Thomas Gerard (historian)
Thomas Gerard (1593–1634), lord of the manor of Trent in Somerset (now in Dorset), was an antiquary and historian of the county of Dorset and is the author of ""Coker's" Survey of Dorsetshire". Career. He was born at Trent, in Somerset, in 1593 and was educated at Gloucester Hall, Oxford. Country historian. He was the first "county historian" of Dorset, but his work has traditionally been attributed to the clergyman John Coker, hence known as "Coker's Survey of Dorsetshire". He thus joined other "county historians" who made an appearance during his era, such as Sir  William Pole (d.1635) and Tristram Risdon (d.1640) of Devon, William Burton (d.1645) of Leicestershire (a friend of his), etc., and most notably William Camden (d.1623). Marriage and children. In 1618 he married Ann Coker (1603-1633), a daughter of Robert Coker of Mappowder in Dorset. She died in childbirth on 25 June 1633, aged 29 years, 10 months and 7 days, as her monument in St Andrew's Church, Trent states. By Ann he had children including: