The Death of Charles Buck II

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Charles Buck II died August 2, 1823. In his will, he divided his land into parcels of equal value and distributed them to his children. The house, household possessions and land immediately surrounding the house were left to his wife, Mary Richardson Buck, who survived him.

Charles and Mary Buck were buried in the Buck cemetery near their house. His brother, Thomas, and Thomas’ first wife, Ann, are buried alongside them.

Charles Buck II had inherited the old homestead from his father. His son Thomas bought it from the other heirs after the death of his father and mother. Later the house was owned by John Gill Buck, William A. Buck and Meredeth Helm Buck. The house surrounding land was sold in 1917 and a new house was built. The original chimney remained and was part of the new house.

His son, William Calmes Buck, wrote "My father was an extensive farmer and both of my parents were members of the Baptist Church, having united with the church when young, in the times when Baptists were sorely persecuted in Virginia; and they were models of Christian excellence during their lives.”
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Buck Cemetery

The Buck Cemetery is sometimes described as being in Waterlick, sometimes in Buckton and sometimes near Front Royal. This cemetery dates to the late 1700’s and is located on land originally owned by Charles Buck I. It may include the grave of Charles Buck I. The cemetery is actually easy to find although I was very confused the first time I attempted to find it.

The cemetery is located on SR-610 which turns off of Hwy 55 at Waterlick (near a small, old store) as "Buck's Mill Rd". Shortly after getting on SR-610, SR-678 "Richardson Road" joins it from the left. Keep to the right on SR-610. You'll be sort of following the railroad which will be on your left. When SR-610 crosses the railroad and turns sharply to the right (otherwise running into the river), find a place to park on the side of the road. Then go back to the railroad tracks and follow the tracks up the hill. The cemetery is between the tracks and the river. (Alternatively, you can walk up the hill between the tracks and the river.) It is a beautiful old cemetery surrounded by a stone fence.

Going back to the directions, the house on the left just before crossing the railroad tracks is supposed to be the site of the Charles Buck II house. The chimney is said to be the original chimney but I've not seen any documentation of that fact.

The Family of Charles Buck I

Charles Buck I had three sons: John, Charles II and Thomas V. A daughter, Mary, probably died shortly after birth.

John Buck, born December 27, 1748, was the first child of Charles Buck I and Anna Sorrell Earle, daughter of Major Samuel Earle III and Anna Sorrell. He married Miriam Richardson in 1774. He moved to Ohio where he died in 1815.

Mary Buck was born and died in 1749. Her mother, Anna, died that same year. The exact dates and details are unknown but it is probably a good assumption that both died during childbirth.

After the death of Anna Sorrell Earle, Charles Buck I married Letitia Sorrell in 1749. Their first child, Charles II, was born Oct 28, 1750. Charles Buck II married Mary Richardson, sister of Miriam, on April 3, 1774. They lived in Buckton their entire lives. Charles Buck II died in 1823.

The second child of Charles Buck I and Letitia Sorrell (third son of Charles Buck I) was named Thomas. By convention, this Thomas Buck is usually called Thomas V in modern genealogy listings. Thomas V was born June 10, 1756; he also married one of the Richardson sisters, Anne, on December 14, 1774. They lived their entire lives in the Front Royal area. Thomas V died in 1842.

Charles Buck I died in 1771; his will is dated February 4, 1771. His gravesite is unknown; however, a monument to Charles Buck I was placed at Buckton Cemetery by Walter Hooper Buck.

In 1740, Charles Buck I purchased land along the south side of the north branch of the Shenandoah River. This land included the farms called “Clover Hill” and “Cedar Hill”. In his will he gave 780 acres of this land to his son, Charles II. This land became known as Buckton and the Buckton Cemetery, a private cemetery for those family members, is located on the bank of the river.