Richard Nash's Time Line of Southern US Brocketts - The Broket Archive

Richard Nash’s Time Line of Southern US Brocketts

This Time Line is a valuable guide for further research. It’s the product of 3 decades of investigation into records of southeastern US Brocketts by the late Richard Nash of Kansas. Professor Clyde Brockett of Norfolk VA collaborated with him and also discovered early documents. Richard’s widow generously donated his papers, photocopies and correspondence to the Broket Archive for posterity. Among them is this Time Line, which has not been published until now (Apr 2018). Nash’s book, published 2000, and written in a vivid narrative style, mentions only a few of the events and people listed in this Time Line.

Y-DNA evidence has since shown that one of Nash’s conclusions was incorrect so a few of his assumptions based on that in this Time Line are too. Nevertheless, without his good work gathering together the records available at the time—so much harder in the days before the internet—and his insightful attempts to fit them together, many would still be undiscovered or unconnected. Above all, his and Clyde Brockett’s evidence-based approach to research is an admirable example to follow, and were they still working today they would undoubtedly readily abandon any assumptions that don’t tally with new evidence.

His Time Line was last updated by him in Feb 2005, and is presented here as it was then. Comments in parentheses (like this) are Nash’s, comments in brackets [like this] are ours. Further discussion can be found under the names of the individuals on other pages in this website, and also in the section below the Time Line here on this page entitled Discussion.

Richard W Nash 1924-2016

Richard W Nash 1924-2016

TIME LINE OF SOUTHERN BROCKETT

(Information from many sources, including colonial order books, militia lists, deed books, wills and administrations, and entries published in genealogical quarterlies over the years.)
+++
1620-25 – Est period of birth of parents of William Brockett in England.
1650 – Est date of birth of William Brockett in England.
1668 – William Brockett from England to VA to serve 4 yrs as indentured servant (Bristol Register, pub by Univ of VA on internet as “Virtual Jamestown).
1672-3 Est date William Brockett married Mary ___?___.
1673-4 Est date of b of Francis Brockett I.
1686 – Will of Joshua Cornwell Lower Norfolk Co, VA, 3 Feb 1686, proved 17 May Rebecca
1686/7; bequeaths his land in the Little Creek precinct of Norfolk Co, VA, to eldest dau provided she produces an heir “out of her own body.” Failing this, the property is to accrue to his other daughter, Mary.
1691 – PRINCESS ANN COUNTY FORMED FROM LOWER NORFOLK (now known as City of Virginia Beach).
1691 – NORFOLK COUNTY FORMED FROM LOWER NORFOLK (now known as City of Chesapeake).
1693-4 Est date of marriage of Francis Brockett I to Rebecca Cornwell.
1695 – Est year of birth of Joshua Brockett to Francis I and wife Rebecca.
1696 – Francis Brockett I (referred to in document as Francis Brockett, cooper, of Princess Anne County, and wife Rebecca exchanged with Anthony Lawson for another plot of land the Norfolk Co land (now Princess Anne Co), VA, which she inherited from her father, Joshua Cornwell (see 1686 above) (Princess Anne Co Deed Book 17, 1691-1755).
1697 – Est year of birth of Francis Brockett II to Francis I and Rebecca.
1702 – Fragment of deed by William Brockett, Norf. Co, VA, shows wife Mary (both signed with marks).
1712 – Francis Brockett I died, Princ. Anne Co, VA; 1713 estate inv wit by Elizabeth Brockett (Unk.).
1719 – Francis Brockett II helped neighbor Thomas Ewell transfer slaves from one location to another. (Source: Virginia Genealogist)
1720 – Francis Brockett II of Lynhaven Parish, Princ. Anne Co, VA, sold fifty acres of land to Thomas Ewell for $35 Virginia money Oct 3. (Princ. Anne Co court records)
1721 – Francis Brockett II and wife Mary purch land, Pasquotank Co, NC, 17 Oct (Court records).
1725 – Estimated year Benjamin Brockett I born, Pasquotank Co, NC, prob son of Francis Brockett II.
1726 – Francis Brockett II and wife Mary (prob Faircloth) involved in land deal with Edward and Sarah Faircloth, Pasquotank Co, NC. (Source: Pasquotank Co court records).
1729 – Francis Brockett II was one of seven Camden (Pasquotank) Co locals who formed Baptist Church, Sep 5 (NC Historical Register, 1900).
1732 – Francis Brockett II died, Pasquotank Co, NC; wife Mary, admin. (Pasquotank Court Records).
1735-40 – Est time of birth of John Brockett, “orphan son” of Joshua Brockett.
1745-47 – Est time Benjamin Brockett I married Sarah (Stevens?) (prob dau of William and Elizabeth Stevens of Pasquotank Co, [and later, of Craven Co] NC).
1747 – Benjamin Brockett I received grant of 200 acres in Craven Co, NC. (NC Journal of Genealogy, Winter, 1966 issue).
1747 – Joshua Brockett, Pasquotank Co, NC, died; estate inv shows wife Perthinia and “orphen son John.” An administrator of the estate was Mark Gallop, who apparently married the widow. (Estate recs, Joshua Brockett).
1748 – William Brockett born to Benjamin and Sarah, Craven Co, NC.
1750 – Joel Brockett witnessed property sale, Pasquotank Co, NC. [When Joshua died in 1747, Peter Brown was one of the administrators of the estate; In April 1751, Peter Brown made a Deed of Gift to daughters Jane Right (Wright) and Margaret Brockett. When Joel’s estate was settled in 1777, his wife was named as Margaret (NC Wills and Administrations).
1750 – Joel Brockett administered estate of John Coats, Pasquotank Co, NC. (NC Wills and Admins).
1751 – Sarah Brockett witnessed will of Thos. Stevens, Craven Co, NC. Benj. Brockett was co-executor. (NC Wills and Administrations).
1753 – Joel Brockett purchased land from William Burgess, Pasquotank Co, NC. (Court records)
1754 – Joel Brockett listed as taxpayer, Pasquotank Co, NC (2 slaves).
1755 – Jacob Brockett listed on Pasquotank Co, NC, militia roll (Soldiers of the South, Clark).
1754 – Frances Brockett (prob female) witnessed will of Elizabeth Torksey, Pasquotank Co, NC.
1757 – Benjamin Brockett I named Ensign on militia roll, Craven Co, NC (Clark).
1758 – Benjamin Brockett I died, Craven Co, NC. In his will, he appointed his wife Sarah as “trustee and guardian of my children,” whom he did not name. (Benj Brockett estate records)
Ca 1758 – Benjamin Brockett II born to Benjamin I and Sarah, Craven Co, NC. Confusion surrounds dating of this event. Computing from later censuses, his year of birth should be 1756, but see 1774 below.
1760 – Estimated year of birth of Jonathan Brockett, prob Pasquotank Co, NC.
1767 – William Brockett, s/o Benjamin I, signed road petition, Craven Co, NC.(Craven Co recs, vol 1, Elizabeth Moore, Bladensburg, MD, 1960)
1769 – Joel Brockett listed as taxpayer, Pasquotank Co, NC.
1769 – John Brockett listed as taxpayer (with 1 slave), Pasquotank Co, NC.
1771 – William Brockett, s/o Benjamin I, married Martha Ives, Craven Co, NC.
1773 – William Brockett, Craven Co, NC, sold to William Ives the 200 acre plantation he had inherited from Benjamin Brockett, his father, now deceased (See 1747 above).
1774 – Benjamin Brockett II, shown as age 14, apprenticed to John Davis, bricklayer of New Bern, NC, September 1774. It is possible that Benjamin was living with his older brother until William sold the farm in ’73 and moved to SC. He may instead have been living with his mother and stepfather, and being a normal teen-ager, have found a need to leave the house. (Craven Co court records).
1775 – Mary Brockett listed as wife of John, Camden (then Pasquotank) Co, NC. Deed Book 1.
1777 – CAMDEN CO, NC, FORMED FROM PASQUOTANK CO.
1777 – Joel Brockett estate inv., Camden Co, NC. Daughter Sarah and wife Margaret (prob nee Brown).
1786 – Jones Co, NC, census: Benj Brockett, 1 M 21-60; no F; 2 blks 11-50; 3 blks -11/+50.
1788 – Margaret Brockett, wife of Joel; Joel (Jr), son of Margaret (Camden Co Deed Book D).
1790 – NC Census, New Bern Dist, Jones Co: Benj. Brockett, 1 WM 16/over; 1 WM -16; 2 WF; 32 slaves.
1790 – NC Census, Edenton Dist, Camden Co: Joel Brockett, 1 WM 16/over; 3 WF; 4 slaves.
1790 – NC Census, Edenton Dist, Camden Co: John Brockett, 1 WM 16/over; 4 WM -16; 2 WF; 9 slaves (This is probably the son of Joshua [and is the John who died in 1812, see Grandy “Mentions of Brockett”].
1790 – SC Census, Camden Dist, York Co: William Brockett, 2 WM 16/over; 6 WM -16; 3 WF.
1810 – NC Census Index:
+++D. B. Brockett, Cabarrus Co (These Cabarrus Co entries are undoubtedly made in error and were intended for Camden Co)
+++J. Brockett, -do-
+++R. Brockett -do- (prob Redding, son of John Brockett)
+++T. R. Brockett -do- (prob Thomas, son of John Brockett)
+++John A. Brockett, Pasquotank Co. (This is a son of John Brockett)
+++Frederic Brockett, Jones Co (This is son of Benjamin II).
1812 – Hiram Brockett, New Hanover Co, NC, muster rolls, War of 1812 (This is son of Benj. II).
1817 – Jonathan Brockett “will in court”, Camden Co, NC; wife Kiziah Guilford (per family chart of Eleanor Dorsey, Pensacola, FL) dau Nancy (Perkins) and son Isaac Brockett (Camden Co, NC, Deed Book P).
1818 – John Brockett born, Camden Co, NC (1860 census).
1819 – Estate records of Benjamin Brockett II, Hanover Co, NC.
1820 – NC Census Index and tax lists:
+++Abba Brockett, Camden Co. (prob Abner Brockett)
+++Amy Brockett, -do- (prob Amy Torksey, wid of Dempsey B. Brockett, who d 1817)
+++Jane Brockett, -do-
+++Redding Brockett -do-
+++John Brockett, Currituck Co.
1827 – John Brockett and two others were paid for bringing felon from Perq Co to Curr Co (Currituck Co, NC, Court Records, Feb 1827).
1828 – John Brockett exec and Jane Brockett wit, Curr Co, NC, will of M. Etheridge, 12 May.
1829 – Robert Brockett witnessed will of Caleb Forbes, Nov 1. (Robert was prob son of Dempsey).
1830 – John Brockett witnessed will of Wm Doxey, 4 Sep.
1830 – NC Census Index:
+++Henry Brockett, pg 367, Camden Co.
+++Redding Brockett, pg 367, -do-
+++Samuel Brockett, pg 368, -do-
+++Hiram Brockett, New Hanover Co.
1850 – NC Census Index:
+++Abner Brocket, pg 090, Camden Co.
+++Ann Brockett, pg 088, Camden Co.
+++James Brockett, pg 081, Camden Co.
+++Elizabeth Brocket, pg 186, Currituck Co.
+++Sarah Brocket, pg 174, Currituck Co.
+++Harriett Brocket, pg 378, New Hanover Co.
+++Griffith Brockett, pg 305, New Bern Dist, Craven Co.
+++Hardy Brockett, pg 137, Onslow Co.
+++Sarah Brockett, pg 134, Jones Co (Incl Sarah, 50, b NC, and Jane, 20, b NC).
1850 – Elizabeth Brockett, 50, and Gideon Brockett, 18, living in Curr Co home of Wm Forbes.
1850 – Sarah Brockett, 8, and John Brockett, 6, living in Curr Co home of Daniel Lee,Constable.
1850 – GA Census, Decatur Co:
+++William Brockett, 46, b NC (This is son of Benjamin II).
+++Mary (maiden name Dickson), 38, b NC.
+++Bennet Brockett, 20, b FL
+++Hiram Brockett, 18, b FL
+++Harriet Brockett, 14, b FL.
+++Caroline Brockett, 12, f FL
+++Jesse L. Brockett, b FL (Served in GA regiment in Civil War).
+++Ganelda (fem), 6, b GA.
+++Laura, 6 mos, b GA.
1860 – NC Census, Camden Co:
+++John Brockett, 42, b NC.
+++Jane, 42, b NC
+++Redding, 24
+++Abner, 18
+++Johnathan, 17
+++Duren (Doren?), 11
+++William, 9
+++John, 9
+++Charles, 3
(In the year 2004, descendants of this family still live in North Carolina and in the Norfolk area of Virginia. Most of them know little or nothing of their genealogy.)
+++
When E.J. Brockett published his Brockett Genealogy, many of these Brocketts were still living, yet he was utterly ignorant of their existence and casually stated, with no supporting evidence, that “southern Brocketts were descended from Robert Brockett, who came from Scotland in 1784.” Then, probably basing his decision on a letter from some misinformed descendant, he assigned William Brockett of Craven Co, NC, to the Connecticut family founded by immigrant John Brockett (for which he also provided a glossed-over, erroneous history).

[END]

Discussion

For the last paragraph see the separate page.

It is only right and proper to reproduce the Time Line unchanged, however the first 4 dates require a caveat:

1620-25 – Est period of birth of parents of William Brockett in England.
1650 – Est date of birth of William Brockett in England.
1668 – William Brockett from England to VA to serve 4 yrs as indentured servant (Bristol Register, pub by Univ of VA on internet as “Virtual Jamestown).
1672-3 Est date William Brockett married Mary ___?___.

While the 1668 record of a William Brockett sailing from England to VA to serve 4 yrs as an indentured servant is recorded fact, the 3 estimated dates assumed that he was the William who signed the deed in Norfolk VA in 1702. This is possible but it is speculation, for which there is no evidence other than Nash’s own intuition, and is discussed on the separate page.

Similarly, he went on to suggest that this William Brockett of Norfolk VA in 1702 was the ancestor of his own Brockett family—through Benjamin Brockett d 1758 in Craven Co, NC, to Capt William of the Carolinas 1748-1821, to William b 1783, to James M 1829-96, to Stephen D 1868-1938, and down to his mother Gretchen Brockett 1902-93. Here is an extract from his book, published 2000, outlining this:1

“A William Brockett made his way to the Virginia Colony between 1638 and 1668. In 1702 a William Brockett died in Norfolk County, Virginia, leaving his wife, Mary. Francis Brockett, possible son of William, died in Princess Anne County, Virginia, in 1712. He had married Rebecca Cornwell, daughter of Joshua of Norfolk (later Princess Anne) County. We are convinced that those Brocketts, as well as the later ones in adjacent Pasquotank Co, North Carolina, are all related and are all a part of our Brockett family. It is much regretted that several Brockett heads of families died young without leaving wills, making it extremely difficult to link generations together.”

However, Y-DNA evidence has since shown that Benjamin, d 1758, was of the same stock as descendants of John Brockett of New Haven (d 1690), and in 2020 documentary evidence was found that Benjamin removed from New Haven Co to NC, see the separate page.

Page Last Updated: April 21, 2023

Footnotes

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

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[1] p 32. His sources were listed on p 117, but without without being tied to individual points in his narrative.