341. Colonel Richard Sackett, 17__–1799, of Westchester County, N. Y., and New York City, son of (118) Nathaniel Sackett, was married to Rachel Holmes, daughter of Isaac Holmes and his wife Abigail Mead. He was an active participant on the war of the Revolution, serving almost continuously, as a commissioned officer, from the commencement to the end of the seven years' struggle for independence. On May 26, 1776, he was commissioned First Lieutenant of Grenadiers in the 2d Midland Regiment, and on May 26, 1778, was promoted to the Captaincy. Heath's Memoirs give an account of his capture on the 4th of December, 1781, by the British, on a road called Kings Street, at a point now embraced within the limits of greater New York City. After being confined for several months he was exchanged and served in both the 1st and 2d Westchester County Regiments. He is also reported as commanding for a time a company in Pawling's Levies.
Immediately after the disbandment of the Continental army he was appointed and commissioned Lieutenant Colonel Commandant of the Westchester County Regiment of Militia, and held that position until 1792, when leaving determined to change his residence to New York City, he resigned his commission. In 1786, he was made one of the commissioners to carry out the provisions of an act of the State Legislature, appropriating One thousand eight hundred pounds for the erection of a court house in Westchester County. About one year after his removal to New York City he purchased a considerable tract of land in Tioga County and settled his son Nathaniel upon it. In 1799, while on a visit to his Tioga County estate he was taken ill and died there. He was buried near the present Court House in Owego. His will, which was executed in 1798 and probated in 1799, reads as follows:
In the Name of God Amen. I Richard Sackett of the City of New York, being in perfect health of body and of perfect mind and memory . . . do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament . . .
First I give and bequeath to Rachel my dearly beloved wife one third of all my estate both Real and Personal to her use during her natural life and at her decease to be divided equally between my well beloved sons Nathaniel and Caleb.
Second. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Betsey Holmes, the wife of William Holmes the use of Sixty five pounds during her natural life, and if she shall die without any heirs then to be equally between my beloved sons and daughter and if she should have an heir then to the heir of heirs after her death.
Third. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Polly the use of one hundred pounds during her natural life, and if she should have an heir or heirs the one hundred pounds to be paid to them after her decease, and if she have no heir or heirs then to be equally divided between my beloved sons and daughter.
Fourth. I give and bequeath all the residue of my estate both Real and Personal to my well beloved sons Nathaniel and Caleb, to be equally divided between them excepting Nathaniel to have paid him fifty pounds first out of my estate before the division to be made between them, and then to be divided equally.
And Lastly, I order that my executors or the survivors of them take care to have the monies given to my daughters Betsey Holmes and Polly put out at interest so as not to have any loss or damage thereto, so that they may have the full use or interest therefrom as above said.
And I do likewise constitute make and ordain the following persons my sole executors: My sons Nathaniel and Caleb and my beloved cousin Richard Sackett of the town of Bedford. And I do by these presents fully authorize my said Executors and empower them to sell and dispose of all my real and personal estate or divide the same as they think best. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul any other former testament, wills, legacies, bequests and executors & co.
Children.
840. Nathaniel Sackett, b. Apr. 9, 1770, d. Nov. 5, 1817; m. Sarah Waring.
841. Caleb H. Sackett, b. Apr. 9, 1770.
842. Betsey Sackett, m. William Holmes.
843. Polly Sackett.