William S. Puckett and Milly Manor
William Spencer Puckett, the third son of Lodwick Puckett and Kesiah Blankenship, was born on 31 July 1801 probably in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Around 1816, William moved with his family to south-central Rutherford County TN, where he met Mildred "Milly" Manor, the daughter of Mills Manor and Lucy Smith. Milly had been born in Edgecombe County, NC but lived almost her entire life in Rutherford and Bedford counties.
William and Milly married in Rutherford County on 5 January 1833 and had a moderately prosperous life in Bedford County, not far from the Rutherford County line. They eventually had twelve children together before Milly died at the age of 43. William then married Ruth Clark, probably around 1858/9, either in Bedford or Rutherford County. They had at least one child (David) and possibly two others (Alice and Elizabeth, according to another researcher) before Ruth apparently died sometime between 1865 and 1870.
After the Civil War and Ruth's death, William and his youngest surviving daughter Priscilla then moved in with his son, James; his son Benjamin and daughter Elizabeth lived with their married sister, Susanna Puckett Shead, who lived next door to James. When William died, he left no will, so it is unclear how many of his children were still alive at that time.
Four of William's sons enlisted in the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. John Elam and Joseph both enlisted in the 45th TN Infantry, William Wilson in the 18th TN Infantry, and Mills Manor in the 23rd AR Infantry. As did many Tennesseans, five of the Pucketts -- Lodwick Leonard, John Elam, William Wilson, Joseph L., and Priscilla Jane -- moved to central Texas. Lodwick appears to have been the first, moving to Navarro County by 1860. Priscilla was the last; after marrying James Whitus, the couple moved to Grayson County in the 1890s.
William Spencer Puckett (31 July 1801, Mecklenburg Co VA - 20 July 1873, Eagleville, Rutherford, TN)
m. 5 Jan 1833, Rutherford Co TN
Mildred "Milly" Manor (b. 30 Apr 1813, Edgecombe Co NC - d. ca Dec 1856, Bedford Co TN)
Children:
i. Lodwick Leonard Puckett (ca Nov 1833, TN - 1 Oct 1930, Navarro, TX); m. Sarah A. Dozier
ii. James Rufus Puckett (18 Dec 1834, TN - 6 Jun 1917, Rutherford, TN); m. Mary Good Taylor
iii. John Elam Puckett (28 Apr 1836, Bedford, TN - 3 May 1926, Zephyr, Brown, TX); m1. Lucy A. [lnu], m2 Martha Pairalee [lnu]
iv. Lucy Sarah Puckett (1838, TN - aft. August 1860)
v. Mills Manor Puckett (1840, TN - possibly 1862, Craighead, AR)
vi. William Wilson Puckett (8 Mar 1842, Bedford, TN -1 Jul 1939, Waco, McLellan, TX); m. Mary E. "Mollie" Wilson
vii. Joseph L. Puckett (7 Sep 1843, Bedford, TN - 14 Nov 1924, Dripping Springs, Hays, TX); m1. Harriet L. Bonner, m2 Mary L. Moore
viii. Martha A. Susannah Puckett (28 Dec 1845, Bedford, TN - 18 Sep 1924, Rutherford, TN); m. James W. Shead
ix. Thomas J. Puckett (Feb 1848, Bedford, TN - bet 1900/1910, prob. Rutherford, TN); m1. M.D. Jackson, m2 Sella [last name unknown]
x. Nancy Lavina Puckett (14 Apr 1850, Bedford, TN - 3 Jan 1930, Petros, Morgan, TN); m. George W. Whitus
xi. Benjamin Allen Puckett (11 Aug 1852, Rutherford, TN - 19 Apr 1931, Rutherford, TN); m1. Mary J. Parley, m2 Anna Elizabeth Smith
xii. Priscilla Jane Puckett (5 Mar 1855, Rutherford, TN - 19 Jun 1932, San Angelo, Tom Green, TX); m. James M. Whitus
m. ca 1858/9, possibly Bedford Co TN
Ruth Clark (b. 1818, TN - d. bet 1865/69, Bedford or Rutherford Co TN)
Children:
i. David Puckett (1859, TN - d. aft 1860)
ii. Alice Puckett (1862, TN - d. possibly after 1880)
iii. Elizabeth K. Puckett (1865, TN - 1924); m. Samuel Morgan Whitehead