Thomas Pettit

Possibly served in the Revolutionary War from VA. I find records for the names Thomas and Lewis Pettit in Beford Co. VA. 1787. My Thomas named a son Lewis and his daughter Margaret and her husband James Adair named a son Lewis P. A Thomas Pettit married a Judith Royer Oct. 22, 1787 in Bedford co. VA and a Lewis Pettit married Mary Carr Aug. 13, 1787. Lewis is mentioned in accounts of sales of estate of Thomas Word in Aug. of 1793 in Bedford co. VA.

There is a Thomas Pettit in Hawkins Co. TN in 1795. 19. "Thomas Pettit of Hawkins County; writ of fieri facias held against; case of John Rice vs. Thomas Pettit; March Term of Court, 1795." from WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT RECORDS 1780-1965

The 1820 White Co. TN census page 354 has a Thomas Pettit over 45 with one male 10 to 15, one male 16 to 18, one female under 10, one female 16 to 26 and one female over 45. I don't find any other Pettit (Petit) in the 1820 census searches.

There was a William Pettit, prosecutor, in 1822 and January 23, 1823 in White. Co. and in 1835 a Lewis Pettet was a justice.

The 1830 White Co. TN census page 36 has Thomas Petit age 50 to 60 with one female age 10 to 15 and one female 60 to 70. On page 15 is William Petit age 20 to 30 with one male under 5 and one female 20 to 30. And on page 43 is Lewis Petit age 20 to 30 with one male under 5, two males 5 to 10, one female under 5 and one female 20 to 30.

In 1840 White co. TN census Thomas age 70 to 80 seems to be living with daughter and son-in-law James "Adier" family. He is not found as head of household but James Adair has an older male in his household.

Thomas Pettit, age 85 born in Va., living with son-in-law James Adair family in White Co. TN during the 1850 census. James was 63 yrs. old with several children including Isaac still at home. Lewis Pettit family living close by.

1850 White Co. TN census district 4, page 38 we find Lewis Pettit age 49 a farmer with $2000 of real estate or personal property born in Va. His wife Mary is 47 and indicates she was born in NC. Joseph is 28, Thomas J is 24, Indianae (female) is 18, George M is 14, Lewis N is 9 and Robert H is 6. All children indicate place of birth as Tenn.

The 1860 White Co. TN census (River Hill PO) has Lewis Pettitt age 53 born in VA with $7000 of real estate and $1500 of personal property, Mary is 56 born in NC, Joseph A is 37 with $350 of personal property, Thomas J is 36 with $800 of personal property, L. N. is 19 and R. H. is 17. All were born in TN.

On January 21, 1867 an R. H. Pettit married S. A. Sparkman.

The 1870 White Co. TN census (Cave PO) has Mary Pettit age 67 born in NC with $4500 of real estate and $1500 of personal property, Joseph A is 48 and Thomas J. is 46, both work on farm. Also in this household are Mary Brown age 17, white housekeeper and Lott Anderson age 17 white works on farm. All were born in TN. On the same census page is Robert Pettit age 26 a farmer with $500 of personal property, Cynthia A. age 28 keeping house, Josephine age 12, Wiley age 9, Mary E age 8, Robert Lee age 4, Ulysses G. is 2 and Lewis S is 5 months born in Jan. All were born in TN.

The 1880 White Co. TN census district 4 has two Petit families living next to each other. Joseph A. Petit is a single 58 year old farmer. Living with him is his brother Thomas J. Pettit age 56 also single. Both were born in TN and indicate father was born in VA and mother in NC. Living with them is Mary E. Jamar a single white female age 18 who keeps house. She is not related to the brothers. In the next dwelling/ family is Robert H. Petit age 36 a farmer with wife Cintha A. age 38 who keepshouse. Both are born in TN with both indicating fathers born in VA and mothers in NC. Son Robert Lee is 14 and is a farm laborer, son Ulysses Grant is 12 and a farm laborer, son Lewis Spencer is 10 and a farm laborer, son Thomas J. is 8, daughter Don Carlos is 6, son Joseph A. is 4, son John D. is 2 and son William M is 8 months. All children were born in TN.

I surmise that the Joseph, Thomas and Robert of the 1870 & 1880 census are sons of Lewis Pettit from the 1850 census and that Lewis Pettit was probably the son of Thomas Pettit who was living with James Adair family in 1850. There was probably also another son William Pettit (born 1803 VA) that was in White Co. in 1840 and moved to Warren Co. by 1860.

Thomas Pettitt died Feb. 1860 of old age in District 2, White co., TN. He was 98, widowed and born in VA. Source, The Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1860 search through ancestry.com.

There is a Pettit cemetery in White county TN just east of the Mount Pisgah cemetery.

~Cindi Gomes of Palm Springs = GeesGenie@cs.com Is a descendant of James Adair and Margaret Pettit. She finds James Adair in White Co. in 1815 (he was about 28). His wife was Margaret with son William born 1813 in White Co. TN. James may have been born in SC. (Dec. 2000)

~Janell Horton = jamdija@aol.com is possibly an Adair/Simmons descendant (March 1998)

~Donna Price Oglevie writes in a query "Thomas Pettit, born Virginia in 1765 and died in Tennessee ca 1852. He may have lived in Bedford County, Va. In the 1820 census he was in White Co., TN with his wife, sons Richard, Lewis (born 1801 in VA), William and two daughters. There may have been older children who didn't move to White Co."