Quaker Pucketts

Sylvia Ridenour Olson's mother was Hazel Puckett (1882 - 1969), she the daughter of Francis Puckett (1859 - 1931), he the son of James B Puckett (1829 - 1899), son of James Puckett (1788 - circa 1860), son of Thomas Puckett, the progenitor of a large Puckett family of Quakers.

Our basic knowledge of Thomas Puckett the Quaker, and his father Isham Puckett Sr, comes from  the book A history of Welcome Garrett and his descendants by Samuel B Garret, as I discuss on my page for Womack Puckett.

Sylvia R Olson studied the Quaker Pucketts extensively, and created a large set of 3x5 cards with info on hundreds of Puckett individuals.  These cards were microfilmed by LDS, and available at FamilySearch (click this link, requires free FamilySearch login).  The cards are arranged alphabetically by name.

Richard Puckett, son of Thomas the first Quaker, and wife Hannah had several children.  After Richard died, Hannah and the children moved to Indiana.  In Surry Co, NC Deed Book U:288, Hannah and her children gave Power of Attorney to David Puckett (another child of Richard & Hannah) to settle the estate of Richard Puckett in North Carolina.  

Surry Co, NC DB U:288 - Power of attorney, David Puckett from Hannah Puckett and others.  Hannah Pucket widow and Thomas Pucket, Isam Pucket, Moses Pucket and Betsey Pucket his wife, Joseph Pucket, Richard Pucket, Elihu Pucket, Phebe Pucket, Nancy Combs Pucket, Levina Pucket and Lewis Pucket heirs of Richard Pucket deceased of Vigo Co, IN make Daniel Pucket our Attorney to settle the estate of Richard Pucket in Surry Co, NC.  Signed 19 Sep 1832.  Signed by Hannah Pucket, Thomas Pucket, Moses Pucket, Betsy Pucket, Richard Pucket, Joseph Pucket, Elihu Pucket, Phebe Pucket, Levina Pucket, Lewis Pucket.  Witnesses Isom Garrett, Patterson M Wire.  

The question arises whether Moses Puckett in the Power of Attorney above was the son of Richard and Hannah, or a son-in-law who married their daughter Elizabeth.  Moses Puckett married Elizabeth Puckett 13 June 1818 in Surry Co, NC with Benjamin Taylor bondsman.  The wording of the Power of Attorney means that Moses was a son-in-law of Richard, acting in the right of his wife Elizabeth, nickname  'Betsy'.

According to Sylvia Olson, Moses was Elizabeth's first cousin, the son of Benjamin Puckett - link here.  If so, Moses came back to NC to marry Elizabeth, because in 1809, Moses witnessed a deed to his father in Knox Co, OH (DB B:102).

A guardian report in Surry Co, NC (Record of Estates 1818-1824:54) shows Samuel Pfaff was the guardian of Elizabeth Puckett and Nancy Puckett.  Pfaff settled Elizabeth's share with her husband, Moses Puckett.  He gave Nancy Puckett her share a few days before she came of age, right before she moved to "the western country" with a bond from Nancy's mother to indemnify him.  He also received money from the administrator to pay for school for David Puckett.   The "Richard Puckett 1815" estate file shows Pfaff as guardian to some of Richard's children.  

So, Moses Puckett was Richard Puckett's son-in-law.

Moses Puckett was on the 1820 census of Clinton Co, OH and the 1830 census of Vigo Co, IN.  The Moses Puckett on the 1840 census of Clinton Co, OH was another Moses Puckett, son of James Puckett son of Thomas the Quaker, and thus first cousin of both Moses Puckett and his wife Elizabeth.  Moses Puckett son of James was on the 1850 census of Hamilton Co, IN.  

Clinton Co, OH DB D:234, a deed made in 1824 where the sellers were Benjamin Puckett and wife Catherine, James Puckett and wife Mary, and Moses Puckett and wife Betsy.  Proof that after marrying, Moses Puckett and his wife Elizabeth Puckett lived for a time in Ohio before moving to Indiana.

John Puckett of Amherst County, Virginia

 In 1756, a John Puckett was an overseer for Peter Jefferson, father of President Thomas Jefferson, in Albemarle Co, VA.  See book 'The Lee Harmon Manuscript' at Internet Archive, Chapter V, p.104.  The footnote for this is missing from the footnote section for Chapter 5 at the end of the book, but I assume it comes from the papers of Peter Jefferson, who had four large plantations in Albemarle County.  John Puckett may have worked at Jefferson's Shadwell Plantation, a little east of Charlottesville.

A John Puckett bought land in Albemarle Co, VA in 1765:  DB 4:100 - 11 Jul 1765, William Kippes to John Puckett, both of Albemarle Co, for 20 pounds, tract in Albemarle Co, South Branches of Hardware River, 200 acres, mentions corner of John Howard and Stephens. Signed Wm Kippes.  No witnesses.  July 1765 Albemarle Court, acknowledged by William Kippes.

Also, DB 4:500 - 25 Oct 1765, John Howard & John Puckett of Albemarle to Randolph Johnson of Cumberland Co, for 8 pounds, land in Albemarle, part of a 400 acre tract granted to aforesaid John Howard on Dabeys Creek.  Mentions William Kippe's corner, Jacob Oglesby's line, John Howard's corner.  Signed John Howard (J H his mark), John Puckett (+ his mark).  No witnesses.  Apr 1768, Albemarle Court - acknowledged by John Howard and John Puckett, Katey [?, later deeds show John Howard's wife was Catherine, Katey a nickname] wife of said Howard relinquished Dower.

Fluvanna Co, VA was formed 1 July 1777 from the eastern part of Albemarle Co.  Hardware River arises in modern Albemarle Co and flows into Fluvanna Co where it joins the James River.  Dobby Creek, called Dabeys Creek in the deed above, is a small creek in Fluvanna Co that flows into Hardware River in what is now the Hardware River State Wildlife Management Area.  So, the area in the two above deeds was in the part of Albemarle Co which became Fluvanna in 1777.

In 1764, John Howard sold land to George Duncan - Albemarle Co, VA DB 4:11 1764, John Howard & Catherine his wife to George Duncan, all of Albemarle Co, 20 acres, part of a patent granted 17 June 1738 of 200 acres to Jacob Shephard, and from him conveyed to said John Howard, on Hardware River, mention John Stevens line.  Signed John Howard (J H his mark), Catherine Howard (+ her mark).  No witnesses.  19 Oct 1764, court for Albemarle Co, acknowledged by John Howard and Katherine his wife.

In 1779, John Puckett, an inhabitant of Amherst Co, VA, sold 200 acres in Fluvanna Co, VA.

Fluvanna Co, VA DB 1:157 - 17 Feb 1779, John Puckett of Amherst Co, VA to George Duncan of Fluvanna Co, VA, for 25 pounds, 200 acres in Fluvanna joining the lines of said Duncan, Christopher Watts and Shadrack Ogelsby [Oglesby].  Signed John Puckett (+ his mark).  Witnesses Jno Wmson [John Williamson], John Duncan, Lewis Hancock.  Fluvanna Court 4 Mar 1779, proved by oaths of John Williamson, John Duncan and Lewis Handcock.

Although the deed does not mention any waterways, this appears to be the same 200 acres purchased by John Puckett in 1765 on Hardware River.  Almost certainly this is the same John Puckett selling that land in 1777.

John Puckett bought land in Amherst Co, VA in 1771.  In 1776, John Puckett sold part of that land to Jacob Puckett, and the description mentions William Oglesby's line - a probable connection to the Oglesby neighbors in the Albemarle and Fluvanna deeds above.

John Puckett was listed an the 1787 tax list of Amherst Co, VA as tax exempt.  Jacob Puckett is also on this list and was taxed for one white poll.  The 1787 tax list was different than those before or after, because the state of Virginia had instructed all counties to list by name all white males over 16, even those who were tax exempt.  In this way, the 1787 tax list has been used as substitute for the lost 1790 Federal Census of Virginia.  Virginia did not have automatic tax exemptions, but the courts could grant an exemption to someone who was old or disabled, though they still had to pay taxes on certain personal property if they owned it.  They were exempt from the poll tax on white males over 16.

John Puckett appears to have been alive for several more years, acting as the bondsman on several marriages in Amherst Co.  The last appearance was when a John Puckett was the bondman for the marriage of Benjamin Sneed to Silvey Enicks in 1797.

John Puckett and Jacob Puckett signed a Legislative Petition in 1776 - search the Library of Virginia catalog for 'Dissenters in Albemarle, Amherst, & Buckingham: Petition' - there are two petitions with this name, both dated 22 Oct 1776.  John Puckett and Jacob Puckett are listed on one of them.

Assuming John Puckett who was on overseer for Peter Jefferson in 1756 was the same as the John Puckett of the 1765 Albemarle Co, VA deeds, this makes us rethink this John Puckett.  He was probably the father of Jacob Puckett, and not Jacob's brother as has been theorized.  We can guess this John Puckett was born circa 1736, making him about 20 when he worked for Peter Jefferson, and old enough to be Jacob Puckett's father - census records show Jacob was born in the 1750s.  By 1787, John Puckett was around 51 years old, and tax exempt.  John Puckett may be the son of Daniel Puckett of Buckingham Co, VA, but if so, he came west from Chesterfield Co, VA to the Peter Jefferson plantation in Albemarle Co, VA well before Daniel Puckett left Chesterfield.

Two Robert Pucketts

 There were two Robert Pucketts in Virginia in the late 1700s, one the son of Douglass Puckett, and one the son of Daniel Puckett.

The Robert Puckett who married Elizabeth Rice and had several children with her, as well as several children with mistress Sarah 'Sally' Potter, is well-known thru records of Prince Edward, Charlotte and Campbell counties in Virginia.  Robert's will named both sets of children.  Robert died from a gunshot wound, and his son, Robert Potter alias Puckett, was tried and acquitted of murder.  There are multiple records that tie this Robert to Douglass Puckett.

The other Robert Puckett is fairly unknown.  When Daniel Puckett, a resident of Buckingham Co, VA, sold land in Chesterfield Co, VA in 1780, two of the witnesses were Robert Puckett and Rachel Puckett.  There are few remaining records of Buckingham Co, VA; most early records were lost.  However, Robert Puckett appears on a 1773/1774 tax list of Buckingham that survived.  Robert Puckett also signed a Legislative Petition from Buckingham Co, VA in 1777.  

Daniel Puckett had a Virginia Land patent in northern Buckingham Co, VA, very close to where Buckingham joins the counties of Albemarle and Fluvanna.

By 1782, Robert Puckett, son of Daniel, appears to have moved to Fluvanna Co, VA, where he appears on tax lists from 1782 to 1817.  

Benjamin Puckett and Stephen Puckett also appear in Fluvanna records, likely sons of this Robert.  Benjamin Puckett, born circa 1781, was on the 1850 Federal Census Of Buckingham Co, VA, listed as age 65 with wife Polly.  His death was recorded in Virginia Death Registers, which state he died 17 June 1859 in Buckingham Co, age 78 (thus born circa 1781), wife Polly Pucket.  Most importantly, this record state he was born in Fluvanna Co, VA.

There were multiple Puckett marriages in Fluvanna Co, VA,

• James Thomas to Polley Puckett, 5 Jan 1801, Stephen Puckett bondsman, Robert Puckett consent
• Stephen Puckett to Polley Moore, 6 Nov 1801
• Robert Anderson to Rachel Puckett, 3 Sep 1808, John Thomas bondsman, Robert Puckett father
• Hiram Dawson to Jane Puckett, 23 Mar 1814
• Edmond Slaughter to Sally Puckett, 29 Dec 1816

Note that Robert Puckett had a daughter Rachel Puckett who married Robert Anderson.  This Rachel Puckett was unlikely the same Rachel Puckett who witnessed Daniel Puckett's 1780 deed along with Robert Puckett, but likely named for her.  The 1780 Rachel Puckett could have been Robert's sister or wife - it was fairly common to name girls after their mother then.

So, there were two Robert Pucketts, one with lots of records who was the son of Douglass Puckett, the other with fewer records, the probable son of Daniel Puckett.