Rockett Family Genealogy

Rockett

   The origin of the surname "Rockett" is French. The name was first used in Languedoc, where the family has been seated since very early times. The meaning of the name is uncertain. Its derivative is "Rockwood," and the family Coats of Arms all feature chess rooks.
   Some of the first settlers of this name were John and Richard Rockett, who settled in Boston in 1633.
   Our lineage can be traced to JOSEPH ROCKETT, born on April 15th, 1658, in Medfield, Middlesex, MA, according to Mormon records. There are absolutely no records of Joseph Rockett's parents or siblings, although The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attributes him to NICHOLAS ROCKWOOD¹ (b: 1640 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts) and JANE ADAMS (b: 1624 in Kingsweston, Norfolk, England), but they don't reveal the source. The archives do show that he was married twice, first to the woman referred to in his will as "his beloved former wife," and second to Mary Willmont (b. @ 1649). Joseph and Mary were married on January 5, 1680. Because of Joseph Rockett's utter lack of presence in any Plymouth Colony records, it is very possible that he and his family came to the colony as late as the 1670s. Perhaps they emigrated from England, or perhaps they migrated from the neighboring Massachusetts Bay colony.
   Rockett had at least two children: Hanah Rockett and Mary Rockett (the latter born after his death). It is very likely, although unprovable, that Hanah and Mary were half-sisters. Hanah was probably born from Joseph's first wife -- possibly named HANNAH PARTRIDGE (15 Apr 1658 - 8 Mar 1680) of Medfield, Norfolk Co., Massachsuetts. She was the daughter of John Partridge, Jr.² and Magdalene Bullard. Mary was birthed by Joseph's second wife, MARY WILLMONT (they were married in Rehoboth on January 5th, 1680). Joseph's will states that "the linen which was his former beloved wife's he gave unto his daughter Hanah," perhaps because Hanah was the daughter of his first wife.
   Rockett had lots of in-laws, doing business with Jonathan Fuller (husband of Elizabeth Willmont), John Willmont, and Thomas Willmont, Senior. Thomas and Jonathan were the authors of and witnesses to Rockett's nuncupative will. They, along with Mary, were among the ten children of THOMAS WILLMARTH (b: 1620 in England) and ELIZABETH BLISS (b: 19 Sep 1615 in Daventry, Northants, England).
   There is no evidence in the documentary records to suggest what Joseph Rockett's occupation(s) was or were. Rockett was probably literate, since, according to his probate inventory, his personal possessions included a Bible and several books (all worth six shillings). Joseph was by all accounts a man of very modest means. According to his probate inventory, his total estate was worth only about £48.45. Rockett owned no land, but did have one cow and two pigs, and crops including Indian corn, rye, and stalk flax.
   There is no record of Joseph Rockett ever being involved in municipal government or civic affairs. He was apparently never admitted as a freeman in the colony. He died in July of 1683 July, leaving a nuncupative will, and was buried on July 21st. On December 14, his second daughter, Mary Rockett, was born.
   His first daughter, HANNAH ROCKETT, married JOHN BRIGGS (1680 - 1750). John and Hannah had the following children:

CHILDREN OF JOHN BRIGGS AND HANNAH ROCHET

RACHEL BRIGGS b: 21 Aug 1713 in Taunton, Ma. She married Jonathan Burt on 24 May 1739 in Norton, Ma.

PHINEHAS BRIGGS, b: 1710-1715 in Taunton, Ma. Married ESTHER FINNEY. Family listed below.

BATHSHEBA BRIGGS b: 30 Dec 1717 in Taunton, Ma. No further information.

JOHN BRIGGS b: 15 Jul 1720 in Norton, Ma. He married Lydia Finney (b: 1 Oct 1722 in Norton, Ma) on 12 Mar 1740/41 in Norton, Ma. They had the following children: Nathaniel, John, Rufus, another Rufus, Lydia and Chiloe.

JABEZ BRIGGS b: 29 Jun 1723 in Norton, Ma. On 11 Nov 1761 he was endowed as a deacon in Norton Church. Married Tabitha Babbitt (b: 29 Oct 1728 in Easton, Ma) on 21 Sep 1751 in Norton, Ma. He fought in 1777 in the American Revolution under Capt Silas Cobb. They had the following children: Timothy, Mary, Sarah, Tabitha, Jabez Jr., Timothy, Sela and Rachel.

HANNAH BRIGGS died on 4 Nov 1724 (guess: the death date would be sometime in the 1720's the last number on the year is unreadable).

THANKFUL BRIGGS married William Bassett on 25 Aug 1739. No further information.

MERCY BRIGGS b: 1711 in Norton, Ma. She married Timothy Briggs (grandson of Richard Briggs; They were both great-grandchildren to John, the first Briggs in America; Timothy was b: 3 Jan 1712/13 in Norton, Ma to Richard Briggs, Jr., [b: 12 Jan 1678/79 in Taunton, Ma] and Mercy Kingsbury) on 13 Jul 1738 in Norton, Ma. They had the following children: Deborah, Timothy Jr., Marcey, Susannah and Jonathan.

GENEALOGY

JOSEPH ROCKETT (d. @ 1683) begat...

HANNAH ROCKETT, who married JOHN BRIGGS (1680 - 1750) and begat...

PHINEHAS BRIGGS (1710 - 1754) who married ESTHER FINNEY, and begat...

PHINEHAS BRIGGS JR. (1750 - 1835) who married SARAH or RHODA WATTLES (1759 - 1845) and begat...

LEMUEL BRIGGS (b. 1773), who married CONTENT CLINTON and begat...

POLLY BRIGGS (1811 - 1867) who married DAVID SANDERSON (1804 - 1884) and begat...

MELISSA SANDERSON (1839 - 1921) who married LABAN HAUSE (1831 - 1906) and begat...

FRANK HAUSE (1867 - 1951) who married FLADELLA RAYMOND (1869 - 1961) and begat...

CARLISLE HAUSE (1891 - 1972) who married MARJORIE MARCHANT (1892 - 1939) who begat...

CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, SR. (1917 - 1983) who married JEANNE BRUNNER (1918 - 2000) and begat...

CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, JR. (b. 1939) who married MARTHA WENK (b. 1940) and begat...

JEFF (who married LORI ANN DOTSON), KATHY (who married HAL LARSEN), ERIC (who married MARY MOONSAMMY), and MICHELE HAUSE (who married JOHN SCOTT HOUSTON).

¹—Mormon records show NICHOLAS ROCKWOOD was born in 1640 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, to RICHARD ROCKWOOD (b: 1612/1622 in of Weymouth, Dorsetshire, England) and AGNES ANNA LOVELL (b: 1598/1599 in of England). Nicholas died on 26 Jan 1680/1681 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts. His wife JANE ADAMS was born in 1624 in Kingsweston, Norfolk, England. Christening: 1624. She died on 15 Dec 1654 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts. But some records have Nicholas married to MARGARET HOLBROOK, born in 1635 in Weymouth, Norfolk, MA, to John Holbrook (b: 1595 in Glastonbury, Somerset, England) and Sarah French (b: 1595 in England). Margaret died on 23 Apr 1670 in Medway, Norfolk, MA. You can decide who is correct. I give up.

²—John Partridge , Jr was born @ 1625 in Navestock, Essex Co., England. He died on 28 May 1706 in Medfield, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts. Along with brother William, he was a founder and original proprietor of Medfield, MA in 1650. (Per John M. Kingsbury, PhD., "Interconnecting Bloodlines & Genetic Inbreeding in a Colonial Puritan Community: Eastern MA, 1630-1885," NGS Quarterly, Vol. 84, "CD-ROM," pg. 99).

Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England [PCR]. 1855-61. Ed. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer. New York: AMS Press, 1968.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Ancestral File (R) Publication: Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998; Repository: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA

"Birthes of Meadfield," NEHGS "Register," Vol 13, pg. 218 & "Gen. Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England," James Savage, 1860-1862.

Bullard and Allied Families, by Edgar J. Bullard. Publication: Detroit, MI: 1930; Note: www.Genealogy Library.com, Call Number: CS71.B936x. 16 pages

Title: Vital Records of Medfield, Norfolk Co., MA to the Year 1850, by The New England Historic Genealogical Society. Boston: 1903; reproduced on CD by Search & ReSearch Publishing Corporation, Wheat Ridge, CO 1999: pg. 78

New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997. pg. 632