Thomas B. Stockton

Biography

Thomas B. Stockton (c.1786-1852)

Thomas B. Stockton is a son of Davis and Susannah (nee ___?___ ) Stockton. Thomas was born about 1786 (he is shown as 64 years old in the 1850 census). Thomas B. Stockton's first wife was Nancy Prewit/Pruett, a sister of Spencer Prewit/Pruett who married Sarah Stockton. She died before the 1850 census. Thomas is shown with his second wife Sarah in the 1850 census, and in 1852 his widow is shown in estate papers as Sally. Her maiden name might be Smith.

Thomas B. Stockton's father was Davis Stockton (c.1760-c.1805) who is shown on the 1787 Tax List of Albemarle County, Virginia. This Stockton family descends from Davis Stockton (c.1685-1761) of Albemarle County, Virginia.

Sometime after 13 March 1787 Davis Stockton moved to the area of Rutherford County that in 1841 became Cleveland County, North Carolina, where he lived until his death. He is not shown in the 1810 census, so it appears that he died sometime before 1810, maybe in about 1805.

Davis 3 (Thomas 2, Davis 1) Stockton is shown on the 1790 and 1800 census in Rutherford County, North Carolina.

Also living in Tryon / Rutherford / Burke Counties was his first cousin Davis Stockton (c.1744-1831), a son of Samuel and Prudence (nee unknown) Stockton.

1790 CENSUS RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Saml Stocton (sic) 16+ [about 70 years old, son of Davis Stockton c.1685-1761]
Tho' Stocton (sic) 16+ [son of Samuel and Prudence Stockton]
David (sic) Stocton (sic) 16+ [Davis, about 46 years old, son of Samuel and Prudence Stockton]
Davis Stocton Jr* (sic) 16+ [husband of Susannah and son of Thomas Stockton]

Davis Stocton Jr* (sic) is not a true Jr, just younger than his cousin Davis Stockton (c.1744 - 1831) who married his first cousin Elizabeth Whiteside, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (nee Stockton) Whiteside.

1800 CENSUS RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Samuel Stockton, 45+ [about 80 years old, s/o Davis (c.1685-1761) of Virginia]
Davis Stockton, 45+ [about 56 years old, s/o Samuel and family]
Davis Stockton, 26-45 [s/o Thomas Stockton Sr. and family]

Davis Stockton, son of Thomas and Rachel Stockton, appears to have died before 1810.

1810 CENSUS RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Thomas Stockton, 26-45, probably son of Davis and Susannah Stockton
female 26-45 [probably widow Susannah Stockton]
+ others

Susannah Stockdon (sic) is the widow of Davis Stockton, a son of Thomas and Rachel (nee Allen) Stockton Sr.

War of 1812
Thomas Stockton [appears to be Thomas B. Stockton ]
William Whitesides [a cousin]
Rutherford County, North Carolina
1st Rutherford Regiment of North Carolina Militia

 or 3rd Company of Seventh Regiment

 Captain John Oliver

1820 CENSUS RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Susannah Stockdon, 45+ [widow of Davis Stockton, a son of Thomas and Rachel Stockton]
next names on census:

 Spencer Pruett [married Sarah Stockton]

Joseph Wilson [married Jemima Stockton]
Bolin Grigg [married Susannah Stockton]

1820 CENSUS BURKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Davis Stockton, 45+ [about 76 years old, son of Samuel and Prudence Stockton]
This is NOT the father of above Sarah, Jemima, and Susannah Stockton.

It appears that in 1820 the Thomas B. Stockton family were in Tennessee. Almost all of the 1820 Tennessee census records were lost or destroyed.

Thomas B. Stockton's son Spencer Newberry Stockton was born in TENNESSEE.

1838 and 1839 Thomas B. Stockton court records, mention Newberry Stockton.

1840 census Rutherford County, North Carolina
"East part of Rutherford County" [became Cleveland County in 1841]
Thos. Stocton (sic), 50-60 [Thomas B. Stockton, about 54]
- - - [Reuben Stockton about 28, 1850 census 38, was already married]
- - - [David about 26, 1850 census 36, was already married]
- - - [Spencer Newberry Stockton about 11-20, born TENNESSEE, probably not married ]
m 10-15 [Samuel P. Stockton about 12, headstone born 1828]

 m 10-15 [Joseph W. Stockton about 11, headstone died 1886 age 57] 

m 5-10 ___?___ [maybe Samuel P. Stockton age about 12]
m 5-10 ___?___ [maybe Joseph W. Stockton age about 11]
m 5-10 [Francis Marion Stockton about 5]
f 40-50 [Nancy (nee Pruitt) Stockton about 45]

 f 0-5 [Margy about 7] 

The parents of Thomas B. Stockton moved from Albemarle County, Virginia, to then Rutherford County, North Carolina. In 1841 Rutherford County was split and the eastern 1/3 became Cleveland County.

Exactly when Thomas B. Stockton's wife Nancy (nee Pruett) Stockton died is not known, but she is not shown in the 1850 census. 1852 Cleveland County estate papers show his widow as Sally.

1850 Cleveland County, North Carolina
Thomas B. Stockton, 64, NC
Sarah G. Stockton, 21, NC [appears to be 2nd wife "Sally"] (maybe nee Smith)
Margy Stockton, 17, NC [daughter]

 Major T.W.L. Stockton, 2/12 [ ____?____ ] (maybe killed by falling tree in 1852)

If Sally was a daughter of Thomas B. Stockton she should be shown on the 1840 census but she is not, and the estate papers show her as the widow.

In 1852 Thomas B. Stockton was killed by a falling tree that also killed a daughter. This was near the Oak Grove Methodist Church located about 2 miles northeast of Polkville, Cleveland County, North Carolina.

Cleveland County, North Carolina, February Term 1852
"The Petition of Sally Stockton widow of Thos. B. Stockton decd."

Cleveland County, North Carolina, May 1852
Sally Stockton, widow

Cleveland County, North Carolina
"Thos B. Stockton" deceased, estate papers, 9 Dec 1853

Sally Stockton married Richard McGinnis on 22 Feb 1853

Sisters of Thomas B. Stockton:
Sarah (nee Stockton) Pruitt (1785-1881) ~ m. Spencer Pruitt
Jemima (nee Stockton) Wilson (1795-1860)~ m. Joseph Wilson
Susannah (nee Stockton) Grigg (1799-1877)~ m. Bolin Grigg

CHILDREN:
Edith (nee Stockton) Hastings c.1806-1885
Reuben Stockton b. c.1812-c.1880+
David Stockton c.1814-1853 (1850 census Cleveland Co., NC, age 36)
Spencer Newberry Stockton c.1820-c.1901 born in Tennessee
Samuel P. Stockton 1828-1894
Joseph W. Stockton c.1829-1886

 Francis Marion Stockton 1835-1902

Margy Stockton born about 1833

"Newberry" is a Thomas and Rachel (nee Allen) Stockton family name.

Thomas B. Stockton, a son of Davis and Susannah (nee unknown) Stockton, is commonly shown as Thomas Jefferson Stockton and a son of Davis and Elizabeth (nee Whiteside) Stockton, but that is clearly wrong.

Thomas B. Stockton - Thomas Jefferson Stockton

Samuel 2 Stockton was a son of Davis Stockton (c.1685-1761) of Albemarle County, Virginia. In the 1770s Samuel moved to then Tryon County, North Carolina, now Rutherford County, North Carolina. In his 1807 will he mentions son Davis 3 Stockton, who married Elizabeth Whiteside, daughter Ann or Anne Stockton, who married Daniel Lattimore, and then Samuel 2 mentions two grandsons, Samuel and Thomas Jefferson Stockton. Samuel 2 Stockton then divides part of his estate into thirds, with 1/3 to Davis, 1/3 to Anne, and 1/3 to grandsons Samuel 4 and Thomas Jefferson 4 Stockton.

These two grandsons are the children of Thomas 3 Stockton who married his cousin Prudence 3 Goudelock. Thomas 3 (Samuel 2, Davis 1) Stockton died in 1805 and so he was not included in Samuel 2 Stockton's 1807 will. Samuel 4 (Thomas 3, Samuel 2, Davis 1) Stockton and Thomas Jefferson 4 (Thomas 3, Samuel 2, Davis 1) Stockton received their fathers share of Samuel 2 Stockton's estate. It appears that Samuel 2 Stockton had three children, and they each received 1/3 of part of Samuel's estate.

Samuel 2 Stockton divided part of his estate into thirds so that he could give one third to each of his 3 children. It does not appear that Samuel left 1/3 to his son Davis, and then left 1/3 to two of Davis' sons. Davis 3 (Samuel 2, Davis 1) Stockton had a son Lewis who was born about 1794. If Samuel 2 Stockton was leaving property to Davis 3 Stockton's sons, Lewis 4 Stockton should have also been included.

Will of Samuel Stockton
Rutherford County, North Carolina
Will Book B, pp. 211-212

 211

In the name of God Amen. I Samuel Stockton of the County of Rutherford
& State of North Carolina Being now Old & infirm but of perfect mind &
memory thanks be given unto God Calling to mind the mortality of my
Body & knowing that it is appointed for all men to die Do make & ordain this my
last will & testament That is to say principally & first I give & recomend my soul into
the hand of almighty God that gave it & my Body I recommend to the Earth to be
Buried in a decent Christian burial at the descretion of my Executors Hoping at the
Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God & as touching
such worldy Estate where with it hath pleasd God to bless me in this life. I Give Devise &
Dispose of the same in the following manner & form First I give & bequeath to my ___
Beloved Wife Prudence Stockton the Plantation on which I now live & two Cows & Calves
& all my household furniture, by her peacibly & quietly to be Possessed & enjoyed during
her natural life To Davis Stockton my eldist Son I give & bequeath all my Lands &
tenaments at the death of his Mother by him to be Enjoyed quietly & peacibly To my
Only Daughter Ann Lattimore I give & bequeath twenty Dollars which must be made
by the Sale of my moveable property, & the balance of the Moneys arising from
the Sale of all the moveable property wherewith I am possessed to be Divided as
follows Viz One third to my son Davis Stockton & One third to my Daughter
Ann Lattimoore & the other third to be Equally divided between my two

212
Continued
Grand Sons Samuel Stockton & Thomas Jefferson Sockton & likewise the moveable
Property which I have given & bequeathed to my Bleoved Wife Prudence Stockton
during her natural life to be at her death sold & the moneys thence arising to be
Divided betwen said Davis Stockton, Ann Lattimore, Saml. Stockton and
Thomas Jefferson Stockton, in the same manner as the balance of the moneys
above mentiond I likewise constitute make and ordain my Trusty Friends
Davis Sockton, Danl. Lattimore & my beloved wife Prudence Stockton, Executors to
this my last will & I do hereby utterly Disallow Revoke & Disanull all & every
other former Testaments, Wills, Legacies, Bequests & Executors by me in any
wise before made willed & Bequeathed Rattifying & Confirming this & no other
to be my last will & Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal the Twentyhth day of September In the Year of our Lord one
thousand Eight hundred & Seven

Samuel Stockton (seal)

bio by Jerry J. Stockton

Sources

Find a Grave:
Davis Stockton (c.1685-1761)
Thomas Stockton, Sr., (c.1712-1783)
Davis Stockton (c.1760-c.1805)
~ Sarah (nee Stockton) Pruitt (1785-1881)
~ Thomas B. Stockton (c.1786-1852)
~ Rachel (nee Stockton) Roper m. George Washington Roper
~ Jemima (nee Stockton) Wilson (1795-1860)
~ Susannah (nee Stockton) Grigg (1799-1877)

Please see the August 1, 1865, letter from Rachel (nee Stockton) Roper and her husband George Washington Roper of Saline County, Illinois, that mentions Rachel wanting to see Susan (nee Stockton) Grigg and Bolin Grigg. Rachel is also the name of Davis Stockton's mother, Rachel (nee Allen) Stockton.

Research of the late Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck (1945-2018)

Davis Stockton of Albemarle County, Virginia, by Jerry J. Stockton