Lodwick Puckett and Kesiah Blankenship
Lodwick Puckett was born probably around 1767/1770 in Chesterfield County, Virginia, the son of Abraham Puckett and his wife, Sarah (whose last name we have not yet determined). He married Kesiah Blankenship in Chesterfield County in 1792 (the marriage return does not indicate either the month or the year), which is also the first year he appears in Chesterfield County tax rolls.
He and his family moved to Mecklenburg County, in southside Virginia, by 1800, when he begins appearing in the tax rolls there. (His father and several of his brothers also moved to Mecklenburg County, where they all appear in land and tax records.) From census and land records, we know he and Kesiah had at least seven children, although one -- a daughter -- either died or married by 1830 and left no other trace. Lodwick and Kesiah's last known child, Nancy, was born in Mecklenburg County around 1809.
The family then moved to Rutherford County TN, probably around 1815, settling in the western portion of the county in what is now Civil District 4, where Lodwick ultimately purchased 77 acres. At some point, Kesiah died, possibly in Rutherford County, although we do not know for sure. Lodwick then married Nancy Still, a widow, in 1820. While we do not know who Nancy's first husband was, but he appears to have left her some sort of financial provisions; Lodwick's will refers to an unrecorded "pre-nup" between them by way of explanation for his decision to bequeath her more property.
Lodwick's will also refers to his "unfortunate daughter, Elizabeth," who lived with his youngest daughter, Nancy Puckett Alford; we do not know what condition Elizabeth may have suffered from -- neither the 1850 nor 1860 censuses (when she is enumerated with Nancy's family) have a checkmark in the specific (and very limited) categories for mental or physical ailments.
Lodwick died probably in late November or December 1859 (although we have not found him in the 1860 mortality census); his estate was brought to probate at the March 1860 term of the Rutherford County Court.
Lodwick Puckett (b. ca 1767, Chesterfield, VA - d. about December 1859, Rutherford, TN)
m1. 1792, Chesterfield, VA
Kesiah Blankenship (b. ca 1772, probably Chesterfield, VA - d. between 1811/1819)
Children:
i. Luke Puckett (b. ca 1793, Chesterfield, VA - d. before Dec 1853, possibly Hickman Co, KY); m. Lucy Ann Michael
ii. Elam F. Puckett (b. 1796, Chesterfield, VA - d. after 1860, possibly Ouachita Parish, LA); m. Elizabeth Adams
iii. William Spencer Puckett (b. 31 July 1801, Mecklenburg VA - d. 20 July 1873, Eagleville, Rutherford, TN); m1. Milly Manor; m2 Ruth Clark
iv. unknown daughter (b. ca 1803, Mecklenburg, VA - d. after 1820)
v. Rebecca Puckett (b. possibly about 1804, Mecklenburg, VA - d. by 1853, place unknown); m. John Hodge [no further information]
vi. Elizabeth Puckett (b. 1805, Mecklenburg, VA - d 12 July 1869, Johnson Co, IL)
vii. Nancy L. Puckett (b. 1809, Mecklenburg, VA - d. 21 Dec 1866, Johnson Co., IL); m. John Alford
m2. 16 Sep 1820, Rutherford, TN
Nancy Still (b. 1779, Virginia - d. between 1853/1860, probably Tennessee)
No children