Mary Gilliard/Gillard Crocker was possibly the daughter of John and Mary Gilliard/Gillard of England. Very little is known by us of the Gilliard family. Mary married Sampson Ellis Crocker on June 9, 1819, in Slapton, England-a seaside town. They immigrated shortly after their marriage to Canada where Sampson's great-grandfather, Lt. Daniel Crocker had been given land's by the King of England in Nova Scotia- the Yarmouth area and likely there was still family in residence. Sampson and Mary Crocker with daughter Mary Crocker came to the U.S. via Baltimore, Maryland in 1828 (Baltimore records) and there were born sons, John and William and daughter Ann C. Crocker before the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, area where Crocker cousins already resided. James A. Crocker was born here. The family then move from Ohio to Franklin County, Indiana as the twins, Adeline and Emeline Crocker were born in Franklin County, Indiana in 1837. A Benjamin Crocker was residing in Franklin Co., Ind., and might have been related. From Indiana the family moved to Jacksonville, Ill., area where there were Crockers residing, but it is not known if they were related or not. Charles G. Crocker, the youngest child was born in Jacksonville, Ill., in 1838, before the family finally moved to Des Moines Co., & Henry Co., Iowa, where they, Sampson and Mary Crocker, remained in the New London, Henry Co., Iowa area the remainder of their lives. Some of the children left Iowa about the time of the California gold rush @1850 and went to California ending up in the Placerville, California area.
In the 1870 Census, Mother, Mary Crocker was living in New London, Henry Co., Iowa, and residing alone. Her daughter, Mary Crocker was in Fort Madson, Iowa and she went on the wagon train with her brothers and other relatives leaving her daughter behind in the care of a lady in New London, Iowa to educate.Abt. 50 people were in this wagon train across the plains. Supposedly a number of them were related to the Crockers.
SEE SAMPSON CROCKER FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF CHILDREN.
(I have since learned that a Samuel Marchant and a Bessie Gillard were possibly the parents of the boys who married Adeline and Emeline Crocker indicating a connection between the Marchants, Gillards and Crockers in England.)