William Calmes Buck (1790-1872)

Following a brief introductory post, this is the first more detailed post in a series about William Calmes Buck, my 3G Grandfather.

William Calmes Buck was born on August 23, 1790 in Shenandoah County, Virginia near what is now the town of Front Royal.  In spite of having only a basic formal education, he became a prominent Baptist minister, editor, author and denominational leader serving in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas.  Self-taught, he became fluent in Latin, Greek and Hebrew and was known as “Dr. Buck” at Baylor University where he was a lecturer in his later years.

Wm. C. Buck (as he typically signed his name) wrote that his father was an “extensive farmer”.  His grandparents, Charles and Letitia (Sorrel) Buck were among the early settlers of the Shenandoah Valley and had owned about 3000 acres of land.  The Bucks were Baptist and donated land for the Water Lick Baptist Church and a cemetery.  The original Water Lick Church no longer exists but the cemetery is referred to as the Buck Cemetery 

Water Lick Baptist Church was organized on April 15, 1787.  It was about seven miles from Front Royal and about a half mile from the Buck homestead.  It was a one room church made of logs and said to have comfortable seats, and a high pulpit.  Between the Buck homestead and the church was a log house in which Wm. C. Buck lived for a time after his first marriage.

Buck wrote that he was "baptized by Rev. Benjamine Daws on the North branch of the Shenandoah, on the fourth Sabbath in April, 24th day, 1808." He was ordained in Shenandoah County, Virginia.  "The day that I was licensed was the 22nd of August 1812, and the next day I was just 22 years of age.  From that time I have devoted myself to the work of the ministry."

William Calmes Buck was a 1^st Lieutenant in the Second regiment of the Virginia Milita in the War of 1812.  He preached his first sermon in uniform.  After the War of 1812, he returned to Water Lick Church as pastor.

(... more to follow)

Mary Richardson Buck (1792-1823)

Mary Richardson Buck was born on December 10, 1792 in Virginia to Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson.  She married William Mountjoy Bayly on May 25, 1814.  He was a doctor, the son of Pierce Bayly and Mary Payne born October 10, 1796.

Apparently, Mary was called “Polly”.  Sometimes “Bayly” is spelled “Bayley”.

William Mountjoy Bayly and Mary Richardson Buck had the following children:

• Richard Beverage Bayly (1817- 1844); married Elizabeth Mauzey Blakemore; died in Virginia. 
• Charles B. Bayly (1818-1880); married Matilda Russell; died in Missouri.  A farmer.
• Jane Letitia Bayly (1820-1898); married Marcus Blakemore Buck; died in Virginia. A farmer.

Mary Richardson Buck Bayly died in Virginia in 1823 at the age of 31.  William Mountjoy Bayly died in 1830.

William Calmes Buck I (1790-1872)

William Calmes Buck I is perhaps the most notable member of the Buck family.  He was born on August 23, 1790 in Shenandoah County, Virginia to Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson.   William Calmes Buck I and Maria Lewright were married on December 1, 1815 in Jefferson County, Virginia.  Maria Lewright, daughter of Robert Lewright, was born in 1795. Maria Lewright Buck died on January 8, 1822 at the age of 27 in Union County, Kentucky.   After the death of his first wife, William Calmes Buck I and Isabella Miriam Field were married on June 30, 1829 in Woodford County, Kentucky.  Isabella Miriam Field, the daughter of Willis Field and Isabella Miriam Buck, was born on August 16, 1809.  She died on March 18, 1852 at the age of 42 in Nashville, Tennessee.  She was buried in Woodford County, Kentucky.

The life of William Calmes Buck will be discussed in more detail in future posts.  In the meantime, Wikipedia includes an article on William Calmes Buck.

Charles Buck III (1788-1870)

Charles Buck III was born on February 18, 1788 to Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson.  Charles Buck III and Lucy Chilton Bayliss were married in 1817 in Virginia. Lucy Chilton Bayliss, daughter of William Bayliss and Elizabeth Turner was born on April 10, 1798 in Virginia.

He called himself "the third" and so he was in direct lineage, although his cousin Charles, the son of John Buck I, was older. 

                                                               -- notes of H. N. Buck

Sometimes Charles Buck III is referred to as Charles Bayly Buck III but this is probably not correct.  Charles Bayly Buck (1808-1858) was the son of Samuel Buck whose wife was Mary Bayly.  The surname of Lucy Chilton Bayliss is sometimes spelled Baylis, Bayles or Bayless.

Charles Buck III appears to have travelled from his birthplace in Virginia to Kentucky then Mississippi then Louisiana and then returned to Vicksburg, Mississippi.

At the time of the 1850 census, Charles Buck III was a merchant in Vicksburg, Mississippi.   Lucy C. Buck was included in the household.  Their son, Richard Buck, age 17, lived with them and was a clerk – probably in their store.   In a nearby house, another of their sons, John W. Buck, lived with his wife Mary, age 26.  She was born in Kentucky and their son, also named Charles, age 1, was born in Mississippi.  John W. Buck was also shown to be a merchant. 

By the 1860 census, Charles and Lucy are living in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana with J. R. McEvers who was age 27 and born in Louisiana.  His wife was E. J. McEvers who was age 22 and born in Louisiana in Terrebonne Parish.  In the same house was H. R. Buck, age 33, born in Kentucky, a physician, his daughter Annie, age 4 and Lucy C. age 2 both born in Mississippi.

Charles Buck and Lucy Chilton Bayliss Buck had the following children:

• John William Buck (1819-1916); born in Virginia; married Mary Sutton, Kentucky; died of “hypostatic pneumonia” in Kentucky.  A farmer.
• Charles Lundsford Buck (1824-1862); born in Kentucky; married Maria Isabel Barnett, 1852; died in Mississippi.  He was a prominent attorney in Vicksburg and a legislator in the Mississippi Senate.
• Horace Richardson Buck, (1826-1912); married (1) Ellen Herbert, 1855; (2) married Mary Easton, 1859.  Died in Louisiana.  A physician.
• Richard Sutton Buck (1833-1892); born in Virginia; married Juliana Scott Randolph; died in Mississippi.  An attorney and District Attorney in Vicksburg.
• Marion Buck (1840-1847); a son born and died in Mississippi.

Charles Buck III died on October 12, 1870 at the age of 82 in Vicksburg, Mississippi only a few days after his wife, Lucy Chilton Bayliss died on October 5, 1870 at the age of 72 in Vicksburg.

John Buck (1785-1872)

John Buck was born in 1785, the son of Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson.   John Buck and Sarah Catlett were married on December 14, 1812 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. Sarah Catlett was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, the daughter of Henry Catlett and Miriam Calmes.

"An earnest Christian -- a man of rugged honesty -- absolutely fearless -- a brag shot with a rifle"  (JTB) He lived and died at his home, "Prospect Hill", near the family homestead in Virginia.

                                                   -- notes of H. N. Buck, 1965

He was a farmer.  In the 1870 census, he is shown as a boarder in the house of Thomas W. Cloud.

John Buck and Sarah Catlett had the following children:

• Charles S. Buck (1815-1893); married Sarah Jane McKay; died in Virginia.
• Susan Helen Buck (1822-1889); married Joseph Parkins; died in Virginia.
• Lucy Catlett Buck (1826-1904); married Samuel Gardner Buck, MD; died in Virginia.
• Elizabeth Buck (1828- ); married Alexander Adams.
• Sarah Letitia Buck (1832- ); married Thomas William Cloud.
• Thomas Newton Buck (1838-1926); married Emma Cloud; died in Virginia.  Ran a repair shop.

John Buck died April 17, 1872 in Virginia.  Sarah Catlett Buck died September 29, 1854 of “ulcered lungs” in Virginia.

Samuel Buck (1783-1841)

Samuel Buck was born July 12, 1783 to Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson. Samuel Buck and Mary P. Bayly were married in 1806. Mary P. Bayly, daughter of Pierce Bayly and Mary Payne, was born in 1789.

Some genealogists say that Samuel Buck’s middle name was “Mountjoy” but others say that Mountjoy was his wife’s family.  However, there does not appear to be a “Mountjoy” surname in either family.  Also, some say that the middle name of his wife, Mary, was “Payne” – her mother’s maiden name -- but other say it was “Pierce” after her father.  It should be noted that the “Pierce” surname appears in the Bayly family as descendants of William Pierce who sailed from England in 1609 on the "Sea Venture" which wrecked off Bermuda.  William Pierce finally reached Jamestown in 1610 aboard pinnaces constructed from the Sea Venture's timbers.  As there does not apply to be any factual basis for using “Mountjoy”, “Pierce” or “Payne” none of those names will be used herein.

Samuel and Mary Buck lived in Leesburg, Virginia where he ran a mill.

Samuel Buck and Mary P. Bayly Buck had the following children:

• Amelia Ann Buck (1807-1854); married Isaac Bronson Cloud, died in Virginia.      
• Charles Bayly Buck (1808-1858); married Mary E. Davenport; died in Virginia.  School teacher.
• Thomas Mountjoy Buck (1811-1894); married Catherine Wooldridge Watkins; died in Virginia.  (“Montjoy” is on his tombstone.)
• Samuel Gardner Buck (1813-1875); married Sarah Hall.  A physician.
• Mary Elizabeth Buck (1815-1905); married Daniel Cloud; died in Virginia.
• William Gilmore Buck (1818-1823).
• Leah Jane Buck (1820-1824).
• John Crowley Buck (1822-1828).

Samuel Buck died on January 6, 1841.  Mary P. Bayly died in 1844 at the age of 55.

Reverend Thomas Buck (1777-1862)

Thomas Buck, the first son of Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson was born on Nov. 15, 1777 in Frederick County, Virginia.  Instead of assigning him a number, he is usually distinguished by calling him Reverend Thomas Buck or sometimes Thomas Buck, minor.  However, he is also referred to as the “Elder” or Thomas Buck VI in some references. Reverend Thomas Buck married Amelia Lee Dawson, daughter of James Dawson and Elizabeth Carter on October 19, 1801.  Amelia Lee Dawson was born on March 27, 1783, the daughter of Reverend James Dawson.  Reverend James Dawson was a co-worker of James Ireland, and like him, was imprisoned for preaching heresy.

The Reverend Thomas Buck was a “pioneer "Old School" Baptist minister of early Virginia.  He did not go along with his younger brother, William Calmes Buck, when the latter went into the "missionary" Baptist ministry, but the two never lost their close regard for each other.”

                                                              -- notes of H. N. Buck, 1965

Thomas Buck served as pastor to the Happy Creek Church, in Front Royal.  Elders James Ireland (a native of Scotland), William Marshall, and John Taylor were instrumental in the establishment of this church in 1783 with 64 members.  It was originally called Lower South River Church, because it was located near the south branch of the Shenandoah River.  

In the Federal Census of 1850, the Reverend Thomas Buck, age 73, identified his occupation as “Minister (O.S. Baptist)” meaning “Old School” as opposed to “Missionary”.  In the 1860 census, his occupation was “Preacher O.S.B”.  In early censuses, occupation was not recorded; however, the “Old School” ministers were not paid for their services so Thomas Buck was a farmer and apparently a good one.

Whereas his younger brother, William Calmes Buck, travelled widely and was an author and publisher, it appears that Thomas remained near Buckton and did not author any publications.  There is, however, there is a letter from his father as well as a letter from his uncle, Thomas Buck, to him.   

                              

Reverend Thomas Buck and Amelia Lee Dawson Buck had the following children:

• Annis C. Buck (1801-1827); married John Lovell Buck; died in Kentucky.
• Samuel Dawson Buck (1801-1863); married (1) his second cousin Martha Ann Buck, (2) married Miriam Guthrie; died in Kentucky.  He was a druggist.
• Mary R. Buck (1810-1846); married her second cousin Meredith Helm Jr. whose mother was Anne Buck (1775-1860).  Died in Virginia.
• John Gill Buck (1814-1862); married Elizabeth Ellen McKay; died in Virginia.  He remained in the old Buck homestead where he was a farmer.
• Thomas Calmes Buck (1817-1878); married Sarah Catherine Gatewood; died in Fulton County, Kentucky.  In 1860, he was a farmer in Missouri; in 1870 he was an “agt sewing machines” in Kentucky.

Reverend Thomas Buck died on December 10, 1862 at the age of 85 in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia.  Amelia L. Dawson died on January 20, 1857 at the age of 73.They are buried in Buckton Cemetery, Virginia.

It appears that the original headstone for the Reverend Thomas Buck’s grave was damaged and replaced.  This must have happened before 1998 when I saw it.

Letitia Buck (1775-1850)

Letitia Buck was born on January 19, 1775, the first child of Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson.  

Letitia Buck and George Floyd Catlett were married on November 23, 1794 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. George Catlett, the son of Robert Catlett and Mary Ann Floyd, was born in 1770 in Virginia.  Letitia Buck and George Catlett moved from to Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky in 1816.

Letitia Buck and George Catlett had the following children:

• Fannie Madison Catlett (1797-1837); married Calmes Catlett; died in Kentucky.
• Thomas Washington Catlett (1799-1880); married (1) Isabella Fields Helm; (2) Martha Maria Louisa Clark; died in Kentucky.
• Henrietta Catlett (1803-1862); married Joseph Majors; died in Kentucky.
• Mary Buck Catlett (1804-1847); married David Shahan; died in Texas.
• Henry Calmes Catlett (1812-1878); married Mary Elizabeth Buck; died in Kentucky during yellow fever epidemic.  A physician.
• Rebecca Catlett (1815-1876); married Armistead Ludwell Churchill; died in Missouri.

Letitia Buck died in 1850 at the age of 74. George Catlett died in 1851 in Union County, Kentucky.

The Family of Charles Buck II

A previous post introduced Charles Buck II, son of Charles Buck I and his second wife, Letitia Sorrell, and provided a few details about his life.  The next several posts will focus on his children.  All of the children of Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson were born in Virginia but some moved to Woodford County, Kentucky.  

Here is a summary list of the children of Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson:

• Letitia Buck (1776 – 1850); married George Catlett.
• Thomas Buck Rev. (1777-1862); married Amelia L. Dawson.
• Sarah Buck (1780-1785).
• Samuel Buck (1783-1841); married Mary P. Bayly.
• John Buck (1785-1857); married Sarah Catlett.
• Charles Buck III (1788-1870); married Lucy Chilton Bayliss.
• William Calmes Buck I (1790-1872); married (1) Maria Lewright, 1815 and (2) Isabella Miriam Field; died in Waco, Texas. Perhaps the most renowned member of the Buck family.
• Mary Richardson Buck (1792-1823); married William Mountjoy Bayly.

In his will, Charles Buck II left their house and surroundings to his wife, Mary, and divided the land equally (by value) to his children.  Some of the land had already been sold (“conveyed”) while other sections continued to be farmed by the inheritor.  

Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson had seven children who reached adulthood and forty-eight grandchildren.