The Broket DNA Project — North American participants

The ancestry of Cornelius Orville Brockett 1895-1956

Cornelius’ signature in 1917.¹

In the wider Broket DNA project Cornelius Orville is in Genetic Group 3.²

This page provides:

+++1. Evidence for Cornelius and his ancestry by ascending male generations:
++++++Cornelius Orville Brockett 1895-1956
++++++Dallas Orville Brockett 1875-1960
++++++Harvey C Brockett 1839-89?
++++++Harvey Brockett 1809-48
++++++Chauncey Bracket 1777-1850
++++++Abel Brockett 1725-1815, see the separate page.
+++2. Some analysis of Cornelius Orville’s Y-DNA results

Purpose:+Read more

1. Evidence for each generation

1st generation: Cornelius Orville Brockett 1895-1956

1895 10 Jul: Cornelius Orville/Orval Brockett was born in Clinton, Missouri.³

1900: Arval, aged 4, born Jul 1895 Missouri, was recorded with his parents in Kansas City.

1905: Orval Brockett, aged 10, was recorded living with his parents in Kansas City.

1910: Orvillie C Brockett, aged 14, born Missouri, was recorded in Rosedale City, Wyandotte, Kansas with his parents.

1917 5 Jun: On his World War I Draft Registration Card to Co L 159 Regiment U S Infantry Cornelius Orville Brockett of Bx 163 Clovis, California, was described as aged 21, born Clinton, Missouri, 10 Jul 1895, Farm Laborer employed by J Cobb, Fresno, Single, of medium height and build, brown eyes, dark brown hair, not bald.⁴

1919 9 Jul: Cornelius O Brockett of the Supply Co, 11th Infantry, address Box 163, Clovis, California, son of Dallas O Brockett, was recorded sailing from France on the USS South Dakota, arriving Hoboken New Jersey 19 Jul.⁵

1920: Cornelius O Brockett, aged 23 [i.e. b c 1897], Single, born Missouri, was recorded in Reedley City, Fresno, California, with his parents.⁶

c 1924: The 1930 census gave his age at marriage as 29, but no record has so far been found—whether under Brockett or Herren. The Findagrave memorial supplied her former name as Matilda Ann Herren, born 1897 Silver Point, Putnam County, Tennessee, daughter of Martin Hickman Herren (1865-1935) and Sarah Emeline Thomas (1879-1906)⁷

1930 14 Apr: The census for 4114 Huntington Park, San Antonio, Los Angeles, California, recorded Cornelius Brockett, aged 34, born Missouri, head of household, age at first marriage 29, Machinist in Valve Manufacture, rented home at $26 a month, with a radio set, World War Veteran, parents both born Missouri; with wife Tilda, 31, born Tennessee, age at first marriage 26, of no occupation, parents both born Tennessee; and a son, 3 years 3 months; all White.⁸

1940 25 Apr: The census for 5713 Clara, San Antonio, Los Angeles, California, recorded Cornelius Brockett, aged 44, born Missouri, head of household, Machinist in a Motor Parts Factory, owner of the home valued at $2500, income $1600; with wife Tilda, 41, born Tennessee; father Dallas Brockett, 65, Widowed, born Missouri; and a son, 13; and niece 12; all White and all in the same residence as in 1935.⁹

1942 16 Oct: On his World War II Draft Registration Card Cornelius Orval Brockett of 5713 Clara, Bell (LA), was described as aged 46, born Clinton, Missouri, 10 Jul 1895, employed by Thompson Products Inc., 8354 Wilcox Ave, Bell, LA, name of contact: Dallas O Brockett of 5713 Clara St, Bell, Calif.¹⁰

1956: 1 Jun: Cornelius Orval Brockett died in Los Angeles.¹¹ On 5 Jun Tilda Ann Brockett signed an application for a headstone or marker at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, California, for Cornelius Orval aka Orville Brockett as a former member of the Armed Forces of the US from 9 Jun 1917 to 4 Aug 1919, Private, with Purple Heart and one oak leaf cluster medals:¹²

Cornelius O Brockett was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, California.¹³

1984: Tilda A was buried next to Cornelius in Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, California.¹⁴

Cornelius Orville was the son of:

2nd generation: Dallas Orville Brockett 1875-1960

1875 12 Apr: Dallas O Brockett was born in Missouri, mother’s unmarried name Swift.¹⁵ A 1944 document gave the place of birth of Dallas Orville Brockett as Jefferson City, Missouri.¹⁶

1880 18 Jun: Recorded as Dallas Harvey, aged 6, born Missouri, with his parents in Marion, Cole, Missouri.

1890: The census records were mostly destroyed by fire and no records of Brocketts survived.

1893 19 Apr: Dallas O Brockett, son of Martha C Brockett, married Ida B TYSON at Clinton, Henry, Missouri.¹⁷

1900 14 Jun: The census for 634 Miami Ave, Kansas City Ward 6, Wyandotte, Kansas, recorded the household of Dallas Brockeet [sic], aged 27, born Apr 1873 Missouri, Day Laborer, married 3 years, renting home, both parents born Indiana; with wife Ida, 27, born Oct 1873 Missouri, married 3 years, mother of 4 children, 4 still living; and daughter Etta M, 5, born Jun 1894 Missouri; Arval, 4, born Jul 1895 Missouri; Maud, 2, born Apr 1898 Missouri; Manie, 2 months, born Mar 1900 Kansas; all White.¹⁸

1905: D O Brockett, aged 30, was recorded in a rented house in the 27th Precinct of 5th Ward, Kansas City, Missouri, with Ida Brockett, 31; and Etha, 11; Orvil, 10; Maudie, 7; Manie, 6; and Fred, 3, all White.¹⁹ The same year Dallas O Brockett was listed in the Kansas City Directory as Laborer, residing 219 s 7th.²⁰

1910 20 May: The census for 303 Oak, Rosedale City Ward 1, Wyandotte, Kansas, recorded Dallas O Brockett, aged 37, Common Laborer, married 17 years, born Missouri, both parents born Tennessee, unemployed 9 weeks in 1909, renting home; with wife Ida B, 37, born Missouri, no occupation, father born Virginia, mother Kentucky, married 17 years, mother of 8 children, 7 still living, the first 2 born in Missouri, the rest in Kansas, as follows: daughter Etha, 15; son Orvillie C, 14; daughter Maude M, 12; daughter Mamie J?, 9; son Fred A, 8; daughter Irene, 4; son Harvey, 2; all White.²¹

1910: Ida Brockett died in Wyandotte County, Kansas, date so far unknown. She was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery there.²² The details gave Ida’s middle name as Bell, and her parents as Josiah Tyson and Catherine Campbell. Her children were also listed: Etha, Orville, Maude M, Mamie, Fred A, Irene, Harvey J, Alma.
Comment: Alma wasn’t listed on the 1910 census, but the death of Alma May Brockett is recorded 17 Jul 1910, aged 1 month, in Jackson County, MO, buried in Maple Hill Cemetery, Father: D O Brockett.²³ Perhaps Ida died soon after Alma was born.

1920 9 Jan: The census for E Street, Township 8, Reedley City, Fresno, California, recorded Dallas O Brockett, aged 45, General Laborer, Widowed, born Missouri, both parents born Illinois, owner of home; with 5 single children: son Cornelius O, 23, born Missouri; daughter Mamie I, 19, born Kansas; Fred A, 17, born Kansas; daughter Irene F, 13, born Kansas; Harvey J, 11, born Missouri; and daughter Maude M Kepley, 21, b Kansas; and her husband James W Kepley, 28, General Laborer; and their3 children aged 4, 2 and 1; all White.²⁴

1930 3 Apr: The census for 18 Willow Ave, Township 3, Fresno, California, recorded Dallas O Brockett, aged 54, Widowed, born Missouri, father born Tennessee, mother born Illinois, of no occupation, living in the household of son-in-law: James P Dumond, Railroad Clerk, owner of home valued at $2,000, with a radio set; with his wife Irene T, 23, age at first marriage 20, born Kansas; all White.²⁵

1940 25 Apr: The census recorded Dallas Brockett, aged 65, Widowed, living with son Cornelius and family.²⁶

1960 3 Feb: Dallas O Brockett died in Fresno, residence Sanger.²⁷ Dallis Orvilis Brockett was buried in Clovis Cemetery, Clovis, Fresno County, California, with a simple gravestone.²⁸

Dallas was the son of:

3rd generation: Harvey Cornelius Brockett 1839-89?

We know that Harvey Cornelius was the last of the 5 children of Harvey Brocket (d 1848), as he was mentioned as such in his Will, but whether or not Harvey senior’s wife at the time—Margaret—was Harvey C’s mother isn’t known. So when was Harvey C born? From 1850 on official records of him become available—primarily censuses—and the 1850 census shows that he was a boy of 11 at that stage. No other contemporary Harvey Brocketts, or Bracketts, are known, at least not aged 11, born in Ohio, and living in Trumbull Co, where we know that Harvey his father had dealings. We thus have a rough official record that Harvey C was born c 1839 in Ohio. We can also deduce that Harvey C may well have been born in Farmington, Trumbull, Ohio, which was where the 1840 census for the household of his father recorded a male aged under 5.

EJ Brockett (EJB) dated Harvey C’s birth specifically to 23 Jul 1839, and named his mother as Mary Ann, formerly McCREARY—not Margaret.²⁹ EJB was an amateur genealogist who gathered information from many contemporary relatives, and in 1905 published a Genealogy of the descendants of John Brockett of New Haven (d 1690).+Read more

1860 2 Jun: Harvey C Brocket, aged 20, born Ohio, Teamster, was recorded with a number of non-family members in the household of Wm H Herdman, aged 32, Blacksmith, in Mt Vernon, Jefferson Co, IL.³⁴

1861 30 Jul: Civil War. Harvey C Brackett, aged 23, Laborer, b Ohio, residing Mt Vernon, Jefferson Co, IL, was mustered in for 3 years to Company D of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery; height 5′ 8¼, brown hair, gray eyes; mustered out 16 Sep 1864.³⁵ EJ Brockett said he “was wounded, but lived until 1885”.³⁶

1862 5 Jan: Harvey C Brockett married Martha C SWIFT in Alexander, Illinois.³⁷ Her gravestone gives her date of birth as 2 Oct 1842 and second name as Caroline, EJ Brockett called her Carrie.³⁸

1870 11 Jun: The census for Harmony, Washington, Missouri, PO Osage, recorded the household of H C Brackett, aged 30 [i.e. bc 1840], works at Saw Mill, Real Estate valued at 400, Personal Estate valued at 400, born Ohio; with Martha C, 26, Keeping House, born Illinois; Mary L, 7, born Tennessee; Hatty, 4, born Iowa; and Willie, 1, born Illinois.³⁹
Comment: Listed next in the return was the household of Wm A and Mary SWIFT, aged 31 and 30, and their 3 young children. Martha Caroline’s former name was Swift.

1880. Unusually, the household was recorded twice in this census, in adjacent counties:

1. On 18 Jun in Marion, Cole, Missouri: Harvey Cornelius Brockett, Head, aged 40 [i.e. b c 1840], Farm Laborer, born Ohio; with wife Caroline Martha, 30 [i.e. b c 1850], Keeping House, born Illinois; with 6 children “At home”: Mary Luna, 17, born Tennessee; Hattie Julia, 14, born Iowa; Wm. Alfred, 11, born Illinois; Henry Orville, 9, born Missouri [c 1871]; Dallas Harvey, 6, born Missouri [c 1874]; Chas. Cornelius, 3, born Missouri; and two boarding male Farm Laborers; all White.⁴⁰

2. On 21 Jun in Eldorado Walker Township, Moniteau, Missouri: H C Brockett, Head, aged 43 [i.e. b c 1837], Laborer, born Ohio, unemployed 7 out of last 12 months, both parents born Ohio; with [wife] Martha C, 36 [i.e. b c 1844], Keeping House, born Illinois; and 6 children: Mary L, 18, born Tennessee; Harriet, 15, born Ioway; William A, 11, born Illinois; Henry J, 9, born Missouri [c 1871]; Dallas, 6, born Missouri [c 1874]; Charles, 1, born Missouri; all White.⁴¹

Comments: The places of birth of the children point to the family residing Tennessee c 1862/3, Iowa c 1865/6, Illinois c 1869 and Missouri c 1871-80. There is some inaccuracy and disparity between the birth dates in these two census returns, at least of Harvey C—c 1840 and 1837—and Martha C—c 1850 and 1844. It also seems that the 18 Jun Marion enumerator gave Dallas’ second name ‘Orville’ to Henry and gave Dallas a second name ‘Harvey’ in or from his notes. In the census of 21 Jun Henry had a second initial J—and in other records—and Dallas had none.

1889 15 Nov: Martha C Brockett, Widow, filed for a Civil War pension in Missouri for Harvey C Brockett, Soldier.⁴²

An undated Civil War headstone marks Harvey’s grave in Englewood Cemetery, Clinton, Henry County, Missouri, saying only “H.C. BROCKET CO.D, 1ST ILL. L.A.”⁴³ Findagrave supplied an unsourced date of death of 8 Aug 1889. EJ Brockett said he “lived until 1885”.⁴⁴

1890: The census records were mostly destroyed by fire and no records of Brocketts survived.

1900 1 Jun: The census for Haw Creek, Morgan, Missouri, recorded Martha C Brockett, Widowed, aged 59, White, born Oct 1842 Illinois, mother of 8 children, 7 still living, Mother of householder: […] Brockett, 21, Single, b Sep 1876 Missouri, Farmer, owner of home. Also there were 4 Single children of Martha C: daughter Hattie, 34, born Mar 1866 Iowa; daughter Nora, 18, born Apr 1882 Missouri; son Lora, 15, born Jun 1884 Missouri; and Elsie E, 9, born Nov 1890 Missouri.⁴⁵
Comment: The clerk seems to have written the entries up untidily from the field notes. The householder’s first name not recorded, but he must have been a son of Martha C—who was labelled ‘Mother’—. He was aged 21, Single, b Sep 1878 Missouri, and so was probably Chas. Cornelius who in the 1880 census was the youngest child, recorded as aged 3, i.e. b c 1877. The age and birth date of Hattie—34, born Mar 1866—is smudged. The ‘Son’ relationship for Lora has been written over an erasure, perhaps ‘Daughter’.

1905: The Kansas City Directory listed Martha C Brockett, widow of Harvey C, residing 706 Vermont with Chas C, Laborer, Henry J, Laborer, and Lora E, Labeler. Dallas O, Laborer, was living at 219 s 7th:⁴⁶

1910 23 Apr: The census for Haw Creek, Morgan, Missouri, recorded Martha C Brockett, Widowed. aged 67, White, born Illinois, mother of 11 children, 6 still living, mother-in-law of householder John P ANDRESS, 39, Farmer on own account, and his wife Hattie J Andress, 34, born Iowa.⁴⁷
Comment: If 11 children was a correct figure, only some are so far known from the records. Hattie and John had been married 6 years and she had had 2 children but neither were still living. Her given age of 34 in this 1910 census, i.e. b c 1876, was 10 years less than in the 1870 census when she was recorded aged 4, i.e. b c 1866, and in the 1900 one when she was recorded as Single, aged 34, b 1866.

1919 23 Feb: Martha Caroline Brockett died, aged 76, and was buried in Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery, Jackson County, Missouri.⁴⁸

Harvey C was the son of:

4th generation: Harvey Brockett 1809-48

1810 and 1820: Harvey was probably one of the 2 males under 10, and the one aged 10-15, respectively, in these two censuses for Chauncy Bracket’s household in Otisco, Onondaga, New York, see below.

1830: Harvey has not been found as a head of a household in this census; he was probably too young to have established himself. He wasn’t apparently recorded in his father Chauncey’s house either.

This Harvey only apparently lived to the age of 39, and only two official records that name him have currently been found:

1. The 1840 census
2. His Will of 1848

Aside from these two, one or two probable records of his widow Margaret have been found, but not of either of their burials.

1. The 1840 census

Prior to 1850, by which time Harvey is known to have died, only the names of heads of household were recorded in censuses, and 1840—when his oldest child was recorded as aged only 9 at the most—is the only census in which Harvey has been found by name. This 1840 census recorded: Harvey Brocket, head of a household in Farmington, Trumbull, Ohio, comprising 3 free White males: one aged 30-39 [himself]; one 5-9; and one under 5; and 4 free White females: one aged 20-29 [presumably his wife]; one 5-9; and two under 5.⁴⁹
Comment: Birth records from Chenango and Onondaga, New York, where Chauncey Bracket and his family are known to have lived from at least 1800-20, have not been found online,⁵⁰ but the birth of any of his children between those years would presumably have been in NY State. This 1840 census gave Harvey’s age as between 30-39, i.e. born between 1801-10. From the next section about Harvey’s Will we see that EJB—discussed above— probably recorded Harvey’s death on 12 Sep 1848 correctly, so it’s possible that his record of Harvey’s birth on 13 Apr 1809 may well be correct too. The approximate ages of his 5 children in the 1840 census—between 0-9—also correspond with EJB’s dates of their births—1831-9—and would have been those mentioned in Harvey’s Will, as follows.

2. Harvey’s Will of 1848

1848: Harvey’s Will, written 7 Sep 1848, probated 4 Oct 1848 was as follows:⁵¹+Read more

Joseph, oldest son
Mary Jane
Harriet Angeline
Lucinda Marilla
Harvey Cornelius

As mentioned above, the names of these 5 children tally with EJ Brockett’s 1905 sketch of Harvey. The Will also mentioned Alanson Brockett as a witness and deponent, and Hosea Brockett as a deponent, recorded by EJB as Harvey’s full and half brother respectively.⁵² Alanson’s deposition was given on 23 Sep 1848 confirming that Harvey died between then and the day of writing the Will, i.e. between 7-23 Sep 1848. So EJB’s date of 12 Sep 1848 for Harvey’s death may well also be correct.

Given the further scientific evidence that the Y-DNA of Cornelius O Brockett (1895-1956), a proven great-grandson of Harvey (d 1848), matches perfectly with other proven descendants of Abel and Moses and ultimately of John Brockett of New Haven (d 1690), it would be unduly sceptical not to accept EJB’s data about Harvey—e.g. that he was a son of Chauncy Bracket—unless contradicted by other evidence.
EJB also provided the following details about Harvey (d 1848), not so far confirmed from other sources:

1. He had a second name ‘Barnes’: Harvey Barnes Brockett.
2. He was “a prominent preacher for the Church of the Disciples”. Comment: The 1850 census recorded his two elder daughters in the households of preachers for this Church.
3. He married Mary Ann McCREARY 3 Jun 1830, who was born 3 May 1812 and died 3 Sep 1847. Comment: Is this an example of EJB—or his informants—providing inaccurate information? See next.

Harvey’s wife Margaret

Harvey’s curious bequest in his Will to his wife Margaret of “my Family Bible containing Records of both Families” is open to speculative questions, like was Margaret a second marriage for Harvey and she had children from her first? Be that as it may, according to EJ Brockett, Harvey married Mary Ann McCREARY 3 Jun 1830, who was born 2 May 1812 and died 3 Sep 1847—i.e. one year before Harvey—and made no mention of a Margaret. So was ‘Mary Ann’ here an error for ‘Margaret’ and Margaret’s former surname was McCreary? If so, Mary Ann’s death in 1847 would also be an error. No death record has currently been found of a Mary Ann Brockett, but if ‘Mary Ann’ was her correct name and she died in Sep 1847, then Harvey must have married Margaret between then and 7 Sep 1848 when he wrote his Will. No marriage record has currently been found online.⁵³ Another anomaly is that in the possible 1860 and 1870 census records for Margaret, her given age points to a birth c 1804, whereas Mary Ann’s was given by EJB as 1812.

What is clear, however, is that between Harvey’s death in Sep 1848 and the Ohio census of Aug 1850, the family had split up and the children, aged 11-19, had scattered in 4 different directions:

1. Eldest son Joseph W Brocket, aged 19 [i.e. b c 1831], b Ohio, Tinner, was in the household of John N Ensign, aged 31, Tinner in the Fabricated steel products industry, in Newton, Trumbull, Ohio.⁵⁴
2. Eldest daughter Mary Jane Brockett, aged 17 [i.e. b c 1833], b Ohio, was in the household of Isaac Ayres, aged 30, a “Preacher Disciple” in the Welfare and religious services industry, in Bloomfield, Trumbull, Ohio.⁵⁵ As mentioned above, EJ Brockett had recorded that their father Harvey had been “a prominent preacher for the Church of the Disciples”.
3. Second daughter Harriet Brockett, aged 14 [i.e. b c 1836], b Trumbull. Ohio, was in the household of B F Perkey, aged 38, a “Preacher of the Disciples” in the Welfare and religious services industry, in Kinsman, Trumbull, Ohio.⁵⁶
4. Youngest daughter Lucinda Brockett, aged 12 [i.e. b c 1838], b Ohio, was in the household of Daniel Allen, aged 61, Farmer, in Bloomfield, Trumbull, Ohio.⁵⁷
5. And younger son Harvey Brockett, aged 11 [i.e. b c 1839], b Ohio, was in the household of Jacob Robbison, aged 42, Merchant, in Weathersfield, Trumbull, Ohio.⁵⁸

But no record of Harvey’s widow has been found in this 1850 census. Separate searches through the 1850 census indexes for all Margarets—or Mary Anns—and indeed all female Brocketts in OH or PA, born 1794-1814, provided no result. However, the 1860 census for Hickory, Mercer, Pennsylvania, recorded the household of a Margaret Brockett, aged 56 [i.e. b c 1804], real estate valued at 1600 and personal at 200; with Emeline PATTERSON, 27; and Kate PATTERSON, 8; all born PA.⁵⁹ This seems too much of a coincidence, and with little doubt Margaret would have been Harvey’s Widow. Kate Patterson was presumably Emeline’s daughter, but who was Emeline?  Further records of neither have been found. Might Emeline have been Margaret’s daughter from a previous marriage? The only other possible record of Margaret so far found—and it’s a long shot—is of Margeret Bracket in the 1870 census, aged 66 [i.e. b c 1804], born PA, of no occupation, father of foreign birth, staying in the hotel of EM and Kate Jordan in Military, Winneshiek, Iowa, PO Ossian.⁶⁰ But this was 700 miles or more West of Hickory, Mercer, PA.

Based on the above discussion, Harvey was with little doubt the son of:

5th generation: Chauncey Bracket 1777-1850

As often as not, the records found so far gave his surname as Bracket rather than Brocket or Brockett, as in the header of this payroll  card for the month 22 Oct to 22 Nov 1814 for service in Capt Otis Baker’s Company in the New York State Militia during the war of 1812—for which he received $6.96:⁶¹

1777: Citing a Family Bible (F), Jacobus recorded Chauncey’s birth on 22 Jan, as the 6th son and 10th child of Abel and Hannah.⁶²

Jacobus also cited the ‘Congregational Society, North Haven’ (NoHC) for Chauncey’s baptism in Mar 1777, and this can also be found in the CT State Library’s 1955 publication Connecticut Church Records State Library Index, North Haven First Cong. 1716-1910.⁶³ The Preface of this Index states that it is an alphabetically arranged list extracted from photocopies of the privately held original 3 volumes of the records of the North Haven First Congregational Church, loaned in 1938. As with Jacobus, surname variants were merged under one head name, in this case Brockett, but they are both only one generation removed from the original, so you would hope that only the occasional error in copying occurred, and not with both at the same point.

However Jacobus’ focus was primarily New Haven, so apart from Chauncey’s birth and baptism, he simply recorded his death, his move to Farmington Ohio, and his two marriages—with the date of the 2nd—without source or further information. The 1-2-3 after the ‘Census (NoH)’ reference for his father Abel, indicated that in 1790 his household was in North Haven and comprised 1 male aged 16 years or over (i.e. Abel), 2 males under 16 years, and 3 females, one of whom would have been Hannah. Chauncey would have been one of the males under 16.

He is to be distinguished from his younger cousin Chauncey C (c 1843-66), son of Lewis son of Jared son of Stephen, brother of Abel, father of our Chauncey here:

1800: Like his elder brothers Jared (b 1765) and Timothy Bracket (b 1766), Chauncey left New Haven Co and ‘went west’, or rather north west, into New York State where the 1800 census recorded him—as Chancey Bracket—in Cazenovia, Chenango, some 117 miles west of Jared and Timothy in Saratoga, Galway, NY.⁶⁴ Chancey’s household comprised 1 male [himself], 1 female aged 16 through 25 [presumably his wife] and one female under 10.⁶⁵

The Jacobus extract above recorded two marriages for Chauncey, first with Ann REDWAY, and second with Anna BALCH—on 20 Jan 1814. Jacobus, whose focus was New Haven, left it there, but EJ Brockett in his 1905 Genealogy recorded 6 children from the 1st marriage and 5 from the 2nd. The eldest son (and 2nd child) from the first he recorded as Alanson, b 1802, with Harvey the 2nd son (and 4th child), b 1809, and Hosea, b 1818, as the eldest and only surviving son from the 2nd marriage.⁶⁶ In addition to these 3 children of Chauncey, EJB also provided information about 2 others and their children and grandchildren, and some of these will most likely have been EJB’s informants, probably including Harvey’s daughter Harriet or her children, see above.

1801: Chancye Brocket was assessed for tax of $0.51 in Cazenovia, Chenango, New York on real estate valued at $130.⁶⁷

1810: The census for Otisco, Onondaga, New York, recorded Chauncey Bracket as a head of household containing 3 free White males: 1 aged 26-44 [himself]; and 2 under 10; and 3 free White females: 1 aged 16-25 [presumably his wife]; 1 aged 10-15; and 1 under 10.⁶⁸
Comments: Otisco is near the Finger Lakes region, some 25 m W of Cazenovia. The 2 males under 10 would have been Alanson and Harvey. Since Chauncey’s wife had also been categorised as aged 16 through 25, as in 1800, it suggests she was scarcely 16 then, but already a mother. By the age of 25 she had 4 young children. According to EJ Brockett she gave birth to 2 further children (twins) 16 Jul 1813, and Chauncey married again 20 Jan 1814, so his 1st wife would presumably have died soon after giving birth to the twins, a mother of 6 by the age of 29. With a household of 6 young children it was understandable for Chauncey to remarry quickly. Anna Balch’s birth on 4 Oct 1787, 2nd daughter of John BALCH and Lucy BOWEN was recorded in the Genealogy of the Balch families in America.⁶⁹ A John BALCH of Otisco was recorded as a soldier in the Revolutionary and 1812 wars, but not in this 1810 census. A John BALCH was recorded in the 1820 census for Marcellus, Onondaga, and another for Onondaga, Onondaga. Householders James, James Jr and Benjamin REDWAY were listed for Otisco in 1810.

1820 7 Aug: The census for Otisco, Onondaga, New York, recorded Chauncy Bracket—perhaps half changed to Brocket by the census clerk—as a head of household containing 7 free White males: 1 aged 26-44 [himself]; 1 aged 16-25; 1 aged 10-15; and 4 under 10; and 4 free White females: 1 aged 26-44 [presumably his wife]; 1 aged 16-25; and 1 aged 10-15.⁷⁰, Onondaga, New York; Page: 229; NARA Roll: M33_67; Image: 243.”]
Comments: The next 2 householders listed were Thomas and James REDWAY, with Benjamin REDWAY nearby. Ancestry.com indexed the town as Marcellus, and Marcellus indeed started on that page, but after Chauncy. Otisco began on p 223.⁷¹

1823-38: In 1823 ‘Chauncey Brockett of Farmington’ was assessed for tax in Poland Township, Trumbull, Ohio, on 3 lots at 6, 96 and 97 cents.⁷² and again for the same in a county-wide assessment in 1824.⁷³ In 1829 Chauncy Brocket was assessed for tax of $0.54 in Farmington Township, on 1 horse, value 40; 5 neat [i.e. dehorned] cattle, value 40. Alanson Brocket, Chauncey’s eldest son (b 1802), was also assessed for tax there of $0.21.6 on 4 neat cattle, value 32.⁷⁴ Similar tax assessments for both Chauncey and Alanson are recorded for Farmington through to 1838, when Chauncy’s 150 acres, situated on the East side, were taxable at $4.64.4, and Alanson’s adjacent 61 acres at $1.83.6.⁷⁵

1830: The census for Farmington, Trumbull, Ohio, recorded Chauncey Brocket as head of a household comprising 3 free White males: one aged 50-59 [himself]; one 15-19; and one 10-14; and 4 free White females: one aged 40-49 [presumably his wife]; one 15-19; and one 5-9; and one under 5.⁷⁶, Trumbull, Ohio; Series: M19; Roll: 141; Page: 168; Family History Library Film: 0337952. Indexed as Chauney Bracket by Ancestry.com, as of 20 Apr 2020. Ancestry.com also wrongly indexed the town as Mesopotamia, which actually finished higher up on that page and Farmington then started before Chauncey’s entry.”]
Comments: Comparing the age groups of the males with EJ Brockett’s list of Chauncey’s children,⁷⁷ the one under 5 would have been John, b 1826; the one aged 10-14 would have been Hosea, b 1818; and the one aged 15-19 would have been one of the twins, either Chauncey P or Ansell, b 1813. That means that one of the twins and Harvey, b 1809 [i.e. aged c 21] was not there. According to EJ Brockett Chauncey’s second wife Anna Balch was born 4 Oct 1787, so she was no doubt the female in the 40-49 age bracket. The household of Chauncey’s eldest son Alanson Brocket (b 1802) was nearby.

1840: The census for Farmington, Trumbull, Ohio, recorded Chauncey Brocket as head of a household comprising 3 free White males: one aged 60-69 [himself]; one 20-29; and one 15-19; and 2 free White females: one aged 50-59 [presumably his wife]; and one 15-19.⁷⁸
Comments: Son Harvey was also recorded as head of a household in Farmington with a wife and young children. The household of Chauncey’s eldest son Alanson Brocket was recorded in Bristol, Trumbull Co, Ohio, comprising 5 free White males: one aged 30-39 [himself]; two 5-9; and two under 5; and 7 free White females: one aged 30-39 [presumably his wife]; one 10-14; two 5-9; and one under 5; plus two older females one aged 40-49 and one 50-59.⁷⁹

1850: According to Jacobus, Chauncey died 1 Mar 1850. The census was taken early June, which would be why he wasn’t recorded. In 1850 son Alanson, aged 48, was recorded in Bristol, Trumbull Co, with [wife] Anna Maria, aged 41, and 13 children.⁸⁰
Comments: No record of Chauncey’s widow Anna with any of her children has been found in the 1850 census. In 1860 Anna Brockett (wid) was recorded in Nelson, Portage, Ohio, aged 72, born New York, in the household of Lafayette CRAWFORD, aged 35, Farmer, and [her daughter] Lucy A Crawford, 35, and their 3 children, aged 7, 3 and 1.⁸¹ She was recorded with them again—as Anna Bracket—in 1870, in Camden, Hillsdale, Michigan, aged 82, b Mass.⁸² Anna Brockett, Widow, died of ‘old age’ 30 Nov 1871 in Woodbridge, Hillsdale, Michigan, aged 84 [i.e. b 1787], b Mass, parents given as John and Lucy BALCH.⁸³

1858 22 Sep: The Probate Court at Trumbull, Ohio, granted administration of Chauncy Brockett’s estate to Anna Brockett, witnessed by herself and {two sons-in-law] Lafayette CROFFORD and J.N. HOPKINS. A copy of the Will might give a clue as to why it took 8 years to prove.⁸⁴

As shown by Jacobus’ record above, Chauncey was the son of Abel Brockett 1725-1815. For Abel’s ascent through Moses to John, eldest son of John Brokett of New Haven (d 1690), see this separate page.

2. Some analysis of Cornelius Orville’s Y-DNA results

Haplogroup: Q-Y2209. All others with Genetic Distance 0 to 3 in the Project belong to Q-M242. It isn’t yet known why that is, but it doesn’t affect the discussion below.
For the term ‘Genetic Distance’ see here.

Matches recorded on the FTDNA database as of May 2020:

To follow.

Page Last Updated: December 27, 2020