Jacob Nokes
Jacob Nokes was the sixth child of John and Clement Nokes. He was born in 1778, most likely in New York around Lake Champlain. Jacob came with his family to Swanton, Vermont, in 17871. He was in Highgate, Vermont, in 1802 according to a town record and married Mary Fuller (born 1784 in Connecticut) before 1805 when their first child was born. He is listed in the Swanton town records from 1803-1821. From 1824-1826, he is listed as paying taxes in Highgate.
In 1809, Joseph Summerix deeded land to Jacob in Swanton, Vermont.
Although not listed as an heir in John Nokes' will prepared in 18102, Jacob is listed as a claimant and received $14.00 for a note in 1820 when the will's distribution was made.
We can trace Jacob Nokes primarily through census records where he migrated from Swanton, Vermont, through upper New York to Brown County, Illinois. He and Mary had the following children:
Anna, born about 1805, who married Robert Niles Austin
William, born January 27, 1807, who married Almina Twombly
John, born March 20, 1809, who married Hannah Twombly
Jacob, born about 1811, who married Rena Moody and Mary
George, born April 30, 1814, who married Elizabeth Twombly
Sarah, born about 1816, who married John F. Whitney
Leonard, born June 23, 1820, who married Harriet Kelly and Mary Ann Morhouse
Rufus James, born March 28, 1827
Jacob Noaks is listed in the 1820 Vermont census as living in Swanton:
3 Free White Males under 10 - Jacob (9); George (6); Leonard (months)
2 " 10 - 16 - William (13); John (11)
1 " 45+ - Jacob ? (42)
1 FW Females 10 - 16 - Anna(15)
1 " 26 - 45 - Mary (36)
1 " 45+ - Clement ? (68)
[Where is Sarah who was presumably born in 1816?]
Simon Pilot (Simon Peliotes Nokes?) is the second name listed under Jacob followed by William Noaks, both brothers of Jacob's.
Jacob Noaks was on the 1824 tax list for Highgate with 2 oxen and 2 cows ($36).
Jacob Nokes was on the 1826 tax list for Highgate, VT. He was taxed for 2 oxen and four cows ($18).
Sometime before 1827, Jacob and his family moved across Lake Champlain to upper New York State. Jacob Nokes is listed in the 1830 New York federal census as living in Duane Township, Franklin County (page 38) and the birth record for his last son, Rufus James, shows his birth to be in Franklin County, New York, in 1827.
1 male 50-60, (Jacob, 52)
1 female 40-50 (Mary, 46)
1 male under 5 (Rufus James, 3)
1 male 10-15 (Leonard, 10)
1 male 30-40 (?)
1 female 5-10 (Hannah, 6
1 female 10-15 (Sarah, 14)
In the 1840 New York census, Jacob Sr. and his family are living in Jay Township, Essex County and several of his sons' families (Jacob, Jr., John and George) are living in Duane Township, Franklin County in New York. Samuel Twombly is also living in Duane Township - these entries are all in a row so they may have been neighbors. Jacob's entry reads:
Jacob Nokes [Sr. as a Jr. is also listed separately], Essex County, Jay Township, page 56
1 M 10-15 (Rufus James, age 13)
1 M 15-20 (Leonard, age 20)
1 M 50-60 (Jacob, age 62?)
1 F 60-70 (Mary, age 56?)
We believe Jacob moved to Illinois between 1840 and 1842 with his wife and some of his family (William, John, George, and Rufus). His son, William may have been in Brown County, Illinois, as early as 1839 (a son, William Niles, was born in October 1839 in Illinois). Also leading to the date of the move, John, Jacob's son, is said to have lived in Illinois for 45 years on his death record filed in Brown County in 1885. It is likely that Anna Nokes who married Robert Niles Austin stayed in Swanton with her husband and family as did Sarah Nokes who married John F. Whitney. Leonard stayed in Franklin County, NY near Harrietstown and Jacob, Jr., apparently settled in Ohio.
Jacob Nokes died March 1, 1844 in Lee Township, Brown County, Illinois. He is buried in the Cleaves Cemetery there along with his wife, Mary Fuller Nokes. His marker reads �Jacob Nokes, March 1, 1844, aged 66 years� and Mary�s reads �Mary, wife of J. Nokes, 1857, aged 73 years�3.
Source Notes
1. Ledoux, Rodney R., The History of Swanton Vermont, The Swanton Historical Society, Inc., 1988, page 28.
2. Franklin County Probate Records, Estate of John Nokes, will prepared on June 25, 1810 and proved in Swanton, VT, on May 7, 1819, Pages 308-315.
3. The Brown County Board of the Schuyler Brown Historical and Genealogical Society, Cemeteries of Brown County, Illinois, 1825-1972, 1975, page 95.