Climbing the Family Tree by Brenda Brown Lasko

CLIMBING THE BROWN FAMILY TREE

by: Brenda Brown Lasko

Chapter 3

The Stuckey Connection

Abel Brown married a woman named Lydia Stuckey, the daughter of Jacob Stuckey. For some time the maiden name of Abel's wife was unknown and many speculations were made as to who she was. Research had led us to think that she may have been a Thomas but we hit a dead end and were never able to prove it as fact. When the will of Jacob Stuckey was checked it finally gave us the information we had been missing for so long.

It is believed that Jacob Stuckey was born in Switzerland about 1740. The first record of him in America places him in New Jersey and it was there that he married. Most, if not all of his 7 known children were born while he lived in New Jersey. At this time we know nothing of his wife except she was born about 1749 in Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Jacob Stuckey was also among the first white settlers in York Township, Belmont Co., Ohio. It is not known when he arrived in York Township but his will was written and filed in Belmont County on January 18, 1804. It appears he died in June of the same year as his will was probated on June 22, 1804. In it he states he was "sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory" as he wrote his last will and testament. His wife is not listed so it is assumed she had already died at this point in time. In the will he names each of his "beloved" children and the amount of their inheritance.

The will of Jacob Stuckey presents us with a mystery we've been unable to solve. He names "my well beloved Stephen Jacob Brown" as his sole executor and gives to him all of his "lands and other moveable property to be freely possessed and enjoyed." He then binds "said Jacob Brown and his heirs" to follow the instructions of his will and to begin the payment of the sums mentioned in the will. These payments were to begin in 5 years and to be made in 5 annual installments, equally divided among the heirs of Jacob Stuckey. It seems the payments were for the purchase of the land that Jacob Brown was to receive but just who this "Stephen Jacob Brown" was has not been proven. We've speculated he may have been Jacob Stuckey's grandson and the son of one of Abel's relatives, if not his own son.

The following are the children of Jacob Stuckey:

1. Joseph Stuckey, born in 1764, was married to Rebecca. (maiden name unknown)

2. John Stuckey, born about 1768, was married to Jane Williamson.

3. Lydia Stuckey, born 1770, was married to Abel Brown.

4. Hannah Stuckey, born 1775, was married to David Gillespie.

5. Barbara Stuckey, birth date unknown, was married to a Brown and we are fairly convinced it was Abel's brother, John Brown. (The will of John Brown gives his wife's name as Barbara and there were strong connections with the Stuckey family.)

6. Rebecca Stuckey, was born in 1787, and married James Barrett.

7. Elizabeth Stuckey, birth date unknown. She was not married at the time her father's will was written so we have no idea who she married at this point in the research.

There is clear mention of another child, a daughter, but the handwriting in this will was very difficult to read and one entry could not be deciphered. Many of these children ended up in Monroe County, Ohio and their descendants married the descendants of the Browns, Noffsingers, Gates and other connected families. A copy of Jacob's will can be found here.

Chapter 4

Index 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Epilogue

Return to the Genealogy Page

Page by Gold Web Designs
All images are original and copyrighted