A Sackett in Sackets Harbor finds latest trip was relative

SACKETS HARBOR — As soon as he saw the name on the map 28 years ago, Michael J. Sackett knew he had hit the jackpot.

Mr. Sackett, a native of Guernsey Island, United Kingdom, and a resident of Stevensville, Ontario, had long been interested in genealogy and tracing his ancestry when he saw his surname nestled between Henderson Harbor and Watertown.

“It’s not a common name and I saw Sackets Harbor on an Ontario map,” said Mr. Sackett, adding that the sight of his surname brought him to visit the area in 1984. (According to him, the extra “T” on the end of his name is the result of bygone generations dropping and adding the letter at will.)

Nearly three decades later, Mr. Sackett returned to Sackets Harbor earlier this month with friend and research partner Mary E. Volberding of Scottsdale, Ariz. Since his first visit to the area, Mr. Sackett had completed extensive genealogical research on the Guernsey Island Sacketts and wanted to see if he was related to town founder Augustus Sackett.

“We’re just interested in seeing a family connection,” Mr. Sackett said.

After visiting the Lakeside Cemetery and Madison Barracks, Mr. Sackett and Ms. Volberding conducted their research with the help of town historians Robert E. and Jeannie I. Brennan of Sackets Harbor.

“It’s not overwhelming, but the Visitor Center usually sends them here,” said Mr. Brennan about out-of-town visitors interested in learning about Sackets Harbor history.

Mr. Brennan, who is 88 years old and has been interested in historical preservation and research since he was in school in the 1930s, has 32 binders filled with historical information as well as an extensive collection of artifacts.

“It’s been really enlightening,” Mr. Sackett said of the experience, which was his first time visiting the Brennans.

Mr. Sackett also completed preliminary research with the help of a Web site, www.sackettfamily.info. He urges any Sacketts to register at the site in order to help further genealogical studies.

“The more information we can have, the better off we can trace us back in history,” he said.

Mr. Sackett speculates his family name was brought to England from France during the Norman conquest of 1066 and might even trace back to Charlemagne. With the help of as-yet unknown family members, he hopes to one day be certain of the link.

“We would just like to be able to go back further than the year 1500,” he said.

In Sackets Harbor, the long day of searching eventually paid off for him. As it turns out, his ancestor, Simon, and Augustus’s ancestor, John, were brothers who reached America in 1631.

“Now I’ve found out I’m related to Augustus. It’s just incredible that Bob has all this info,” Mr. Sackett said. “It’s been a fun day.”