Brokets of southeast N America 18th C - The Broket Archive

Brokets of southeast N America 18th C

Lots more research on the records of Brokets from this area is needed.1 If you can help in any way, do make contact. if you know of records either not referred to here, or misinterpreted, please let us know. This research needs a lot of assistance.

During the 18th C most of southeastern Broket men appear to have been sons of immigrants. One or two weren’t: Edward recorded in 1725 who was probably a visiting seafarer and Robert and Annabella, who were immigrants to Alexandria in 1784/5 from Scotland.

It seems that almost all the known Broket immigrants to N America during both the 17th and 18th C came to the southeast—in which we include not just Virginia and the wider Chesapeake Bay area, but also the Carolinas. Only one known Brockett is known to have immigrated to New England during this whole period. For immigrants to the southeast in the 17th C, see this separate page.

Much of the ground work on these 18th C Brokets was done by Richard Nash of Kansas. His widow very generously donated his papers to the Broket Archive for posterity. They have been particularly useful for this page. See also his Time line of Southern US Brocketts.

Contents of this page:

  1. William and Mary Brothett of Norfolk Co VA 1703
  2. Francis Brocket/t of Princess Anne Co VA d 1712
  3. Edward Brocket Ship’s Commander 1725
  4. Thomas Brockett Convict 1731
  5. Francis Brocket/t of Pasquotank Co NC d 1732
  6. Joshua Brockit of Pasquotank Co NC d 1747
  7. Benjamin Brockett of Craven Co NC d 1758 (See separate page.)
  8. William Brockett of Craven Co, NC, 1773, later of York Co SC (See separate page.)
  9. Joel Brockett d 1777
  10. John Brockett d 1812
  11. Redding Brockett d ?1834
  12. Richard Brockett 1780
  13. John Brocket: Sailed to Delaware 1785
  14. Benjamin Brocket/t of Jones Co NC d 1819
  15. Robert and Annabella Brocket, Alexandria VA 1784/5 (See separate page.)

William and Mary Brothett of Norfolk Co VA 1703

Every so often an unexpected discovery in a document demolishes a longstanding interpretation of earlier events, and years of assumptions that were built upon it suddenly fall away. In our research over the last 25 years into the history of American Brocketts 3 of these stand out:

1. The Will of John Brockett of Grimston, Norfolk, England, discovered in 2005, see the separate page.
2. The divorce petition of Lydia Brockett, discovered in 2021, see the separate page.
3. This William of Norfolk VA, undiscovered in Aug 2022. For an account of the undiscovery, see the separate page.

Francis, d 1712 and Rebecca, Princess Anne Co VA

See the separate page.

Edward Brocket Ship’s Commander 1725

In a Power of Attorney dated 23 Apr 1725 in London Mr Jonathan Forward of London Merchant appointed Mr Patrick Simpson of Maryland Merchant to be his Attorney and Agent giving him full power to act on his behalf in Maryland in whatever way necessary. Specific mention was made empowering him “in cases of the misconduct or misbehaviour of Edward Brocket the present commander of the Goodship or vessel called the Rappahanock Merchant lately bound to Virginia or his successors as also of Peter Casey the super cargoe thereof to eject displace & remove each and every of them out of and from such their respective stations And to substitute and appoint such other proper person or persons in their or either of their stead and place as his said Attorney shall think fitt and to call them or either of them to account touching the trusts committed to their care & management and to give proper discharges as occasion may require and to transact & manage all affaires relating thereto in all respects with the like authority as if he the said [Mr Jonathan Forward] were personally present…”2

Discussion: A ship named Rappahanock sounds as though it was based in Maryland, in which case its commander may well have been too. No records of an Edward Brocket, Mariner, have been found in England at that period. Who was Edward?

Thomas Brockett 1731

Transported as a convict 1731.3 Thomas was “indicted for feloniously stealing an hundred Weight of old Iron”, for which the punishment was transportation.

“In 1717, the British Parliament adopted a policy of transportation, which banished convicts to the American colonies, usually for 7 years, and this allowed them to be bought and sold as indentured servants during their sentences. … Neither men nor women could marry until they completed or purchased their service contracts.”4

His origin isn’t known. Nash said, “He may have been Brackett. I found him on a VA tax list once, but nothing thereafter.”5

Francis II Brocket/t, died 1732, and Mary

Nash dubbed him ‘Francis II’. 6 records have so far been found:

Record 1: 1720 4/5 Oct. Court copy of an indenture between Frances Brocket and Thomas Ewell, both of Linhaven Parish, Princess Ann Co.6

This was the sale by Frances Brocket to Thomas Ewell for 35 pounds of Virginia money of “That messuage Tenement tract & plantation of Land scituate at Little Creek [Linhaven Parish] Containing fifty acres of Land more or less being the same whereon he the said Frans. Brocket now lives…” One of the witnesses was James Ewell. Thomas Ewell’s Will dated 7 Oct 1721, proved 6 Dec 1721, mentioned both his brother James and eldest son James, and also “the land that I bought of Francis Brocket being for fifty acres” which he bequeathed to his son Thomas.7

Record 2: Deposition of Francis Brocket 6 Sep 1721 Princess Ann Co on the motion of James Ewell.8

This gives an insight into the way of life in those days.

+Read more


Record 3: 1721 Purchase by Edward Faircloth and Francis Brockett of a tract of land in Pasquotank Precinct 17 Oct 1721 from Thomas and Elizabeth Merriday.11

Signed by Thomas and Elizabeth Merriday, acknowledged in Court 17 Oct 1721, and registered 19 Oct 1721.

Record 4: 1726 Grant with wife Mary of 150 of the 350 acres purchased in 1721 to Sarah, widow of Edward Faircloth.12+Read more


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Record 5: 1729 petition to record a Baptist meeting house

Francis Brockett was one of the 8 leaders of the earliest Baptist Congregation organised in North Carolina. On 5 Sep 1729 they petitioned the Court of Pasquotank Precinct to record their Baptist meeting house in the house of William Burgess “on the North side of Pascotanc, at the head of Raymond’s Creek”.13 The Register commented, “This place corresponds to Shiloh in Camden County, Camden County having been formed out of territory formerly embraced in Pasquotank Precinct and County.” A modern memorial has been erected to Shiloh Baptist Church with Francis Brockett listed as the second of 7 Deacons under the first Pastor William Burgess.

Record 6: Inventory of the estate of Francis Brockitt of Pasquotank deceased 12 Aug 1732

Francis II died intestate 1732.14

Possible children of Francis and Mary:

  1. ?Frances (probably female) witnessed the will of Elizabeth Torksey, Pasquotank Co, NC, 1754. Her name and estimated age suggest that her father was Francis II.
  2. Jacob Brocket was mentioned only in a 1755 Muster roll for the Pasquotank County Militia, a s Private in Capt Samuel Lowman’s Company.15 Given that militia service usually was required of men 16 to 60, one cannot guess at his date of birth. He probably died at an early age.
  3. Nash also speculated that Benjamin d 1758 Craven Co, North Carolina was a child of Francis and Mary, but this has been shown to have been mistaken, see separate page.

Joshua Brockit died 1747 Pasquotank Co, NC

Record: Estate inventory [to follow]

Joshua d 1747 Pasquotank Co, North Carolina—just south of Norfolk Co. It was a [Nash: “the”] custom in Virginia then for first-born children to be named for their grandparents and second-borns for parents,16 so Joshua has been assumed elder son, named for his maternal grandfather, who had furnished the land the family lived on. Married Perthinia …. Children:

  1. ?Joel—perhaps born to a yet unidentified first wife of Joshua—was paying taxes in Pasquotank Co in the 1750s, therefore born probably before 1730. See below.
  2. John. The 1748 settlement of Joshua’s estate referred to John Brockit’s part, “orphan of Joshua Brockit Decised”.17 If Joel was an elder brother, perhaps he wasn’t named in Joshua’s estate because he was an adult. Married Mary ?FAIRCLOTH and their son Redding has living descendants.18

Plan of the Town and Port of Edenton in Chowan County, North Carolina, 1769:19

Joel Brocket d 1777

Nash speculated that Joel was perhaps born to a yet unidentified first wife of Joshua. Joel was paying taxes in Pasquotank Co in the 1750s, therefore born probably before 1730. He was married at the time of his death in 1777 and had a son and daughter, the former of whom, Joel jnr, was named in the 1790 census as being more than 21 years of age. No descendants of Joel jnr are currently known.

On 20 Jun 1761 Joel Brocket was granted 51 acres on the NE side of Pasquotank river, Pasquotank Co NC.20

John Brockett d 1812

John was possibly the son of Joshua and father of Redding.

Redding Brocket d ?1834

Redding was one of the Camden Co NC Broket clan. Its 1810 census only gave initials for first names, so we only assume that R Brockett was Redding, as follows:

R Brockett, aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1765-84], with 2 males aged 0-10, and 2 females, one aged 16-26 [presumably a daughter], and 2 aged 26-45 (one presumably his wife), one other, and 4 slaves.21

4 other households in the 1810 census in Camden Co NC were recorded:

D B Brockett, [2 entries above Redding’s], a male and a female both aged 16-26 [i.e. b 1784-94], 1 male 0-10, and 6 slaves.22

T R Brockett, a male aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1765-84] and one 45+, a female aged 16-26 [i.e. b 1784-94], 2 males 0-10, and 4 slaves.23

J Brockett, a male aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1765-84], 2 males 0-10 and 2 10-16, 3 females 0-10, 2? 10-16, one 26-45, one 45+, one other, and 7 slaves.24

J Brockett, a male aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1765-84], 2 females aged 16-26 [i.e. b 1784-94], 2 males 0-10 and one 10-16, 2 females 0-10, and 8 slaves.25

These five 1810 Brockett households comprised 34 free Whites, 29 slaves and one other. The 18 white males consisted of 9 aged under 10, 3 aged 10-16, 1 aged 16-26, 4 aged 26-45 and 1 aged 45 or over. The 16 white females consisted of 5 aged under 10, 2? aged 10-16, 5 aged 16-26, 3 aged 26-45 and 1 aged 45 or over. The age and sex of slaves weren’t provided.

In the 1820 census for Camden Co NC Redding’s name was given in full:

Redding Brockett, aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1775-94]; with another male and female [presumably his wife] aged 26-45; 1 male aged 0-10 and 1 aged 10-16 [presumably sons]; 2 females 0-10 [presumably daughters]; 2 male slaves aged 14-26; 2 female slaves aged 14-26 and one aged 45 or more; and a total of 3 working in agriculture, including slaves.26

Note concerning the columns in the forms:+Read more

3 other households were recorded in Camden Co NC in the 1820 census. The heads of households may have been married to some of the 4 recorded in 1810 above, who would either have died, moved elsewhere or been absent:

Jane Brockett, aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1775-94]; with 2 males aged 0-10, 1 aged 10-16 and 1 aged 18-26 [presumably sons]; 1 female aged 0-10 and 1 aged 16-26 [presumably daughters]; 4 male slaves aged 0-14, 1 aged 14-26, 1 aged 26-45, and 1 aged 45 or more; 2 female slaves aged 0-14 and 1 aged 14-26; and a total of ?4 working in agriculture, including slaves.31

Amey Brockett, aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1775-94]; with 1 male aged 16-18, 1 aged 18-26, 1 aged 26-45; 1 female aged 0-10; 1 male slave aged 0-14, and 1 aged 45 or more; and a total of 3 working in agriculture, including slaves.32

Abba Brockett, aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1775-94]; with 2 males aged 18-26; 1 female aged 0-10, 1 aged 10-16, and 1 aged 26-45; 2 male slaves aged 0-14; 2 female slaves aged 0-14, and 1 aged 26-45; and a total of 2 working in agriculture, including slaves.33

No Bracketts were recorded.

A Brockett FORBES was also recorded with a female [presumably his wife] both aged 16-26.34 [Perhaps his mother was a Brockett.]

These four 1820 Brockett households comprised 24 free Whites, 22 slaves. The 13 white males consisted of 3 aged under 10, 2 aged 10-16, 1 aged 16-18, 4 aged 18-26, and 3 aged 26-45. The 11 white females consisted of 5 aged under 10, 1 aged 10-16, 1 aged 16-26, 4 aged 26-45. None were aged 45 or over. The 13 male slaves consisted of 7 aged under 10, 3 aged 10-26, 1 aged 26-45, and 2 aged 45 or over. The 9 female slaves consisted of 4 aged under 10, 3 aged 10-26, 1 aged 26-45, and 1 aged 45 or over.

Perhaps the ancestry of some present-day black Brocketts can be traced back to these households.

The final page of the Camden Co section provides the totals for the county in 1820: 4502 free Whites, 112 Free coloured [sic!] persons, 1754 slaves, 1844 persons engaged in agriculture, 14 in commerce, and 22 Foreigners.

Redding is said to have been the son of John Brockett d 1812, and the father of John A Brockett b c 1815-8 (Elizabeth VA), who in turn is said to have been the father of John B Brocket, 1854-1900, ancestor of Clyde.

Richard Brockett 1780

Richard Brockett, Private in the American Revolution, was discharged 1 Nov 1780.35 No other record of Richard has so far been found. Who might his parents have been? He is another example of the incompleteness of our knowledge of the Brokets of southeastern N America 17-18th C.

John Brocket of Dominica 1785

From 1675-1725 Delaware was a destination for North Midlands emigrants, but by 1785 Scottish and Irish emigrants may well have predominated.36 John sailed for North America in the Faithful Stuart 19 Jul 1785. He dramatically survived shipwreck off Delaware and went to join his brother Robert in Alexandria, Virginia until moving 1788 to Roseau, Dominica in the West Indies, where he died unmarried in 1796 and is said to have left an estate worth £15,000.37

Benjamin Brocket of Jones Co NC d 1819

Nash referred to him as ‘Benjamin II’ and considered him to be the younger son of Benjamin I d 1758, “because THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE to whom he could have belonged. He was probably born posthumously.”

Birth: Nash’s suggested posthumous birth was because of a 1774 apprenticeship record for Benjamin which gave his age as 14, i.e. b c 1760. Benjamin I had died in 1759. Nash gave the source as Craven Co court records, see his ‘Time Line of Southern US Brocketts, but the reference has not so far been seen. The record apparently said he was apprenticed to John Davis, bricklayer of New Bern, NC, September 1774. The 1800 census, however gave his age as 26-45, i.e. born between 1755-74.

Marriage: Married Nancy FROST. [To follow.]

1790: The census for Jones Co NC recorded Benj Brocket as a head of family with one white female [presumably his wife], one white male under 16 [presumably a son], and 32 slaves.38 There were 581 heads of families recorded in the County that year.39 This was apparently in Newbern District.40 Note: The 1790 land grant indexed to William ‘Brockett’ of Jones Co, was a mistranscription for ‘Barnett’, see the separate page.

1798/9: Sheriff of Jones Co, NC, 1798/9. [To follow.]

1800: The census for Jones Co NC recorded Benjamin Brockett, aged 26-45 [i.e. b between 1755-74] as a head of household with one white female aged 26-45 [presumably his wife], 1 white female 10-16 and 2 white males and 3 white females under 10 [presumably all children], 1 other free person and 9 slaves.41 Comment: Aged 26-45 in 1800 would give an earliest birth date for Benjamin of 1755, and assuming he was the son of Benjamin who died 1758, that would be the latest date. Benjamin wasn’t apparently recorded in the 1810 census. There was a Benjn Brickett Esq in Franklin Co NC, and a Benjamin Brackett in Morganton, Burke Co NC, along with householders Adkins and Nancy Brackett, but not this Benjamin Broket.

1813: According to Nash, Benjamin “sold what was apparently the last of his land to Amos Foscue for $1000: 450 acres on Great Branch on Whiteoak River at John Martin Bender’s line to a pine standing by a negro’s grave, and along river to beginning.”42 Amos Foscue was the youngest son of Simon Foscue Sr’s third and last wife.43 Simon’s first wife Sarah was the widow of Benjamin’s presumed father Benjamin Brocket, d 1758, see the separate page.

1819: Benjamin died in New Hanover Co, NC, leaving his estate to his widow Nancy.44

According to Nash, Benjamin was the father of Frederic, Hiram and William.45

· Frederic Brocket was recorded as a householder in Jones Co NC in 1810 on his own, aged 16-26 [i.e. b 1784-94], with 1 slave.46 No further records have so far been been found.
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· Hiram Brocket was recorded in New Hanover NC in 1820, aged 26-45 [i.e. b 1775-94], with 1 white female 26-45 [presumably his wife], 2 white males aged 10-16, 1 white female under 10 [presumably all children], and 1 male slave aged 0-14.47 H Brocket was recorded in Sampson NC (neighbor of New Hanover to the north) in 1840, aged 40-50 [i.e. b 1790-1800], with 1 female 30-40 [presumably his wife], 1 female under 5, 1 male and 2 females 5-10, 2 males and 1 female 10-15, and 1 male and 1 female 15-20 [presumably all children], all White.48 Hiram Brockett was recorded in Newbern, Craven Co NC in 1850, Merchant, aged 48 [i.e. b c 1802], in the house of Alice Fisher, aged 48.49 There is an original gravestone in Willow Dale Cemetery, Goldsboro, Wayne Co NC, for Hiram Brockett, died 30 Apr 1855, aged 60.50
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· Wm Brockett was recorded in Decatur GA, in the Sep 1850 census, aged 46 [i.e. b c 1804], Farmer, born NC, with the following members of his household: Mary, 35, b NC; Bennet, 20, Laborer, b FL; Hiram, 18, Laborer, b FL; Harriet, 14, b FL; Caroline, 12, b FL; Jesse, 10, b FL; Ganilda, 6, b GA; Laura, one month, b GA;.51 Accordingly, they were in Florida from at least 1830-40, and came to Georgia by 1844. William Brockett was defendant in a case decided in the GA Supreme Court, Baker Co, in 1856, concerning a legal argument whether property held in trust was liable to settle a trustee’s debts:52+Read more
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On 3 Aug 1885 the Decatur Co court appointed W S Brockett guardian of ?Missie and ?Bill Brockett, orphans of Hiram Brockett:53

Orphans of Hiram Brockett GA 1885

If this was this William, he would have been about 81.

Page Last Updated: October 1, 2022

Footnotes

For full bibliographical details please see the sections Publications or Glossary.

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[1] The spelling 'Broket' is used in this website as a kind of lowest common denominator when no specific variant is being referred to, like Brocket, Brockett, Brockette.

[2] Maryland Provincial Court Land Records, 1724-1731, vol 697 pp 99-102 at goo.gl/UAtUAk (accessed 16 Apr 2018)

[3] Filby 1981 citing Coldham 1974

[4] See the the Maryland State Archives at goo.gl/fRiKeh (accessed 27 May 2017).

[5] Email communication Jan 1999

[6] Deed registered in Princess Anne Co, VA, County Court Minutes, Oct 1720, pp 345-6

[7] Princess Ann Co Deed & Will Book 3, pp 433-4

[8] Princess Ann Co Deed & Will Book 3, p 399

[9] Princess Anne Co Court Records, Bk 3, Part 1, p 6

[10] The Virginia Genealogist vol 18 p 202.

[11] Record Of Deeds, vol A, Pasquotank Co, NC; pp 266 of the 1818 transcription by John C Ehringhaus

[12] Record Of Deeds, vol A, Pasquotank Co, NC; pp 370-1 of the 1819 transcription by John C Ehringhaus

[13] North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, vol 1 (1900) p 283

[14] Pasquotank Court Records

[15] Online Colonial and State Records of North Carolina at goo.gl/JEsARJ (accessed 23 Apr 2018) vol 22 p 346

[16] Fisher 1989 p 308

[17] Pasquotank Co, NC, County Court Minutes, 1747-1753, Book II

[18] Grandy 1999 pp 46-8

[19] By Claude J. Sauthier, goo.gl/DfMAfP (accessed 24 Mar 2018)

[20] State Land Patent Books, vol 6 p 4, Grant 78, file 193, courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh NC, microfilm call # S.108.160-2 frame 260; see also David McCorkle's nclandgrants.com.

[21] p 397 or 155.

[22] p 397 or 155.

[23] p 400.

[24] p 400 or 159.

[25] p 393 or 153. Mistranscribed by FMP as Brackett.

[26] 1820 US Federal Census for Camden Co NC, p 19.

[27] E.g. the FamilySearch 'United States Census Forms' webpage at goo.gl/hcuUJM (accessed 2 Nov 2018). This form is perhaps more appropriate for northern States.

[28] Beginning with Richard Atwell.

[29] goo.gl/wUeAjw (accessed 2 Nov 2018).

[30] NARA series M33 NARA roll 80, beginning with Andrew Mills.

[31] 1820 US Federal Census for Camden Co NC, p 19, 5 entries below Redding's. Indexed by FMP as Boockett.

[32] 1820 US Federal Census for Camden Co NC, p 21. The flourish at the end of the name isn't an 's', see other names nearby like Walston, Spelman, Garrett.

[33] 1820 US Federal Census for Camden Co NC, p 35.

[34] Indexed as Torby. See other Forbes indexed as Torbes, e.g. Abner, Isaac and John on the same p 19.

[35] From Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution, vol 18 p 188: Records of Maryland Troops in the Continental Service at goo.gl/j1c7Tm (accessed 16 Apr 2018)

[36] Fischer 1989 pp 419ff, 605ff.

[37] FB 18; Filby 1981 citing Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 1970 26:3, 4.

[38] US Federal census 1790, Jones Co, NC, p 424, col 2, line 2; Online Colonial and State Records of North Carolina at goo.gl/Uvkq21 (accessed 23 Apr 2018) p 680.

[39] US Federal census 1790, Jones Co, NC, p 427.

[40] North 1908 p 143, online at goo.gl/7KU6W1 (accessed 20 Dec 2018).

[41] US Federal census 1800 for Jones Co NC, NARA series M32, NARA roll 31, p 366.

[42] 2000 p 33a, no source given.

[43] Section 8 p 21.

[44] 2000 p 33a, no source given.

[45] Nash Time Line: 1810 NC census index; Muster Rolls 1812; 1850 NC census index. But sources have not yet been found to confirm.

[46] US Federal census 1810 for Jones Co NC, NARA series M252, NARA roll 40, p 264. Transcribed as Brochet by FindMyPast Dec 2018.

[47] US Federal census 1820 for New Hanover NC, NARA series M33, NARA roll 84, p 35.

[48] US Federal census 1840 for Sampson NC, NARA series M704, NARA roll 371, p 10.

[49] US 1850 Federal census for Newbern, Craven Co NC, NARA series 444639, p 594.

[50] goo.gl/GyQWh1 (accessed 20 Dec 2018).

[51] US 1850 Federal census for District 3?, Decatur GA, NARA series 7063, p 160.

[52] Reports of Cases Decided in the Supreme Court of the State of Georgia, by John Erskine, Volume 20 pp 148-153, available at goo.gl/Ktm6nq (accessed 20 Dec 2018). Many thanks to Don Brockett for this reference.

[53] Georgia, Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992, Decatur GA, p 515, image available (31 Jan 2019) from Ancestry.com's on-line database Georgia, Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992.