William Haycock/Heacock
1716 – 1800
Patriot #A206644
The Heacock
name has been found spelled many different ways. In the documents used by the DAR to prove
William’s patriotism, it was spelled Haycock.
There are other records of him with the Heacock spelling. In referring
to any document, I will use the spelling in that document. In general, I will use Heacock.
William was
born the fourth child of English Quaker immigrants Jonathan Heacock and Ann
Till on 13 January 1716/17 in Marple, Chester (now Delaware) Co,
Pennsylvania. His parents came from
Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England in 1711 finally settling in Chester Co,
Pennsylvania in 1718. These dates come
from the Quaker records for when the Heacocks left Wolverhampton with a removal
certificate and presented this certificate in order to join the Chester Quaker
meeting. The seven years’ time between is not documented but it is supposed
that they did not immediately settle in Chester and may have moved around a bit
or rented before buying land in Marple where William was born. William had two sisters, Mary and Ann, and
three brothers, John, Jonathan and Joseph, all born in Pennsylvania.
In 1739,
William purchased 100 acres in Rockhill, Bucks County from Thomas and Richard
Penn, sons of William Penn, and built several mills. A sawmill, an oil mill,
and nearby a grist mill. This area had
been known as “The Bog” or "The Great Swamp" but was later found to have very rich and fertile soil
and named Richland. In 1745, William purchased an additional 50 acres in
Rockhill and again in 1747, 100 more acres in Rockhill. One of William’s mills
is still standing today and is occupied by a family counselor office. William also built a house in 1748 which
stood across from the mill. It burned down in 1906 but was rebuilt. The mill stayed in the family for several
generations.
In 1746,
William married Ann Roberts through the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting in Bucks
County. They would have 9 children:
Jeremiah 1747-1797
William 1749-1814
Ann 1750-1823
Mary 1752-1770
Jesse 1 1754- 1763
Alice 1756 – 1835
Jane 1758-1816
Jonathan 1760 – 1828 m. Hannah Davis - the
line that we are descended from
Jesse 2 1763-1841 would inherit the Saw/Oil Mill
Many Tax
Records were found recording what William paid and for what. Specifically, the years 1779, 1781 and 1782,
years during the Revolutionary War, were used to prove him as a Patriot. These specific taxes were called Supply Taxes
and were used to support the Continental Army during the war. Bucks county taxes and other contributions were
significant in supporting the war effort.
The taxes were paid to the state and in turn each state sent its tax
quota to the Continental Congress. At
first the taxes were on freemen over the age of 21and land but would later
cover trades, personal property, mills, plate, horses, cattle or anything that
could be sold for ready money. Other taxes were also collected in Bucks County
on luxuries like liquor, carriages and billiard tables. Quakers, in most cases
and in compliance with their religious beliefs, would not serve in the
military. Having stated that, I have found several Heacocks of this family who did serve during the Civil War and a southern family who owned slaves.
The first
census of the United States was not taken until 1790. Two William Haycocks are
found living in Rockhill Twp, Bucks Co at that time. They would be William and his son William in
separate households. The 1800 census
lists only one William Heacock so it was likely taken after William Sr died,
which was on 12 Apr 1800 at home in Rockhill.
William’s youngest son Jesse inherited the sawmill after his father died.
William Sr’s wife Ann is not listed as a head of household in the 1800 census. Ann
would have been 82 at the time and lived until 1807.
William
Heacock’s lengthy and detailed will was probated on 8 May 1800 and his wife Ann
was left all of the furniture and 100 pounds in gold or silver money, as well
as directing that his son Jesse live on his 147 acres with his mother until her
decease or remarriage at which time the property be sold, with Jesse keeping
the mill. He also gave instructions on
the distribution of the proceeds of that sale amongst his children and
grandchildren. He was likely buried in Bucks Co, exact location unknown.
William Haycock's Proofs for DAR
Ann Roberts Heacock Quaker birth record
1831 map of Rockhill Twp with location of mill marked as "S & Oil M" and "J. Heacock" below, this would be Jesse Heacock
The Mill today - Google Earth photos
Current occupants
William Haycock/Heacock’s Descendant
Lineage for my DAR membership
Son of William
Jonathan
Heacock was born in
Rockhill, Bucks Co, Pa on 11 Apr 1760 and died in Haverford, Delaware Co, Pa on
21 Dec 1828. Jonathan married Hannah Davis on 21 Oct 1783 in Haverford,
Delaware Co, Pa. In 1782, Jonathan was listed as a single man on a tax list for
Bucks Co. Jonathan was a Quaker and in
the tanning business and lived in Haverford for his entire married life. They
are buried in Delaware Co, Pa and were members of the Haverford Meeting. Their 10 children were:
Joseph D 1784 – 1867 He was a surgeon in the either the Mexican War or the War
of 1812, moved to Alabama and had 4 sons in the Confederate Army, he and at least one of his sons are recorded as owning slaves
Martha 1786 – 1867
Jesse D 1788 – 1851
Reece 1791 – 1866
Anna 1794 – 1865
Mary 1797 – 1886
Davis 1799 – 1885 m. Mary Williamson – our line
Jonathan 1802 – 1858
Eli 1805 – 1842
Lewis 1808 – 1823
Proofs
Grandson of William
Davis
Heacock was born on
16 Dec 1799 in Haverford, Delaware Co, Pa and died on 1 Dec 1885 in Washington
Co, Indiana. He was a Quaker and a farmer. He married Mary Williamson about
1822. They had 6 children all born in Haverford at the farm. According to a Haverford Meeting Record Book, Davis may have been disowned at some point. No reason or date was given and a member could be taken back into the faith if later was judged an acceptable member again. About 1848, they sold the farm and moved to
Indiana, living in Henry Co, Rush Co and finally Washington Co. In 1858, Davis
was the co-builder of the Phillips Schoolhouse near Salem, Indiana. Davis and his son James were also teachers at
the Phillips school. In 1870 Davis and
his wife are found living in McLean Co, Illinois but moved back to Indiana in
1873 with their son James where they passed away. They are buried in the Highland Cemetery in
Salem, Washington Co, Indiana. Their children are:
Elizabeth
W 1825
-1866 - died in Illinois
Emily D 1828 – 1893
James
Williamson 1833 1910 – m. Sarah Nixon
– our line
Jesse
Davis 1836 – 1919 - served in the Civil War Union
Mary
Ann 1840 – 1913
Joseph
D 1846 -1876 – married and stayed in Illinois
Proofs
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Great
Grandson of William
James Williamson Heacock was born in Darby, Delaware Co, Pa on 25 Oct 1833 and died in Salem, Washington Co, Indiana on 4 Jan 1910. He married Sarah Nixon on 21 May 1861 at her home in Washington Twp, Washington Co, Indiana. In 1855, he moved with his parents to Highland, Washington Co, Indiana. 10 years later, they moved to Benjaminville, McClean Co, Illinois where his three children were born. James and his brother Jesse were listed on a Civil War Draft Registration record on June of 1963 in Washington Co, Indiana. James never served but Jesse did. James' family remained there until 1873 and later they took possession of Spring Hill Farm in Washington Co, Indiana where he farmed and raised fruit on the “Spring Hill Farm”. The Spring Hill Farm originated with an 1814 land grant to Matthew Coffin, who passed the property to his daughter Priscilla Hunt in 1815 who in turn sold it, in 1843, to her son in law Toms Nixon, father of Sarah Nixon Heacock. In 1874, James and Sarah Heacock acquired the deed to the farm and later in 1898, deeded it to their son Foster. James at one time was the assessor for Washington Co. and also worked as an appraiser for Washington Co’s Farmers Insurance Co. He and his wife are buried in the Quaker cemetery at Blue River. Their children are:
Elmer
Ellsworth 1862 – 1934
Semira
Elizabeth 1865 – 1879
Foster
James 1869 – 1939 – m. Clara
Alice Martin – our line
Proofs
2nd
Great Grandson of William
Foster
James Heacock was
born in Benjaminville, McLean Co, Illinois on 22 Sep 1869 an died in Dayton,
Montgomery Co, Ohio on 3 May 1939. He
married Clara Alice Martin on 10 Aug 1896 in Washington Co, Indiana. Clara died on 6 May 1917 and he married for a
second time on 21 Aug 1919 in Bedford, PA to Margaretta Blackburn.
“Foster
moved to Washington Co., Indiana when he was 4 years old from McLean Co.,
Illinois. He graduated from the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso in
1893 from the commercial department. He taught 4 terms in Washington county
schools and moved to New Castle, Pa. in 1894 and then to Butler, Pa (near where I now live). where he
was the principal of Butler Business College until May 1897. Foster moved back
to Washington county where he was appointed to serve on the Board of County
Charities Corrections for one year. Foster served in this capacity without
compensation. He was also the secretary of the Washington County Historical
Society in 1914 and was helpful in getting information for the county history
published in 1916. Foster was a noted agriculturist and was head of the Heacock
Fruit Company which was widely known for the quality of it's orchard products.
He owned "Spring Hill Farm" in Washington Co. Indiana as well as the
"Friendly Fruit Farm" in Clearville, Bedford Co, Pa. At the time of
his death, he was Superintendent of the Waynesville, Ohio Friends Home. “ Source
- "Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana", Warder W.
Stevens, 1916, B.F. Bowen Co., Inc, Indianapolis, Indiana. pg 824. Foster held several patents for equipment
useful in orchards as well.
Foster was
buried with his first wife in the Quaker Blue River Hicksite Cemetery in
Washington Co, Indiana. Foster and Clara
‘s children are:
Lawrence
(twin) 1898 – 1966
Florence
(twin) 1898 -1984
Marian 1900 – 1900
Oliver
James 1902 – 1995
Floyd
Hanley 1905 – 1989 – m. Mary
Elizabeth Arnold – our line
Helen
Blanche 1908 – 2000 - lifelong Quaker and the family historian
Proofs
3rd Great Grandson of William
Floyd Hanley
Heacock was born in Canton, Washington Co, Indiana on 15 Jan 1905 and died in
Bedford, Pa on 21 Jun 1989. He married
Mary Elizabeth Arnold on 4 Jun 1928 in Bedford, Pa. Floyd moved with his family to Bedford, Pennsylvania
after the census of 1920. They lived on a farm near Clearville called the
"Friendly Fruit Farm", where they raised apples and peaches from
about 1920-1938. Their produce won many ribbons. The Heacock's would live at
the farm except in the winter, when they would move into Bedford and rent a
house. Floyd would often walk from the farm in Clearville into Bedford. He also
worked as a soda jerk in a local drug store. He graduated from Bedford High
School in 1924 and went on to take a radio correspondence course. This course
was a graduation gift from his father. It was after taking this course that he
began his job with ATT, in 1926, at the switching station at the corner of East
John St & S Wood St. This building is now the Bedford Library. His starting
salary was $20 a week. He worked at ATT until his retirement in 1968 after 42
years of service. About 12 or so years after he was married, Floyd, a
birthright Quaker, converted to his wife’s Catholic faith. Floyd also had a side business of
repairing radios and televisions. He was known as the "TV Doctor" in
and around town. His son John relates that Floyd owned the first television in
Bedford. Floyd was also affectionately known as "Taters" and always
had a vegetable garden in his backyard on East John St. Floyd and Elizabeth are buried in the St
Thomas Cemetery in Bedford. Their 8
children are:
John
Floyd 1929 – 2016 m. Kathryn Carole Bonadio – my line
Margaret
Theresa 1930 – 2019
Mary
Elizabeth
Frederick
Eugene
Ruth
Ann 1939 – 2011
Catherine
Alice
Joseph
Ralph
James
Foster
Proofs
Death certificates showing their birth and death dates which I will not post here.
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4th
Great Grandson of William
John
Floyd Heacock was
born in Bedford, PA on 5 Jul 1929 and died in Pottsville, Schuylkill Co, Pa on
22 Mar 2016. He married Kathryn Carole Bonadio in Lock Haven, Clinton Co, PA on
28 Aug 1954. John
grew up in Bedford where he developed interests in Stamp Collecting, Flying,
Science Fiction, Horse Racing and the Space Race, he being Bedford's resident
expert on the Russian Sputnik flight and was able to spot it in the night sky.
He attended Bedford High School where he excelled in wrestling and became the
school's first state champion in that sport (1945). John wrestled in the 112
lb. weight class. He also played football and was a member of the 1945 undefeated championship team and was a member of the High School Band playing
the Cornet. John was an Honor student and scholar athlete. Some jobs held were
as an attendant at the ESSO station on the PA Turnpike at the Bedford Midway Rest
Area, where they would use the underground tunnel which connected the two
opposite rest areas at that location; working at the Bedford airport digging
ditches to help drain the runway and painting the identifier of
"Bedford" on the hangar roof for which he was paid in flying lessons
in Aeronca Champs and T-Craft Aces; working for Paul Logue helping remodel the elementary
school; working for his uncle, Gene Davidson, in his machine shop during World
War 2 helping machine parts for aircraft carriers and pilot evac kits. John
also holds his private pilots license which he received after flying his first
solo flight at the age of 16. After graduation, he attended Parks Air College
in St. Louis, Mo. as an ROTC student for one year and then transferred to
Lock Haven State Teacher's College in Pa, where he also wrestled and
participated in the NCAA Wrestling Tournament. John was in the Army for two
years during the Korean War and was stationed in Japan as a radio operator in
the 101st Airborne, earning the Good Conduct Medal, United National Service
Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Army Superior Unit
Award, and the Army Award for Public Service. After his marriage to Carole
Bonadio of Lock Haven, Pa in 1954 he took a teaching/coaching job at Central
Bucks Jr High School in Doylestown, Bucks Co, Pa. only about 16 miles from where his DAR ancestor lived. After a year there, he
returned to Bedford to teach math at Bedford high school for five years. John
also helped coach the wrestling and football teams in Bedford. During this period,
he attended summer classes and received his Master’s degree from Penn State. In
1960, he began teaching math for Penn State at its Schuylkill Campus in
Pottsville, Pa. During his tenure in Pottsville, John was a private Math tutor,
helped with the local Spelling Bee and helped with the then College Boards
Exams (SAT). He retired early, in 1978, due to a disability. He lived with his
wife, Carole, a retired social service aide, in Pottsville. In 2007, John was inducted into the Bedford
County Sports Hall of Fame. And in 2014, into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall
of Fame. John passed away on March 22, 2016 in Pottsville, PA. John and Carole
are buried in the St Johns #2 Cemetery in Pottsville, Pa. Their children are:
Ann
Marie DAR
Teresa
Helen
Thomas
William 1960 - 1960
Dianne
Elizabeth
Proofs
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5th
Great Granddaughter of William - DAR member Jacob Ferree Chapter
Ann Marie
Heacock was born in
Bedford, Bedford Co, Pa. She married Thomas Sinton in
Pottsville, Schuylkill Co, PA.
Ann lived in Bedford until she was about 5 years old. The family moved
to Pottsville, PA and she began Kindergarten at the Jackson St school.
Beginning with the first grade she attended St John the Baptist Parish School
and graduated from 8th grade there. Her high school years were spent attending Nativity BVM High School in
Pottsville. She and
Tom lived in Cressona, Pa and welcomed their first child. Tom enlisted in the US Air Force and
the family moved to Rantoul (about an hours drive from where her ancestors lived in McLean Co) and where they had their second child, then to Summerfield, Illinois, where they spent about 6 years. Opportunity knocked and
they moved to Virginia Beach, Va where Tom worked for Douglas Aircraft Co on
contract to the US Navy. While living in
Virginia Beach, Ann became a volunteer
tour docent at the historical Lynnhaven House c. 1725 for three years. After 7 years, the family moved one more time, to
Pittsburgh, Pa (just a two hours' drive from Bedford) where Tom worked for USAirways (now American Airlines) until his
retirement. Ann was a full time Mom until she began working briefly
for Hechingers as a cashier, two years at Ames Dept store and finally for almost
21 years as a receptionist for Dr Robert Hodes OD. Their children are:
6th Great Grandchildren of William
Amy
Melissa m. Cullen Matthew Flanders
Thomas
Ellsworth Jr m. Amanda Lee Schiller
Proofs
Birth and marriage certificates - not posted
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7th Great Grandchildren of William
Hannah
Cathryn Flanders m. Mitchell Edward Miles
Ethan
Robert Flanders
Dylan Thomas
Flanders
Nathan
Thomas Sinton
Emily Kaye Sinton
Luke Ryan Sinton
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