Creek, 'due in the right of Joseph Deane, who came in the 'Abigail' in 1622, whose passage the said Spencer defrayed unto John Tooke, manner.'  (Refc., Hertord Quarter Session Book, Vol.11. I619~1657, p. 515 - has the following interesting entry: "John Mitchell of Hertord sometimes a soldier under command of Captain Bowler, in late voyage to Calais in ship with Captain Tooke, mariner. (Perhaps the oldest brother of James Tooke of Virginia).  "Hotton's Original List of Emigrants - 1600-1700, Part I, 'a list from ye port of London names to be transported to Virginia, iembarked in the 'George" on p. 178 shows, JAMES TOOKE living on James Island on February 16, 1623. The above "Hotton's" is an original list of "Persons of Quality who went from Great Britain to the America Plantations."

JAMES TOOKE served as Clerk of the Court of Isle of Wight County; as a member of the House of Burgesses 1639-40 from the Isle of Wight. (Refc. Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. II ,p. 99)."

"By the sword and the cross," Charlemagne (Charles the Great) became master of Western Europe. It was falling into decay when Charlemagne became joint king of the Franks in 768. Except in the monasteries, people had all but forgotten education and the arts. Boldly Charlemagne conquered barbarians and kings alike. By restoring the roots of learning and order, he preserved many political rights and revived culture.

Charlemagne's grandfather was Charles Martel, the warrior who crushed the Saracens (see Charles Martel). Charlemagne was the elder son of Bertrade ("Bertha Greatfoot") and Pepin the Short, first "mayor of the palace" to become king of the Franks. Although schools had almost disappeared in the 8th century, historians believe that Bertrade gave young Charles some education and that he learned to read. His devotion to the church became the great driving force of his remarkable life.

Charlemagne was tall, powerful, and tireless. His secretary, Eginhard, wrote that Charlemagne had fair hair and a "face laughing and merry . . . his appearance was always stately and dignified." He had a ready wit, but could be stern. His tastes were simple and moderate. He delighted in hunting, riding, and swimming. He wore the Frankish dress: linen shirt and breeches, a silk-fringed tunic, hose wrapped with bands, and, in winter, a tight coat of otter or marten skins. Over all these garments "he flung a blue cloak, and he always had a sword girt about him."

Charlemagne's character was contradictory. In an age when the usual penalty for defeat was death, Charlemagne several times spared the lives of his defeated foes; yet in 782 at Verden, after a Saxon uprising, he ordered 4,500 Saxons beheaded. He compelled the clergy and nobles to reform, but he divorced two of his four wives without any cause. He forced kings and princes to kneel at his feet, yet his mother and his two favorite wives often overruled him in his own household.


Charlemagne Begins His Reign:

In 768, when Charlemagne was 26, he and his brother Carloman inherited the kingdom of the Franks. In 771 Carloman died, and Charlemagne became sole ruler of the kingdom. At that time the northern half of Europe was still pagan and lawless. In the south, the Roman Catholic church was striving to assert its power against the Lombard kingdom in Italy. In Charlemagne's own realm, the Franks were falling back into barbarian ways, neglecting their education and religion.
Charlemagne was determined to strengthen his realm and to bring order to Europe. In 772 he launched a 30-year campaign that conquered and Christianized the powerful pagan Saxons in the north. He subdued the Avars, a huge Tatar tribe on the Danube. He compelled the rebellious Bavarian dukes to submit to him. When possible he preferred to settle matters peacefully, however. For example, Charlemagne offered to pay the Lombard king Desiderius for return of lands to the pope, but, when Desiderius refused, Charlemagne seized his kingdom in 773 to 774 and restored the Papal States.

The key to Charlemagne's amazing conquests was his ability to organize. During his reign he sent out more than 50 military expeditions. He rode as commander at the head of at least half of them. He moved his armies over wide reaches of country with unbelievable speed, but every move was planned in advance. Before a campaign he told the counts, princes, and bishops throughout his realm how many men they should bring, what arms they were to carry, and even what to load in the supply wagons. These feats of organization and the swift marches later led Napoleon to study his tactics.

One of Charlemagne's minor campaigns has become the most famous. In 778 he led his army into Spain to battle the infidel Saracens. On its return, Basques ambushed the rear guard at Roncesvalles, in northern Spain, and killed "Count Roland." Roland became a great hero of medieval songs and romances (see Roland).

By 800 Charlemagne was the undisputed ruler of Western Europe. His vast realm covered what are now France, Switzerland, Belgium, and The Netherlands. It included half of present-day Italy and Germany, part of Austria, and the Spanish March ("border"). The broad March reached to the Ebro River. By thus establishing a central government over Western Europe, Charlemagne restored much of the unity of the old Roman Empire and paved the way for the development of modern Europe.


Crowned Emperor:

On Christmas Day in 800, while Charlemagne knelt in prayer in Saint Peter's in Rome, Pope Leo III seized a golden crown from the altar and placed it on the bowed head of the king. The throng in the church shouted, "To Charles the August, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, long life and victory!"  Charlemagne is said to have been surprised by the coronation, declaring that he would not have come into the church had he known the pope's plan. However, some historians say the pope would not have dared to act without Charlemagne's knowledge.

The coronation was the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire. Though Charlemagne did not use the title, he is considered the first Holy Roman emperor (see Holy Roman Empire).


Reform and Renaissance:

Charlemagne had deep sympathy for the peasants and believed that government should be for the benefit of the governed. When he came to the throne, various local governors, called "counts," had become lax and oppressive. To reform them, he expanded the work of investigators, called missi dominici. He prescribed their duties in documents called capitularies and sent them out in teams of twoÄÄa churchman and a noble. They rode to all parts of the realm, inspecting government, administering justice, and reawakening all citizens to their civil and religious duties.  Twice a year Charlemagne summoned the chief men of the empire to discuss its affairs. In all problems he was the final arbiter, even in church issues, and he largely unified church and state.

Charlemagne was a tireless reformer who tried to improve his people's lot in many ways. He set up money standards to encourage commerce, tried to build a Rhine-Danube canal, and urged better farming methods. He especially worked to spread education and Christianity in every class of people.

He revived the Palace School at Aachen, his capital. He set up other schools, opening them to peasant boys as well as nobles.

Charlemagne never stopped studying. He brought an English monk, Alcuin, and other scholars to his court. He learned to read Latin and some Greek but apparently did not master writing. At meals, instead of having jesters perform, he listened to men reading from learned works.

To revive church music, Charlemagne had monks sent from Rome to train his Frankish singers. To restore some appreciation of art, he brought valuable pieces from Italy. An impressive monument to his religious devotion is the cathedral at Aachen, which he built and where he was buried (see Aachen).

At Charlemagne's death in 814 only one of his three sons, Louis, was living. Louis's weak rule brought on the rise of civil wars and revolts. After his death his three quarreling sons split the empire between them by the Partition of Verdun in 843.