Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, 1st Baronet, KB (27 November 1762 – 24 December 1814), of 37 Lower Wimpole Street, London,[3] was an officer of the Royal Navy.

The 1st Baronet's two elder brothers were also naval officers, like Samuel all "gallant Dorset sailors" (as the latter's 1914 monument in Netherbury Church records[7][8]), namely Captain Arthur Hood (1755–1775) (drowned while serving in the West Indies on board HMS Pomona) and Captain Alexander Hood (1758–1798) (killed in the hour of victory while commanding HMS Mars in her famous duel with the French ship 'Hercule').

[9] The mural monument in Butleigh Church to the 1st Baronet and his brothers is inscribed with verse by the poet Robert Southey, including the lines referring to their early lives and kinsmen: Divided far by death were they whose names In honour here united as in birth This monumental verse records they drew Among the western hills their natal breath And from those shores beheld the ocean first Whereon in early youth with one accord They chose their way of fortune; to that course By HOOD and BRIDPORT's bright example drawn Their kinsmen, children of this place, and sons Of one who in his faithful ministry Inculcated within these hallowed walls The truths of mercy to mankind reveal'd He entered the Royal Navy in 1776 at the start of the American War of Independence.

After the peace, like many other British naval officers, Hood spent some time in France, and on his return to England was given the command of a sloop, from which he proceeded in succession to various frigates.

In the 32-gun fifth-rate frigate Juno his gallant rescue of some shipwrecked seamen won him a vote of thanks and a sword of honour from the Jamaica assembly.

[13][14][15] "In the summer of 1814 [Admiral Hood] made a voyage, in his majesty’s ship Minden, to the eastern parts of his station.”[16] He eventually arrived at Semarang, Java on 29 June 1814.

[17][18] While serving in the East Indies Station - "His command was uneventful, the war [in that area] having been brought to an end with the reduction of Java and Mauritius: and the time was mainly occupied in regulating and reforming points of organization or discipline and the methods of victualling, in which he introduced some substantial reforms, effecting a saving to the government of something like thirty per cent.”[19] He married Mary Elizabeth Frederica Mackenzie, eldest daughter and heiress of Francis Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth, but left no issue.

Rear-Admiral Sir George Burlton had been appointed to succeed him, but before the exchange could take place Hood died at Madras on 24 December 1814 after a three-day fever following a visit to Tippoo Sahib's former palace at Srirangapatna.

The heir to his baronetcy, under special remainder, was his nephew Sir Alexander Hood, 2nd Baronet (1793–1851), son of his elder brother Captain Alexander Hood (1758–1798) by his wife Elizabeth Periam, daughter and sole heiress of John Periam (1714–1788) of Wootton House[21][22][23] (alias "Butleigh Wootton") in the parish of Butleigh, Somerset.

The Butleigh connection started with Sir Samuel Hood's great uncle (and the father of his two famous Admiral cousins) Rev.