Josiah D Puckett - Revolutionary War veteran

 Josiah D Puckett was a Revolutionary War veteran - https://revwarapps.org/r8510.pdf

He married Prudence Lipford in Cumberland Co, VA, marriage bond undated but mentions the current governor of Virginia was Patrick Henry, who had two terms as governor, 5 July 1776 - 1 June 1779 and again 1 Dec 1784 - 1 Dec 1786.  It is likely Josiah and Prudence married during Gov Henry's second term.

Prudence's father, Amos Lipford, moved around quite a bit, from Chesterfield Co, VA, to Cumberland Co, VA, to Buckingham Co, VA, to Prince Edward Co, VA.  While in Chesterfield Co, VA, Amos Lipford had a deed that was witnessed by Brazure Puckett, distantly related to Josiah Puckett.  Amos Lipford left a will in Prince Edward Co, VA dated 25 Nov 1813 (Prince Edward Co, VA WB 5:56) in which he mentions his son-in-law Josiah Puckett, who the will says moved to Tennessee.  Amos Lipford's will does not explicitly name his daughter Prudence.

Josiah Puckett was a witness to a deed from Thomas Roberson of Prince Edward Co, VA to Amos Lipford of Buckingham Co, VA for 85 acres in Prince Edward Co (DB 12:46); Josiah Puckett proved the deed in Prince Edward Co court on 16 Dec 1799.

Josiah Puckett was on tax lists of Buckingham Co, VA most years between 1784 and 1804.  In 1785, he was listed as "D Josiah".  Later record list him as "Josiah D".  The D was for Douglas, and Josiah was likely the son of Peter Puckett, son of the original Douglas Puckett.  I will lay out my reasoning below.

Josiah Puckett made a statement about his Revolutionary War service in court of Livingston Co, KY on 18 May 1818 (Livingston Co, KY Court Records 1816-1822:86b):  "Josiah Douglass Puckett came into Court and applied to be heard us an indigent soldier of the revolution entitled to the provision made for such persons under Law of the congress of the 18th of March 1818...".  The word "Douglass" was crossed out, and when this statement was copied to the paper included in his Revolutionary War pension file, the word "Douglass" was omitted.  (Note that the LDS digitized microfilm of Livingston Co, KY court records is missing a page or two, so Josiah Puckett's statement is incomplete.)

Note that one of the justices of the Livingston Co, KY court at this time was John Puckett Esquire, son of Charles Puckett, son of the original Douglas Puckett.  Thus, John Puckett was the first cousin of Josiah Douglas Puckett.  It appears John Puckett sat out of this session, which was before his fellow justices Patrick H Rice, William Montgomery and James Hodge; this was likely to give the appearance of impartiality.

Josiah Puckett's age appears to have been exaggerated, a common ploy for sympathy in pension applications.  Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol 5, No 4, p.91 - "Some Revolutionary War Soldier who enlisted at Chesterfield Virginia after 1 Sep 1780":

• Name: Josiah Pucket
• Age: 22
• Place of Birth: Prince Edward Co
• Place of Residence: Prince Edward Co

From his Revolutionary War pension, Josiah stated he enlisted in March 1781.  If was 22, he was born in 1758 or 1759.  The marriage bond of Peter Puckett and Ann Morris was dated 26 Apr 1757 in Prince Edward Co, VA.  Peter and Ann Puckett were likely Josiah's parents.  Peter was the son of the first Douglas Puckett in America, and from Josiah Puckett's pension application, we know he named a son Peter P Puckett.  Also, Josiah's middle name was Douglas.

Peter Puckett, probable father of Josiah, moved from Prince Edward Co, VA to Wilkes Co, GA in the late 1780s.  Peter Puckett appeared in a few tax lists of Prince Edward before his move to Georgia.  Notably, between 1782 and 1785, Peter goes from being taxed on 10 cattle, to no cattle.  Meanwhile, Josiah Puckett in Buckingham Co, VA tax lists goes from no cattle in 1784 to 8 cattle in 1785.  Possibly a coincidence, but possibly Peter conveyed his cattle to Josiah.  This was around the time Josiah likely married Prudence Lipford, so possibly the cattle were a wedding gift.

On the 1820 Census of Montgomery Co, TN, Josiah Puckett was listed as over 45 years old.

The 1830 Census of Humphreys Co, TN lists Josiah as 70-79.  The 1840 Census of Humphreys Co, TN lists Josiah as 90-99, and also has his "exact" age recorded as 91.  His pension application gives his age as 68 in Aug 1820.  He was, in fact about 62 in 1820, 72 in 1830, and 82 in 1840.  His age was simply exaggerated, and inconsistently reported by him - he supposedly aged 23 years between 1820 and 1840.  It is much more likely he was the son of Peter Puckett and Ann Morris, and that he was born circa 1758.

A court case in Montgomery Co, TN on 21 Oct 1823, shows a relationship between Josiah Puckett and the larger Puckett family (Montgomery Co, TN Court Minutes 11:304) - Saml M Pucket and Wm P Pucket vs Peter P Pucket, debt.  Peter P Pucket acknowledged his debt of $131.  We know Peter P Puckett was the son of Josiah Douglas Puckett.  Samuel M Puckett and William P Puckett were the sons of John Puckett, mentioned above, a justice of the Livingston Co, KY court.  John Puckett moved to Hinds Co, MS where he died, his will names his children including Samuel and William.  William P Puckett was the first clerk of Hinds Co, MS, and Samuel M Puckett was a prominent doctor.  Their father, John Puckett, was son of Charles Puckett, son of the first Douglas Puckett.  Peter P Puckett was son of Josiah Douglas Puckett, probable son of Peter Puckett, son of the first Douglas Puckett.  Thus, Samuel M Puckett and William P Puckett loaned money to their second cousin, Peter P Puckett.

More on Josiah Puckett's family later....