Ich erhielt eine Email von einem deutschen Freund lebt heute in Estland. Er hat vor kurzem einige sehr alte Briefe erhielt. Sie wurden zwischen 1870-1903 geschrieben. Sie wurden von einem Mann mit dem Nachnamen Nock unterzeichnet. Mein Freund wuchs in Estland, und weiß nicht, die deutsche Sprache gut. Er braucht jemanden, sie zu übersetzen. Wenn eines unserer deutschen Freunde in dieser Gruppe können uns mit diesem Problem zu helfen, schicken Sie mir bitte eine Nachricht. Danke.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,300 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

November 23, 2012

Nock Family Heritage Update

We at Nock Family Heritage are continually learning new facts about the history of the Extended Nock Family. I would like to update you on some of what we’ve learned over the last year. I want to first emphasize that it would be very difficult to find historical facts and information without the help of some very nice people along the way. These folks really have nothing to gain by helping us. They have chosen to help us out of the kindness of their hearts, and their love for their families. I want to acknowledge our appreciation for their continued assistance in our effort to learn all that we can about our Nock Family Heritage.

In the early days of Nock Family Heritage, it seemed that Nock history in the America revolved around Accomack County, Virginia as the ancestral home of Nocks in this country. The question is, two years later, has any of that changed. Well, the answer would have to be yes. History still seems to show that most Nocks in America have roots that go back to Accomack County, Virginia. That same history still shows that the Nocks in Virginia began with William Nock, who immigrated from England in the mid 1600’s. If you study census records going back to the early 1800’s, the overwhelming majority of Nocks in America were living in Virginia. So our opinion here at Nock Family Heritage remains the same regarding the significance of the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the history of Nocks in America.

Do all Nocks in the US trace their roots back to Virginia, certainly not. We’ve spent some time a few months ago profiling Thomas Nock of Dover, New Hampshire. He also arrived in America from England in the mid 1600’s. Am I prepared to say that his arrival preceded that of William Nock of Virginia, not yet! But, he did arrive here very early as well. There was one thing that I found interesting in studying the Last Will and Testaments of some of the early Nocks. Those in New England would leave behind land and personal property to their families. The same was done in Virginia, but would also include the disposition of slaves as well. This was a reminder of some of the divisions between the north and south of this country at the time. Let me now get back on track. I have learned quite a bit about Nocks who are descended from Thomas Nock of New Hampshire. As a matter of fact, I recently met one of those descendants who presently lives in the same area of New Hampshire settled by Thomas Nock.

I recently met a descendant of Edward Nock, who came to America from Strattfordshire, England and settled in Pennsylvania in the 1830’s. Many of his descendants are scattered throughout the Midwest. There are a significant number of Caucasian Nocks in Ohio. The assumption now is that most of them may have descendant from Edward Nock. There were also Nocks from Germany who settled in the Midwest around this time, and some of their descendants remain there today.

Speaking of Germany, we have come in contact with a number of Nocks from other European countries, such as France, Switzerland, Poland, as well as Germany. We have a number of members of Nock Family Heritage from these countries. I’m amazed at how many followers of our website are Europeans . We really appreciate their interest and support.

Now let’s move to some of the history of African American Nocks. A large percentage of them are descended from slaves who were owned by the Nock families in Accomack, Virginia. Though most Africans who came to America in the 17^th and 18^th centuries did begin as slaves, a significant number of them were freed by their masters at some point, or purchased their own freedom. By the 18^th century you had as much as 40-50% of ‘’Negro’s in Accomack Virginia were free. These percentages were always smaller in Northampton County. I don’t believe that any African Americans who’s family descended from the Virginia Shore should assume that they descended only from slaves. With some investigation, they may find that this may not be the case. I think it’s also important to make another point here. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries in particular, people would sometimes adopt the last name of prominent families in there community. For example, a Caucasian man of meager means might change his last name to that of a prominent family that is respected in the area in which he lives. There may have been African Americans with the last name of Nock, who are descended from free blacks. But somewhere along the line, someone in there family may have taken the name Nock. This is probably not true for most African Americans, but may be true for some. When looking at patterns of migration, African Americans were pretty clear on where they wanted to go when leaving the Virginia Shore. They overwhelmingly went right up the Eastern Seaboard. Most live in the Mid Atlantic, and other points north.

I hope that the above information is helpful to you. As we go forward, we will provide updates like this one from time to time. There is much information still to learn. If any of you have information that can help us in our efforts, please don’t hesitate to contact us through Nock Family Heritage, or email us at makiratwo@gmail.com.

-Damon Nock

Descendants of Thomas Nock , 1617 – 1666: Nock, Nocks, and Knox Families

Second Generation

3. Sylvanus Nock (Thomas ) was born in 1656 in Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire. He died on 14 Jul 1716 in Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire. He was buried in Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire.

Sylvanus was apprenticed to John Hall. Jr., a tavern keeper, in 1676, in Dover.

SOURCE: Text: Henry Tibbetts of Dover, NH and Some of his Descendants”, compiled by May Tibbetts Jarvis of San Diego, CA; published by New England Genealogical Historic Record.

SILVANUS NOCK (WILL) 1716 DOVER
In the Name of God amen. I Silvanus Nock senior of the Town of Dover in the Province of Newhampshire being sick and weak of body * * *
Imprimis I Give and bequeath unto Easter my well beloved wife one third part of my improved lands belonging to my home-stead to be improved by her during her Widowhood and also the improvement of one Sixth part of my Sawmill so long as she remains a widow and also the lower Room in my dwelling house and one third part of my barn during her widowhood as aforesaid in like manner one third part of all the moveables excepting the bed which shall be wholly at her dispose together with the bedding belonging to it
Item I give to my eldest Son Silvanus Nock all my home place with all the Housing and lands belonging to it viz two thirds of all my home place as house and barn and lands thereto belonging (not disposed of to his mother) immediately after my decease; and at his mothers marriage or decease the whole to be his and I do also give unto him all my land and marsh at birch point and also half my right and interest in the sawmill with the priveledges thereto belonging as also all my other estate both Reall and personall which shall not be otherwise disposed of in this my will and I do constitute and appoint him my said Son Silvanus Nock to be the Sole executor of this my last will obliging him to pay all my honest debts and funerall charges, and he is to receive all the debts due to me
Item I give unto my Son Thomas Nock twentie five acres of land lying in the Town of Barwick in the province of Massachusetts bay, adjoyning to loves brook
Item I give unto my Son James Nock the other part of my lands adjoyning to loves brook as aforesaid being about twentie five acres adjoyning to that which I have here given to my Son Thomas Nock.
Item I give unto my Son Zechariah Nock twentie acres of land adjoyning to the brook at holmes bridge as also the other half of my right and interest in the Sawmill with the priveledges appertaining to it excepting only his mother’s improvement of a third during her widowhood
Item I give unto my abovesaid Sons Thomas Nock and James Nock my old Sawmill equally between y(m) with the priveledges belonging to it and liberty of rebuilding it at Quomphegen the place where it now stands and near to the other Sawmill here disposed of in part
Item I give unto my Sons Silvanus Thomas and Zechariah Nock all my Quick stock to be divided equally between them only my wife shall improve one third of it During her widowhood
Item I give unto my Daughters Elizabeth and Sarah Nock twentie shillings a piece to be paid by my Executor within two years after my decease
And I do hereby revoke and disanull all other and former wills made by me and do ratifie and confirm this to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I the Said Silvanus Nock sen: have hereunto set my hand and seal this Seaventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seaven hundred and sixteen and in the second year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord George by the grace of God of great Brittain &c King defender of the Faith
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the Said Silvanus Nock to be his last will and Testament
In presence of: Thomas Tebbets Sen ; Samue(ll) Tebbets ; Matthew Short
Proved Feb. 13, 1716/17.
[Inventory, July 14, 1716; amount, 252.0.6 pounds; signed Thomas Tibbetts, Samuel Tibbetts, and Hatevil Roberts.]
by
[Bond of Silvanus Nock, with Thomas Tibbetts and Smauel Tibbetts, yeomen, as sureties, all of Dover, in the sum of 500 pounds, Feb. 13, 1716/17, for the administration of the estate; witness, Richard Gerrish, Jr.]

Sylvanus married (1) Elizabeth Emery daughter of James Emery and Elizabeth on 20 Apr 1677 in Kittery, York County, Maine. Elizabeth was born in 1657 in Kittery, York County, Maine. She died on 6 Jun 1704 in Kittery, York County, Maine. She was buried in Kittery, York County, Maine.