BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
OF ALEXANDER SACKETT.

Alexander Sacket was born April 23, 1808, on what is known as the old Sackett farm two miles south west of Bellbrook. He was the son of Cyrus, and Nancy Sackett; and was the youngest of a family of nine children.

Alexander was born and raised in the hewed log house, mentioned in the history of the Sackett farm, in last week’s issue. He lived here until his marriage, to Isabella Preston, when he moved into the house now occupied by James Taylor, where he lived the remainder of his life. His wife, Isabella, died about the year 1848.

Mr. Sackett was again married to Mary Brewster, July 14, 1849.

He united with the Sugar Creek Christian church when a young man, and remained a member there, until a few years before his death, when he withdrew his membership from that church, and joined the Regular O.S. Baptist Church.

Mr. Sackett was born and raised, and spent his entire life on the old Sackett farm, which has lately been sold to Jacob Carey.
The subject of this sketch departed this life, April 10, 1893, at the age of 84 years, and was laid to rest in the Carmon cemetery south of Bellbrook.

Alexander was the son of Cyrus (1764-1846) and Nancy Ann (Stapleton/Stableton) (1767-1855) Sackett. Cyrus was born in Connecticut or Pennsylvania and Nancy was born in Pennsylvania or Maryland. Cyrus was a son of Reuben (1732-1803) and Mercy (Finney) Sackett of Hebron, Tolland County, Connecticut, and Nancy Ann was the daughter of Joseph (1742-1784) and Sarah (Lewis) Stapleton (1744- ) of Baltimore, Maryland. The were married in Bourbon County, Kentucky on June 10, 1792, and moved to Greene County (south of Bellbrook) in Oct 1799, where they purchased 150-160 acres for 2 dollars an acre.

Cyrus entered the Revolutionary War when he was about 18. He was released from duty subject to being recalled if needed. While returning home on foot he was arrested on suspicion of being a deserter, but was soon released. He remained in Connecticut with his father until he was over 21 years old, then went west to the “Redstone” region of Pennsylvania for a time and later moved to Kentucky. He may have lived with Colonel John Smith, who was noted as a frontiersman and one of the first to explore the Kentucky area around Hardin County. He joined the army of General Arthur St. Clair and fought in the battle against the Miami chief, Little Turtle, when the Kentucky army was defeated on November 4, 1791. “Mr. Sackett ran for a distance of nine miles expecting all the time to fall into the hands of the merciless red men. He halted once into an open glade and seeing his pursuers were gaining on them and greatly fatigued, he took his knife out from his belt and cut his blanket loose from his body, leaving it with all the food he had left, a hard dry cake and ran with renewed vigor until out of reach of the savages. He, with his weary companions reached Fort Jefferson about dark on that fatal day. He returned with the rest of the disappointed army to Fort Washington from whence they had set out, and thence back to Kentucky.”

He was among the pioneers of Greene County, and after clearing land near a spring, raised a tent made from blankets for the sides and the bed of his wagon as the roof. They lived here keeping out wild animals until he could build a cabin. They raised hogs, corn, and wheat, selling the proceeds at the market in Cincinnati and having his grain milled into flour and corn meal. It has been stated that the deed for the property was signed by President Thomas Jefferson on March 6, 1806, and was written on a piece of soft animal skin.

Cyrus was a member of the Regular (Old-Style) Baptists and attended the Primitive Baptist Church (in 2004 called Fairview Baptist Church) located about 1 mile south of Bellbrook. Before he died he joined the Sugar Creek (Owen’s) Christian Church, but was buried with his wife in the Baptist Cemetery at Bellbrook.
Cyrus and Nancy had the following children:

Joseph (1794-1838/46), married Ann Vandolah/Vandolar (1805-1849). They lived near St. Mary’s, Mercer
County, Ohio, and 5 children are known;
Sarah (1795-1872), married Benjamin Hand (-1841). The lived in Greene and Miami Counties, and 4
children are known;
Mercy (1797-1859), married Charles Weaver Thomas. 1 child is known; [see below]
Reuben (1798- ), he is the last child born in Bourbon County, Kentucky;
Samuel (1799-1856), born in Greene County, married first to Isabella Moore (~1800-1836) with 6 children
known, and second to Julia Ann Heath with 13 known children. They lived in Adams County,
Indiana;
Anna Vandolar (1801-1881), married Merritt Hoblit (1800-1877) with 12 children known. They lived in
Greene County;
Cyrus (1803->1846), married Nancy Jeffries;
Aner/Anne (1807-1876), married Preston Pogue (1818-1905) with 7 children known. They lived in Greene
County and Miami County;
Alexander was married first to Isabella Preston (1814-1847) and their known children were:

Martha, born ca 1835 in Ohio;
Sarah, born ca 1835 in Ohio;
Cyrus, born ca 1838 in Ohio;
Mary, born ca 1840 in Ohio;
Emily, born ca 1841 in Ohio;
Isabella, born ca 1842 in Ohio.

His second wife, Mary Brewster (1815-1895) and he were the parents of:

Emily, born ca 1850 in Ohio;
Lois Ellen (1851-1905), married Mahlon Rooks (~1845- ), son of William (~1810) and Eliza (~1811-) who
had 2 children;
Samuel B. (~1855- ), married Laura A. Sears (1859- ), daughter of Robert G. (1833-1910) and Eunice A.
(Anderson) (1840-1921) Sears. They had one child.
Alexander (1860-1866).