Family Genealogy

Throughout the years the name has been spelled Faucett, Fausett, Fossit, Fawset, as well as Faucette, and the spelling changes in modern times depending on geographical location.

According to various sources, the name is French, with my ancestors being French Huguenots. With the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and the resulting persecution of Protestants in France, my ancestors fled to Ireland where they remained for several generations before moving on to the New World. The earliest Faucette I have found on this continent lived in Jamestown, Virginia, in the 1620s.

In March, 1998, I published a book tracing the descendants of one set of my third great grandparents, William E. Faucett (1798-1873) and Elizabeth Wallis (1805-1860). The book was published by the State University of West Georgia Press. I donated copies to the State Library of North Carolina, May Memorial Library in Burlington, North Carolina, the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough, North Carolina, the Blossom Library in Blossom, Texas, the Red River County Public Library in Clarksville, Texas, and the State Library of Texas. I also donated a copy to the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

If you would like to read the most recent version of the manuscript. I have made the book available here for download as an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file. I have broken the book into parts:

William E. Faucett was born in 1798, presumably in Orange County, North Carolina, and died in 1873 in Alamance County, North Carolina. His wife, Elizabeth Wallis (or Wallace) (1805-1860), was the daughter of Miles Wallis and Mary (Polly) Freeman.

In March, 2001, after seven years of searching, I found that William E. Faucett is the illegitimate son of Elizabeth McAdams, daughter of Revolutionary War patriot Hugh McAdams, and one of the four sons of Thomas Faucett and Deborah Underwood, most probably Edward Faucett or William Faucett. Thomas Faucett lived on 400 acres in what is now eastern Alamance County, North Carolina, which he inherited from his father, Robert Faucett, in 1786. Thomas Faucett died in 1788 and in 1807 his land was divided almost equally between in four sons: Edward Faucett, George Faucett, William Faucett, and John Faucett.

My conclusion on the parentage of William E. Faucett was based (among other things) on the following record in the Court Minutes of Orange County, North Carolina, dated August 27, 1801:

Wm Fossett a natural born son of Elizabeth McCaddams of the age of three years the 2nd day of this present August is bound to Hugh McCaddams to learn the art of farming.

and this record in the Court Minutes of Orange County, North Carolina, dated May 29, 1806:

Ordered that William McCaddams son of Elizabeth McCaddams now seven years old on this 2nd August last be bound to [William is struck through here] Edward Fossett until he arrive to lawful age to learn the art & mastery of a farmer.

My great great grandfather, William Franklin Faucette, and three of his brothers served their country during the Civil War, three of them serving in Company E, 13th North Carolina Infantry, and the fourth serving in Company G, 32nd Texas Cavalry. William F. Faucette, color sergeant of his regiment, was shot in the arm with which he bore the colors on July 1, 1863, on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. He was captured and the arm was amputated. After the war, "One-Arm Bill" farmed on land left to his wife by her father, Frederick Blanchard. He died of a heart attack in 1902 at a corn shucking. His casket was drawn in a black hearse by six white horses in a full military funeral. His heroism during the Battle of Gettysburg is documented for posterity in the book Reminiscences of the Civil War, by General John B. Gordon, C.S.A.:

At Big Falls, North Carolina, there lived in 1897 a one-armed soldier whose heroism will be cited by orators and poets as long as heroism is cherished by men. He was a color-bearer of his regiment, the Thirteenth North Carolina. In a charge during the first day's battle at Gettysburg, his right arm, with which he bore the colors, was shivered and almost torn from its socket. Without halting or hesitating, he seized the falling flag in his left hand, and, with his blood spouting from the severed arteries and his right arm dangling in shreds at his side, he still rushed to the front, shouting to his comrades: "Forward, forward!" The name of that modest and gallant soldier is W. F. Faucette.

As you can see, I spend quite a bit of time in the National Archives Southeast Region in East Point, Georgia; at the Georgia State Archives and North Carolina State Archives; and in court houses in Graham and Hillsborough, North Carolina.

I'm a member of the Alamance County Genealogical Society and a subscriber to a large number of genealogical mailing lists. I also regularly visit North Carolina GenWeb and Texas GenWeb, genealogical message boards on The Web.

Immigrants

Here is a selected list of my known immigrant ancestors. A [P] indicates a paternal ancestor while a [M] indicates a maternal ancestor.

[P] John Wallis (abt 1734–1771)
My fifth great grandfather, born in Edinborough, Scotland. He died in Chowan County, North Carolina.
[M] James Greene (1626–1698)
My sixth great grandfather, born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. He died in Warwick, Conimicut County, Rhode Island. Interestingly, he is also the great grandfather of Major General Nathaniel Greene, RS.
[M] Robert Jarratt (abt 1625–1709)
My seventh great grandfather, born in London, England. He died in New Kent County, Virginia. During the English Civil War he was a soldier in the army of Robert Deveraux, third Earl of Essex. He immigrated to Virginia, and was a landed proprietor in New Kent County in 1665. He eventually owned about 1200 acres. His wife, named Mary, was born in Ireland. They had three children: Robert, Deveraux, and a daughter whose name is unknown, but who married Walter Clopton of New Kent County.
[M] Henry Wyche (1648–abt 1714)
My seventh great grandfather, born in Surrey County, England. He died in Surry County, Virginia. His great grandson, Lt. Col. George Wyche Jr., RS, my fourth great grandfather, served under Colonel William Few (1748–1828), later a Georgia signer of the United States Constitution, in the Revolutionary War. George Wyche Jr. was one of the Georgia Patriots outlawed by the Tory Government on July 6, 1780. He was listed as number 134 and this list is now cherished by the State of Georgia as a roll of honor.
[M] Henry Soane (1618–abt 1662)
My eighth great grandfather, born in 1618 in Brighton, Sussex, England He was christened on 17 Nov 1622 in Brighton, Sussex. He died about 1662 in James City Co., VA.. He married Judith Fuller on 17 Feb 1643 in Lewes, Sussex.
[M] William Basse (b. 1618)
My seventh great grandfather, born in London, Middlesex, England. He died in Norfolk, Virginia.
[M] John Anthony (1607–1675)
My seventh great grandfather, born in London, Middlesex, England. He came in the ship Hercules to New England, April 16, 1634, and settled at Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He was made freeman in 1641, and in 1642 sold fifty acres of land which had been granted him at Newport. In 1644 had land grant at Portsmouth. He was appointed, May 25, same year, by the Court of Commissioners "to keep a house of entertainment." He was Corporal, Commissioner, and Deputy, and was ancestor of Hon. Henry B. Anthony, Governor of Rhode Island and United States Senator. He died July 28, 1675.
[P] Thomas Wallace (abt 1690–aft 28 Oct 1750)
My sixth great grandfather, born in Scotland. He died in Chowan County, North Carolina.
[P] William Hinton (1670–1736)
My sixth great grandfather, born in Wiltshire, England. He came to North Carolina prior to 1710. He died in Chowan County, North Carolina.
[P] Marten Martenssen (abt 1606–1706)
My ninth great grandfather, born in Finland. He immigrated to Sweden and came from Sweden to America in 1654, His great grandson, John Morton (1724–1777), signer of the Declaration of Independence from Pennsylvania, is my sixth great grandfather.
[P] Colonel James Taylor (between 1615 and 1635–1698)
My seventh great grandfather, born in Carlisle, Lancaster, England. He immigrated to Bermuda in 1635. From him descend President James Madison, President Zachary Taylor, Colonel James Taylor (Knight of the Horse Shoe), Judge Edmund Pendleton, John Penn, signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Taylor of Carolina, General James Taylor of Kentucky, Admiral David Taylor, Admiral Hugh Rodman, Admiral Robert M. Berry. James Taylor died in Caroline County, Virginia.
[P] Captain John Gregory (1623–1678)
My eighth great grandfather, born "of Langton Co., Lincoln, England." He emigrated to Virginia prior to 1656, settled on the north side of the James River in Charles County, Virginia, and� was an officer in the Colonial Militia. He died in Rappahannock County, Virginia.
[P] William Leigh (1588–1652/53)
My ninth great grandfather, born in England. He died in James County, Virginia.
[P] Peter Rucker (1661–1743)
My seventh great grandfather, born in Bavaria, Germany. He settled in Virginia between 1690 and 1700. He died in Orange County, Virginia.
[P] Edward Fielding (b. bef 1640)
My eighth great grandfather, born in England. He died in Orange County, Virginia.
[P] William Herndon (1649–1722)
My eighth great grandfather, born in England. He died in King & Queen County, Virginia.
[P] Royal Governor Edward Digges (1619/1620–1675/1676)
My ninth great grandfather, born in Chilham Castle, County Kent, England. He immigrated to Virginia about 1650. By deed dated September 11, 1650, and confirmed by patent on May 6, 1651, he purchased from Captain John and Anne West a plantation containing 1250 acres in Hampton Parrish, York County. It was adjacent to the old Indian town of Chiskiack. Until June 1787, when William Digges sold the land, it continued to preserve its ancient limits. Edward Digges was appointed to the Council November 12, 1654, and he served as governor from March 30, 1656 to March 13, 1658, when he was sent to England as one of the agents of the Colony. He was sworn to the Council again April 19, 1670. Digges was a promoter of the manufacture of silk in the Colony and employed two Americans skilled in the business. He died in Bellfield, York County, Virginia.

Wills

Will of Benjamin Blanchard, 5 Jun 1719, Nansemond County, Virginia. My sixth great grandfather.

Will of Sarah Blanchard, 8 Mar 1782, Gates County, North Carolina. My fifth great grandmother.

Will of William Fosett, 28 Nov 1784, Orange County, North Carolina.

Will of Abselem Blanchard, 6 Dec 1784, Gates County, North Carolina. My fourth great grandfather.

Will of Robert Fosett, 3 May 1785, Orange County, North Carolina. My sixth great grandfather.

Will of Thomas Rice, 13 Apr 1800, Caswell County, North Carolina. My sixth great grandfather.

Will of Noah Cobb, 22 Nov 1808, Caswell County, North Carolina. My sixth great grandfather.

Will of Hugh McAdams, 13 Apr 1809, Orange County, North Carolina. My fifth great grandfather, he served in the Revolutionary War.

Will of Robert Blackwell, 28 Nov 1812, Caswell County, North Carolina. My fifth great grandfather, he served in the Revolutionary War.

Will of Zillah Blackwell, 15 Apr 1816, Caswell County, North Carolina. My fifth great grandmother.

Will of Gabriel Lea, 17 Nov 1826, Caswell County, North Carolina. My fourth great grandfather, he served in the Revolutionary War.

Will of Frederick Blanchard, 26 Nov 1851, Orange County, North Carolina. My third great grandfather.

Will of Elijah Morton, 21 Jan 1869, Caswell County, North Carolina. My third great grandfather

Will of William E. Faucett, 23 Mar 1873, Alamance County, North Carolina. My third great grandfather.

Will of Elender Blanchard, 3 May 1878, Alamance County, North Carolina. My third great grandmother.