Jesse Stockton (1755-1834)

Jesse Stockton was born 4 Sept. 1755 in Albemarle County, Virginia. His grandfather, Davis Stockton, was one of the very first settlers in the Ivy Creek and Mechum's River area of Goochland (now Albemarle) County, Virginia. Davis Stockton had four sons, Richard, Thomas, Samuel and William.

Jesse was a son of Thomas and Rachel (nee Allen) Stockton Sr. and inherited his father's plantation on Mechum's River. Thomas Stockton Sr owned property on Yellow Mountain Creek (a branch of Stockton's Creek), Virgin Spring Creek (now known as Dollins Creek), Pounding Creek, and Mechum's River. These are all near the town of Batesville. Although Thomas Stockton owned property near Stockton's Creek and Stockton's Mill Creek, it does not appear that he owned any property on them.

Thomas Stockton Sr. 31 July 1782 will: "I do give and bequeth unto my Son Jessee, all my lands and plantation whereon I now live, also I do give unto my wife Rachel, the Third of my Lands, during her life and Widowhood, and after her death my will is that my son Jessee Shall have the hole of my Lands."

Jesse Stockton is shown in the 1783 Albemarle County, Virginia, Personal Tax List along with his brothers Thomas Stockton Jr, John "The Signer" Stockton, and Daniel Stockton. No other Stocktons are shown on the tax list. All of Jesse Stockton's cousins had already moved out of Albemarle County by 1780 and most had moved out of Virginia. Jesse's uncles William and Samuel Stockton had moved to North Carolina before the Revolutionary War. His uncle Richard Stockton died in 1775 and all of Richard's children moved out of Albemarle County by 1780.

Jesse Stockton and Mary Hays were married in Albemarle County by Benjamin Burger. Their first child, Thomas, named for his grandfather Thomas Stockton Sr, was born in Albemarle County in 1788. Their first daughter, Sophia, born 1790, was named after her maternal grandmother, Sophia (nee Wood) Hays, and their second daughter, Rachel, born 1793, was named after her paternal grandmother, Rachel (nee Allen) Stockton.

On 16 April 1787 Jesse Stockton sold his plantation on Mechum's River to Thomas Smith. He then bought 148 acres from his brother John "The Signer" Stockton.

Albemarle County, Virginia Deed Book 10, p. 373 11 Feb 1792 "Jesse Stockton and his wife, Mary Stockton, of County of Albemarle of one part and William Wood, Senr. of other part . . . one hundred forty eight acres."

The last mention of Jesse and Mary Stockton in Virginia is a deed dated 26 Jan 1793 when they sold some property to Francis Davis.

Sometime after 26 Jan 1793 the Jesse and Mary (nee Hays) Stockton family moved from Albemarle County, Virginia, to Mason County, Kentucky, where most of their children were born. Jesse Stockton is shown on Mason County tax lists from 1794 until 1804.

On 27 Jan 1802 Jesse and Mary Stockton bought land from John and Elizabeth Mason. On 17 May 1805 Jesse and Mary Stockton sold their Mason County property to George Faris and moved to Barren County, Kentucky.

Also living in Barren County were Jesse's brothers Newberry Stockton and Thomas Stockton Jr., as well as his sisters Jemima (nee Stockton) Lattimore and Rachel (nee Stockton) Lattimore.

Jesse Stockton and his family are shown on the 1810 census living in Barren County, Kentucky.

1810 census, Barren County, Kentucky. (All names except Jesse have been added.) Jesse Stockton, 55, born 4 Sep 1755, 45+ Mary Stockton, 49, born 25 Dec 1761, 45+ Thomas Stockton, 22, born 4 June 1788, 16-26 Sophia Stockton, 20, born 12 Dec 1790, 16-26 John Stockton, 19, born 10 May 1791, 16-26 Rachel Stockton, 17, born 10 May 1793, 16-26 James Stockton, 13, born 9 Oct 1797, 10-16 Mary Stockton, 11, born 18 Mar 1799, 10-16 Jemima Stockton, 9, born 15 Mar 1801, 0-10 Hannah Stockton, 1, born 9 Feb 1809, 0-10

Jesse and Mary's daughter Sophia Stockton married William Evans on 20 Oct 1812 in Barren County, Kentucky.

Jesse Stockton is shown on Barren County, Kentucky, tax lists from 1806 until 1813.

Sometime between 1813 and about 1817 the Jesse and Mary Stockton family moved to Clark County, Ohio, where Jesse is shown on the 1820 census. Jesse is later shown in the 1830 census living in Jennings County, Indiana.

Jesse and Mary were the parents of: Thomas Stockton, born 4 June 1788 Sophia Stockton, born 12 Dec 1790 John Stockton, born 10 May 1791 Rachel Stockton, born 10 May 1793 James Stockton, born 9 Oct 1797 Mary Stockton, born 18 Mar 1799 Jemima Stockton, born 15 Mar 1801 Hannah Stockton, born 9 Feb 1809

The dates of birth for Sophia and John are too close to each other and one of the dates must be wrong.

SOURCES:

DAVIS STOCKTON OF ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA

by Jerry Stockton

GALLERY:  1892 U.S Geological Survey Map showing Stockton's Branch of Mechum's River in Albemarle County, Virginia.jpg|1892 U.S. Geological Survey Map showing Stockton's Branch of Mechum's River in Albemarle County, Virginia