The Sackett Family Association

Family History

The Sackett family originated in England in the Isle of Thanet, Kent, probably at Sackett's Hill in the parish of St Peter's. The earliest record is that of William Saket of Southborough, St Peter in Thanet, who in 1317 was in a legal dispute with the Abbot of St Augustine.

The Sacketts were among the first colonists of America, with Simon Sackett arriving at the Massachusetts Bay Colony just a few months after the Winthrop Fleet of 1630, and John Sackett, possibly a nephew of Simon, arriving in New Haven sometime before 1641.

The Sackett Family Association

The objectives of The Sackett Family Association are to research and record historical and genealogical data on Sackett descendants worldwide.

Membership

Membership of the Association is open to anyone with an interest in the Sackett family history. The only requirements for membership are a declared interest in Sackett family history and a willingness to share research findings with other members. There are no fees for membership.

Discussion List

The Sackett Family Discussion List is the main forum for the exchange of research findings and the posting of queries about Sackett family history and genealogy. The discussion list is lively and informative. A separate TSFA List is used for communications amongst the membership concerning Association business. Association members are automatically subscribed (free) to both lists. Lists Administrator Sandy Berry will be pleased to help with any subscription matters.

The Association publishes a quarterly newsletter. Members are encouraged to submit articles for publication. Write Newsletter Editor Liesa Robarge for editorial guidelines for submissions. The current edition has biographies of General Delos B Sackett and of Ambassador Frederic M Sackett.

Reunions

The Association holds regular Reunions. The first Family Gathering was held in September 2003 in Salt Lake City and the most recent in Thanet, Kent, in September 2008. Early thoughts are being given to the next reunion to be held possibly on the U.S. west coast, either California or Washington State, in 2009 or 2010. Please contribute your suggestions to TSFA Discussion List.

DNA Project

The Association is conducting a DNA project with the primary objective of establishing a genetic link between the lines of Simon Sackett the colonist, 1595-1635, and John Sackett of New Haven, c1623-1684. Further details are available from DNA Project Administrator Tom Smith or visit www.familytreedna.com and search on surname Sackett.

Thurmon King's Database

The primary Sackett genealogical database, mainly of the American branches, including much data not in Weygant. Updated 30 June 2009.

Research

ON THIS SITE

Articles on the history of the Sackett family.
Research data on births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, burials, monumental inscriptions, censuses, and wills.
Sacketts in the military.
Extracts from published sources.
The Genealogy section has journal reports on 2,375 Sackett descendants. Includes some notable Sacketts — the famous, infamous, and some just interesting.

MEMBERS' WEBSITES

The Sacketts of America by Charles Weygant. The complete text transcribed by Thurmon King.
Mary Lou Sackett's Genealogy Home Page. Includes descendants of Joseph Sackett of Vermont.
The Sackett Family Photo Album by Ted Smith.
Sackett Family Headstones by Fred Sackett.
Sackett Discussion List Archives

Featured notable Sackett

William Saket, the earliest recorded Sackett, who, in 1317, was in dispute with the Abbot of St Augustine
John Sackett the fisherman (1585 or 1586-1634), brother of Simon Sackett the colonist
John Sackett of Buddles (prob. 1594-after 1642), progenitor of the main English line, but about whom much remains unknown
Simon Sackett the colonist (1595-1635), who migrated in about 1631 from the Isle of Thanet, Kent, to Massachusetts
John Sackett of New Haven (1620s-1684), who migrated sometime before 1641 to New Haven, Connecticut, presumably from Thanet, Kent, and whose origin remains a tantalizing mystery
Augustus Sacket (1769-1827) who founded the village of Sackets Harbor
Thomas Baker Sackett (c1796-1837), who was convicted of highway robbery, sentenced to death by hanging, but granted an eleventh-hour reprieve from execution
Richard Henry Sackett (1813-1872), recently discovered bigamist who fled to Essex leaving his wife and children destitute in Kent
General Delos Bennet Sacket (1822-1885) who, after gallant Civil War service, became Inspector General of the United States Army
Frederic Moseley Sackett (1868-1941), US Ambassador to Germany during the collapse of the Weimar Republic and Hitler's rise to power

Change Log

June 2009

A Sackett snippet

Sackett brothers' half-millennium

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).
Oldest stay-at-home?

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.
Half-century in pulpit

The Revd. John Sackette 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.
Is this a record?

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.
Thomas Sackett escapes the hangman

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.
If you've got it, flaunt it!

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.
Ann breaks live births record

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.

The Sacket and Sackett names are registered with the Guild of One-Name Studies

Member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society