The Shire of the Hobbits: Famous Tooks

Famous Tooks

Bandobras Took, also known as the Bullroarer, was the grandson of Isengrim the Second and the son of Isumbras III. He was the younger brother of Ferumbras II. Bandobras lived from 1104 to 1206. He routed an invasion of Orcs at the Battle of Greenfields in SR 1147 (TA 2747). He held the height record for countless generations. According to the Red Book, he reached the exalted height of four feet five. It was said that he was tall enough to ride a horse rather than a pony. The Bullroarer had many descendants, including the North-tooks of Long Cleeve.

Gerontius Took, also known as the Old Took, was born in 1190 and died in SR 1320 (TA 2920). He married Adamanta Chubb and had many children.

Gandalf visited the Shire in the time of Gerontius, for it is said, "He [Gandalf] had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died..." Bilbo Baggins later refers to Gandalf's visits during the time of the Old Took. He said of Gandalf, "Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that gave Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered? Not the fellow who used to tell such wonderful tales at parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and the unexpected luck of widows' sons? Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Mid-summer's Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!" He also said, "Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves - or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores!" The Old Took's involvement with Gandalf, and the involvement of his family, undoubtedly stems from the rumored Elvish blood that lurks in the Took line. There was not something entirely hobbitlike about the Tooks and "once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures." This was not Gandalf's first time in the Shire as he had also come in TA 2758 (SR 1158) during the Long Winter.

Belladonna, Donnamira, and Mirabella Took were the "three remarkable daughters of the Old Took". In their youth, they went on adventures. The Three Remarkable Took Sisters later settled down and married for it is said, "not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins". Belladonna (1252 - 1334) married Bungo Baggins and gave birth to Bilbo Baggins. Bungo Baggins built her the luxurious hobbit-hole of Bag End (partially with her money!) Donnamira (1256 - 1348) married Hugo Boffin. According to a draft of a Boffin genealogical chart, Donnamira was the mother of Jago and Jessamine Boffin and the great-grandmother of Fredegar Bolger. Folco Boffin, one of Frodo's friends, was also the descendant of Donnamira and Hugo Boffin. Mirabella (1260 - 1360) married Gorbadoc Brandybuck, the Master of Buckland. Their children included Primula Brandybuck, the mother of Frodo Baggins.

Two of the sons of Gerontius, Hildifons and Isengar Took, went off on adventures and never returned. Hildifons "went off on a journey and never returned." He was an older brother. Isengar was the youngest child of Gerontius and Adamanta. Isengar was "said to have 'gone to sea' in his youth".

Peregrin Took was one of the Fellowship of the Ring (or Travellers, as they were known in the Shire.) He was born in SR 1390 and was the youngest of four children. His parents were Paladin II and Eglantine Banks. His older sisters were Pearl (born 1375), Pimpernel (born 1379), and Pervinca (born 1385). His aunt Esmeralda (born 1336) married Saradoc Brandybuck and was the mother of Pippin's cousin, the famous Meriadoc Brandybuck. Pippin also had 3 other aunts.

In 1418, at the tender age of 28, Pippin became one of the Travellers. Upon his return to the Shire in 1419 he was found to have become so tall as to rival the height of Bandobras Took. This brought him much acclaim in the Shire.

In SR 1427 he married Diamond of Long Cleeve (born 1395) and became the father of Faramir I (born 1430). Pippin became the Thain in 1434. At this time, King Elessar made the Thain, the Master of Buckland (Merry Brandybuck), and the Mayor (who was then Samwise Gamgee), Counsellors of the North-kingdom. Pippin's son Faramir Took married Goldilocks Gamgee, the daughter of fellow Traveller Samwise Gamgee, in 1463.

Pippin moved to Rohan and then Gondor in SR 1484, along with Merry Brandybuck (Fourth Age 64). Diamond had presumably died before then. Pippin died in Gondor and was buried in Rath Dinen before March 1, 1541 (the death of King Elessar). Legolas and perhaps Gimli then left Middle Earth and sailed over the Sea.

From:

The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the Peoples of Middle Earth.

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Updated January 3, 2012