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.