General Hocker Family Data

NOTE: I obtained this data from someone who was researching the Hocker family. I do not know how accurate this data is. General Hocker Family Data
This genealogy covers the known descendants of John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright of colonial Maryland, and is meant to help us understand our earliest American family and its many different lines. The information about our earliest relatives is not to detailed and includes everything we know about them. This genealogy should not be meant as a total genealogy of all the Hockers and related families, just the original colonial Maryland Hockers and their related families. The most detailed information about each family is usually only found with that family and its grandparents, or in some cases, great grandparents and is based on their family bibles or early genealogies. This genealogy is meant to associate each family member with their ancestors, and should be used to tie their ancestors together. Most of the data about our family comes from individuals who know their line back to their grandfather, and sometimes further back. My effort has been to connect and discover all the children of John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright to the present day families. This effort has grow to over eighteen thousand known members of the John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright family. I have broken this Chapter down to five areas: General Information, Revolutionary War Veterans, Source Material, Areas of Concern, and The Hockers and early Maryland. General Information The name “Hocker” raises eyebrows from historians and genealogists who are familiar with the early history of the Maryland colony and its residents. We find our roots by starting with our original migrant John Hocker who showed up on colonial Maryland soil in 1647. Only twelve years before, in 1635 the colony of Maryland was founded. Many times during my life I was asked about my family name by person’s interested in genealogy and America’s early history. Those inquiring persons I knew had names of Pottinger, Barnard, McCormack, Shrewsbury, Barnes, to Trammel, and even Holloway along with many others who always seem to ask me if I knew anything about my early American genealogy. Since then I have come to understand our Hocker roots and why they are so important to our American history. It is clear that the Hockers were not into politics, but were farmers and that means very little documented knowledge about our early family. It is possible that John Hocker was working for Governer Greene because John apparently signed as a witness to the Governer’s will. We do know that his sons Robert and Nicholas were tobacco farmers. How and why did I get started into this genealogy thing? It is a familiar story, after my parents pasted on and after my retirement from the Grumman Corportation of Long Island, New York I moved to Florida and that is where I finally got involved with genealogy. I never ever considered thinking about genealogy till then. Whenever I was asked I always gave my mother’s line, which is German. Her folks arrived in America in the late 1880’s. I never really knew about my father’s side. I just didn’t care. My friend Thelma Pentz got me started in genealogy. Thelma was born and raised in the deep south, Florida, and without her help I would not have got to first base. I am very happy to be finally able to stop work on this effort and start to process the Cd’s. After awhile I plan to come out with a update that would hopefully have photo’s, and many more stories about our family. But, back to my story. My father, was a gentleman, an engineer and manager. He never bragged or spoke out of turn, but during my childhood I remember that he said that our family was originally from Kentucky. A quite, but strong man with blue eyes and blonde hair born in Pawnee Indian Nation, which is now Oklahoma in 1897 the first child of Robert Lee Hocker and Elizabeth Naylor. Interesting that my father never lived in Kentucky, but he knew every family name that lived in Ohio County, Kentucky. Apparently his father Robert Lee Hocker had taught him well since many, many years later he remembered what grandpa told him. I remember grandpa Hocker at my grandma’s funeral. He was born in 1867 and named after General Robert E Lee. So I can connect from him to present, which is over one hunderd and thirty-six years of family history. Well that was the story up to January of this year (2003) when suddenly I found the marriage date of Robert Lee Hocker and Mrs Elizabeth Naylor. As stated in the above paragraph, my father was born in 1897, the 12th of September, but the marriage of Robert Lee Hocker and Mrs Elizabeth Naylor was dated the 29th of January 1899. The 1910 Sebastian Co, Ark census shows my father as the eldest child and it shows that his father was born in Kentucky and his mother was born in England. So this was a coverup, and my father believed that he was the son of Robert Lee Hocker, and never knew he was adopted by Robert Lee Hocker. Being that my father did not know he was adopted, he taught us that we originally were from Kentucky and from the “Hocker” bloodline. Apparently my father was adopted when he was an infant, and shortly after the 1900 census was taken in Arkansas. That 1900 Sebastian County, Arkansas census shows Robert Lee Hocker, his wife Elizabeth and his son Robert Lee Hocker jr, who was born in October 1899 in Arkansas. It also shows that Robert Lee Hocker had a step-son, Harold Louis Wareing living with them. This census completely validates that my father was not born a “Hocker”. This information is a shock since I have spent a good part of my life working on the Hocker genealogy. Of course this happened because my father was not told the truth about his real father. But since I now am a adopted Hocker, I will continue this Hocker genealogy, but along with that I will spend as much time as possible to find my father’s real genealogy. One more point to make about this Hocker genealogy is that in all cases I have attempted to verify family origin. The only family I did not do that to was with my family line, since I knew who my father and his parents were. This mistake continued because I could not find their marriage certificate. I did not know where they married, or when, nor did I know where they lived in 1900. Just a few years ago the Choctaw Indian Nation marriages were placed on the internet. I did not know about this until January of 2003. The information on the rest of the Hocker family was taken either from previous validated genealogies, or federal censuses, birth certificates, tombstones, etc. The mistake that occurred with my father, was I believe what he was told, not what actually happened. Some interesting traits that seem to be common among the early Hocker men. They all were protestants and belonged to the Church of England, and then after the Revolutionary War became members of the southern Methodist church, but later some were members of the Baptist and Lutheran faith, and many if not most were Masons. Most were farmers, doctors, teachers, and engineers. They were the original frontierspeople in Maryland, then Kentucky, Virginia, Missouri, Texas, and most of the middle American states or territories all the way to California. One thing is certain, many of the early Hockers like to live out in the country with their neighbors miles away. As soon as they spotted the smoke from a neighbor’s chimmey, it was time to move on. This helped keep the Hockers away from many of the epidemics that were making the rounds back then. They had a abiding love of horses, and the bluegrass state is home to many of these Hockers back then and today. To figure out who my grandfather Robert Lee Hocker’s parents were I first checked into the Pennsylvania Hocker line, and contacted William Wingeard who had produced the “A German-American Hacker – Hocker Genealogy” and he sold me his huge genealogy, which I still have in printed book form. This showed that Robert Lee Hocker, my grandfather was not a member of this Pennsylvania Hocker line. The next Hocker line was that of Andrew Hocker, who migrated from Bavaria in the 1840’s to central Ohio. Again this turned out wrong. I then contacted the late Vern Payne who produced “The Hocker/Hawker Genealogy”, and he sent me a copy of his genealogy. There was no mention of my grandfather. After several telephone calls to Vern Payne, he recommended that it was possible that my line was part of the Philip Hocker and Dorcas Barnes line, but he had no real knowledge for sure, and he was giving me a educated guess. So at that point I was completely unsure of my line. Then one day, the old grey-matter started to finally work, and a memory came to me about my father. One day shortly after WWII, at the dinner table with my folks, my brother and both sisters, one of the kids asked my dad who his grandfather was. My dad, in his special way and with a trinkle in his eyes said “Jackson”, and everybody laughed. That was the only time that name Jackson was every mention to me, and in Vern Payne’s genealogy he did not cover anyone named “Jackson”. So I still could not figure out who Jackson was and who his folks were. Nicholas Hocker’s will mentions Senatus, but not Jackson. So it took me what seems forever to figure it all out, and in doing so ended up doing the genealogy of the complete John Hocker line from Maryland to Kentucky and Virginia and on. I think back to my early days before being married my dad would always check the spelling of any and all of the girl’s maiden name that I got serious with. He never explained why, but he was apparently told by his father Robert Lee Hocker about the possibility of inbreeding in our family. Robert Lee Hocker received this information from his father Senatus Jackson Hocker, who had a brother George who spent most of his adult life in the asylum in Hopkinsville, Christian Co, Ky. Jackson had another brother Greenberry Hocker who had several of his children placed in the same institution. Along with them there were others from our line who ended up in that insane-asylum. I doubt that George Hocker, Jackson’s older brother was having any problems when his father Nicholas Hocker died in 1839, since Nicholas left George the family farm. So whatever happened to George occurred much later and before the 1860 census was taken. Maybe a failed love affair, who knows for sure? But needless to say the family, and especially my father took all of these problems very seriously and always was concerned that we not marry anyone from that area of the country. Of course, this proves that my father Harold Louis Hocker fully believed and understood that he was a blood member of the Hocker family, which we now known is wrong. We are fully aware of the different spellings that over the years have been given for the name Hocker. Hawker, Hacker, Hooker, Hawkes, are just a few. In some cases the family spells the name Hawker (this is from the Ambrose Cook Hocker family of Virginia and the William Hocker family of Maryland) and Hooker (this is from the Robert Hocker family of Maryland and Ohio), and all three families continue to this day to spell it their way. That is very understandable and there are many reasons for this. The English speaking clerks always tried to change the name Hocker to Hawker because the name Hawker is English. But we know for certain that it was and is Hocker. It is first mention and spelled in the 1659 will of Thomas Diniard as Hocker. We do not have John Hocker’s will, nor do we have his son Nicholas’s will. But we do have the wills of Nicholas Hocker’s sons, Philip Hocker sr, who was born in 1716, and his brother William Hocker sr who was born in 1721, and both show their name spelled Hocker. The pre-colonial period and the early European Hocker history can be found in the First Chapter of this document. Revolutionary War Veterans Ambrose Cook Hocker (son of Nicholas Hocker, born 1684). Ambrose took the Oath of Allegiance (made his “X” mark) the 28th of February 1778 in front of the Honorable Joseph Wilson. The 15th of July 1780 Ambrose served as a Private, 5th Co, Lower Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia. Ambrose lived in Rock Creek Hundred in 1777. (Soucre Codes – C&W1, Cd 133.) John Thrasher (son of Benjamin Thrasher sr and Mary Hocker). On the 29th of November 1775 John Thrasher was a Ensign in William Luckett jr’s Co, 4th Bn, Frederick Co, Md Militia. He was a Juror to the Oath of Allegiance in 1778. (Source Code – Cd 133.) John Thrasher (son of John Thrasher and Elizabeth Ankrom). John was a member of Captain Archer’s Company in Washington Co, Pa militia during the Revolutionary War. Nicholas Hocker (son of Philip Hocker sr, born 1716). In September 1777 Nicholas served as a Private, 1st Co, Lower Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia. Nicholas took the Oath of Allegiance before the Honorable Edward Burgess the 28th of February 1778. He served as a Ensign, 7th Co, Lower Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia the 15th of July 1780. He rendered aid by providing wheat for the use of the Militia in 1780. His wife was Sarah [Barnes] Hocker. (Source Codes – C&W1, Cd 133.) Philip Hocker jr (son of Philip Hocker sr, born 1716). The 4th of September 1777 Philip served as a Private, 2nd Co, Middle Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia. Philip took the Oath of Allegiance before the Honorable Gerrard Briscoe the 2nd of March 1778. He served as a Private 2nd Class, 3rd Co, Middle Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia the 15th of July 1780. His wife was Dorcas [Barnes] Hocker. (Source Codes – C&W1, Cd 133.) Robert Deakins Hocker (son of Robert Hocker, born 1706). A member of Captain Watkins Co, Anne Arundel Co, Md Militia the 21st of October 1776. Robert took the Oath of Allegiance before the Honorable Richard Harwood jr the 1st of March 1778. (Source Codes – C&W1, Cd 133.) Samuel Pruitt Hocker (son of Philip Hocker sr, born 1716). The 4th of September 1777 Samuel served as a Private, 2nd Co, Middle Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia. Samuel took the Oath of Allegiance before the Honorable Elisha Williams the 2nd of March 1778. He served as a Second Corporal, 3rd Co, Middle Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia the 15th of July 1780. He lived in Sugar Loaf Hundred in 1777 and he rendered aid by providing wheat for the use of the Milita in 1780. His second wife was Nancy [Barnes] Hocker. (Source Codes - C&W1, Cd 133.) George Hocker (son of Philip Hocker sr, born 1716).
William Hocker (son of William Hocker, born 1721). William served as a Private, 1st Co, Upper Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia the 30th of August 1777. William took the Oath of Allegiance before the Honorable Gerrard Briscoe the 2nd of March 1778. William lived in the Suganland Hundred in 1777. (Source Codes – C&W1, M76, Cd 133.) Richard Weaver Barnes (son of Weavor Barnes, born 1705). Sometime after June of 1776 Richard Weaver became a member of the Flying Camp (the Maryland Continental Line) and was wounded in the Battle of Trenton, New Jersey in the first victory by General George Washington’s army during the Revolutionary War. In December 1776 after the Flying Camp was disbanded, Richard Weaver Barnes then served as a Private, 1st Co, Lower Bn, Montgomery Co, Md Militia in September 1777. Richard Weaver took the Oath of Allegiance before the Honorable Edward Burgess the 28th of February 1778. Richard Weaver Barnes’s wife was Eliza Pigman and they lived in the Lower part of Newfoundland Hundred. (Source Codes – C&W1, Cd 133, Cd 208.) Daniel Hook (son of James Hook, born 1714). Daniel was drafted the 2nd of June 1783 and appeared ready to march after the siege of York, Va. (Source Code C&W1, Cd 133.) James Hook jr (son of John Hook, born 1718). As of the 25th June 1781 James was a Private in the Horse Troops of Ferderick Co, Md under the command of Captain John R Key. (Source Codes – C&W1, Cd 133.) John Snowden Hook (son of John Hook, born in 1718). Enlisted as a Private the 8th of August 1776 and a Juror to the Oath of Allegiance in 1778. (Source Code – Cd133.) Stephen Hook (son of James Hook, born 1714). Stephen was a Juror to the Oath of Allegiance in 1778 and applied for a pension for his services in the Maryland Line on the 8th of July 1833 in Allegany Co,Va. (Source Code – Cd 133.)
Source Material

In order to understand the Source Material used to create this genealogy a expanation is in order. When the genealogy gives the date of birth of someone; if it contains the day, month, and year then it was given by the person in the referenced footnote. If it contains the month and year only, it was found in the 1900 census. All of the censuses mention in this genealogy were in most cases always rented. Use of the censuses was very time-consuming but totally necessary. I have a microfilm reader, so I can work at home. Following are lists with codes and their subject for all printed books and Cds used in this genealogy: Code Printed Book ALW1 Botetourt Co, Va – Early Records by Anne Lowry Worrell
ALW2 Over the Mountain Men by Anna Lowry Worrell
ALW3 Montgomery & Fincastle Co, Va – Wills & Marr by Anne Lowry Worrell
ATH1 Recipes & Memories of Astyanax Troy Hector
B&H1 Revolutionary Records of Md by Gaius M Brumbaugh & Margaret R Hodges
BBS1 1840 Sumner County, Tn Census by Byron and Barbara Sistler
BBS2 DeKalk County, Tn Marriages 1848 – 1880 by Byron and Barbara Sistler
BHH1 Marriages of Mecklenburg County, NC 1783 – 1868 by Brent H Holcomb
BHH2 Marriages of Bute and Warren Co, NC 1764 – 1868 by Brent Howard Holcomb
BHH3 Johnston Co, NC Marriages 1762 – 1868 by Brent H Holcomb
BHH4 Wake Co, NC Marriages 1770 – 1868 by Brent H Holcomb
C&W1 The Md Militia in the Rev War by S Eugene Clements & F Edward Wright
CCT50 1850 Caldwell County, Tx Census
CEH The First Seventeen Years, Va 1607 – 1624 by Charles E Hatch jr CLK1 Marriage Bonds and Ministers’ Returns of Halifax Co, Va
CLK2 Marriage Bonds and Ministers’ Returns of Pittsylvania Co, Va 1767 - 1805
CW1 Sumner Co, Tn Court Minutes 1787 – 1810 by Carol Wells
DCK50 1850 Daviess Co, Ky Census
DMH Kentucky Families, A Bibliographic Listing by Donald M Hehir
EBC1 Master Index of Genealogy of DAR American Rev Mag by Elizabeth B Chapter
EGB1 Across the Years in Prince George’s Co, Md by Effie Gwynn Bowie
EPB1 Virginia Marriage Records by Elizabeth Petry Bentley
EPP1 Index of Source Records of Maryland by Eleanor Phillips Passano ERW1 Sumner Co, Tn Abs of Will books 1 & 2 1788 – 1842 by Edythe R Whitley
ERW2 Tn Genealogical Records of Early Settlers by Edythe R Whiley
ERW3 McMinn Co, Tn Marriages 1821 – 1864 by Edythe R Whitley
ERW4 Sumner Co, Tn Marriages 1787 – 1838 by Edythe R Whitley
ERW5 Red River Settlers, N Mont, Robertson & Sumner Co, Tn by Edythe R Whitley
ESK1 Fairfax Co, Va, Abstracts of Wills & Inv by Estelle S King
ESK2 Loudoun Co, Va – Abstracts of Wills & Ad by Estelle S King
ESK3 Frederick Co, Va – Abstracts of Wills & Ad by Estelle S King
ESK4 Abstracts of Early Ky Wills & Inventory by Estelle S King
ESR1 The Ancient City, History of Annapolis, Md 1649 – 1887 by Elihu S Riley
EWH1 German Settlers of Pennsylvania by Edward W Hocker
FC1 Early Ky Settlers, Jefferson Co, Ky by Filson Club Hist Quart.
FT1 Montgomery Co, NC Marriage Records 1844 – 1868 by Frances T Ingmire
FT2 Warren County, NC Marriage Records 1780 – 1867 by Frances T Ingmire
GCG Early Virginia Immigrants 1623 – 1666 by George Cabell Greer
GCI40 1820 – 1840 Gallatin County, Il Census
GCI50 1850 Gallatin County, Il Census
GCT50 1850 Guadalupe County, Tx Census
GGC1 Kentucky Obituaries 1787 – 1854 by G Glenn Clife
GGC2 Kentucky Marriages 1797 – 1865 bt G Glenn Clift
GMB1 Maryland Records, Colonial, Rev, Co & Church vol 1 by Gaius M Brumbaugh
GMB2 Maryland Records, Colonial, Rev, Co & Church vol 2 by Gaius M Brumbaugh
GP1 Virginia Land Records by Gary Parks
GS1 Early Settlers of Maryland by Gust Skordas
GW1 Chesapeake Conflict, The Troublessome Early Days of Md by Gene Williamson
H&S Md Land and Prerogative Court Records by Elisabeth Hartsook & Gust Skordas
HC1 Marriage Bonds and Ministers’ Returns of Halifax Co, Va 1753 - 1800
HC34 1830 – 1840 Hamilton County, Il Census
HCP “Marylanders to Carolina” by Henry C Peden jr
HDR1 Side-Lights on Maryland History vol 1 by Hester Dorsey Richardson
HDR2 Side-Lights on Maryland History vol 2 by Hester Dorsey Richardson
HDT Ohio Co, Ky in the Olden Days by Harrison D Taylor
HHB1 California Pioneer Register & Index 1542 – 1848 by Hubert Howe Bancroft
HKM Kentucky Pioneer & Court Records by Harry Kennett McAdams
HL1 Index to Scharf’s History of Western Maryland vol 1 & 2 by Helen Long
HWB1 Prince George’s Co, Md Index to Marriages 1777 - 1886 by Helen W Brown
HWN1 To Maryland from Overseas by Harry Wright Newman
HWN2 Maryland Revolutionary Records by Harry Wright Newman
HWN3 The Flowering of the Maryland Palatinate by Harry Wright Newman
HWMP The Hook Website, J C Moule Home Page IEF Kentucky Pioneers and their Descendants by Ila Earle Fowler
IMS1 Descendants of Richard & Elizabeth [Ewen] Talbot by Ida M Shirk
JC50 1850 Jackson County, Ark Census
JCH1 Persons of Quality 1600 – 1700 by John Camden Hotten
JF1 The Discovery, Settlement of Kentucke by John Filson
JGG1 They Started It All, A Guide to Hacker’s Creek by Joy Gregoire Gilchrist
JH1 Maryland – index of St Mary’s and Somerset Counties by Joan Hume
JM1 Virginia Will Records by Judith McGhan
JM2 Virginia Vital Records by Judith McGhan
JMH1 Names in Stone, Frederick Co, Md Cemeterys, vol 1 by Jacob M Holdcraft JMH2 Names in Stone, Frederick Co, Md Cemeterys, vol 2 by Jacob M Holdcraft
JTS1 History of Western Maryland, vol 1 by J Thomas Scharf
JTS2 History of Western Maryland, vol 2 by J Thomas Scharf
JWT Chronicles of Colonial Maryland by James W Thomas
K12 Kentucky Soldiers of the War of 1812 - 1815
KKK Caswell County, NC Marriage Bonds 1778 – 1868 by Katharine Kerr Kendall
KMG1 The Maryland Gazette Abstracts 1727 – 1761 by Karen Mauer Green
KY1 History of Ky Illustrated, Edition 1
LCA Abstracts of Pittsylvania Co, Va Wills 1767 – 1820 by Lela C Adam
LPHF Early Va Families Along the James River by Louise Pledge Heath Foley
M76 1776 Census of Maryland compiled by Bettie Stirling Caruthers
MAF1 Fogle’s Papers, A History of Ohio Co, Ky by McDowell A Fogle
MCC1 The History of Pittsylvania County, Va by Maud Carter Clement
MCC2 History of Pittsylvania Co, Va by Maud Carter Clement
MKW1 Confederate Soldiers of Pittsylvania Co, Va by Mike K Williams
MMR1 This Was The Life, Frederick Co, Md 1748 – 1765 by Millard Milburn Rice
MMR2 New Facts and Old Families of Fred Co, Md by Millard Milburn Rice
MT1 A History of the Thrasher Family by Dr Marion Thrasher MW1 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 1 by James Baldwin
MW2 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 2 by James Baldwin
MW3 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 3 by James Baldwin
MW4 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 4 by James Baldwin
MW5 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 5 by James Baldwin
MW6 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 6 by James Baldwin
MW7 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 7 by James Baldwin
MW8 The Maryland Calender of Wills vol 8 by James Baldwin
NMN1 Cavaliers & Pioneers, Abs of Va Land Grants, vol 1 by Nell Marion Nugent
NMN2 Cavaliers & Pioneers, Abs of Va Land Grants, vol 2 by Nell Marion Nugent
OAR A History of Muhlenberg County, Ky
OCK1 Ohio County, Ky Census 1810 to 1840
OCK2 Ohio County, Ky Census 1850 PCV90 1790 Pittsylvania County, Va Census
PWC1 Settlers of Maryland 1679 – 1700 by Peter Wilson Coldham
PWC2 Settlers of Maryland 1701 – 1730 by Peter Wilson Coldham
PWC3 Settlers of Maryland 1731 – 1750 by Peter Wilson Coldham
RBJ1 West Virginians in the American Rev by Ross B Johnson
RCF 1770 – 1790 Cn of Cumberland Settlements by Richard C Fulcher RHM Hocker, McCormack – Hull – Sproul Genealogy by Dr Ray Hull McCormack
RMA1 History of Scott Co, Va by Robert M Addington
RWB1 Maryland Marriages 1634 to 1777 by Robert W Barnes
RWB2 Maryland Marriages 1778 to 1800 by Robert W Barnes
RWB3 Maryland Marriages 1801 to 1820 by Robert W Barnes
RWB4 Baltimore Co, Md Families 1659 – 1759 by Robert W Barnes
RWB5 Maryland Genealogies, vol 1 by Robert W Barnes
RWB6 Maryland Genealogies, vol 2 by Robert W Barnes
RWS Palatine Church Visitations – 1609 by Ricardo W Staudt
S&J Early Records of Hampshire Co, Va by Clara Sage & Laura Sage Jones
SCT50 1850 Sumner Co, Tn Census SEB The Guns of Harpers Ferry by Stuart E Brown
SKE Mo Genealogical Gleanings – 1840 and beyond vol 3 by Sherida K Eddlemon
SN1 Marriage Bonds of Northumberland Co, Va 1783 – 1850 by S Nottingham
SO Missouri Marriages Before 1840 by Susan Ormesher
SSS1 Kentuckians in Illinois by Stuart Seely Sprague
SSS2 Kentuckians in Ohio and Indiana by Stuart Seely Sprague
SSS3 Kentuckians in Missouri by Stuart Seely Sprague
T&D1 Pioneers of Old Monocacy 1721 – 1743 by Grace L Tracey & John P Dern
THSB Montgomery Co, Md – The History of by T H S Boyd
TJCW1 History of Washington Co, Md vol 1 by Thomas J C Williams
TJCW2 History of Washington Co, Md vol 2 by Thomas J C Williams
TLCG1 1795 Census of Kentucky by TLC Genealogy
TLCG2 Prince George’s Co, Md Land Records 1743 - 1746
TLCG3 Prince George’s Co, Md Land Records 1739 - 1743
TLCG4 Anne Arundel Co, Md Land Records 1724 - 1728
TLCG5 Anne Arundel Co, Md Land Records 1712 - 1718
TLCG6 St Mary’s Co, Md Rent Rolls 1639 - 1771
TLCG7 Anne Arundel Co, Md Land Records 1703 - 1709
TLCG8 Virginia in 1720 – A Reconstructed Census
TLCG9 Virginia in 1740 – A Reconstructed Census TLCG10 Virginia in 1760 – A Reconstructed Census
TLCG11 St Mary’s Co, Md Administrative Accounts 1674 - 1720
TLCG12 Anne Arundel Co, Md Land Records 1708 - 1712
TLCG13 Anne Arundel Co, Md Land Records 1719 - 1724
TLH Footprints Through Time – a Genealogy by Thomas L Hooker
TN1 History of Tn Illustrated, Sumner, Smith, Macon & Trousdale Co.
TW3 Kentucky Genealogy and Biography – vol 3 by Thomas Westerfield
TW5 Kentucky Genealogy and Biography – vol 5 by Thomas Westerfield
TWM NC Wills: A Testator Index 1665 – 1900 by Thornton W Mitchell
VEP83 Hocker – Hawker Genealogy, dated 1983 by Viron E Payne
VLS1 Abstracts of Inv of Prerogative Court, Md 1769 - 1772
VLS2 Abstracts of Inv of Prerogative Court, Md 1774 - 1777
W&M1 History of Frederick Co, Md, vol 1 by T J C Williams & Folger McKinsey
W&M2 History of Frederick Co, Md, vol 2 by T J C Williams & Folger McKinsey
WBA1 Kentucky Records, Early Wills & Marriages by Mrs William B Ardery
WCNC90 1790 Warren Co, NC census
WG1 The Assoc. Oath Rolls of British Plantations – 1696 by Wallace Gandy
WJC A History of Halifax County, Va by Wirt Johhnson Carrington
WMN1 West Maryland Newspaper Abstracts 1786 - 1798
WMN2 West Maryland Newspaper Abstracts 1806 - 1810
WOW1 Hacker – Hocker Genealogy (Pa) by William O Wingeard
XOCM Ohio County, Ky, Hartford Library Marriage Lists XILM Illinois Statewide Marriage Index. 1763 to 1900 XCNM Choctaw Nation Marriages. 1890 to 1907
Code Cds Title
001 Marriage Records: Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina
002 Marriage Records: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee
003 Marriage Index: Alabama, Georgia & SC 1641 - 1944
005 Marriage Records: Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, & Texas
006 Marriage Index: Arkansas 1779 - 1992
020 1880 Ohio Census Index, Ohio Genealogical Society
027 1860 Census Index, Illinois & Indiana
034 1870 Census Index: Va, W Va, NC, Ky
044 1850 Census Index, Kentucky & Tennessee
046 1850 Census Index, Indiana & Ohio
047 1850 Census Index, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin
049 Census Index & Mortality Schdules - Texas
133 Revolutionary Patriots, Md & Delaware 1775 - 1783
136 Pre-1790 Census Index, Tax Lists of Colonial America
137 1790 Census Index
148 1830 – 1839 Census Index, Great Lakes, South Sates, Mid-Atlantic
150 1810 – 1819 Census Index, Mid-Altantic, Southern, Mid-West
151 1791 – 1809 Census Index, Great Lakes, South, Mid-Atlantic
153 1840 Census Index: Mid-West, Great Lakes
154 1820 – 1829 Census Index, Great Lakes, South, Mid-Altantic
178 Church Records: Md and Delaware 1600s – 1800s
184 Colonial Families of Maryland, 1600s – 1900s
185 Kentucky Genealogies #1, 1799s – 1800s
195 Maryland Genealogies & Marriages 1634 - 1820
202 Virginia Historical Index
206 Genealogical Records: Maryland Probate Records 1674 -1774
208 Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin, vol 1 - 38
210 National Genealogical Society Quarterly, vol 1, 1600s – 1900s
222 Marriage Index: Iowa 1851 - 1900
224 Marriage Index: Maryland 1655 - 1850
225 Marriage Index: Az, Ca, Id, Nv 1850 - 1951
227 Marriage Records: Early – 1850 West of Mississippi River
228 Marriage Index: Illinois & Indiana 1790 - 1850
229 Marriage Records: Southern States, Vol 1, Early to 1850, Ky, NC, Tn & Va
233 Marriage Index, Kentucky 1851 - 1900
234 Marriage Index: Missouri 1851 - 1900
242 Marriage Index: Mississippi & Florida 1800 - 1900
243 Marriage Index: Indiana 1851 - 1900
245 Marriage Index: North Carolina 1850 - 1900
248 Marriage Index: Alabama 1800 - 1900
250 Marriage Index: Illinois 1851 - 1900
251 Marriage Index: Michigan & Wisconsin 1830 - 1900
272 Census Records: United Kingdom, 1851
318 Census Index: US Selected States/Counties, 1860
320 Census Index: US Selected States/Counties, 1880
350 The Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607 - 1776
354 Passenger & Immigration Lists Index, 1538 - 1940
398 Marriage Index: Texas 1850 - 1900
400 Marriage Index: Ohio 1789 - 1850
405 Marriage Index: Az, Co, Nb, NM, Or & Wa 1727 - 1900
511 Genealogical Records: Early Tennessee Settlers 1700s – 1900s


Areas of Concern The following contains the areas of concern within this genealogy. I feel that it is necessary to point out these areas for further consideration and explanation. Each particular person that we list below we have some a serious problem with. Hopefully some day we will be able to verify or correct anyone of the following so-called problem areas. John Hocker (see Chapter 2a). We are fairly certain that we identified our migrant John Hocker properly, but we do not know the name of his first wife. Legend has it as Mary. But we have no proof. We know that John Hocker married a second time to Elizabeth Wright in 1671. What we do not know is when John Hocker died. Again legend has it as 1696, but who knows? The other more appealing thing about John Hocker was the story that he was kipnapped in England and sold to a ship’s Captain, and sailed to the colonies and sold into the hands of Thomas Orley of St Mary’s City, Md. We have it on good authority within the family line of Ambrose Cook Hocker of Pittsylvania Co, Va that this story is true and the bible or copies of parts of it, he was carrying when kidnapped, was still someplace with the ancestories, mainly Ambrose’s youngest son William’s line on down to present. We also know from the article found in the Genealogists’ Magazine, December 2000, Vol 26 No 12 titled “Some Willing and Unwilling Emigrants to Virginia in 1657” by John Wareing, that this taking of children and shipping them to the new world was common. Lets all hope that some day we find a part of John’s bible. The other thing about John Hocker is we do not think we have all of information about all of his children. If he had children from his first marriage or not, is open to debate. We know Robert, William, Nicholas, and Margaret were all products of his second marriage, but it is very possible that they had other children, and more-than-likely daughters. William Hocker (see Chapter 3b). This son of John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright married Sarah Price the 26th of January 1708 in Anne Arundel Co, Md. But at this time we do not know anymore about this couple. Nicholas Hocker (see Chapter 3c). This son of John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright married Sophia Sim. We are told that legend has it they married in 1710. We would always welcome verification. The date of Nicholas and Sophia’s daughter Mary’s baptism we know, but her actual date of birth, we are not sure. We know that by 1735 when Sophia’s brother James Sim of Annapolis died, and Sophia was already dead. What we do not know was Nicholas Hocker’s second wife’s given name. We know she was the daughter of Ambrose Cook, but that is all. We know Nicholas and her had a son, Ambrose Cook Hocker, but it is very possible that they also had a daughter. At this time we just cannot be sure. Philip Hocker sr (see Chapter 4c2). This writer thinks that Philip Hocker sr, son of Nicholas Hocker and Sophia Sim, married Margaret Pruitt, the daughter of Samuel Pruitt and Elizabeth Hocker. My theory about Margaret comes from over a decade of investigating and reseaching the families that lived in the area of Nicholas Hocker, Philip’s father’s plantation. It would be just great if we could positively identify Margaret’s maiden name. Some have stated that Margaret was not mentioned in her father Samuel Pruitt’s will, but neither were several other known children. Please do not think Margaret was a “Snowden”. That should be put away forever, since it is completely wrong. Now continuing with Margaret Pruitt and Philip Hocker sr is important because it would be the first case of cousins getting married in the Hocker line. I know it states in Samuel Pruitt’s probate that the next of kin shows Philip Hawker. When this probate occurred Elizabeth had already remarried and was using her new last name, so I believe she was identifing her cousin, rather then her son-in-law. Anyway, the early Hocker family probates identify first cousins as next of kin. These rules of the family documentation and the use of them seem to apply to all family members of that time. Another rule was if a Hocker daughter married and died given birth, that child would be raised by the dead wife’s family, and her husband would move on to find a new wife. The child keeps his biological father’s sirname but is raised by his maternal grandparents as legal parents. Sarah Ann Hocker Davis (see Chapter 5c2d1). Sarah Ann was the daughter of Philip Hocker and Dorcas Barnes. It had been widely accepted by Hocker genealogists that Sarah Ann Hocker had married Loderick Davis. Recent news has come to light that Sarah Ann Hocker did not marry Loderick Davis, but she did marry his younger brother Gideon Davis. This is a recent change in my genealogy. Because of this change and it being so quickly done, this family line may have some errors with their children or grandchildren. We hope not, but this is new information to us and has not had the time that the rest of this genealogy has had to validate itself.
The Hockers and early Maryland

From the time that our migrant John Hocker stepped on colonial Maryland soil to today, is over 356 years. John Hocker’s second wife Elizabeth Wright and their children, Robert, William, Nicholas and Margaret were all alive and well about 1695. But, sometime after that John dies and things begin to change. His oldest son Robert married Amy Selby about 1698 in Prince George’s Co, Md. The next son, William married Sarah Price the 26th of January 1708 in All Hallows Parish, Ann Arundel Co, Md. The next son, Nicholas married Sophia Sim about 1710, and probably in Annapolis, Ann Arundel Co, Md. Sophia died and Nicholas then married the daughter of Ambrose Cook. The last known child of John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright was Margaret, and she married James Hook about 1707 in Prince George’s Co, Md. With this knowledge of the family we then look into what life was like in early colonial Maryland. One of the things that concern most people was and is the problem of slavery. To simply state that slavery was a horrible experience and a national disgrace, and our family is very sorry that some of our early family members owned slaves, is not enough. We must try to understand what life was like back then, and why slavery existed. Early slavery occurred to some whites along with the blacks in the early colonial times. Indeed, our John Hocker was a slave, of sorts. From what we have learned he may have been kidnapped and then sold to a ship’s captain and carted off to the new world, and then sold as a indentured servant for much of his early life. Granted, eventually the whites did become free, where as the blacks did not become free until the Civil War. Most of the early people who arrived in the colony of Maryland were of questionable character, and many had been released from old world prisons and shipped to Maryland in chains, to work out their sentences. Most of the whites back then entered Maryland as either, slaves, indentured servants, or chained Scottish rebels, who had been on the losing side of the Catholic and Protestant conflicts during that time in England and Scotland. Out of the population back then it should be noted that most of the people were not free. Only white males who paid for their own transport to the new world, or those who owned land or had it bestowed to them from the King of England, were considered freeman. Their wifes and children and all of their property was totally under their father’s rule. They inturn sold parcels of this land to recently freed men, or immigrants who cleared the land and grew tobacco. Indeed, the need to send tobacco to the old world markets was so great that tobacco plants were planted everywhere, right up to the front door, and covering most of the yard. Tobacco was used as currency by most, thus tobacco really fueled the slave trade, and inorder to survive and pay your bills in the colony of Maryland you had better be able to rent or own slaves, especially during the busy times, like spring planting and the harvest season. The colony of Maryland at the end of the 1600’s was basicly coastal plantations with tobacco being the important crop. The rest of Maryland was heavy timberland - forest. The need to “run away”, by slaves, white or black, or indentured servants was to say the lease, very interesting. My son John Hocker sees the comparison to “running away” with our youth today and their stealing autos and going for a ride, and then leaving them. Back then, the taking of a horse and riding to other parts of the colony, was a major problem. Often, as shown in the “Maryland Gazette” (see KMG1), stray horses were advertised by their finders. But, “running away” was much more difficult then that. The woods and forests were full of dangers, such as wild Indians, and well-hiden criminal types. So “running away” was so dangerous that “running away” was done out of great need, such as being constantly beaten, or starved to death, etc. Another problem that occurred regularly back then was the need to support a family while trying to remain free. Maryland had poor houses, and a jail for men who did not pay their bills. Once you found your way into jail for debt reasons, it became only time till you would agree to accept further indenture, not only for the father, but also his wife and children, in order to get out of jail. This way of dealing with debt was established in the “old world” and remained much the same in the colony of Maryland until the Revolutionary War. In fact, the many poor whites of Maryland had less then the slaves, since a slave holder would in most cases make sure his slaves were housed, fed and treated properly. As sick as slavery was in some cases in the early 1700’s colonial Maryland it was a better deal then being indentured. Men, except in a few cases were the only members of the family that had anything to say about anything – period. When we read about early colonial days in our history books they always write about the men, the rich, or well-off types. Especially the government workers, since they were the ones writing and making the laws. Being able to read and write, was the major difference between most freemen and servants and slaves. Justice back in those days was harsh and quick. Such things as a thief having his ears cropped, or fingers, toes, or even a hand removed were common. This lifelong scar would indicate to all concerned that one had been a criminal. In most cases, hanging was the sentence for murder. The witch hunts that occurred in the New England states, were very uncommon in Maryland, but we know of a women who was hanged by a chain, and later her body burned because she was accused of witchcraft. Looking for a wife was a major problem in early colonial Maryland. A shortage of women caused most widows to re-marry as soon as possible, and very often arrangements for marriage occurred at the widow’s late husband’s funeral. Indeed, the probates back then show that in many cases the administrator of the probate was the widow, but she already had a new last name since she remarried soon after the funeral. In most cases the will dictated that the home and property was left to one of the sons, along with the stipulation that the widow remain at the home till her death or remarriage. There was little protection for an unmarried women, and widows would remarry as soon as possible. Many men found it necessary to marry young teenage girls, if they were granted permission by their father, or they would travel to the Port of Annapolis to find a unmarried women who had just arrived in Maryland. Many marriages took place with the men paying for the transport of their new wife to the new world, and sometimes paying for her parents or sibling’s transport also. John Hocker’s second wife, Elizabeth Wright arrived with her father and mother in Annapolis in 1671, and it seems certain that John Hocker paid for their transport in order to marry Elizabeth Wright. John Hocker’s youngest son, Nicholas also found his wife Sophia Sim in the Port of Annapolis. She had arrived in Maryland with her brother James Sim about 1710. Most of these marriages took place in Annapolis. By the way, both John Hocker and Nicholas Hocker’s wifes were Scottish and entered the colony of Maryland at the Port of Annapolis. What is interesting about John Hocker and his son Nicholas Hocker’s wifes is that many of the Hockers believe the legend that the German language was spoken by these early Hocker families. It may be that John Hocker spoke German and English and maybe his son Nicholas also, but their wifes certainly didn’t since they were born and raised in Scotland. It is doubtful that John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright’s daughter Margaret [Hocker] Hook and her husband James Hook and their children, along with the children of Nicholas Hocker and Sophia Sim - Philip, William and Mary [Hocker] Thrasher spoke German. Of course some of their children and grandchildren married into German speaking families, and speaking German may have occurred in some of their families. Our migrant John Hocker may have been Catholic when he arrived in Maryland, and remained one until the Puritan/Catholic wars occurred in Maryland. We know that Thomas Orley, the man John Hocker was indentured to, who paid the transportation costs for John, was a Catholic from St Mary’s City, Md. We also know that Thomas Dinard was a Catholic, and as shown in his will dated the 1st of November 1659, in which he mentions John Hocker’s wife and others, were also Catholic. After those Maryland Catholic and Puritan conflicts John Hocker was or should have been a member of the Church of England. Many of the early settlers in Maryland were Catholic, but the Puritans of Virginia saw them as a big threat, and with the recent history of the Thirty Year War fresh in their minds (in which one of every three people living in Germany were killed) and the treatment of the French Huguenots, along with the religious conflicts that occurred in England and Scotland, the chance of Maryland becoming a Catholic state was very frightening to the Protestants of Virginia. The following is a quick and simple genealogy for some of the important families found in colonial Maryland that married into the early Hocker families.
1) The Barnes family – the Weavour Barnes and Elizabeth Waters family had three daughters that married three of Philip Hocker sr and Margaret Pruitt’s sons. Nancy Barnes married Samuel Pruitt Hocker, Sarah Barnes married Nicholas Hocker, and Dorcas Barnes married Philip Hocker jr. Weavour Barnes and his family and Philip Hocker sr and his family attended church together and were neighbors. Weavour Barnes and Philip Hocker sr were good friends. Weavour Barnes (born 1705 Md, first a blacksmith, then a planter, a veteran of the French and Indian Wars, died 1781 Md) and Elizabeth Waters (born 1710 Md, died 1785 Md) were married about 1736 in the St Barnabes Church in Queen Anne’s Parrish, Prince George’s Co, Md. Elizabeth Waters parents were Samuel Waters and Jane Dunston. Weavour Barnes’s parents were Godfrey Barnes and Elizabeth Weavor. Godfrey Barnes’s father was John Barnes (who arrived in Md in 1670), and Elizabeth Weavour’s parents were Richard Weavor (who arrived in Va and then Md about 1647, died before the 15th of April 1689 Md) and Ann Guttridge (who died before the 4th of July 1713 in Prince George’s Co, Md). All of the above information about the Barnes family was found in probates contained in Cd 206 (see Source Codes). 2) The Barnard family – the Barnard family starts with Thomas Barnard arriving in the colony of Maryland in 1665 and he married a women with the given name of Sabina Frances. (see Source Code T&D1.) They had two children, Luke and Mary. Thomas Barnard died the 10th of October 1694 and then his wife married Nathaniel Wickham. Nathaniel Wickham and Thomas Barnard had been good friends, and Nathaniel took excellent care of Thomas’s children. The Barnard family owes a lot of its “good fortune” to Nathaniel Wickham. Then Luke Barnard married and a son he named Nathaniel, after his step-father. Nathaniel Barnard married Mena and they had many children, one being William Logan Barnard (born 1757 Md, a revolutionary war veteran, a farmer, died 1843 Ky) who married Sara Pigman (born Md, sister to Rev Ignatius Pigman, the Methodist minister). Several of their children married into the Philip Hocker jr and Dorcas Barnes family. 3) The Hook family – the Hook family starts in the colony of Maryland with Thomas Hook who was listed as a free man in 1677. Thomas Hook arrived about 1663 in Va and then migrated to Md. Thomas Hook and Annaple [maiden name unknown] married about 1682 in St Mary’s Co, Md. They had two sons before Thomas died. The eldest was Thomas Hook who inherited the Hook farm, and the other son James Hook married the Margaret Hocker, the daughter of John Hocker and Elizabeth Wright. After Thomas Hook died Annaple married John Wright, the father of John Hocker’s second wife Elizabeth Wright. 4) The Thrasher family – we seriously believe that the Thrasher family (in some places the spelling was Thresher) started with William Thrasher who migrated to Va and then Md in 1645. William Thrasher married and had two children we are sure of. A daughter named Mary Thrasher who married John Ball in 1716 in Talbot Co, Md, and a son named Benjamin Thrasher who married Mary Hocker in 1725 in Prince George’s Co, Md. Mary Hocker was the daughter of Nicholas Hocker and Sophia Sim. Apparently the William Thrasher family lived in Talbot Co, Md. 5) The Pruitt family – we know the Pruitt family started with Thomas Pruitt (born 1616 England, died 1692 England) who had three sons. All three of these boys came to America. Two of these sons migrated to Va in 1684. The eldest was Henry Pruitt, born about 1654 and then John Pruitt, born about 1658. Henry Pruitt married Ann Fields and some of his descendants migrated to Kentucky and married into the Hocker family. John Pruitt married Sarah Lessene (born 1662 England) and their son Samuel Pruitt married Robert Hocker and Amy Selby’s daughter Elizabeth Hocker.