Capt. Joseph Sackett

   User ID: 7.

  General Notes:

After the death of his father in 1659 his childhood home appears to have been with the family of his grandfather Bloomfield. From early manhood to old age he was a resident of Newtown , Long Island, N.Y., where for many years he was a member "in full communion" and office bearer in the Presbyterian Church. His name appears frequently in lists of Road Commissioners, A ssessors, Collectors and Supervisors of his town. The Colonial and Documentary Histories of New York show that he was commissioned by successive Governors of the Colony as Ensign, Lieutenant and Captain of Long Island troops. His name is also to be found in lists of recipients of Royal Patents or land grants, and of commissioners selected and appointed to adjust town and county boundary disputes, so prevalent and troublesome in the early history of New York and Connecticut.

When in 1711 Capt. Joseph Sackett and Mercy Whitehead (Betts) were married, the former was 55 years of age and had 10 children, while the latter was about 48 years of age and had 9 children. These, with their son Samuel, born to them in 1712, made an even score. Sixteen of the number married and had children, and nearly all the sons as well as the husbands of the daughters became men of prominence in their day and generation; while among their descendants have been Governors of States, Cabinet Officers, Bishops, Authors of note, Judges, Generals and Ministers of the United States to the principal Courts of Europe.

Capt. Joseph Sackett's will, dated September 20, 1719, and admitted to probate December 22 following, is witnessed by Nathaniel Woodward and Peter Berrian. It reads as follows:

"In the name of God Amen. I Joseph Sackett of Newtown, in Queens County, being sick and weak . * * * I leave to my wife Mercy the use of all lands and meadows which I leave to my son Samuel, until he comes of age, and all the wearables she brought with her when married, and Đ30 , and 2 cows and some young cattle.

I leave to my son Joseph a certain lot of land and meadow bounded west by the land of Thomas Betts, north by the middle ditch, east by the land of Joshua Hunt, and north by the road. And he shall pay to my daughter Sarah, alias Moore, Đ10.

I leave to my children Joseph, Richard, John, William, Samuel, Sarah Moore, Abigail Alsom and Patience Sackett and the children of my daughter Elizabeth deceased, all my land and meadows at Hopwwell and Maidenhead in Huntingdon County, New Jersey, my son Joseph to have a double share.

I leave to my son John a certain lot of land and meadow adjoining the narrow passage running eastward, adjoining the land of Joseph Hollett and Joseph Moore and running due eastward to a ditch and piece of meadow that was formerly Samuel Moore's, and south easterly 'till it meets a small ditch that joins a fence running southerly to the road that leads to Hellgate Neck. Also another lot lying on the south side of said road that leads along by Newtown Spring to the Kills and the land of John Sanders.

I leave my son William a lot of land with the house and buildings lying on the south side of the road, bounded east by the land of John Wright and Thomas Hunt, south by the meadow ditch, west by the land of Widow Moore and the piece hereinafter devised to Samuel Sackett. Also 3 lots of land. The first bounded west and north by land of Job Wright, east by land of Nathaniel Woodward, and south by the road. The second being the lot called the Old lot, bounded west by the land of William Moore, north by land of Peter Barren * * * and south by the highway. The third lot being upland and meadow, bounded northwesterly by the middle ditch , north by Thomas Stephenson, southeast by the highway and lying near the house of Benjamin Cornish. Also another lot of land and meadow, beginning at a certain road that leads by the side of the house of John Sackett going down the east side of cleared land as the fence now stands to a certain ditch, and all the land and meadow that lies east of it, belonging to me.

I leave to my son Samuel all my manshon where I now dwell, with all the buildings, and the lot of land and garden and orchards, and all that land that I had of my uncle Daniel Bloomfield joining my said land near the * * * and westward to the land of Nathaniel Woodward. Also a lot of land over against my said land being ten rods wide and running down to a small ditch in the meadows bounded west by land of said Woodward and the Widow Moore. Also another lot of land and meadow lying at the end of said town, bounded on two sides by a highway, and on the other two sides by the land of Benjamin Moore and George Reynolds.

I leave to my sons William and Samuel a certain lot of land lying at a certain swamp called Juniper Swamp, bounded east by the highway, north by land that was Edward Hunt's and George Brinkerhoff's, west by land that was Edward Hunt's. I leave to my sons John, William and Samuel all my upland and meadow lying between the land of _______ Field and Flushing Creek, near the head thereof.

I leave to my son John the time Hugh McCarty has to live with me by his indenture.

I leave to my son William and my daughter Patience each a bed. I leave the rest of my personal property to my children William, Patience, Richard, Sarah, Joseph, Anne Moore and Abigail Alsop. I make my sons Joseph and William executors.
Joseph Sackett (s)
[Weygant p. 16, 20-24]

Joseph married Elizabeth Betts, daughter of Richard Betts and Miss [--?--]. (Elizabeth Betts was born about 1658 in Long Island, NY and died on an unknown date.)

Joseph next married Mercy Whitehead, daughter of Daniel Whitehead and Abigail Stephenson, in 1711. (Mercy Whitehead was born about 1663 and died after 1719.)