Stockett
Friction between King Charles I of England and England's Parliament resulted in a civil war from 1642-1646. The wars
re-ignited between April and November of 1648. Some of the cause that led up to this unrest were from religious preferences, differences in opinions of alliances, lack of money from war, and other warring conflicts with other countries.
King Charles sent his family to France in January 1642. His wife, Henrietta Maria, was sister of King Louis XIII of France. On August 22, 1642, civil war broke out. The Parliamentary forces and the King's forces clashed, and families were divided by their loyalties. The result was the abolishment of the monarchy. King Charles I was tried, found guilty, and beheaded on January 30, 1649. England then became a dictatorship under Oliver Cromwell. In 1660, the people had had enough, and the government was overthrown. A new Parliament was elected, and the monarchy was restored under Prince Charles Stuart (King
Charles II), son of Charles I.
It was at this time of England's unrest that we find the Stockett family in turmoil as well. They swore allegiance to Charles II. The following account is found concerning the Stocketts in "To Maryland From Overseas": "The elder of the four Stockett brothers who settled in Maryland after their exile in France with Charles II is listed in the "Visitation of Kent" which carried the lineage to an ancestor to the time of Elizabeth who served at her court as
"Surveyor of the Works."
The Stocketts were of the Church of England, loyal to King Charles. After the King's defeat at Worcester in 1651, the Stockett brothers gathered what they could from the wreck of their property and came to Maryland. Four brothers, Lewis, Thomas, Francis, and Henry, sons of Thomas and Frances Aylworth Stockett came to the province and obtained grants for their portions of land.
They were in the public eye, all holding political positions in the new land. Dr. Francis
Stockett was appointed Clerk for the Court of Baltimore in 1658. He was in the Assembly of Delegates at St.
Marie's in 1658-59. Captain Thomas Stockett was in the Assembly from 1661-66. He was also a judge of the county courts until 1668, when he was appointed High Sheriff of Anne Arundel County. Lewis Stockett was commissioned in Baltimore County as Colonel and Commander-in-chief of all the forces of that county, from 1636-1667. Henry Stockett also served as a judge of the county courts.
The following is a quote taken from "Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties", spoken by Joseph Tilley, the Clerk of All Hallows Parish in Anne Arundel County:
"About or in ye year of ye Lord 1667 or 8, I became acquainted
with four gents ye were brothers, and then dwellers here in Maryland.
The elder of them went by the name Colonel Lewis Stockett: ye second
by the name of Captain Thomas Stockett ; ye third was Doctor
Francis Stockett, and ye fourth brother was Mr. Henry
Stockett.
"These men were but newly seated or seating in Anne
Arundel
County, and they had much business with Lord Baltimore, then
ppetr
of ye Province.
"My house standing convenient, they were often entertained there.
"They told me they were Kentish men, or men of Kent, and yet
they were concerned for King Charles, ye First: were out of favor with
ye following government, they mortgaged a good estate to follow King
Charles, the Second, in his exile, and at their return, they had not money
to redeem their mortgage, which was ye cause of their coming hither.--
(Signed.) JOSEPH TILLY."
Captain Thomas Stockett married Mary Wells, daughter of Richard Wells, who was prominent in the Puritan colony of Virginia. Richard Wells was one of the commissioners appointed as representative of Parliament in 1654. He was also a Justice of the Peace, and owned a sizeable estate.
Captain Thomas and Mary had one son, Thomas, and four daughters. After the death of the Captain in 1671, Mary remarried George Yate. References to Captain Thomas Stockett can be found in various records located at the Maryland Archives. *
Sources: Anne Arundel Gentry, Vol. 2; Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties; Maryland From Overseas; British Roots of Maryland Families; a book on the history of England
picture: Anna Leone Knapp