Harris Puckett Sr. (abt. 1775 - abt. 1845)

Born about 1775 in District 96, South Carolina

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1845 at about age 70 in Hall County Georgia

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Biography

Harris was born in about 1775, likely in Mecklenburg Co, VA. See profiles of his father Page Puckett (aft.1751-aft.1833) and grandfather Isom Puckett I (1724-aft.1775). It's generally assumed that Harris was born in the area where he first appears on Census records, namely Ninety-Six District, South Carolina, in an area that became Union County in 1785. However, his parents were documented in Mecklenburg around the time of his birth. See profile of Rebecca (Unknown) Puckett (abt.1750-aft.1830).

Harris is believed to be the son of Page and Rebecca Puckett. Harris and Page can be documented close to one another in both South Carolina and in Hall County, Georgia.

In 1775, in Mecklenburg Co, VA, on a deed for Isham Puckett and his wife Martha, we find both Page Puckett and the Harrises living next door to one another. The year before, Isham had a deed that named John Harris as owning adjoining land. It's possible that Rebecca's maiden name was Harris and that she and Page Puckett named their son accordingly.

In 1790, Page Puckett was the head of household, with eight in total, in Union County, South Carolina. The household consisted of Page, one male under 16 and six females.

In 1800, Page Puckett, age 45+, was enumerated in Greenville County, South Carolina. There were eight people in total in the household including; female 45+, male 16-25, two females 16-25, female 10-15, and two females under 10.

Based on these two South Carolina Census reports, Harris might be the only son of Page. Or perhaps Page had older son(s) of age and on their own by 1790. Finally, we cannot be sure how the people enumerated in the household are related.

It's rumored that Harris died in 1845. He likely died in Hall County, Georgia. Based on records, he died after 1843, when he was named in his father-in-law's probate records, but before 1850 when Alsabeth, age 64, was enumerated as a widow and head of household in Hall County, Georgia. A presumed grandson, H. H. Puckett, age 13, was living with her.^[1]

Children

The following is a list of children documented in Hall Co, GA. Per Census reports, Alsabeth Underwood-Puckett was born about 1786. If she began having children at age 17, her children we born in 1803 or later.

• Elijah Puckett — born about 1803
  • He married Nancy Grissom in 1828, in Hall Co, GA
  • He first appears as HOH on his own Census in 1830, in Hall Co, GA
• Nancy Puckett-Grissom — born 1804-1810
  • She married William Grissom in 1828, in Hall Co, GA
• John Puckett — born about 1807
  • He married Elizabeth Wood in 1827, in Hall Co, GA
  • He first appears as HOH on his own Census in 1830, in Hall Co, GA
• Daughter — born 1805-1810 (see research notes below)
• Harris Puckett, Jr. — born 1811
  • He first appears as HOH on his own Census in 1840, in Hall Co, GA
• Martha Puckett-Holmes — born 1816-1820
  • She married John Holmes in 1834, in Hall Co, GA
• Elizabeth Puckett-Phillips — born about 1818
  • She married John Phillips in 1834, in Hall Co, GA
• Daughter — born 1810-1820 (see research notes below)
• Solomon Puckett — born 1821
  • He married Maria Bailey in 1845, in Hall Co, GA
  • He first appears as HOH on his own Census in 1850, in Gwinnett Co, GA
• Nimrod Puckett — born 1823
  • He married Caroline Bailey in 1845, in Hall Co, GA
  • He first appears as HOH on his own Census in 1850, in Hall Co, GA
• Elias Puckett — born 1827
  • He married in Polly Ann Sizemore in 1849
  • He first appears as HOH on his own Census in 1850, in Gwinnett Co, GA

Records

1810 Census in Greenville Co, SC^[2]

• H. Pucket 26-44 (b:1766-1784)
  • one female 16-25 — Alsabeth
  • two males under 10 — Elijah and John
  • two females under 10 — Nancy and unknown (who was on 1810 & 1820)

1820 Census in Pendleton District, SC^[3]

• Harris Pucket 26-44 (b:1776-1794)
  • one female 26-44 — Alsabeth
  • one female 16-25 — Nancy
  • three males 10-15 — Elias, John, Harris Jr.
  • one female 10-15 — unknown (who was on 1810 & 1820)
  • three females under 10 — Martha, Elizabeth, unknown (who was on 1820 & 1830)
  • Four foreigners not naturalized.
  • Page Puckett also in Pendleton.

1830 Census in Hall Co, GA^[4]

• Harris Puckett 50-59 (b:1771-1780)
  • one female 50-59 — Alsabeth
  • one male 15-19 — Harris Jr.
  • one female 15-19 — Martha
  • two females 10-14 — Elizabeth and unknown (who was on 1820 & 1830)
  • two males 5-9 — Solomon and Nimrod
  • one male under 5 — Elias
  • Page Puckett was also in Hall Co, GA

In 1833, Page Puckett conveyed land to Miner W. Brown and John E. Brown merchants in Hall Co, GA. A mortgage deed for a tract of land where Page Puckett now lives adjoining the widow Waters and Harris Puckett, containing one hundred acres.^[5]

1840 Census in Hall Co, GA^[6]

• Harris Puckett 60-69 (b:1771-1780)
  • female 50-59 (b:1781-1790) — Alsabeth
  • two males 15-19 — Solomon and Nimrod
  • one male 10-14 — Elias
  • one female 20-29 — Perhaps a widowed or unwed daughter.
  • two males under 5 — Perhaps grandsons. Alsabeth would have been about 50-55 years old in 1835-1840. Therefore, she was past her childbearing years.

7 Aug 1840 Greenville Co, SC. Probate record of George Underwood.^[7]

• "Harris Puckett and Alsabeth his wife"

1843 Greenville Co, SC. Estate settlement of George Underwood.

• "To Harris Puckett"

In March of 1844, Harris Puckett was on a Petit Jury in Hall County, GA.^[8] Note that it is possible this jury record is for Harris Puckett, Jr., who would have been in his early 30s. However, Harris Jr. moved to Gwinnett County before 1850.

Research Notes

Multiple Groups of Pucketts in Gwinnett Co, GA

Several groups of Pucketts are found in Georgia in the early 1800s. Not all groups are presumed to be related. It is helpful to consider logistics, timing, and development of the area of focus as county lines were frequently changing. Several groups settled in south Georgia. However, since Harris Puckett settled in north Georgia, these notes will be limited accordingly.

There were several different sets of Pucketts pre-1860 in Gwinnett County.

Group #1 - Southern Gwinnett Co, GA
The Richard Puckett Family was one of the first to arrive in Gwinnett, before 1820. This family settled in the Rockbridge area which, at that time, was located on the tri-county areas of Gwinnett, DeKalb, and Newton Counties. See 1839 map.

• 1820 Census Gwinnett Co, GA
  • Richard Puckett 26-44
• 1823 Land Record for Richard Puckett and Headright
• 1830 Census Gwinnett Co, GA
  • Richard Puckett 50-59 FamilySearch Record: XHGL-T2T
• 1840 Census Gwinnett Co, GA
  • Richard Puckett 60-69
  • Ellis Puckett
  • Elisha B Puckett
• 1850 Census Gwinnett Co, GA
  • Richard Puckett b:1775 age 75 living next to Elisha B Puckett. There may be other Pucketts in this area on the 1850 Census.
• Early marriages in Gwinnett Co, GA
  • 1843 Elizabeth Puckett to William Garner
  • 1845 Lucinda Puckett to Benjamin T Thomas
  • 1845 Elizabeth B Pucket to Elias Camron
  • 1848 Sarah H Puckett to William Richardson
  • 1849 Elias Puckett to Pally Ann Sizemore

Given how close Rockbridge was to DeKalb and Newton Counties early on, below are Pucketts in those counties in about 1830.

• 1830 DeKalb Co, GA
  • James D Purkell (possibly Puckett) 30-39
• 1830 Newton Co, GA
  • John Puckett 40-49
  • James Puckett 30-39
• Early marriages in Newton Co, GA
  • 1828 James W Puckett to Frances Brannan (see below)
  • 1829 Rhoda Puckett to James Manning
  • 1830 Rebecca Puckett to Eli Mays (see below)
  • 1842 Nancy W Pucket to Jim L Hammond
  • 1849 Mary Elizabeth Puckett to Wm Cason

Group #2 - Southern Gwinnett Co, GA
In 1830, the following were living fairly close to each other. In 1850, a Wesley Puckett (b1811) was enumerated in Rockbridge, Gwinnett Co, GA (southern Gwinnett). It's unclear if he is the same person as Westley Puckett in 1830.

However, Tilghman Niblett won land in the 1832 Lottery. He was noted as residing in "Maguire's", Gwinnett Co, GA.^[9] This gives us the location where these men lived. Thomas Maguire was the original owner of The Promised Land aka Maguire-Livsey House, a historical site in southern Gwinnett County. Maguire was a captain of the local Rockbridge militia in 1828. The Maguire home also functioned as a post office and a voting precinct.^[10][11]

• Alexander Puckett 20-29, listed next to Tilman Niblett.
• T B Puckett 20-29, listed on the next page.
• Westley Puckett 20-29, listed very close to T B Puckett.
• Pucketts who drew land in the Cherokee land lottery while residing in Maguire, Gwinnett Co, GA.^[12]
  • John B. Puckett won land in 22nd District, 3rd Setcion, Cherokee. Lot 54 was located in Floyd Co, GA.
  • Westley Puckett won land in 27th District, 2nd Section, Cherokee. Lot 79 was located in Murry and Gilmer Co, GA.
  • Bird Puckett won land in 15th District, 3rd Section, Cherokee. Lot 146 was located in Cass Co, GA.

Group #3 - Southern Hall Co, then Northern Gwinnett Co, GA
The Harris Puckett Family first arrived in Hall, by 1830. This family settled in the Hog Mountain area. Hog Mountain has been in several different counties: Hall, Franklin, Jackson, and Gwinnett. For the most part, this family continued to be documented in southern Hall County through the 1850s. Most of Harris' children begin appearing in Gwinnett County between 1860-1880. The exception being a few of his youngest sons, who were enumerated on the 1850 Census in north Gwinnett.

• 1830 Census Hall Co, GA
  • Page Puckett 70-79 b:1751-1760
  • Harris Puckett 50-59 b:1771-1780
  • Josiah Puckett 30-39 b:1791-1800
  • Elijah Puckett 20-29 b:1801-1810
  • John Puckett 20-29 b:1801-1810
• 1840 Census Hall Co, GA
  • Harris Puckett (plus others)
• Early marriages in Hall Co, GA
  • 1827 John Pucket to Elizabeth Wood
  • 1828 Elijah Pucket to Nancy Grissome
  • 1828 Nancy Pucket to William Grissome
  • 1834 Martha Puckett to John Homes
  • 1834 Elizabeth Puckett to John Phillips
  • 1845 Solomon Puckett to Maria Bailey
  • 1845 Nimrod Puckett to Caroline Bailey
  • 1850 Judah Q. Puckett to Wiley W. Reed

Links to maps for area development of Hall and Gwinnett County, GA. These county lines changed dramatically between 1820-1850.

• 1823 map - Hog Mountain was well within Hall County, GA.
• 1839 map - Illustrates how Rockbridge, Gwinnett County, GA, was once on the county lines of DeKalb and Newton Counties.
• 1856 map - Hog Mountain was still in Hall County, GA. Although the county lines changed so that the Gwinnett County border was closer than before.
• 1880 map

Group #4 - Northern Gwinnett Co, GA
From at least 1820-1850, John Pucket (b1786 in SC) lived in Gwinnett Co, GA, in area that became Sugar Hill.

Group #5 - Gwinnett Co, GA
In 1830, Edmond Pucket 20-29 and Sarah Puckett 40-49 were living close to each other in Gwinnett Co, GA.

Theorized daughters of Harris and Alsabeth

There are more theorized daughters than is supported by documentation. All of the sons are accounted for on the Census reports for Harris. See the results of reconciling Census reports, and other records, above.

Only two daughters remain unnamed in the list of children. Below is a list of commonly theorized daughters. Perhaps two from the list below were daughters of Harris. It's possible that we've yet to identify the two remaining daughters found on the Census reports. One of those daughters appears to be single (perhaps widowed or unwed) on Harris' 1840 Census. She may be the mother of the two boys born 1835-1840, also found on that Census. Those boys are likely grandchildren of Harris, as Alsabeth was past her childbearing years.

1. Rebecca Puckett-Mays - She was likely the daughter of James W. Puckett.
   • In 1830, Rebecca married Eli Mays in Newton Co, GA.
   • In 1850, she was enumerated in Newton Co, GA. Her Census indicates she was born about 1813 in VA. Conversely, Harris Puckett and wife Alsabeth were in SC prior to relocating to Hall Co, GA.
   • Rebecca's 1860 and 1880 Census in Henry Co, GA, also indicate VA as her birthplace.
   • In 1830, James W. Puckett is found in Newton Co, GA.
     • Male 30-39, Female 20-29, Female 15-19, Male 10-14, Male under 5.
     • He married a Brannan in 1828 in Newton Co, GA. Therefore, the older children in the household were from a previous marriage. Rebecca might be the 15-19 year old female in the home. In 1830, they were living next to three Brannan households.
   • In 1850, still in Newton Co; James M Pucket 60 VA, Frances Pucket 44, Martha Pucket 18, James Pucket 15, Jesse Pucket 13, William Pucket 10, Thomas Pucket 5, Pleasant Pucket 20.
2. Mary Puckett-Simmons
3. Magina Ann Puckett-Niblett
4. Rhoda Puckett-Manning-West - see Ancestry Tree research notes

DNA Information

• Additional YDNA tests are needed to help build the halpotree for Puckett. Ideally, we need the results to reflect an MRCA within genealogical times. A descendant of Nimrod may represent this family, regarding YDNA. See:
  • FTDNA Project for Puckett
  • YDNA Tree for Puckett
  • Puckett - Y-DNA SNP
• Information regarding WikiTree standards for adding DNA confirmations.
• This is not conclusive. Simply providing feedback as WikiTree DNA lists can sometimes be misleading. At present, three descendants of Harris Puckett via son John appear to match several descendants of Harris Puckett via his children, namely; Elijah, John, Harris Jr, Elizabeth Philips, Solomon, Nimrod (YDNA test exists for a descendant), and Elias. However, they do not currently have matches to descendants of Rhoda Puckett or Magina Puckett. In other words, Living (Stone) Anonymous, in the DNA list on this profile page, isn't matching Rhoda or Magina. Again, this is not conclusive. There are several possible explanations. However, additional perspectives are needed. It might be a matter of realigning how multiple Pucketts match each other. If you wish to collaborate, please feel free to contact Raffety-49 22:26, 17 July 2023 (UTC). Or contact others on the list.
• For DNA research, descendants of Rhoda Puckett and Magina Puckett might want to take a closer look at Pucketts found in Coweta Co, GA. Consider reviewing Andrew Jackson Puckett, Douglas J. Puckett, William A. Puckett, Allen Puckett, and Martin M. Puckett, all born about 1801-1813 in SC. All enumerated in 1850, and earlier, in the area. A woman named Sarah Puckett born about 1771 in VA was found in the home of Douglas in 1840 and 1850. She was presumably his mother. Raffety-49 04:11, 9 August 2023 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ 1850 United States Federal Census; Ancestry.com shared link; Elizabeth Pucket; Birth abt 1786 SC; District 38, Hall, GA; Widow; Real Estate 100; Cannot Read, Write; Line #28; Dwelling #850; Family #850; also in household H H Pucket 13
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1810", database with images, FamilySearch Record: XH23-XS2, H Pucket, 1810.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch Record: XHG6-7X1, Harris Pucket, Pendleton, South Carolina.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch Record: XHPL-6BG, Harris Puckett, 1830.
5. ↑ Deed records and mortgages, 1825-1903; indexes, 1819-1934; FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSLX-LQGG;v. D, 1833-1836; p 46-47.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch Record: XHBZ-X5Z, Harris Puckett, Hall, Georgia.
7. ↑ South Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980; Probate Records, File 9, No. 605-674; File 10, No. 2-47; File 11; File 12, No. 2-70; Ancestry.com shared link
8. ↑ Minutes, 1832-1901; Superior Court (Hall County) Georgia; FamilySearch Image: 3QHV-83C4-Z9TQ-G and FamilySearch Image: 3QHV-D3C4-ZSSM-6; Harris Puckett. Petit Jury. Mar Term 1844.
9. ↑ Georgia Cherokee Land Lottery, 1832; Ancestry.com shared link; Tilmon Niblet; number 208; Eighth District, Fourth Section, Cherokee; Residence Maguire's; County Gwinnett; Granted previous to the first day of January, 1838.
10. ↑ Maguire-Livsey House, online news article published by Atlanta Journal-Constitution, dated Nov 23, 2018 ; "Gwinnett’s Promised Land, a plantation turned beloved black community"; by Tyler Estep; site accessed Aug 2023
11. ↑ "Gwinnett County to Aquire Land for Park in Southern Gwinnett"; "Gwinnett County already owns four adjacent parcels of land, including the historic Maguire-Livsey Big House at the Promised Land."; site accessed Aug 2023
12. ↑ Ancestry.com. The Cherokee land lottery [database on-line]. Original data: Smith, James F., The Cherokee land lottery : containing a numerical list of the names of the fortunate drawers in said lottery, with an engraved map of each district. New York: Printed by Harper & Bros., 1838.

See also;

• Harris Puckett, Sr. FamilySearch Person: LY9Q-TMS
• Deeds Index in Hall Co, GA
• John Puckett descendant, Harris Puckett; Newspapers.com - The Atlanta Constitution - 1999-06-27 - Page 155
• Union county was briefly in Pinckney District from 1791-1800. Overarching districts were discontinued in about 1800. Source: https://www.carolana.com/SC/Early_Statehood/sc_statehood_1800_counties_established.html ; South Carolina - From Statehood to 1800; website accessed Jul 2023