I have just completed extracting the Hooker and possible Hooker references in early MD wills; they were included in 7 vol. of books, the earliest six of which I have retained to scan for related surnames if anyone wishes. My interest in this line is that my grandmother was Lillie Ann HOOKER b 1887 TN who married James Preston WATKINS. She was daughter of James Willis HOOKER b 1857 Roane CO (now Loudon), TN, and wife Lettice Elizabeth Duncan/Dunkin b 1858 Monroe CO, tN. John Willis Hooker, in turn, was son of John C. HOOKER b ca 1810 MD and wife Rachel GREEN b 1830; John and Rachel were born in MD. It appears that virtually all the families that I have who were in ETN in my mother's side (Hooker/Watkins) came through NC. Now I find that most of them were, likewise, from MD originally. It appears that there is a strong Quaker influence in these lines that took this line of migration. If anyone wants me to scan these records (and about 50 other pages of varied notes) which I copied, please ask. I can do a "find" on my word processor and the process should be easy. I checked out the first 2 vol. last month and failed to copy all the details, but I did retain all information typed concerning the earliest texts. It appears that the Watkins story becomes larger and larger as we see the related surnames and distance they migrated. Please forgive typhos; in order to include all this much material, I had to forsake careful consideration to typing details. Also, many of the early spelling was "rough," as you will see from the records as they go backward in time. These records do go backward in history, as that is the way that we genealogists research. For those who are not familiar with geography around the waters of the early colonies, let me explain that my daughter lives in the Norfolk/Williamburg/VA Beach/Jamestown/Chesapeake/Portsmouth area of early VA and she often takes a bridge/tunnel that goes to Maryland. Furthermore, to the south she lives within ten miles of the North Carolina line. The Potomac River on which our national capital rests is just off the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay of VA reaches almost to the Pennsylvania line near what was in 1750 Chester CO, PA. The James River runs from Jamestown, VA, through the Richmond, VA, area, and into old Augusta CO at Staunton, which was capital of the county of VA that extended to the Miss. River and later became numerous states. Staunton is a short drive from the West VA line (formerly part of VA.) It is worth noting, too, that the early colonies (like later counties and states) disputed much of this territory. In books of "early settlers" of different states I have seen some of the same names for the same dates. One of the early MD records contained the name of "Wm. Penn" (what could be more a PA name?!) and there are numerous wills that refer to land in several early colonies, especially in VA. The Maryland Calendar of Wills: Jane Baldwin, compiler & editor; Wills from earliest times to 1726; Vol. I - VI, Baltimore, Genealogical Publ. CO, 1968, borrowed from the Univ. of VA's Alderman Library. (Pages noted are from their respective books which cover various periods of time. I can check a specific reference regarding which vol. if needed.) Wm. TRAVERS, planter, Dorchester CO; 1 mar 1728; 15 June 1730; To son Wm. And brs. Dwell. Plan; shd. Unbron child to be son and live to age 18, to have ½ thereof; son Mathew and hrs, "Taylor’s Folly," on Taylor’s Is; sd. Sons to ec. Est. at age 18; child, viz: Wm., Mathew, dau. Rebecca FERGUSON, dau. Mary and unborn chld, pers. Estate eq. Dau. Mary of age at 16 ormarriage. Wife: Eliza, extx. Test: Matthew TRAVERS, Roger HOOKER, Mthew TRAVERS, Jr. Page 174. Benj. BOWEN, Sr, planter, Balitmore; 14 Jan 1741; 21 Juen 1742. To son Benj. COX (Bowen?), son Nathan BOWEN, the pt of "Samuel’s Hope" on Brittain ridge, which test. Bought from Samuel HOOKER, shed, he die w/o heirs, sd tract to pass to son Soloman; son Solomon, residue of "Samuel’s Hope," son Josiah & hrs, 129 A "Jonase’s Outlet," 100 A "Gooseberry" on Back R. neck & dwell. Plan. At death of his mother; wife Sarah, extx, 1/3 pers. Est and life int. in dwell. Plan; daus. Mary, Sarah, Tabitha at 16 years, also to sons Solomon, Josiah, Nathan, personality; Test: Abr. EAGLESTONE, Bown STANSBURY, Thos. SHEREDINE. Page 260. John DEAKINS, planter, Prince George’s CO; 9 Aug 1743; 20 March 1744. To son Leonard, personality; son Wm & daus. Eliz. HOOKER, Ann TANEYHILL & Mary LUCAS, 2 sh, 6 pence; wife priscilla, extx, entire real estate; wife Priscilla & sons richard, John, Joseph, residue of est. They to be of age at 18 years; Test: John BOONe, Henry BOONE, Charles BOONE. John RABLIN, Prince George’s Co; 6 Dec. 1704; ___. To son John RABLIN, Sr, and dau. Katharine, pers; son John Rablin, Jr, and hrs, dw. Plan and 50 A. He dying w/o issue, plan. To pass to son John RABLIN, Sr, and hrs, and 50 A. to unborn child; son Wm. To live o sd. Land until sd. Child be of age. Extx: wife Elizabeth. Age of child. As appendedto the will. Wm. Born 5 June 1689; John 27 July 1691; kathareine, 16 Jan 1694; John (2nd), 26 May 1702; In event of m. of wife and if there be trouble w/their step-father, child. To be taken by John DEAKINS & Robert HOOKER. Test: Robert HUCKEr, Jno. DEAKINs, Henry NEWMAN. Page 205. Eliza. RIGBYE, wiofe of James RIGBYE, of St. James Parish, AA CO; 3 Nov 1700; 8 Dec. 1700. To minister of afsd Paish, 50 A; to husband James, 100 A; 3 sons, Nathaniel, James and Thomas at majority, residue of est, real and personal. In event of their death w/o issue, est. to pass to husband James afsd. Test: Henry HALL, Robt. STEPHENS, Jacob HOOKER. Page 63. Richard HOWARD, Talbot CO, aged 43 years, 13 July 1671; 4 Apr 1672. To Robert HARDINg, John DELBY, and anthony MEALE, pers; Rachel HACKER (Hooker?), dau of Richard Hacker of VA, 250 A "Bachelor’s Ranges" on Choptanke R; Robert WELDERTON & Michael his wife, residue of lands, houses, plantations on Tred Avon Ck. During life. At death of sd. Devises, roperties mentioened to pass to Eliza: TODD, now wife of Nathaniel TEAGLE, and hrs. Michael WELDERTON afsd, exs, and res. Leg. Of est, real & pers. Test; Anthony MEALE, ed. ROE, John DELBEY (Delphey?), Wm. SHARES. Page 128. Thomas HOOKER, West River, AA CO; 8 Nov 1683; 9 May 1684. To eld. Son Thomas & hrs, "Browton," except 1 ½ a aldready given Quakers; sons Jacob & Benj. And hrs, jointly, 600 a, "Black Walnut Ridge" in Talbot CO; son Benj, 210 A, "Hooker’s Additon," AA CO; dau. Damaris HOOKER & Johanna CLACKSON, pers; Exs: Wm. RICHARDSON, Benj. LAWRENCe & son Thomas afsd. Test: Samll. GARLAND, Alis BRIDGWATER, Mary WOODLEA. Page 167. John POWELL, 27 Dec. 1675; 5 Apr 1675. To Martha IVEs, Susan FRASELL, Philip Maccanide, thomas EDMUNDs and Bruen RADFORd, pers; Thomas HACKEr, ex (Hooker?), and res. Leg. Of est, real and pers. Test: Geo. WHARTON, Wm. GALLOWAY. John HAWKINs, AA CO, 3 Feb. 1670, 17 Mch 1676. Wife Mary, ex , and sole leg. Of estate, real & personal. Jno. TEAGUE, Thos. HOOKER, Josh. SHALLER Page 200. Robert WOOLERTOn, Talbot CO; 22 Mch 1675-6; 21 Oct 1677. To Eliza; HACKER (Hooker?), pers; Nathaniel TEAGLe, ex and res. Leg. Of est, real &perrs; Test: Francis NEALE, Richd. WILLONS. I still don't have my magic link to my John C. Hooker's father and would appreciate any information that would locate him. Doris in vA