Thomas Elgar Sackett

(1827-1887)
FatherHenry Sackett (1806-1851)
MotherElizabeth Mary Elgar (1808-1873)
Thomas Elgar Sackett, son of Henry Sackett and Elizabeth Mary Elgar, was born in St Lawrence in Thanet, KentG, on 12 May 18271 and baptized at St Lawrence in ThanetG on 22 June 1827.2 He died aged 60 in Englewood, Bergen County, New JerseyG, on 17 October 1887.1,3 He married in New York CityG on 23 January 1849, Elizabeth Ann Hawkins.1 Elizabeth was born in EnglandG in about 1830.1,4
     Thomas, aged nine, emigrated with his parents from Thanet, Kent, to New York City, arriving there on the President on 10 June 1836.5
     In 1860 Thomas was living in Orangetown, Rockland County, New York StateG, and was recorded in the census as Thomas Sacket, a painter, aged 34 and born in England. Living with him were his wife Elizabeth, 34, and their children, Mary, 9, William, 7, Thomas, 3, and Charlotte, aged one.6
     In 1870 he was living in Jersey City, Hudson County, New JerseyG, and was recorded as Thomas Sackett, a house painter, aged 40. Living with him were his wife Elizabeth, 42, and their children, Mary, 18, and Thomas, aged 13.7
     In 1880 he was living in Fort Lee, Bergen County, New JerseyG, and was recorded as Thomas Sackett, a painter, aged 51. Living with him were his wife Elizabeth, 49, and their son Edward, 17.8
Research notes by Thomas's great-grandson Gordon Sackett Adams

Thomas ELGAR SACKETT was born 22 May 1827, St. Lawrence Parish, Ramsgate, Kent, England. When his parents and siblings (except Mary Bird) emigrated to NYC 1830-1835, for some reason, he was left in England. Family legend says that at age about 15, he signed on as a seaman, on a ship sailing to NYC. On arrival there, he jumped ship, and remained in New York. [Note]
I have his Certificate of USA Citizenship, dated 15 February 1845, he then age 19.
He was a portrait painter.
On 23 or 28 January 1849, NYC, he married Elizabeth Ann Hawkins, an immigrant, supposedly from Devonshire, England. I have seen her surname written as HAWKINS, HOCKING, HOCKINS, HOPKINGS, and HOSKINS. Sackett relatives in England thought it was HOSKINS, but had never met her.; the clerk who prepared her application for widow's pension, filled in her maiden name as Elizabeth A. HAWKINS; to this document, she signed her "X" mark, and the clerk wrote in: "Elizabeth A. Sackett." There is no evidence they knew each other in England. Her parents have not been found.
On 1 September 1862, in The Civil War, he enlisted in the US (Union) Army, served under 2nd Lt. Edward Bradly, Company G, of the 11th Regiment of New York State Cavalry, and was honorably discharged as a sergeant on 22 May 1865. He died 17 October 1887, Englewood, NJ.
I have copies of his military records. They show that he served during the Civil War, in Company G, 11th Regiment, NY Cavalry, enrolled 11 August 1862 for 3 years, H. D. Ellsworth, Commander; was mustered out as sergeant on 22 May 1865 at Ladies Home General Hospital, New York City. The Muster Rolls show him present at various times in Maryland, District of Columbia, Memphis, Tenn., and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There is mention of his having received a sabre wound in the hip, apparently of no serious consequence. He did have a serious problem with chronic diarrhea, contracted from "drinking surface water and bad food" in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which was to bother him significantly for the rest of his life.
On 1 September 1885, he applied to be placed on the invalid pension roll of the United States for being partly disabled from chronic diarrhea, contracted while in military service. I have no documentation as to the disposition of his application, but have seen an entry that it was "rejected."
On 11 November 1887, Elizabeth A. Sackett submitted a "Widow's Declaration for Pension or Increase of Pension," as widow of Thomas E. Sackett, who had died 17 October 1887. She stated that they had been married on 28 January 1849, by Rev. Hugh Smith, then Pastor of the St. Peters Protestant Episcopal Church, NYC, neither having been previously married. At this time (1887) her residence was Cottage Place, Englewood, NJ. She signed her mark to this document.
Attached to the above Declaration is a notarized affidavit by her, dated 2 May 1888, referring to her Claim No. 364.186. She was unable to provide medical evidence of her husband's illness, because the several doctors were all deceased. She was also unable to provide evidence of her marriage to him, "because there was no Public Record of Marriages kept at the time (1849);" furthermore, the Rev. Hugh Smith was now deceased, and the present (1888) Pastor responded that the church had no record of the marriage in the Church Register. No witnesses to the marriage were still alive. She lists their six childrens' names and birthdates, 1852-61. Also attached were the Company Muster Rolls for him, 1862-65. Her pension application must have been approved since the pension was officially terminated in September 1903, she having been last paid through 4 May 1900.
Elizabeth may have died 1900-01, St. Vincent's Hospital, NYC. (This is the year in which her last widow's pension was made to her in this hospital, which has no record of her death there; she may have died later in New York City or in Englewood, New Jersey.)

Note: The family legend is faulty on this detail. Thomas did travel to New York with his parents and siblings, arriving there on the President in June 1836. However, his sister Mary Bird remained in Thanet.

Children of Thomas Elgar Sackett and Elizabeth Ann Hawkins

 Notes & Citations

  1. Email from Gordon Sackett Adams to Sackett Discussion List, June 2002.
  2. Baptisms Register, St Lawrence in Thanet, Kent (Society of Genealogists), "22 June 1827 Thomas Elgar s. Henry & Elizabeth Mary Sackett, Ramsgate, taylor."
  3. "New Jersey, Deaths and Burials Index, 1798–1971" (Ancestry transcript), "Sackett, Thomas E, d. Englewood, Bergen County, NJ, 17 Oct 1887, age 61-5, painter, married, b. England."
  4. Census.
  5. "New York Passenger Lists, 1820–1897" (FamilySearch image), "Ship President arr. New York, 10 Jun 1836, from London, Henry Sackett, 30, clerk; Elizabeth Sackett, 29; Thomas Sackett, 9; Margaret Sackett, 4; Henry Sackett, 1; Elizabeth Sackett, 7; of England, intended res. America."
  6. 1860 United States Federal Census, Roll: M653_851; Page: 441; Family History Library Film: 803851
    Orangetown, Rockland, New York, 25 Jun 1860
    Sacket, Thomas, 34, painter, b. England
    Sacket, Elizabeth, 34, b. England
    Sacket, Mary E, 9, b. NY
    Sacket, William H, 7, b. NY
    Sacket, Thomas, 3, b. NY
    Sacket, Charlotte, 1, b. NY.
  7. 1870 United States Federal Census, Roll: M593_868; Page: 470B; Image: 217514; Family History Library Film: 552367
    Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, 5 Aug 1870
    Sackett, Thomas, 40, house painter, real estate $3,000, personal estate $500, b. England
    Sackett, Elizabeth, 42, keeps house, b. England
    Sackett, Mary E, 18, b. NY
    Sackett, Thomas, 13, b. NY
    Brennan, John, 8/12, b. KY.
  8. 1880 United States Federal Census, Roll: 771; Family History Film: 1254771; Page: 510C; Enumeration District: 012
    Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey
    Sackett, Thomas, head, 51, painter, b. England
    Sackett, Elizabeth, wife, 49, b. England
    Sackett, Edward, son, 17, waiter, b. NY.
Appears inSacketts in the Military
Sackett line7th great-grandson of Thomas Sackett the elder of St Peter in Thanet
ChartsLine 3 (English)
Sackett Family Association descendants
Gordon Sackett Adams.
Generation.TreeP.3
Last Edited31 Jul 2017
 

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