»j"VT*5ti:X. Tr-^'^T^"i> "•" g" >\'vi'.^"-—.m..-'^:fr.-^^iim'-.w.^T^ <J \ ORIGIN, HISTORY and GENEALOGY -OF- THE BUCK FAMILY, INCLUDING A BRIEF NARRATIVE OF THE EARLIEST EMIGRATION TO AND SETTLEMENT OF ITS BRANCHES IN AMERICA, AND A COMPLETE TRACING OF EVERY LINEAL DESCENDANT OF JAMES BUCK AND ELIZABETH SHERMAN, HIS WIFE. -BY- T^ CORNELIUS B. HARVEY, Esq., Counsellor- at-Law. 1889: J. J. Griffiths, Steam Book and Job Printer. Jersey City, N. J. "Y^; Entered according to Act of Congress in tte year 1889 by COENELIUS B. HARVEY, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. •• • . • I • -. t • mc * * •• ••• • • • • t • « • • « • • s * r w • ' ' • PEEFACE. Two of the objects which the following work was originally in tended to accomplish were : (1). To show something concerning the ]?arentage, birth-place and early life of the brothers Emanuel and Henry Buck, and (2), To show a perfect tracing of every one of their lineal descendants, down to the present time. After a patient and careful examination of the early New England town and State records, and a laborious correspondence with those in charge at the various sources of record information in England, I reached tbe conclusion that the first mentioned object could only be attained, if at all, by an extended personal examination of the records in Eng- land, a work necessarily involving much more time and expense than I could devote to it. I was therefore reluctantly compelled to abandon an object, the attainment of which, would have been of great interest to the reader. Nor was I long in ascertaining that the accomplishment of the second object, would require at least twenty years of labor, in col- lecting and arranging the necessary data, and the publication of several volumes. Tlie impracticability of such an undertaking, soon led me to abandon it. As it is, this work, like every other genealogical work, contains many errors and important omissions. I have made some, and the copyist and printer are each guilty of some. Many more must be attributed to the hundreds of correspondents who have contribvited to the subject matter. Records in family bibles, fre- quently disagree with epitaphs,—particularly in the matter of dates, —and the peculiar chirograph}' of the early civil and religious record makers, are great impediments to accuracy. Besides, the nu- merous changes in the way of births, marriages, deaths and remov- als, which have taken place since the spring of 1887, when the la- bor of collecting data was broken off, are not noted. It is custo- mary, in works of this kind, to interlard them with portraits of the wealth}' and more or less distinguished members of the family. My experience has been, that few people care f(n' an album in such a shape. Such a course, usually creates jealousy in the minds of some, and places the cost of the book beyond the reach of a great many. For these reasons I concluded not to adopt such a course. There are a few instances m the tracing of the descendants of James Buck and Elizabetli Sherman wliere I have baen unable to fill in all the links. Such instances are owintj;- to the refusal of certain per- sons to answer \nquiries, for reasfins best known to themselves, and, where they occur, the reasons are stated. Where the matter has been furnished me concerning tlje lives and characters of in- dividuals, I have inserted it in a condenced form. To many per- sons, family origin and lineage, are matters unworthy of con- sideration. This is a mistake. I fully believe that respecta- " bility of origin, adds lustre to fame,—that the glory of children are their fathers." No reasonable man or woman should be insen- sible to the of an honorable and descent if value origin ; especially, to the chance of earthly fame, there be added the blessed memory of the just. Although the present generation may not appreciate the labor bestowed upon this work, I am confident in the hope, that future generations will dechire it not to have been in vain. To whatever of interest or value the readers of this book may find, they will be largely indebted to the following individuals : — Kev. N. J. Prof. S. Turrill Charles D. Buck, Middletown, ; Merwin and Carter counsellor at O. Eoswell R. Gazley, law, Cincinnati, ; N. Y. Mrs. Sarah D. Rome N. Buck, Esq., Bufialo, ; Wheat, Ridge, Y.; Sherman P. Sedgwick, M. D., Wheaton, Ills.; Minot S. Gid- Conn. Miss Sarah E. Mr. John S. dings, Esq., Bridgeport, ; Allen, Turrell and Mrs. Rebecca Buck, New Milford, Conn. ;' Mrs, Hattie O. Vail, Vincennes, Ind.; James B. Matson, Esq., Cincinnati, ; Sey- mour Buck, Savona, N. Y.; Isaac S. Ford, Arlington, Rush Co., Ind.; Asaph Buck, Keokuk, Iowa, and many others, whose names appear in the work. Closter, N. J., March 15, 1889. C. B. HARVEY. THE BUCK F/^MILY. ORIGIN OF THE SURNAME. The surname Buck, like nearly every other extant surname, has been variously written, by those who have borne it in past ages. From numerous histories, chronicles, books of travel, biographies, public and private records, documents, grave stones, &c., the follow- ing versions have been gleaned : Boc, Boch, Boclie, Bock, Bocke, Bok,- Boke, Book, Booke, Bouc, Bouck, Boucq, Bouk, Bouke, Buc, Buce, Buci, Bucl), Bache, Buck, Bucke, Buk, Bake, and Bucq, T)ie first six of these, are confined to Germans, or their descend- ants, and do not appear of record before tlie fifteenth century, while fifteen of the remaining seventeen, are either variations or corrup- tions of Ijhc or Buck. Antiquarians disagree as to when surnames were first used by mankind. It is asserted that they were unknown to the ancients. " But one of the prophets declares Another shall subscribe with his " hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel."— (Isaiah 44-5). There are otlier passages in the Old Testament, in- dicating that the ancients were not without the idea of surnames. In the early state of the Greeks, Romans, Persians, Egyptians, Jews, Gauls and Britons, no individual bore more than one name. The Romans, however, after they had divided into tribes and become numerous and powerful, ado]ited ap]iarently for the convenience of identification, three names. But the custom was confined to the nobilitv, and to those who had obtained Avealth or distinction. The Saxons appear to liave been the first of the nations of Northern Europe to use surnames, and to have introduced the custom into Gaul, as early as the fifth century, where, stimulated by chivalry and fudalism, it took root and spread rapidly, being confined, however, to the nobility. The Norman barons, all of whom bore the dignity of surnames, introduced the custom into England, where it was at once adopted by all orders of the people. It is a fact Avorthy of consideration, that the great body of surnames which had been con- ferred on or assumed bj the nobility, before, or at the time of the Conquest, may with comparative ease be traced to their origin. On the other hand, one of the most difficult tasks the genealogist can attempt, is to trace to its origin, any one of those surnames which were adopted by the common people after the Conquest. The reason lies in the fact, that, from the fall of the Eoman Empire to the Conquest, the good and bad deeds of the royalty and the no- bility—(who alone bore surnames) —were ^perpetuated, not only by song, legend and tradition, but by historians, chroniclers and men of letters, and thus these surnames have, by the assistance of memory and the potent and natural influence of kinship, been pre- served through many centuries. While the common people, who were rarelly mentioned, except collectively, bore surnames for several generations, with no other agencies of perpetuation, than memory and tradition. For example, the surnames Lovell, Bruce, Percy, Bucl% Harvey and a host of others, may be traced centuries back of tlie Conquest. Among the early sources prolific of surnames, were animals,— principally those Avhicli wei'e the objects of the chase,—^and their " " characteristics. By prefixing the definite article le to the name of an animal, a surname was formed whicli in its primary applica- tion was a sobriquet, allusive, either to the characteristic qualities of the person, to some incident of his life, or to some figure upon his standard or shield. Thus, persons possessed of the rapacity of the wolf, the cunning of the fox, or the strength of the ox, &c., re- ceived such names as le Wolf, le Fox, le Stere, &c. The records of medieval times are sprinkled with sucili surnames. The surname Le Buc (Buck), is one of this class of names, and is allusive to the male of the animal known as the fallow deer, or to some of his characteristics. About A. D. 640, the Franks, a warlike people, originally inhabit- ing Franconia, in Germany, under their leader Pharamond set-tied in that part of Gaul, afterwards known as Flanders. Two centuries later, a considerable portion of Flanders was governed by a tyrant named Phinart. This was in the reign over France, of Clothaire 11. of the Merovingian dynasty. For many years, a bloody and unceasing struggle for supremacy between the Franks and other tribes, had been going on. Clothaire II. died A. D. 628, and was succeeded by his son Dagobert I. This monarch began a reign which may be regarded as the of the the culminating point Merovingian dynasty ; for, by it, Franks acquired a decided preponderance among the western nations.