John Sacket

(1687/88-poss. Oct 1766)
FatherJohn Sacket (1660-1745)
MotherDeborah Filley (1660/61-1701)
John Sacket, son of John Sacket and Deborah Filley, was born in Westfield, Hampden County, MassachusettsG, on 3 March 1687/881,2,3,4,5 and baptized at the Church of Christ, WestfieldG, on 20 May 1688.6 He was possibly the John Sacket who died in WestfieldG in October 1766 (it is unclear whether this death record refers to this John or to his son.)7 He married in WestfieldG on 14 June 1722, Sarah Mackeraney.1,2,8
     John Sacket was named as the father of an illegitimate daughter, Meriam, born to Abigail Williams in WestfieldG on 22 March 1712. John and Abigail appeared in the County Court in September of that year, confessing that they had "committed the sin of fornication together", and Abigail "declaring upon oath that she had lately been delivered of a bastard child begotton on her body by the said Sackett." They were each fined forty shillings and John was ordered to pay two shillings and sixpence per week to Abigail for the maintenance of the child. John and his father, also John, were ordered by the Court to provide a surety in the sum of £40 against non-payment by the younger John. John and Abigail did not marry (both are recorded as having taken other spouses), but their daughter Meriam took the surname Sacket, as evidenced by the record of her marriage in 1733 to John Pell.9,10

Child of John Sacket and Abigail Williams

Children of John Sacket and Sarah Mackeraney


33. John Sacket, 1688–__?, of Westfield, Mass., son of (8) John and Deborah Filley Sacket, was married, July 14, 1722, to Sarah Mackerany.
Children.
     158. John Sacket, b. Aug. 2, 1723; m. Rachel Church.
     159. Seth Sacket, b. Feb. 17, 1725; m. Elizabeth Winchell.
     160. Sarah Sacket, b. Oct. 14, 1720, d. Jan. 20, 1745, unmarried.
     161. Aaron Sacket, b. July 13, 1735, d. Aug. 15, 1750, unmarried.
     162. Lucy Sacket, b. Nov. 15, 1730; m. Gad Kellogg.

 Notes & Citations

  1. Charles Weygant, The Sacketts of America, "33. John Sacket, b. Mar. 3, 1688, d. ; m. Sarah Macerany."
  2. Vital Records (LDS), Westfield, Massachusetts.
  3. "Westfield, Massachusetts, Birth and Death Records (Dougherty abstracts)" (American Ancestors transcript), "Sacket, John, s. John & Deborah, b. Mar. 3, 1688."
  4. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Boston: NEHGS), 6 (1852): 269, Marriages, Births and Deaths in Westfield, "John Sackett, wife Deborah; chn. John, b. March 3, 1688; Abigail, b. Oct. 16, 1690; Daniel, b. Aug. 14, 1693; David, b. July 7, 1696; Benjamin, b. Oct. 30, 1698; Deborah, b. Nov. 16, 1701. Mrs. D. Sachett d. Nov. 20, 1701. Mr. S. m. again, had several children, d. Dec. 20, 1745."
  5. James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1860-62).
  6. "Baptisms performed in the Church of Christ, Westfield, Massachusetts, 1679–1836" (American Ancestors transcript), "1688 Sacket,     John s. John & Deborah, 3 mo 20 d."
  7. "Westfield, MA: Deaths in the First Church, 1728–1836" (American Ancestors image), "1766 Oct. Mr. John Sacket."
  8. "Westfield, Massachusetts, Marriage Records (Dougherty abstracts)" (American Ancestors transcript), "John Sacket of W. and Sarah Muckeraney of W; m. June 14, 1728."
  9. Vital Records (LDS), Westfield, Massachusetts, "Meriam the daughter of Abiall Williams & John Sacket the reputed father was born March 22= 1712."
  10. Thomas M & Virginia L Davis, Editors, Edward Taylor's Church Records and Related Sermons (Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1981), p. 204: "Abiel [Abigail] Williams Case, she being ensnared by Young John Saket & overcome to Comitt Fornication with him & was thereby got with Child & after she had recovered her lying in Gave in this Confession Following, in the assemby upon the Lords day the 29 4 m 1712.
    I being left by God to be overborn by a temptation carried on upon my by John Sacket the younger, to the breaking of the Seventh Comand, a great & scandalous sin, to the dishonour of God, & therefore to the offending of Gods people, especially the Church of God, which is a greate exercise to my Soule & therefore I am desirous to be reconciled both to God & his people, especially to the Church: that as they have seen my fall they also might have a sight of the sorrow of my heart on this account.
    This Confession tooke from her own mouth 31 3m 1712 & now read & and ownd by her, was with her case propounded to the Church who accepted of it & so she was absolved & then presnt on to a watchfulness over herselfe & a humble walking with God."
    p. 468: "In the September session of the County Court, two months after the action of the Church, both appeared: John Sackett 3rd and Abiel Williams both of Westfield in the County of Hamshr appearing in Court and Confessing that they have Committed the Sin of Fornication Together Ordered that they Pay as a fine to her Majestie the Sum of Forty Shillings Each and Cost and the said Abiel Williams Declaring upon Oath that she had lately been Deliv¹d of a Bastard Child begotton on her body by the Said Sackett (he being Presnt not Denying the Same) this Court Therefore Further order that the Said John Sackett Pay to the Said Abiel Williams the sum of Two Shillings Six Pence per Week During the Pleasure of this Court, and that he find Sureties for the Performance thereof?Accordingly the said John Sackett with John Sackett Jr. of Said Westfield appeared in Courth and Acknowledg¹d themselves to by joyntly and Severally indebted to the said Abiel Williams in the Sum of Forty Pounds to be well and Truly Paid to the said Abiel Williams in Case the Said John Sackett Tertius Shall fail of Performing the order aforesaid."
    Out of wedlock births in the 17th & 18th centuries were not that unusual. The unusual aspect of this case is that John and Abigail did not marry. A footnote on page 468 states that Abigail married Thomas Dewey, the son of Abijah, later that summer, and that "John Sackett, the grandson of one of the first Westfield settlers, married Sarah Mackerany and remained in Westfield."
Sackett line3rd great-grandson of Thomas Sackett the elder of St Peter in Thanet
ChartsLine 3a (American)
Generation.Tree4L.3
Last Edited1 Apr 2021
See also Thurmon King's New Sackett Family Database
160 John Sacket
 

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