Jacob Hockersmith , Jr.

     

I noticed you have some records for Hockersmiths/Hockinsmiths on your site. I have researched all the Hockersmiths/Hockensmiths in Kentucky over the last 16 years and for the past ten or so years have been collaborating with Peg Kwadrat in Virginia and Tim Hockersmith in Florida. Peg has done most of the research in Maryland and Tim has maintained a website and produced a Hocken(r)smith Newsletter. You have probably corresponded with them at some time, especially since I noted some of your data on the Conrad Rice Hockersmith came from Tim, one of his descendents.

I noticed there are two major errors on your Hockersmith data that I hope you will be willing to correct so that others searching their heritage will be able to obtain the accurate information on their lineages.

The first one pertains to record 5617 on Elizabeth (Hockensmith?) that married a Kennady, then James Graham, then Arthur McGaughey. She is not the daughter of Jacob Hockersmith I and Elizabeth Smith of Frederick County, Maryland, as some people have been reporting. Their daughter, Elizabeth, is proven in Jacob's estate settlement records as having married George Gaugh and she remained in Frederick County, Maryland, and is buried there. Descendents of this Elizabeth Kennady Graham McGaughey have assumed because Henry Hockensmith was an executor of this woman's first husband' estate and then his brother, Jacob Hockensmith, was bondsman for her marriage and the marriage of her daughter, that she is Henry and Jacob's sister, Elizabeth. I have never seen anything that gives her maiden name as Hockensmith - have they shared any proof with you other than Hockensmiths were interacting with them? Peg Kwadrat at one time proposed to them that perhaps she was Henry and Jacob's sister Elizabeth and all of a sudden it became fact. But then Peg found the court records of Jacob I's estate settlement that proved his daughter, Elizabeth, married George Gaugh and remained in Maryland. It may be possible she is some other kin if they actually have proof her maiden name was Hockensmith but it could be that Henry and Jacob knew her first husband back in Lancaster, Penn. (James Graham was owed money in Lancaster so he was there before coming to Ky.) and they were just assisting her as a friend.

The second major error is regarding Person Page 6029 Jacob Hockersmith Jr. who married Anna Skinner, and lived in Estill County, Kentucky, and then moved to Randolph Co., Missouri. Again, he is not the son of Jacob I and Elizabeth Smith of Frederick County, Maryland. Evidently descendents of this line jumped to the conclusion because the name was the same that this Jacob was the Jacob who was the son of Jacob I. He is not. Jacob I's son, Jacob, lived in Franklin County/Scott County/Owen County, Kentucky, and is an entirely different man from the one in Estill County. We have a court document that proves Jacob Hockensmith of Franklin/Scott County is the brother of Henry Hockensmith of Franklin/Scott County, KY, and two court documents that prove Henry Hockensmith of Franklin/Scott is the son of Jacob I of Frederick Co., MD, which then proves the Jacob in Franklin/Scott is also their son. Tim Hockersmith printed my research data on all this in one of his newsletters years ago. But so many people picked up the original misinformation and continue distributing it on websites and personal histories that it just keeps going and going!!!

We have not been able to prove who the father is of the Jacob of Estill County, KY., as of this date. There is no doubt he is related to the Hockersmiths of Jessamine County, KY, who came from Frederick County, Maryland, as we have extensive data on all these lines and know they were from Frederick County, Maryland. But his exact father has not been identified at this time.¹

Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. was born on 24 June 1779 at Emmitsburg, Frederick Co., Maryland.^2,3,4 He was on the tax roll in 1803 at Madison Co., Kentucky.⁵

Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. married Anna Kiziah Skinner, daughter of John Lloyd Owen Skinner and Elizabeth (Eliza) Skinner, on 12 September 1803 at Madison Co., Kentucky, when he was 24.^6,7,4,8 Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. was on the tax roll in 1805 at Jessamine Co., Kentucky.⁹ He was on the tax roll in 1806 at Jessamine Co., Kentucky.⁹

Estill Co. formed from Madison Co. and Clark Co.^10,11 He was on the tax roll in 1809 at Estill Co., Kentucky.¹⁰ He Sugar Camp road to intersect Richmond Road at Drowning Creek (KY. 499). on 21 August 1809 at Estill Co., Kentucky.¹²

Jacob was listed as the head of a family on the 1810 Census at Estill Co., Kentucky. Benjamin Hockersmith, Thomas Jefferson Hockersmith, Frances Hockersmith, Mary Jane 'Polly' Hockersmith and Anna Kiziah Hockersmith may have been members of the household as their age and sex at the time of the census corresponded to the data for this household on the census.¹³ Living nearby was John Lloyd Owen Skinner.¹⁴ Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. was on the tax roll in 1811 at Estill Co., Kentucky, He was listed on the Estill Co. Tax List each year from 1811 through 1825.¹⁵ He was on the tax roll in 1812 at Estill Co., Kentucky.¹⁶ He was on the tax roll in 1813 at Estill Co., Kentucky.¹⁶ He was on the tax roll in 1814 at Estill Co., Kentucky.¹⁶

Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. cosigner of note in George Cooper Vs. Ephraim Baxter, note of $80, dated 29 Aug 1820, test. Langhorn Simpson on 27 March 1822 at Estill Co., Kentucky.¹² He witnessed the marriage of Charlotte Hockersmith and Levi Hager on 26 October 1831 at Estill Co., Kentucky.^17,18

Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. obtained a land patent on 2 November 1837 at Randolph Co., Missouri.¹⁹

Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. died on 28 November 1839 at Huntsville, Randolph Co., Missouri, at age 60.^6,20 Conflicting evidence states that he died at Randolph Co., Missouri, on 28 November 1835.⁴

Jacob Hockersmith , Jr. His son-in-law, Levi Hagar, is named as an heir in his will. Levi married his daughter, Charlotte. Moved to KY arount 1795-6 with brother Henry H. They bought a farm of 132 1/2 Acres on North Elkhorn in 1796 in Franklin County, KY. from Lewis Craig. Tax list of 1803 shows Jacob Jr. with 116 Acres and Henry with 450 Acres. Notes from 'Randolph Co., MO. Administration & Will Records 1836-1858 compiled by Elizabeth Ellsberry' states that Jacob Hockensmith, died intestate; Jefferson Hockensmith, Adm; James Emerson and Fielding Cockrill, Securities; 2 Dec. 1839.