From the book "Bonded Passengers to America" Volume II, by Peter Wilson Coldham, on page 134: "William Hook, of St. Margaret Westminster, was sentenced for "transportation" in October 1773". The next available ship would have been the Justitia with Captain Finlay Gray in January 1774 which carried 170 bonds from London to Virginia.

An individual had to be at least 14 years old to be transported and most bonds lasted up to seven years. Our William would have been 14 years old at the time of sentencing, possibly 15 by the time he set sail and 21 years old by the end of seven years. He then would have been of age to join the Virginia Militia and fight in the Revolutionary War. Of course, this is all conjecture but the ages correspond, so this theory is worth considering.

The movie Moll Flanders is a great example of how the Bond system worked. Upon arrival, many bonded persons were treated no differently than indentured servants. Once they had fulfilled their bond, they were free to pursue a new life in America or they had the option of returning to England.

I have visited the Hook homestead in Hampshire County as well as the small cemetery where the family is interred. The cemetery is located on the neighboring farm, once a part of the original Hook property. The log house has been well-preserved. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the cemetery with its broken wooden fence and weedy lot. Once in a while the farmer whacks down the overgrowth, but it really is not looked after.

I am descended from William Hook and Mary McKee through their son Thomas>Addison>Edgar>daughter Lucy.

I am on Ancestry and have always been curious about the circumstances of William's travels to America and any English connections.

I came across your posts and am wondering if you could summarize what you have learned about William to date. My family has documentation that he served in the Continental Army and some in earlier generations have become members of the DAR.

Thanks,

Sandy

Useful map and other links here, including one to a Diary dating from the mid 1700s which mentions a few local Hooks.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SSX/EastHoathly/

Also see http://www.easthoathlyandhalland.co.uk/the-villages

By coincidence my own FH researches show more recent links to this part of Sussex and the Dean - I really need to revisit them and find out why !.

Here's another FH forum thread which may well link into the trees you've seen on Ancestry.
http://genforum.genealogy.com/hook/messages/1102.html
from this thread http://genforum.genealogy.com/hook/messages/1009.html

I strongly suspect MPG's earlier post re the river/sea ports and Bristol is relevant in your case, Diane. It seems a little odd nowadays, despite Gloucester dating back well before Norman times, until recently the County town of Gloucestershire was the much bigger city of Bristol; in the times of William Hook it was a major port for the whole of Britain, especially wrt Virginia - slaves & tobacco.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bristol#Slave_trade

I've just found this tantalising hint that just maybe there was a Hook family who may have traded in or even from Bristol before 1830, but cannot find any more information at all... ???

Pigot's Directory of Gloucestershire, 1830, has this entry
"GIBBONS & GARRETT, Miller at Hook's Mills, Bristol"
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/Bristol/DUFETTtoJOSEPH.html

Finally, I presume you've seen this US site which includes a brief mention of William ?
http://www.historichampshire.org/revwar.htm

Will have another look at the UK Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures 1710-1811…

I will investigate his master Robert HOOK in the event William traveled to America with him which certainly seems plausible. William, Robert, James and Samuel are all family names which have been used repeatedly in every generation. I think I've finally have a crack in my brick wall. LOL

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help!

Ancestry does have a list of

UK Register of Duties Paid for Apprentice Indentures 1710-1811

Description

These are registers of the money received for the payment on taxes for an apprentice's indenture between 1710-1811. The records include sum received, name, address, and trade of master, name of apprentice, dates of articles of apprenticeship. Up until 1752 the Apprentice's parents name were included - but rare after that.

The dates for the records are for when tax was paid and may be some years after the Apprenticeship not when it started or finished. In total, on Ancestry - there are 523,475

This information is also on the National Archives.

Searching for Gloucestershire etc - various names turn up including Little Dean etc - so a useful research tool for this forum.

--

The only Wm HOOK around that time is

Master's Name: Robert HOOK (Cordwainer)

Apprentice Name: Wm HOOK

Residence Location: East Healthy, Sussex

Payment Date: 29 April 1773

---

Searching : St Margaret, Westminster, Middlesex for HOOK

27 April 1770

James HOOK - Master: occupation, Waterman & Lighterman - Apprentice: Sam Godfrey (for 7 years)

--

St Margaret's London (bounded by the River Thames to the East and River Crane to the West

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Margarets,_London

----

Tracing Watermen Ancestors

http://www.parishregister.com/aboutstp.htm

---

It might be possible that your William HOOK came to London by Waterways etc.

That said, I did investigate the immigration entry for 1773. I found him in the book Bonded Passengers to America which lists "William Hook of St. Margaret Westminster SW Oct 1773". As William was born in Gloucestershire, he should have been listed in the Oxford Circuit in Volume VI not the Middlesex Volume II. Of course, that's not to say he couldn't have made his way to London. I have purchased the books mentioned above with the hope there will be enough details included to make a definite connection. I should receive them in the next week or two.

Thank you for your interest in my search! I am grateful for any assistance this forum can provide.

There are many Public Members Trees on Ancestry with William HOOK born 1759 and Mary McKee (got to 20 but there are more) - if you look at all these trees - they may hold new information for you - including Military 1780 - and Census 1782, 1810, 1820, residence 1830 etc.

1780 aged 21 Military

Served in the Revolutionary War as orderly in Capt. John Neils' Virginia Co. The military unit was responsible for guarding prisoners of war in the Hessian Barracks in Western Frederick Co. This is how he met Mary McKee

Are any of the first generation children christened with middle names - which can include a Surname which gives extra clues.

On one file on the net - one Son is listed as William L HOOK - christened 1792.

If you listed the census returns/baptisms etc on this forum - with the whole family - this would help.

and quoting his Military records (dates) in which he states he was from Gloucestershire

Ancestry - do have Gloucestershire Wills available - which includes some HOOK(E)'s.

I have a subscription to Ancestry. Do you know the name of the Public Tree which states he arrived in 1774 at age 14? There may be more documentation through that lead.

Thanks,
Diane

This probably isn't the correct family - Christian names are carried through many generations and are clues

Children of William HOOK and Mary McKEE

Thomas 1783, Elizabeth 1785, William 1792, Samuel 1795, Joseph 1798, Mary 1800, Esther or Hester 1803, Josiah 1809 and Robert 1811.

On Ancestry, Robert and Elizabeth HOOK - are having children christened at Bristol around that time - with similar names - and naturally, Bristol was and is a Port.

Robert - 21 July 1751 (St John Baptists, Bristol, Gloucester, England)
Robert - 20 July 1755 - ditto
William - 20 July 1755 - ditto
Elizabeth - 1763 - Saint Mary's Redcliffe, Bristol, Gloucester, England
Joseph - 1766 - ditto

I would have thought that research in Virginia is best way to go.

I wish you every success.

I have no idea as to when or why or with whom my William would have gone to America. Does anyone have a missing William HOOK in their family? I wish he would have provided more details in his records to point me in the right direction.

Without a parish to work with, this is a needle in a haystack search.

Thanks for any assistance!