Sackett snippets

A selection of Sackett family oddities and record-breakers

Best judged

Superior Judge Homer Sackett, aged 69, left the Bench at Gary, Indiana, yesterday, and grappled with the defendant in a divorce case who struck a woman witness.
The judge twice threw to the floor the defendant, who was six feet three inches and weighed 175 pounds. Judge Sackett then returned to the Bench and fined him $200 and sentenced him to 90 days for contempt of court.
—The Decatur Daily, Decatur, Alabama, 15 May 1946; Western Daily Press, Bristol, England, 16 May 1946.

Biggest gap in ages

When twenty-three-year-old Elizabeth Sackett married surgeon Edward Layng in Margate, Kent, in 1864, he would, if his age at death was correctly stated, have been 73, a gap of 50 years.

Fifty-eight-year-old George Holt Sackett, a pork butcher of Ramsgate, Kent, was a late entrant to the joys of matrimony. His bride, Maude Kelk, a lass of 23, was 35 years younger.

Biggest wedding haul

When Audrey Townsend Sackett married Stewart Waller in 1911 they received 150 checks totalling $36,000 as wedding gifts—worth $1 million or more in today's money, depending on the method of calculation.

Brothers' biggest age gap

Pomeroy Sackett was born on Christmas Day 1876, 53 years after the birth of his brother Isaac who was born on 4 November 1823. Their father, also Isaac, was aged 78 when Pomeroy was born.

Brothers' greatest combined ages

In June 1813, seven sons of Henry and Elizabeth (Clifford) Sackett attended service at the church of St Peter in Thanet, Kent, afterwards dining together at Jeremiah Sackett's Northwood farm. The combined ages of the seven brothers totalled 503 years. The brothers were Thomas (1734–1817), Henry (1738–1818), William (1741–1819), John (1743–1827), Richard (1746–1831), Jeremiah (1749–1838) and Edward (1753–1844).

Don't ask a lady's age

When sisters Rosie Sackett, Florence Sackett and Emily Sackett were enumerated for the UK 1939 Register they each understated their age, Rosie and Emily by four years and Florence by five years.

When Alexander Sacket applied for a passport in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1880, he understated the ages of his unmarried daughters Harriet and Ellen by eight years and six years respectively. During a trip to England the following year they shed a few more years, Harriet's age now understated by twelve years and Ellen's by eight.

Earliest known

The earliest known Sackett is William Saket of Southborough, St Peter in Thanet, who in 1317 was in a legal dispute with the Abbot of St Augustine.

Fastest buck

Henry Sackett had never paid income tax until 1924 when he leased a tract of land to an oil company. He paid tax in that year of $57,000.

Grave error

Isaac Sackett's gravestone at Center Cemetery, Wayne, Ohio, incorrectly states his date of birth as 26 February 1773, meaning that he would have been 96 when he died on 29 March 1869. He was born in 1783 and died aged 86.

Greatest escape

Thomas Baker Sackett (c1796–1837), convicted of highway robbery on the streets of the City of London, was sentenced to death by hanging but, following representations on his behalf, was granted an eleventh-hour reprieve from execution.

Laziest (or most honest!)

When registering for the US Civil War draft in 1863, Chester Sackett was described as (or maybe he described himself as) a loafer.

Least modest

Marriage—
"Yesterday, at St. Peter's Margate, Mr. Tomlin, jun. of North Down, to Miss Cramp, with a fortune of, at least, £60,000. Taking their ages together, two-and thirty will be the amount."

— Morning Star ( London), Friday, July 31, 1789. This fortunate couple were Sarah Cramp, born 1771, daughter of Peter Cramp & Susanna Sackett, and Robert Tomlin, born 1770, son of John Tomlin & Sarah. Although both young at marriage, their combined ages would have been 36 rather than 32. The £60,000 would be quite a few millions in today's money.

Least travelled

Mr John James Sackett (94), the oldest Methodist lay preacher in Kent, lived all his life at Myrtle Cottage, Thanet, the house in which he was born, and in which he has died. He had slept under another roof only twice in all that time.

— noted by Jabez Sackett (1840-1925) in an addendum to an obituary of his father Benjamin Sackett, 13 August 1885.

Longest married

Charlie Willard Sackett (1919–2022) and Marjorie M Carter were married for 80 years until Charlie's death at age 102 on 22 June 2022.

Gordon Russell Sackett (1895–1990) and Elsie Ellen Pocock were married for 73 years 2 months 26 days from 16 December 1916 until Gordon's death on 14 March 1990.

William Walter "Bill" Sackett (1918–2011) and Delores Hoffman were married for 68 years 2 months 10 days until Bill's death on 19 March 2011.

Hiram Sackett (1810–1901) and Millicent Smith ( 1814–1901) were married for 66 years.

Longest widowed

Abigail Sackett (1790–1882), of Huntington, Massachusetts, left with six children to bring up when her husband Charles Collins died, remained a widow for 57 years.

Most children

"The child-producing record amongst women known to historical demographers is at present shared between the wife of a solicitor of Geneva who had 21 births in the late 17th century and a girl from Kent, Ann Sackett, who was born in 1779 at Ash in that county. At 18 she married John Cook, a labourer there. By 1823 they had had 21 children at 20 births, and Ann was still alive in 1851."

— from The World We Have Lost, pp 116-7. Ann was a daughter of John and Catherine (Andrews) Sackett.

Most children fathered

Samuel Arthur Sackett (1841–1932) fathered 24 children, 16 by his marriage to Mary Peterson and 8 by his marriage to Mary's sister Laura. Samuel's record was enabled by the fact that his marriages were concurrent—Samuel was a polygamist, a practice then permitted by the Mormon church.

Most descendants

A total of 22,594 descendants of Thomas Sackett the elder (say 1530–1595) have been identified so far [Nov 2020]—2,385 in the English line and 20,209 in the American line of Thomas's grandson Simon Sackett the colonist.

Most married

Herbert Irving Sackett (1871–1939) of Buffalo, New York State, married six times: to Lillian Gertrude Huck in 1895, Lillian Mae Stevens in 1902, Florence A (Blanchard) Hoover in 1912, Vera Anna (Jeffries) Willard in 1915, Marion K (Kepler) Brown in 1931, and Kathleen M Erwin in 1934.
See also Most tragic

Married five times were:
Solomon Sackett (1748–1823) of New Haven and Norfolk, Connecticut, to Mary ___ before 1772, Ruth Hull in 1787, Ruth Turner in 1790, Miriam Davis in 1797, and Thankful Butler in 1808.
Letus Sackett (1793–1854) of Monkton, Vermont, and Palmervilla, Indiana, to Hannah Dinsman in 1814, Leah Orr in 1821, Hannah Woolley in 1827, Deborah Jack in 1836, and Ruth (Parish) Neal in 1844.
Edgar Harris "Ned" Sackett (1909–1981) of Nebraska, to Louise Agnes Walsh in 1927, Ina Emily Flores in 1929, Agnes Lorain Lockhart in 1934, Darleen E Petersen in 1943, and Zeada P Jones in 1952.
Velma Lee Sackett (1911–1992) of Missouri, to William Robert Hale in 1927, Bert Marshall Hunter before 1940, ___ Sullivan before 1964, Virgil Girth in 1964, and James Herman Davis after 1967.

Married four times were:
Robert Sackett (1628–1709) of Margate, Kent, to Ann Keame in 1664, Elizabeth Swinford in 1680, Anne Cocke in 1694, and Mary Kerby in 1697.
Adnah Sackett (1796–1860) of Providence, Rhode Island, to Ann Short in 1818, Eliza Adams in 1824, Miranda Keach in 1848, and Nancy Parks in 1856.
Loren Sackett (1801–1893) of Hartford, Connecticut, Westfield, Massachusetts, and Amboy, Illinois, to Frances Smith in 1832, Harriet Roberts in 1850, Sarah Downey in 1864, and Almira Barnes before 1880.
Frank Sackett (1861–1933) of Colebrook and Winsted, Connecticut, to Alice Greene in 1883, Nettie Dean in 1887, Sarah Chase in 1900, and Belle Hart in about 1910.

Most modest

"Married. Sackett–Brewer—Mr. J. E. Sackett, Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A., to Miss Margaret Brewer, Melbourne, Victoria. No cards. No cake. Nobody's business."

— New Zealand Evening Post, 4 May 1878.

Most preaching

The Revd. John Sackett was Vicar of Folkestone, Kent, for 54 years from 1699 to his death in 1753. He preached the sermon at the Archbishop's Visitation in May 1702. He was also Rector of Hawkinge, Kent, for 40 years from 1713, and Vicar of West Hythe for 21 years from 1732.

— Cambridge Alumni records.

Most secret

Nathaniel Sackett (1737–1805) was George Washington's spymaster during the American Revolutionary War.

Most sisters marrying same man

Three daughters of Daniel Sackett (b. 1823) married lumber merchant George Washington Jones: Ella in 1876, Maud in 1892, and Cora sometime after 1923.

Most successive generations to occupy house

George Sackett Miles (b. 1909) was the seventh generation in his line to occupy the Sackett homestead in Warren, Connecticut. The first of his line to live there was Jonathan Sackett (1696–1773).

Most surviving descendants

When Beatrice (Beldon) Sackett, wife of Edward, died June 1981 in Dodge Center, Minnesota, at age 99, she was survived by 155 descendants: 3 children, 24 grandchildren, 98 great-grandchildren, and 30 great-great-grandchildren.
— Karen Gerke.

This record was just beaten by Lissie (Billingsley) Sackett, widow of Woodie Ray Sackett. At her death aged 91 in 2012 she was survived by 160 descendants: 8 children, 53 grandchildren, 72 great-grandchildren, and 27 great-great-grandchildren.

But way out ahead of these two was Anna Sackett (1751–1844), of Elizabethtown, New York, widow of Joel Finney. At her death, aged 92, Anna was survived by 271 descendants. Anna's 4th great-granddaughter, Judy Allen, has in her possession her great-grandfather's diary in which it is recorded that, at Anna's funeral, a statement was read out that she was the mother of 14 children, of whom 6 were living, 82 grandchildren, of whom 57 were living, 240 great-grandchildren, of whom 188 were living, and 22 great-great-grandchildren, of whom 20 were living.

Most tragic

Herbert Irving Sackett (1871–1939) suffered more than his fair share of tragedy. His father Edwin had died when Herbert was just eight. Herbert married six times. All of his wives died untimely deaths: Lillian Huck aged 25; Lillian Stevens at 37; Florence Blanchard at 58; Vera Jeffries at 49; Marion Kepler at 42; and finally his sixth wife Kathleen Erwin, aged about 41, killed with Herbert and their three-year-old daughter Susan when their car was hit by a passenger train.
See also Most married

Named after …

Benjamin Franklin Sackett (1810–1895).

Benjamin Franklin Sackett (c1861–1925).

Benjamin Franklin Sackett (1888–1962).

George Kitchener Sackett (1915–1964)—Earl Kitchener, British Field Marshal and Secretary of State for War, First World War.

The Revd Benjamin Sackett (1834–1900) named three of his sons, George Whitefield Sackett (1873–1955), John Wesley Sackett (1875–1932), and Martin Luther Sackett (1876–1951) after leading church figures.

George Washington Sackett (1841–1902).

George Washington Sackett (1885–1963).

Thomas Jefferson Sackett (1800–1859).

Oldest bridegroom

Percy Hamilton Sackett (1883–1973) was aged 84 when he married Isabella Schroeder in 1967. He had been married to his recently deceased first wife, Bessie Roman, for 59 years.

Oldest father

Isaac Sackett, was aged 78 when his son Pomeroy was born on Christmas Day 1876.

Oldest first brides

Martha Ilah Sackett (1896–1987) was 85 when she married 82-year-old Robert Henderson in Washington, Kansas, in 1981. Officiating was her nephew, the Revd Robert Molby, member #579 of the Sackett Family Association.

Henrietta Sackett (1811–1898) was 72 when she married John Bennett in 1884.

Sisters Edith Grace Sackett and Dorothy Emily Sackett remained spinsters until late first marriages. The sisters had moved from Greenwich, London, to Uckfield, Sussex, where Edith, aged 71, married Raymond Freeman in 1971, and Dorothy, aged 70, married William Nichols in 1973.

Oldest Revolutionary War veteran

Zavan Sackett Sr (1751–1840), a private in the American Revolutionary War, died reportedly in his 92nd year. He was actually 89.

Oldest Sackett

Ivy Florence Sackett, born on 11 April 1907, who emigrated from England to Canada as a girl of 14, died on 23 April 2015 at the age of 108 years twelve days.

Other Sackett centenarians

Robert M Keir, a descendant of Simon Sackett the colonist, was born on 6 June 1905. He died on 9 July 2011 at the age of 106 years one month three days.

Margarette Brelsford, born 9 August 1896, died on 23 December 2001 aged 105 years 4 months 14 days.

Elizabeth Louise (Stanford) Sackett, born 6 January 1898, died on 18 February 2002 aged 104 years 1 month 12 days.

Theresa Olivia (Gonzales) Sackett, born about 1921, died 25 Jul 2024 aged 103 years.

Rosalind Edith Sackett, born 5 April 1900, died on 8 November 2002 aged 102 years 7 months 3 days.

Charlie Willard Sackett, born 8 December 1919, died 22 June 2022 aged 102 years 6 months 14 days.

Dorothy Eleanor (Salter) Sackett, born 3 March 1898, died in September 2000 aged 102 years 6 months.

Hazel Agnes Sackett, born 1 July 1920, died on 4 August 2022 aged 102 years 1 month 3 days.

Edith Frances Sackett, born 2 May 1909, died on 27 October 2010 aged 101 years 5 months 25 days.

Russell William Sackett, born 3 September 1898, died on 31 December 1999 aged 101 years 3 months 28 days.

Irene Wilbraham Sandford, born 16 May 1902, died in September 2003 aged 101 years 3 months.

Eva Ophelia (Sackett) Hughes, born 30 October 1904, died on 21 January 2006 aged 101 years 2 months 22 days.

Daisy May (Hodges) Sackett, born 21 January 1889, died on 9 April 1990 aged 101 years 2 months 19 days.

Nathaniel Baldwin Sackett, born 22 May 1886, died on 28 May 1987 aged 101 years 6 days.

Willis Alden "Bill" Sackett, born 9 February 1913, died on 19 October 2013 aged 100 years 8 months 10 days.

Bette Jeanne Sackett, born 4 April 1923, died on 2 December 2023 aged 100 years 7 months 28 days.

Elsie Nora Marr, born 26 January 1892, died on 23 July 1992 aged 100 years 5 months 27 days.

Hazel Marion (Sackett) Farrell, born 29 August 1917, died on 22 January 2018 aged 100 years 4 months 24 days.

Elsie Ellen (Pocock) Sackett, born 14 November 1899, died on 28 February 2000 aged 100 years 3 months 14 days.

William Starret Sackett, born 17 January 1851, died on 24 April 1951 aged 100 years 3 months 7 days.

Francis Henry Fryer, born 27 July 1919, died 28 October 2019 aged 100 years 3 months 1 day.

Arthur Vincent Sackett, born 2 November 1899, died in January 2000 aged 100 years 2 months.

Albert James Foster, born 31 January 1907, died 27 March 2007 aged 100 years 1 month 27 days/

Eliza (Sackett) Denny, born 30 August 1826, died 19 September 1926 aged 100 years 20 days.

Myrtle Oris Ford, born 23 May 1901, died 31 May 2001 aged 100 years 8 days.

Shortest marriage

Clark Sackett (1793–1864) married Cynthia Preston on 2 May 1816. She died just 33 days later on 4 June at the age of eighteen.

Josephine Sackett (1908–1976) married Salvatore Goline on 8 October 1925. They divorced 60 days later on 7 December 1925.

Timely arrival

Donald Charles Sackett (1926–2003) was born on 9 September 1926, "the ninth child born on the ninth day of the ninth month at the ninth hour".

Unluckiest brothers

Brothers Jake Sackett and Woodie Sackett were both killed in automobile accidents—but twenty years apart. Jake died instantly in a head-on crash on the highway north-east of Dayton, Texas, in 1957. Woodie died instantly when a passenger in an automobile in a head-on crash just a few miles farther north in 1977.

Unluckiest families

Of the twelve children of Jeremiah Sackett (1749–1838) and his wife Hannah Newing, of Thanet, Kent, nine died in infancy or in childhood. Three lived to adulthood and were married; one of these, Hannah, died aged 22, presumably in childbirth.

Tragedy struck the family of Peter and Anna Sackett in 1712 when four of their children died. Richard aged 15, Susannah, 10, Anne, 8, and Peter, 6, were buried at St John's, Margate, within a week of each other in August of that year.

Edward and Sarah Sackett of Ramsgate lost three of their children to measles in January 1831. Edward, Sarah Ann, and Samuel, were all aged under five.

Wanted (but not much)

"One cent reward!
Ran away from the subscriber on the 4th inst., an indebted apprentice boy by the name of Isaac Sacket, supposed to have been enticed from his master's service; is about 20 years of age, light complexion, has a knavish look, a quarrelsome disposition, knows more than anybody else, is a great liar and tattler."

World's biggest collection of Sacketts

Thurmon King's database has records of more than 62,000 people, including 30,000 Sackett descendants.

Youngest Sackett Association member

Anna Tabor joined the Sackett Family Association in September 2010 at the age of nine days.