Abijah Whitt

It is claimed here that Abijah was the son of Richard Whitt and Susanna Scaggs. He is said to have died in 1848 in Montgomery Co. However, Richard Whitt's 1807 will named his heirs: sons Archibald and Richard; daughters Elizabeth Cassiday, Ruthy Whitt, and Susanna Creswell. No children of any deceased heirs were mentioned in the will, in probate proceedings or court suits filed by excluded heirs.

The will tells us this ...

26 APRIL 1807 / 1813
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VA
Will.
“In the name of God I Richard Whitt living in the County of Montgomery being in a State of Declining health but sound in mind do ordain and declare this statement of Writing to be my last Will and Testament, revoking all others, It is my wish after my death and for that purpose declare and bequeath to my son Archibald Whitt all the Tract of Land where on I now live and that the title shall fully be entitled in him with all Other Claims that I may have to that and any other adjoining land Tract to him and his heirs forever. This Tract is to be understood to contain the whole of the Land that I bought from John Harrison on Meadow Creek supposed to be One hundred Acres be it more or less to include the part which I had allotted to my son Richard at the upper end of said Tract which son Archibald has bought and a title never was conveyed for it. I do also Will to my beloved wife [not named] her equal one third of all my personal Estate her Natural life time the balance to be equally Divided between my three daughters.

“(To Wit) Elizabeth Cassiday, Ruthy Whitt, and Susanna Creswell, and also Should there be any part of my Wifes Legasee left at her death also to be equally divided among my three daughters and their Heirs forever. And for the good performance of my will and to execute the content I do appoint John Ingles and my son Archibald Whitt to act as executors. And it is my request as I can to leave the fullest confidence in them that they shall act without being bound in security. Signed and Subscribed to this my hand and seal this 25 day of April 1807. Richard Witt. Test: William Cassedy, Thomas Farmer.” —Montgomery Co., VA, Will Book 2, 1809–1817; imaged on Montgomery Co. microfilm 14, Library of Virginia, Richmond.

A page-by-page search of every surviving courthouse record for Montgomery County has turned up no evidence to support a claim that Abijah was the son of Richard—as opposed to being the son of Richard's brother Edmond, who also resided in Montgomery County.

What the records show is the existence of three Whitts in the same Montgomery tax and militia district as Richard in the early-to-mid 1780s: EDMUND, ABIJAH, and ROBERT. All disappeared from the tax and militia rolls in 1787—suggesting they had left the county together. Specifically:

- EDMUND, of Capt. Ingles' district in 1787, was fined for nonattendance at muster and dropped from the tax rolls. His widow Ann appears on the 1790 tax roll of nearby Stokes Co., NC.
- Abijah, of Capt. Ingles' district, signed petitions in 1786 and 1787 and was also fined in 1787 for nonattendance at muster and dropped from the tax rolls. He reappears in Montgomery County in 1800, signing petitions there until 1804.
- Robert was taxed as over 21 in 1787, was dropped in 1788, 1789, and 1790. He returned to Montgomery by early 1791 when he was added back to the tax roll.

The evidence points to Abijah as son of Edmund, rather than Richard. I will not remove Abijah from Richard immediately, allowing time for someone to provide evidence of the claimed relationship, if it exists. If you would like to discuss this with me, please contact me through FamilySearch. —Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG.

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LJBM-7SG

Wife Elizabeth Rebecca Elswick

Children Rebecca Lester (born Whitt)
Margaret Miller (born Whitt)
Martha Patsy Whitt

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 1 2024, 3:10:47 UTC