Alexander Sackett

Alexander Sackett, son of Reuben Sackett and Mercy Finney, was born in Kent, Litchfield County, Connecticut^G, on 6 March 1758.^1,2 He died aged 71 in Warren, Litchfield County^G, on 17 March 1829^2,3,4 and was buried at the Old Cemetery, Warren^G.³ He married Patience Fuller, daughter of Amos Fuller.² Patience was born in about 1761.⁵ She died aged 68 in Warren^G on 8 May 1829⁶ and was buried at the Old Cemetery^G.⁷
     Alexander served in the American Revolutionary War, first as a fifer in 1776 in the 13th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, and later as a sergeant in 1778 in Enos' Regiment, Connecticut State Troops.^2,8,9
     In 1790 Alexander was living in Warren, Litchfield County, Connecticut^G. In his household were one man, one boy, and two females.¹⁰
     Alexander was admitted to the Congregational Church of Christ, Warren^G, on 22 December 1799. His wife Patience was admitted on 1 January 1801. Both were members on 11 May 1825.¹¹
     Alexander was listed in the census in 1800 and 1810 as a householder in Warren^G.^12,13
     Alexander was named as a beneficiary in his father's will made in Warren, Connecticut, on 19 March 1800. He was the only one of the four sons still living in Warren. He was to inherit their father's estate subject to paying monetary amounts to each of his three brothers.¹⁴
     Alexander was named as a beneficiary in his mother's will made in Warren, Connecticut^G, on 16 October 1804.
     A letter written on 11 August 1814 by Alexander in Warren, Connecticut, to his brother Dr Samuel Sackett in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, survives in the Museum at Yuma Territorial State Park, Arizona. Alexander gives news of their recently widowed sister Aner who, although well provided for, is "rather lonely, living in her house with only one little boy about 13 years old." (Aner did not have children, so it is assumed that the boy would have been a servant.) Their sister Lucinda's health had also "not been well this summer." The children of their sister Violitty (who had died in 1807) were being well cared for by their father and stepmother. Their uncle Justus Sackett, then 83, had had a fall, breaking a thigh.
     Other remarks in his letter show Alexander to have been a God-fearing man and to have had a strong public conscience, expressing anger "to hear of so much blood wantonly shed" (in the War of 1812, then still continuing), which had begun "as I beleave under the influence and directions of Buonapart".
     Alexander was a pew holder in the Congregational Church of Christ, Warren^G, in 1816 and in 1822.¹⁵
     Alexander made his will in Warren^G on 19 November 1827. Alexander and his wife Patience did not have children. Under the will, Patience was to have the use of the house and home farm during her lifetime. After her death, half the farm was to go to Amzi Gaylor who, it appears, cared for Alexander and Patience, the inheritance being subject to the care continuing to be provided during their lifetimes. The rest of the farm would also go to Amzi Gaylor and to Robert Gaylor, subject to the latter returning to work the farm, and subject to payment of $250 in various proportions to Alexander's sister Mercy Fuller's sons, Cyrus & William Fuller, and to Alexander's deceased sister Violitty's sons, Bennet, Reuben, & John Bates. Alexander also owned a separate lot of land, the Townhill lot, and a half share of a grist mill, which he left, subject to certain conditions, to Isaac Hazen, Amzi Hazen, Alexander S Hazen, and Amzi Hazen's two daughters. These were probably Patience's nephews and grand-nieces, the sons and granddaughters of Patience's sister Hannah who had married Eleazer Hazen.