Sara Monk Hooker
According to traditional resources, Sara Monk was born during the 1780s or 90s and was the daughter of Albany resident Christopher Monk. Her mother may have been Christiana Flagg of Schenectady.
Then, she could have been one of the six family members counted in Monk's Watervliet household on the census in 1790.
In January 1814, she married childless widower Philip Hooker at the Albany Lutheran church. That marriage does not seem to have produced children either.
Reknowned architect Hooker brought his bride to his home on what became South Market Street.
After a marriage of more than two decades, Philip Hooker died early in 1836. His will passed probate on January 18. Without direct heirs, the estate was left to his widow. It noted that "Sarah, who has by her industry and frugality assisted me in an essential manner to acquire what I possess, the whole of my estate of every kind and description whatsoever and wheresoever the same may be, which I may own, be in possession of or be entitled to at the time of my decease; to be and remain her sole property so long as she remains a widow . . ."
Sarah Monk Hooker lived much longer and seems to have used the Hooker estate to benefit the children of her siblings. She is said to have passed away in New Bedford, Massachusetts about 1858 in the house of her neice. During the early 1900s, Edward Root collected information on her life from her neices and nephews. We seek defining information on her origins and passing.
Sources: The life of Sara Monk Hooker has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from community-based resources. Direct biographical references have been gleaned from the major works on her famous husband. Root interviewed members of Sarah's family and is the most knowing biographical resource on Sarah Monk's life.