D12 - Douglass Puckett

Thomas Puckett, William Puckett and Douglass Puckett received a patent from Virginia Colony on 5 June 1746 for 486 acres in Henrico Co, VA on Third Branch of Swift Creek (VA Patent Book 25:97, 008570212:114).  Since Thomas was eldest, the order of the names on this patent was likely oldest to youngest.  On 15 July 1732, Douglass Puckett witnessed a deed from William Pride to Daniel Nunnally (Henrico Co, VA WD 1725-1737:354, 007645095:368).  Douglas Puckett had to be at least 14 to witness a deed or will, but was likely a little older.  We can estimate Thomas was born circa 1708, William born circa 1710, and Douglass born circa 1712. 

Douglass Puckett was on the 1736 Henrico tax list with one levy (tithe), meaning one free male over 16, which was himself.

Douglass moved to Amelia Co, VA by 1744, following his brother William, who was there in 1743.

The early tax lists of Amelia County are very good, and Douglass Puckett was found there from 1744 through 1753, always in the same tax district as John Nash:

On 1 Jan 1754, the area of Amelia Co, VA where Douglass lived became Prince Edward Co, VA.  Prince Edward Co, VA does not have the same great tax lists as Amelia Co.  

1767 Prince Edward Co, VA partial tax list (Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol 33, Number 3, p.225), these Pucketts listed in a row with number of tithes:

1802 British Mercantile Claims (The Virginia Genealogist, Vol 25, p.187), listed in a row:

The early tax lists showed tithes, also known as levies, which were free males 16 or older and slaves of either gender who were 12 or older.  Virginia did not have an upper age when people no longer paid the tithe.  Men had to petition the county court when they or their slave was too old or disabled to work in order to be exempted from paying the annual tithe tax.  Men had to pay the tithe for their sons when the son turned 16, and some men tried to lie to the tax collector about their son's age for a couple years.  The tax was usually collected in the middle of the year, so boys who turned 16 that year, but after the tax was collected, were not counted.

Peter Puckett was at least 16 and living in Douglass's household in the 1753.  Since we cannot find Douglass in 1752, and Peter was not shown as a tithe with Douglass in 1751, we can estimate Peter was born 1735 to 1737.

Note that in 1755, Peter was still the only son with Douglass Puckett who was 16 or older.  But, from various records, we know that Douglass had other sons in 1755, some close to 16 - Robert, Charles, Cheatham and Douglass Jr.  Son Jacob Puckett was born 15 Oct 1755 (See his Revolutionary War Pension application: https://revwarapps.org/w8540.pdf), probably after the 1755 tax was collected.  Probable son Benjamin Puckett was born exactly two years later on 15 Oct 1757 (from his sworn testimony concerning his Revolutionary War service, Laurens District, SC Common Pleas Court, 24 Oct 1829, 008621513:448).

Note that direct evidence has not yet been found for any of the children of Douglas Puckett that definitively states they were his child.  Rather, most of his probable children had records showing an association with Douglass or with one another, and all with connection to Prince Edward Co, VA.  We don't know the names of any of Peter Puckett's children, but the other probable sons of Douglas - Robert, Charles, Cheatham, Douglas Jr, Jacob and Benjamin - all had a son named Douglass.

These naming patterns are important.  Having done genealogy for 30-plus years, and having researched about 3000 Womack individuals born in America before 1850, I can tell you that none of those Womacks was named Douglass, so it was not a common name.  The Douglass name is definitely a clue to the descendants of Douglass Puckett. 

Another clue is that Robert Puckett, probable son of Douglass, named a son Shippy Allen Puckett.  This seems odd, given that all the other males named Shippy Allen Puckett were descendants of John Puckett (B1 in Gee's book) and his wife Elizabeth Allen.  Was Douglass Puckett married to a daughter of John Puckett and Elizabeth Allen?

On the other hand, Douglass Puckett had probable son Cheatham Puckett, which would indicate that Cheatham's mother was very likely a Miss Cheatham.  The Puckett and Cheatham families lived close to one another in both Henrico and Amelia Counties, VA.  Douglass Puckett's brother, William Puckett, had daughter Frances Puckett who married Robert Cheatham.  A Peter Cheatham was in Douglass Puckett's household in 1745 (Amelia Co, VA tax list), perhaps a brother or nephew of Douglass's wife.

Douglas Puckett was perhaps married more than once.  In Feb 1774, there is a Prince Edward Co, VA court record of Douglass Puckett and his wife Mary suing Henry Roberts (OB 5:365).  This record may refer to Douglas Puckett Jr.  There are plenty of internet rumors concerning the name of Douglass Puckett's wife, but no documentation that I have found yet.

In 1802, British merchants tried to collect debts from before the Revolutionary War - this was part of the agreement that ended the war.  In Prince Edward Co, VA, they tried to collect debts of three Puckett men, and asked local people about their whereabouts.  Cheatham Puckett and Peter Puckett were mentioned together in one entry, in which it stated Cheatham was living in Buckingham Co, VA (tax lists place him there), and that Peter Puckett had moved to Georgia (records of Wilkes Co, GA in the late 1780s place Peter there).  The next entry concerns Robert Puckett, and it states he was dead, which agrees with documentation that Robert died in 1800 in Charlotte Co, VA.  These entries appear to connect Cheatham, Peter and Robert Puckett.

In 1767, a partial tax list of Prince Edward Co, VA shows Peter Puckett with one tithe, Cheatham Puckett & Douglass Puckett with 2 tithes, and Charles Puckett with 1 tithe; these 3 Puckett households listed in a row.  I think the Douglass Puckett with Cheatham Puckett was his younger brother, Douglass Jr.  It doesn't make sense for Douglass Sr to be listed second after Cheatham.  Cheatham did have a son named Douglass, but this Douglass may not have been born yet in 1767, and in any case, Cheatham was too young in 1767 to have a son 16 or older.  Robert Puckett was an adult by this time, but possibly in another part of Prince Edward Co, VA that we don't have a tax list for, but other records place him in Prince Edward Co around this time.  Douglass Puckett Sr may have also been in another part of Prince Edward Co, VA.  However, he was about 55 in 1767, and he probably had obtained a tax exemption.  The Prince Edward Co, VA court Order Books are indexed, but unfortunately only for court cases (not everything else that occurred in the court records).  A careful reading of the court records may show when Douglass Puckett Sr obtained his tax exemption.  Likely, Douglass Puckett Sr was head of the household that contained the two tithes of Cheatham Puckett and Douglass Puckett (Jr).

Probable children of Douglass Puckett and his unknown wife or wives:

David Puckett lived in Prince Edward Co, VA, and married Frances 'Fanny' Butler there in 1771.  He had a grandson named Douglass Puckett, but I am currently placing David Puckett as the son of William Puckett (D11) on the basis that a) I have not found any direct interactions between David and Douglass or any of Douglass's children, and b) David was the bondsman for the marriage of William Puckett (Jr) and Lucy Pendleton (bond dated 16 Sep 1781, Prince Edward Co, VA marriage bonds 007741931:383).  Thus, I think David Puckett was the nephew of Douglass Puckett.


Charles Puckett

Laurens Co, SC DB C:335 (008140753:583) - 10 Feb 1791, Charles Puckett of Laurens Co, SC to oldest daughter Mary Puckett, second daughter Ely [Eliz?], second son Cheatum, third son John, fourth son Douglas - livestock & furniture.  Douglass have "my present tract of land on Enoree River".  Signed Charles Puckett (his mark P).  Witnesses Alexander Morison, George Gordon.  Proved 14 Mar 1791 by George Gordon before Jame Montgomery, JP.  [Commentary: Daughter Mary Puckett may have later married James Dillard.  Son Cheatum [sic, Cheatham] appears to be the same man who appears in later records as Chatham Puckett.  Son John was likely John Puckett, who appears in multiple deed records of Laurens Co.  Son Douglass was likely Douglass Josephus Puckett (distinct from his probable cousin, Douglass Josiah Puckett).  Charles did not name his first son, but that appears to have been James D Puckett.]

Benjamin Puckett

Warren Co, NC Tax List, 1784 (007901109:44) - Benjamin Puckett and William Hansell

Warren Co, NC Marriages - Bond dated 13 May 1785, Benjamin Puckett to Salley Hansell, bondsman Thomas Butrill

Lincoln Co, NC - Will of John Ramsey, dated 10 July 1789, witnessed by Benjamin Puckett, proved Jan 1790.

Lincoln Co, NC, 1790 Federal Census - Ninth Company - Wm Hansel (3211), Ben Pucket (1120)

Lincoln Co, NC DB 16:292 007513703:430 - 1795, Sheriff of Lincoln Co to Benjamin Puckett, slave girl Luce about 15, taken in judgment against William Hansel & James Hansel

Lincoln Co, NC, 1800 Federal Census - Benjamin Pickett [sic] (40010-11010-03) - probably a copy error for Puckett - in same roughly alphabetized section as Wm Hansel (00121-00001-00).

Laurens Co, SC, 1810 Federal Census - Benjamin Puckett (32011-11010-03).  2 lines after "Ann Musgrove or Smith", 2 lines before James Templeton.

Laurens Co, SC, DB J:230 (008140754:528) - 16 Aug 1811 - John Puckett of Laurens District for $1000 to Benjamin Puckett of Laurens District, 352a MOL, 100 of which originally granted to James Barton or John Hanna, part of another tract granted to Robert Hanna, part of another tract originally granted to Abraham Holland, on Duncans Creek.  Signed John Puckett.  Witnesses Robert Templeton, Charles Templeton.   Nancy Puckett (signed Ann Puckett) wife of John Puckett relinquished her dower before J A Elmore, Justice of Quorum.  Proved 21 Aug 1811 by Robert Templeton before James Dillard JP.  [Commentary:  I believe this was John Puckett son of Charles Puckett selling land to his uncle Benjamin Puckett; John was in Livingston Co, KY by 1814 (tax lists).   Abraham Holland who originally owned part of the land was probably the same Abraham Holland who moved to Coweta Co, GA and was supposedly father of Harriet Holland who married Douglas J Puckett (probable son of Benjamin) in 1847 there; more research needed.  Robert Templeton supposedly husband of Mary Puckett (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35202109/mary-templeton); if true, she was likely Benjamin's daughter.  J A Elmore who examined Ann "Nancy" Puckett, wife of John Puckett, was John Archer Elmore, for whom Elmore Co, AL is named; he was likely the nephew of Peter Puckett, and named Peter Puckett his guardian in court records of Amelia Co, VA.  James Dillard, the Justice of the Peace before whom Robert Templeton proved this deed, was supposedly married to a Mary Puckett; if true, she was likely the daughter of Charles Puckett and thus sister of John Puckett, the seller.]

Laurens Co, SC, 1820 Federal Census - Benjn Puckett (020101-01001, 3 in agriculture)

Laurens Dist, SC, Common Pleas Court, 24 Oct 1829, Sworn statement of Benjamin Puckett about his Revolutionary War service.   Aged 72 on 15th inst [thus born 15 Oct 1757], enlisted July 1776 in Prince Edward Co, VA.  008621513:448.  Followed by appraisal of his estate.  Also, 008696164:59 (originals)

Laurens Co, SC, 1830 Federal Census - Benjn Puckett (0001 20001- 0000 10001 - 6 total).  3 lines after Robt Templeton

Laurens Co, SC, Inquest into death of Robert Templeton, 5 May 1837 - THE STATE VS. THE DEAD BODY OF ROBERT TEMPLETON - negro man Peter property of John Boyce allegedly murdered Robert Templeton on 5 May 1837 at the late residence of Benjamin Puckett deceased.  Jury of W D Byrd, Geo Byrd, James Little, James M McElroy, John Luke, John G Dalrymple, Cariless Folder [?], E P Craig, A A Fairbaine, Robt Gilliland, Wm Burk, Wm Glenn. 

Laurens Co, SC DB N:288 (008196368:557) - 15 Dec 1838, Douglas J Puckett (no county given) for $1600 to N C Vance of Laurens Dist, SC, parcel of land on Duncans Creek, 356a MOL, bounded by lands of J G Dalrymple, L Beasley, J & A Kern and others.  Signed Douglas J Puckett.  Witnesses John Luke Sr, W D Byrd.  William D Byrd proved deed from Douglas J Puckett to Nathaniel Vance on 7 Oct 1839 before Leml [Lemuel] G Williams, JQ.

Coweta Co, GA DB F:198 (008193983:120) - 1 Jan 1839, Lemuel Edwards of Campbell Co, GA to Allen Puckett & Douglass Puckett of Coweta Co, GA, for $300, Number 166 in 2nd Dist, 202.5a.  Signed Lemuel Edwards.  Witnesses Abner H Borders, Hiram Camp JP.