Capt William Pettit: A 1690s Carolina Mariner and His Ties to Infamous Pirates Part 1

Part I: Pettit lived during the golden age of piracy in a place that was unofficially welcoming of pirates and their golden bribes.  In life, William Pettit lived near and did business with some of the most successful buccaneers that ever lived.  Records indicate he held close ties to a maritime syndicate of reformed pirates who had used their fortune to buy a place for themselves in high society.  He managed to quickly recover from a ruinous disaster by seizing a rare opportunity to help the powers of the colony flip a ghost pirate ship.

Descendants of Austin Pettit -The Lost Nathan Pettit (1775) Branch

An entire branch of Spartanburg Pettits was missing. Below is the brief story of how they were recently discovered. If you are from this Austin Pettit line, this is the story of how your ancestor was rediscovered. After reading, please please contact The Pettit Research Project here! You have cousins who have been looking for you.

Nathan Pettit (b.1775) son of Joshua and Rachel Pettit of Spartanburg Co., SC Part I

Nathan grew up in back country South Carolina during its most savagely violent period. His older brother Henry Pettit, Sr., and father Joshua defended their homeland while in the Spartan Regiment under Colonel Benjamin Roebuck. Nathan would have been about five years old when the patriot troops under Brigadier General Thomas Sumter stopped by the Pettit farm for provisions. The Pettit family supplied them with beef from their herd.

Analyzing an Old Joshua Pettit Family Record Found in Gilmer Co., GA

This old Pettit family record from Gilmer County, GA begins with the families of Joshua and Rachel Pettit and William and Elizabeth Poole of Spartanburg County, SC.  Though we do not know for certain, the evidence suggests this record was written down by someone in the family of Rev. John Fulton Pettit sometime shortly after May 21, 1898.

1833 Sheriff’s Writ: Benjamin Rushmore Suffolk Co, NY vs Benjamin Pettit of Jamaica

In June of 2025 The Pettit Research Project acquired this 1833 Sheriff’s writ from an antique document dealer in New York.  The dealer was unsure of the paper’s origins but believed she had purchased it about 25 years ago from the estate of Tim Green who was a lawyer in Southhold, NY.  The document is a legal writ from the Court of Common Pleas in Suffolk County, NY on behalf of Benjamin Rushmore of Riverhead.  Rushmore sued Benjamin Pettit of Jamaica, NY for $206.26 1/2.

John George’s Grave -George Family of Spartanburg Co., SC

In 1795 a survey was conducted for William Poole in Spartanburg County, 96 District, South Carolina.  This plat was for 23 acres of land which included the “Healing Springs”.  It was situated on the south side of the Pacolet River near Lawson’s Fork.  Neighbors included Henry Pettit Sr, as well as Rutledge and Henderson. 

Latest Full Color Photos -Family Bibles of Joshua Pettit (1734) and Henry Pettit (1763)

Fortunately, in May of 2025, The Pettit Research Project was granted special access to the the Henry Pettit Sr. Revolutionary War Pension file at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The folder containing his records was removed from the vault and given to this researcher by the lead archivist. Examination of the contents was permitted under his supervision for safe handling and security reasons.

Old Story About Gilmer Co, GA Pettit Pioneers and Other Families

The date it was written is not given though it would have certainly been within the author’s lifetime of 1870-1940.  The story opens with an account of the movement from North Carolina to Gilmer County, GA of Henry Pettit Jr (b.1790), his brother John Pettit, and son Elijah Pool Pettit and their families.  The story covers several allied families as well, most notably the Griffiths, Ellingtons, and Kings.

1839 Letter George Pettit in Fabius, NY to John R. Pettit in Lima, OH

On April 5, 1839, George Pettit (1780-1866) of Fabius, NY wrote this letter to his brother John Riddell Pettit (1793-1855) in Lima, OH. In it George discusses his fluctuating health and his plans to sell the farm and move to the northwest. He mentions their brother David Pettit and David’s son Jonathan Pettit.

Amazing New Books on Richard Pearis and Jacob Hite by Larry Voreis

Expect to walk away from this read with a deeper understanding of not only Richard Pearis and Jacob Hite, but also the entire misunderstood and oft forgotten world in which they lived. If you are interested in Virginia or South Carolina colonial or Revolutionary period history, the fine details of Indian trade and traders, the dark and dirty deeds of Loyalists and Patriots in the struggle for independence, and the ultimate fate of those who were exiled from the United States, I strongly recommend these books.

William H. Pettit and John W Pettit Family Bible From Gilmer Co., GA

This Bible record appears to have been the work of multiple generations of Gilmer County, GA Pettits.  The handwriting of three different people can be easily distinguished. The note that accompanied these pages said that it was the record of William Henry Pettit and “John Waitsel Pettit, father of Morris Pettit”.  It is possible the information was taken down by William Henry Pettit, John Waitsel Pettit and Morris Pettit.

Joshua Pettit, Increase Pettit and Martha Greene, a Rich English Lady from Barton Regis to Jamaica, NY

This folder contained a well preserved letter dated November 29, 1861, addressed to Mr. L. P. Nostrand in New York from a G. W. Pettit.  It begins with a man named Joshua Pettit who was from Springfield, Long Island, NY.  According to the letter, Joshua Pettit married a “rich English lady” and was the father of an Increase Pettit. In this paper we will compare this newly discovered letter to a deed found in Bristol England from the Ashton Court estate which may explain the source of some of these forgotten legends.

c.1785 South Carolina Surveyor Instructions

At the end of this document you will find the full text of the South Carolina General Assembly’s official instructions for the State’s Deputy Surveyors in place by 1785. Studying these brief instructions will help researchers properly interpret and understand the land warrant and survey process in South Carolina and contextualize early grants of vacant land.

Full Estate Records of Henry Pettit Sr 1763-1838

Though the will had been discovered many years ago, the estate papers of Henry Pettit Sr. (1763-1838) seemed to be missing. The record book, which was presumed to be lost, has been found in the state archives. It had somehow missed being microfilmed. The full estate papers of Henry Pettit Sr of Rutherford Co., NC are now available.

Family Bible of John Pettit (b.1820) of Spartanburg Co SC, (Grandson of Joshua Pettit and Judith Poole)

John Pettit, grandson of Joshua and Judith Poole Pettit was born in 1820 in Spartanburg Co., SC. He married three times and had 20 children. His descendants are numerous and spread out to AL, MS and beyond.  Some of them still own portions of the land that once belonged to his grandparents in SC.  John is buried in the Thompson Chapel cemetery not far from the old Pettit land and near the Pettit family cemetery in SC.

First Pettits in America Series #8 -Thomas Pettit/Petite Maryland 1639

Thomas Petite and his wife came to the Province of Maryland in the year 1639.  In 1645 Thomas imported a child named Catherine Petite who is presumed to be his daughter though the record never explicitly declares this.  By 1649 he had acquired the right and title to 450 acres of land near the lower Cedar Point on the north side of the Potomac River in western St. Mary County.  His plantation was near what was once called Petite’s Creek.

Early Black Oklahoma Lawman Charles Pettit

“Unbuckle your gun belt carefully and drop your gun,” Pettit told him. Lewis unbuckled his gun and handed the whole outfit to me. Pettit reached for this handcuffs and just then the whole window burst out on him with shotgun shells. I covered Lewis and started for the door and at the same time Pettit went in through the window.

The Death of Old Joshua Pettit of Spartanburg Co., SC 1780~1786

Many people believe Joshua Pettit of Spartanburg Co died on September 15, 1786. In this paper we will look at where this date originated and why it is not likely the day he died. We will examine the documents that surround the final years of old Joshua Pettit.

First Pettits in America Series #7 -Francis Pettit Virginia ~1630s

A Francis Pettit was born around 1612 and was living in Northampton County, VA as early as 1636.  He owned a plantation near Cherrystone Creek on the Eastern Shore.  He was married to a woman named Ann and had at least one son named Francis.  He was also related in some manner to Obedience Robins.

First Pettits in American Series #6 –William Pettit of Louisa Co., VA -Possible French Irish Immigrant ~1720

It is said that a William Pettit (born around 1697) migrated to Louisa Co., VA around 1720.  Some researchers claim William Pettit’s land of nativity was Ireland while others state that he came from France.  Though vastly different countries, these two origins need not be mutually exclusive.  It is very possible he (or his parents) came to Ireland after leaving France in the protestant migration.

Pettit Family Tree Index

This pages provides a link to name indexes for the Pettit family tree so our cousins can easily find which Pettit clan they belong to.

Henry Pettit (1689), Boston Sailor with a Surprising Origin

Wedding bells rang out on December 28, 1718, as Henry Pettit and Sarah Gibbs were married before the Reverend Sam Miles in Boston, MA.  The Presbyterian marriage was just 3 days after Christmas Sunday. Sarah Gibbs was the daughter of John and Mary Gibbs of Boston.  John Gibbs was a painter by trade, specializing in decorative staining and funeral escutcheons.

Joshua Pettit of Essex Co, NJ

Joshua Pettit of Essex Co., NJ: The Land (Part I)

The precise location of Joshua Pettit’s land in Essex County, New Jersey has long been a mystery. In this article we will attempt to determine where his land was relative to the geography of the 1700’s and where it can be found today.

That Christmas When Nathaniel Pettit Helped George Washington Cross the Delaware. 1776.

It was Christmas, 1776. Evening had just swept in. General George Washington looked out over the Delaware River as the first snowflakes began their gentle but ominous swirling descent into the darkening water below. He, like so many of the men under his command, had given up the warmth and comfort of his home to fight for a cause that now seemed desperately out of reach.