Some Early Families of Washington County, Kentucky

from The Springfield Sun and other newspapers

The family name of Mock reaches back to the very earliest records of Washington County.  The first of the name here was Daniel Mock, Sr., who appears first in the records on September 5, 1793, the year in which the town of Springfield was established.

Daniel Mock, Sr., on the above mentioned date, purchased from Matthew Walton and Frances, his wife, 100 acres for 50 pounds, “current money in Kentucky”, described in Deed Book A, page 40, of the Washington County Court as being “on the waters of Cartwright’s Creek, an eastward fork commonly called Road Run”.

The writer has not established the occupation or trade of Daniel Mock, Sr., but it is probable that he was a gunsmith and possibly a blacksmith.  Two of his sons followed these trades and it is not unlikely that he was so engaged before them.

The first Mock home in Washington County was erected on the 100-acre tract acquired from the Waltons.  There, Daniel, Sr., his wife, Agnes, and their children lived for approximately 20 years.  On November 3, 1814, the Trustees of Springfield sold to Daniel Mock, Sr., for 5 shillings, Lot Number 4, located on the original plat of the town (See Deed Book C), on Main Street, where Hale’s Shoe Shop now stands.

Acquiring a lot in Springfield, the Mocks probably moved into the town late in 1814 or early in 1815.  They were living on Lot No. 4 in 1819, the year in which Daniel, Sr., and Agnes disposed of all their property in Washington County and moved from Kentucky to settle in Perry County, Indiana.  The deed, Daniel Mock and Agnes, his wife, to Larkin B. Smith, dated July 6, 1819, for Lot No. 4, states that it is “the lot on which Mock now lives”.

It is interesting to note that the lot in Springfield which cost Mock the paltry sum of 5 shillings (about 60 cents) in 1814, in 1819 brought him the sum of $2,000.  Not a bad investment!  He realized on this lot the same figure ($2,000) for which he sold to Robert Crouch on October 1, 1819, the 100 acres he acquired from Matthew Walton in 1793.

During the summer of 1819, Daniel, Sr., moved from Kentucky to Indiana.  He resided in Perry County, Indiana, until June, 1825, when he died.  His will, dated June 5, 1825, was probated in Perry County, Indiana, October 5, 1825, and a copy thereof, together with all records relating thereto, forwarded to Springfield to be entered for record in the Washington County Court.

From the will we learn the name of Daniel, Sr.’s, wife, at the time of his death in 1825, was Nancy.  This leads to the presumption that Daniel, Sr., was twice married.  the second marriage probably occurred in Indiana.

With Daniel Mock, Sr., in Indiana, one of his sons, William Mock, was made executor of his father’s will.   Other children mentioned in the will were sons Reuben and Daniel, Jr., and a daughter, Catherine.  Of the children of Daniel Mock, Sr., we have gathered the following data:

Elizabeth Mock, probably the oldest child, married Samuel Williams May 22, 1797.  Samuel Williams was prominent in Washington County for many years.  He was a school teacher, surveyor and for some time coroner of the county.  He made the plat of the town of Springfield in 1803, now preserved in the county clerk’s office.

William Mock, probably the second child, married 1st, Nancy Goatley, August 10, 1803 and 2nd, Polly Woods, December 24, 1812.  Removed to Perry County, Indiana, in 1819 and residing there in 1825 when appointed executor of his father’s will.  Executed October 12, 1826, to his brother, Reuben Mock of Springfield, Kentucky, a power of attorney authorizing him to settle their father’s estate in Washington County.

Catherine Mock, third child, married Bartholomew Smith of Washington County, October 31, 1812.

Reuben Mock, fourth child, married Betsy Seay, February 24, 1813.

Daniel Mock, Jr., fifth child, married Elizabeth Smithey, April 21, 1814.