Sarah Abernathy Rockett
In Lincoln Co, NC on 11 Jan 1787 a marriage bond is recorded for a John Rockett and a Sarah Abernathy, bondsman Smith Abernathy. John Rockett was apparently a son of Richard Rockett and Mary or May Abernathy. Sarah Abernathy is reported to be either the dau of Robert Abernathy (1719-1772) and Sarah Abernathy or James Abernathy (c.1740/8-1785) and Elizabeth Cox. Both couples had a daughter named Sarah, both born sometime in the 1760's. And therein lies the rub: WHICH set of parents did the Sarah who married John Rockett in 1787 REALLY belong to?
Robert's will identifies Smith Abernathy, Nathan Abernathy and Sarah Abernathy as his children. This will was witnessed by John Rockett and James Abernathy. Delayed probate finally occured after 1779. And before the marriage of Sarah to John Rockett. Witnesses John Rockett and James Abernathy would presumably be neighbors to Robert and Sarah Abernathy.
To the best of my knowledge, James did not have a son named Smith or a son named Nathan. But I do not have a will for this James Abernathy.
The 1994 work of Arvord M. Abernathy includes conflicting information on Sarah. On p. 72 and p. 79 Sarah daughter of James Abernathy and Elizabeth Cox is identified as the wife of John Rockett. On p. p. 57 Sarah daughter of Robert Aberbnathy and Sarah Abernathy is identified as marrying 1st John Grouse (or Grose/Gross) and then John Rockett. On p. 115 she is identified as marrying John Grouse Jr on 15 Dec 1808, a date that is well after the earlier marriage between a John Rocket and a Sarah Abernathy. Bynum's Marriage Bonds of Tryon and Lincoln Counties North Carolina" identifies that 15 Dec 1808 marriage as being between a Sarah Abernathy (bondsman Nathan Abernathy) and a Henry Grose Jr, not John. There is no record in Bynum's compilation for a marriage between a John Grouse and a Sarah Abernathy. There is no Sarah Grouse/Grose/Gross identified on _any_ marriage bond found in Bynum's work.
The Rockett Abernathy Genealogy by Robert L. Gatewood (p. 18) states that Sarah was "probably" a dau of James and Elizabeth. Gatewood also shows that John's sister, Sarah, married James Abernathy who is identified (elsewhere) as a son of James Abernathy and Elizabeth Cox. John's brother Richard married 15 Sep 1789 in Lincoln Co, NC (bondsman John Abernathy) to Eleanor Abernathy, who is identified elsewhere as a daughter of James Abernathy and Elizabeth Cox. It is not outside the realm of possibility that the Sarah who married John Rockett could indeed have been a daughter of James and Elizabeth.
The burning question is: WHO are Sarah Abernathy Rockett's parents???
Anyone?