Individual Details

James Lockhart was born in an unknown location in British America probably around 1720. In Lockhart families, Eagles writes that James married Rebecca in 1720, but as their first child was born in 1744 and their last in 1760, that date doesn't work as a marriage date since Rebecca would have been having children between the ages of 40 and 60. The date makes more sense as a birthdate, I suspect an editing error on Eagles part..
Lockhart family lore claims their ancestors originally came from Northern Ireland to the New England colonies (Eagles, 3). Other stories propose that the Lockhart's may have been part of a group, possibly Scotch-Irish, that left Londonderry, Ireland to settle in New England, arriving in Boston with the Rev. McGregor in 1717. Once in New England, some Lockhart's stayed around Boston while others walked overland to settle Derry, New Hampshire with Rev. McGregor. Later some moved to Connecticut. It is unknown where in New England James was born and married, but when land was offered in Nova Scotia's Horton and Cornwallis townships to interested settlers, he and his family decided to participate.
James and his wife Rebecca settled on 500 acres he received by grant in Horton township. A list of Horton Grantees of May 29, 1761 included James Lockert [Lockhart] and John Lockert [Lockhart] (Eaton, 3) Grantees had lots allotted to them via a lottery system which meant their parcels where scattered throughout the township due to luck of the draw. Participants then went through a period of selling, buying or trading of parcels to consolidate their holdings. James was no exception, and deed records show various land transactions in Horton recorded for him and his wife Rebecca through the year 1770. His eldest son, John, still a minor in 1761, received a half-share grant. John's name is also found in several deed transactions.
Rebecca died sometime after 1767, the year when her name is recorded with James on a deed selling land to Benjamin Gerrish, but before 1772, the birth date of a daughter to James and his second wife Abigail. James and his family are found in Horton Township in the 1770 census. His family in 1770 included one woman, but whether it was Rebecca or Abigail isn't certain. He moved to Newport Township soon after. His son John is living in Cumberland township during 1770 with a wife and son.
James died in 1789 and his will of 23 Nov 1789 and probated 26 Dec 1789 is on file in the Kentville Court House (Eagles, 3). His son Daniel and son-in-law Jacob Bacon were appointed executors. His wife Abigail and all his children received bequests. Abigail lived at Newport until her death in 1813.





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Research notes from Eleanor Gavazzi
In 1755 England attempted to secure loyalty from the French inhabitants of Nova Scotia. When the French refused Britain forcibly removed all the French from their established homes. They were know as "refugees", and their family groups were fragmented. Some went back to France but the majority were forced to find whatever means possible to survive. Some went to mainland Canada, others went down into Vermont and as far down as Louisiana. The French names became Americanized at this time because they were discriminated against by the English if they kept their French surname. Longfellow wrote the story of Evangeline which tells of the tragedy of the French displacement. England then opened all the once French settlements for English settlement. Over 40,00 people from the American colonies took up the homesteads of the displaced French. The first shipload of immigrants arrived around 1755 sailing along the coast of Massachusetts and Maine picking up their passengers. When doing family research some people mistake their ancestors for being English Tories because they lived in Nova Scotia, but in fact they were not, only settlers who arrived 20 years prior to the American Revolution. The large Scottish immigration happened in the 1760s, but the first settlers were from the colonies during the mid 1750s.This makes a difference as to where you look for your research. The Lockharts were probably from Scotland or Northern Ireland, but the Fullers may have been from New England beginnings. In the 1780s after the American Revolution as many as 60,000 British loyalists sought safety in Nova Scotia. These were some of the most highly educated people the colonies had,a majority of them being Harvard College graduates.
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Discussion on the parents of James from Genforum:

Posted by: Stuart Ward Date: January 14, 2000
In Reply to: Re: Daniel Lockhart - Ireland to CT 1710-20 by lyn lockhart gray of 1725
Daniel Lockhart is speculation only. He may be the father of James, or he might not. Don't trust Eagles completely. It's a good start, but he didn't have all the answers and he did make some mistakes.

The reference for Daniel came from Harold Murphy's web site:
Daniel Lockhart, born Unknown in Prob. Ireland; died Unknown in
Connecticut?.
Notes for Daniel Lockhart:
A Protestant descendant of Scottish Planters in Ireland. May have emigrated
period 1710-1720. Probably died in New England.
Child of Daniel Lockhart is:
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/m/u/r/Robert-H-Murphy/GENE7-0006. html

Harold Murphy writes:
The evidence is most certainly contradictory. The Lockhart book by Eagles gives James' birthplace as ?Ireland. However in a letter he wrote to me, Eagles admits he doesn't know who the parents were. James (1) Lockhart was granted land in NS in 1761 and he and his family probably arrived the following year. The census of 1770 -- the first in the Horton region-shows the James Lockhart family as all being born in America. If true, and there is no way to know for sure, then the family could certainly have been living in New England as early as 1717. Which raises the possibility of James(1) arriving in company of parents or of being born in, say, Boston. One report says he was married in 1720, however he had no children until 1750. To my mind it seems more likely he was born in 1720. (See below)
Another conflict: Eagles book says James (2) was born in Ireland about 1752. It doesn't seem right to me, but I have no evidence other than my nose to prove otherwise. However, my experience with other families of the same period is that family lore (oral history) was often wildly inaccurate.
In 1997 I received a series of notes from Elizabeth Rodier
on the subject of Lockharts. She said most of her information was from old notes at Public Archives, Nova Scotia and typed letters. She claimed James (1) was born in 1720, but wasn't sure where. The name Daniel for a parent came from her, but I have no other documentation. (And I've just spent a good hour going through my Lockhart papers.)
One of her "sources" said that the Lockharts may have been among 150 families who left home in Londonderry Ireland to settle in New England. This group first settled in Boston in 1717, then dispersed. However an FTM CD mentioned by her showing James (1) marrying Abigail, gives his birthplace as Ireland. Against this, a letter 4 Feb 1970, from Ruth Lockhart Eisehnauer to Alice Rodier claimed the Lockharts were first in Mass and then in Connecticut. Rodier also quotes a book- A Century at Chignecto, the Key to Old Acadia by William R Bird, 1928; to with James Lockhart and his wife Abigail were amongst a group of New England Planters who had come to New England in 1717. These Scots Irish Families had been living in Ireland since 1613. As noted above, James wouldn't have been born yet. Therefore it was his parents who came first.
Finally, the marriage pattern of the family suggests that the family was living in Ashford, CT before moving to NS.
I'll keep a question mark on the name Daniel, but I'll stick with the rest as I have them until someone can show me something more authoritative.

Birth	Abt 1720	British America
Marriage	Abt 1743	Rebecca
Census	1770	Horton, Kings, Nova Scotia, British America
Marriage	Bef 1772	Abigail
Will	23 Nov 1789
Death	Aft 23 Nov 1789	Horton, Kings, Nova Scotia, British North America
Probate	26 Dec 1789

Spouse	Rebecca (1725 - 1772)
Child	John Lockhart (1744 - )
Child	Mary Lockhart ( - )
Child	Sarah Lockhart ( - )
Child	Daniel Lockhart (1750 - 1843)
Child	James Lockhart (1752 - )
Child	Alexander Lockhart (1756 - 1813)
Child	Miriam Lockhart (1757 - 1822)
Child	Grace Lockhart (1758 - )
Child	David Lockhart (1760 - 1827)

Spouse	Abigail ( - )
Child	Rebecca Lockhart (1772 - )

Notes