Thomas Hooker - Definition and Overview

Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) was a prominent Puritan religious and colonial leader remembered as one of the founders of Connecticut.

Born in England, fled to New England in 1634 to escape the prosecution of Archbishop William Laud. He was appointed the first pastor of the church at Newtown, Massachusetts (now Cambridge). His home was on a plot of land which today is part of the yard at Harvard College.

In 1636, he led his congregation west to found the new settlement at Hartford, Connecticut. He is also remembered for his role in creating the "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut". This document is considered the world's first written constitution, and a direct ancestor of the U.S. Constitution.

Further reading

• Frank Shuffelton; Thomas Hooker 1586-1647; 1977, Princeton University Press, ISBN 06921052651492.