Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Thomas Buck IV (ca 1715 – ?)

Before moving on to Charles Buck, whom we now begin to call Charles Buck I, a few notes about his brother, Thomas Buck IV, are appropriate. Once again, we know little of this Thomas Buck except that he was born in York County, Virginia. We do not know the name of his wife or even if he married.

It has been speculated that, when Charles Buck left York County for the Shenandoah Valley, his brothers Thomas IV and John were with him. This would have been about 1735. My grand-uncle, Hubert Nelson Buck, believed that Thomas IV eventually settled into North Carolina; however, there is no data to support this.

Here is an interesting advertisement from 1739:

Virginia Gazette, July 27 - Aug. 3 1739: "Advertisements - Stol'n or Stray'd, from the Subscriber, in Williamsburg, about the 16th Day of June last, a young dark grey Horse, branded on the near Buttock with a Hook, has a long Switch Tail, and a long Mane hanging to the left Side, with a white Streak in his Forehead. Whoever will bring the said Horse to the Subscriber living near the Capitol, shall have Ten Shillings Reward. Thomas Buck"

According to my data, this particular Thomas Buck was probably the one now called Thomas Buck IV. If so, he was still living in Williamsburg in 1739.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Thomas Buck III (ca 1682 – 1727)

Thomas Buck III, son of Thomas II and grandson of the emigrant, was born in 1682; he died in 1727, about two years before his father, at the age of 45. Like his father, he was born in York County, Virginia and died there as well. Again like his father and grandfather, we have very few facts and details about the life of Thomas Buck III.

The wives of Thomas Buck I, II and III are unknown. Some three hundred years later, there must be several hundred thousand unknown Buck family relatives from their families!

Thomas Buck III had ten children: Ann, Charles, Nathaniel, Mary, Francis, James, Elizabeth, Thomas IV, John and Benjamin. Of his children, little is known except for Charles. Charles Buck, perhaps accompanied by his brothers John and Thomas IV, left York County for the Shenandoah Valley. It is with this Charles Buck that the history of the Buck family of Virginia becomes better defined.

Thomas Buck III was present at the deathbed of his brother Benjamin in 1727 and gave a deposition which became Benjamin's will. According to his deposition, Benjamin had been very ill and "had something to say before he went out of this world." Benjamin then dictated his will to Thomas and asked that it be put in writing. Since Thomas could not write, he had their brother, Nathaniel, come to Benjamin's house to write the will. By the time Nathaniel arrived, Benjamin was almost speechless; he died the next day. Thomas repeated Benjamin's dictation to Nathaniel who wrote it down. Thomas then took the paper written by Nathaniel to "Mr. William Barber and desired him to put the said words in form of a will".

Thomas's own will was probated June 17, 1728, and is recorded in York County general records book No. 16, Folio 532.