Andersons of Colonial N. Carolina

Most of the folks mentioned in this record of the road orders can be picked out…  my interest is Joseph and Arthur Pitman. They buy the Elizabeth Pitman property in 1761.  The question is where were they living prior to the purchase.  Also of note is the John Pitman and the William Pitman living a few miles north on White Oak Swamp (on what I think is the mystery “Tantroft Branch” little creek).  The depiction of “Mials Bridge” is from the earliest map I can find of Edgecombe (the 1903 USGS Survey)… a bridge is clearly shown.  Numerous references to a bridge can be found in these early deeds and for a mill nearby.  The note for “Sweetin’s Landing” is a pure guess but the road seems to “end” at Tar River which makes sense for a landing.

Just food for thought…

While the Joseph and Arthur Pitman are still a mystery, the John Pitman on the map clearly comes from Isle of Wight (modern Southampton) along with Wright McLemore and probably some Wiggans family about 1746. See under my Page for “2 John Pitmans IOW” for some background…

All of these particular Pitmans may be of the “William Pitman” clan of Surry Co, VA… ??? The Thomas Hicks of the area may be associated with the Robert Hicks of Emporia indian trader bunch.

The Joseph Pitman who buys the Elizabeth Pitman property stays on the property and eventually leaves it to son Abner Pitman…
The Arthur Pitman who sold some of the property to Joseph moves to Sapony Creek in Nash Co and eventually to Duplin Co…..
What became of the John Pitman?

Referencing the Thomas and Nathan Pitman above… obviously their father Thomas died in 1754/5. I find the above 2 sons mentioned in the Edgecombe Court Minutes …
Jun 1759. Edgecombe Co., NC Court Minutes, 1744-1762, Book I , Goldenwest Mktg Genealogy.
[242]-39
Thomas PITMAN Contd. Overseer.
and again…
June 1760?-Sep 1760.
[260]
Thomas PITMAN Contd. Oversr.
Nathan is mentioned only once in these minutes…
Feb 1757 court…
[194]-15
Nathan PITMAN in list of “Petit Jury”

My point being these are grown men by 1760 and likely sons of the Thomas Pitman d.1754. These 2 seem to wind up in Robeson/Bladen Co., NC. In Thomas’ will d.1754 he mentions having some property near Tar River… hence I suppose these 2 sons were living on that land near Tar River and the militia roll substantiates that premise.

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I’m of the opinion that the Joseph Pitman on Swift Creek is the son of Robert Pitman… the proof being the 1758 reference in the Court Minutes…r.e. “Joseph, son of Robert Pitman”.

The Arthur listed in Whitehead’s Company is also a son of Robert (in my opinion)…. the only other Arthur of this time period is the son of Ambrose Pitman but he was not born until 1749 and hence, too young to be in the militia roll.  The only other Arthur to discuss that I know of is Arthur the son of Thomas Pitman d.1730 but he died 1758 near Meherrin River.  I have no proof whatsoever other than I have no one else to attach him to.  And as we all know, Robert is not in a position to argue with me.

I may have uncovered a Robert Pitman son… Jesse.   Scroll back a few posts to Robert Pitman… I haven’t fleshed him out completely but it seems to fit.

A John Pitman from Isle of Wight… I think he is a son of William Pitman of Surry (brother of Thomas d.1730)… see under Pages in 2 places:  2 John Pitmans of IOW and also Elizabeth Pitman Land 1761.  He is present in Edgecombe/Nash until 1774 but possibly moves???  The John Pitman of IOW (son of Thomas d1730) dies in 1781.   If the whereabouts of the Edgecombe John can be determined after 1774 then the conundrum is solved.

I’ve added a map to the Page “2 John Pitmans of IOW”….. fascinating stuff… it includes that rascal Arthur Kavanaugh and Robert Hix…

Under Pages I have a map called “Notes & Misc”… it has Carolus Anderson and Thomas Pitman property.  I’ve been at a standstill for months because I’ve been stumped by a goofy old waterway called imaginatively, “Little Swamp”…. the ole boys really went out of their way with that creativity.  Anyway… I may take another foray into mapping because I think I found it.  And it also throws some new light on the Pitmans and others…  in 1712, Thomas is living on the Blackwater River at the junction of three counties- Surry, Isle of Wight, and what will become Southampton at a later date. (In 1712 Surry continued westward all the way to NC)

Here is the deed reference for the curious…

source
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lharmon&id=I10764

NOTE: This deed shows the adjoining property of Samuel Lancaster to Thomas Pitman.
SURRY COUNTY, VA – DEEDS – John Allen to Thomas Pitman, 9 A ug 1712
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Deeds: John Allen-Thomas Pitman, Southmark Parish, Surry Co , VA

INDENTURE, ALLEN-THOMAS PITMAN (8-9-1712)

THIS INDENTURE made the 9th day of August in the eleventh y ear of the reign of our sovereign Lady Ann, by the grace o f God of Great Brittain, France &Ireland, Queen defender o f the faith &c. in the year of our Lord one thousand seve n hundred & twelve between John Allen of the County of Surr y, gentleman, of the one part and Thomas Pitman, Jr of th e County of Isle of Wight, planter of the other part witnes seth that the said John Allen for & in consideration of th e sume of five shillings to him in hand paid by the said t o Thomas Pitman, gentleman, at & before ensealing & deliver y of the presents the
receipt whereof & himself therewith fully satisfied, conten ted, & paid, he doth hereby acknowledge & for divers good c ause & consideration him, thereunto moving hath granted, ba rgained, sold, demised, leased & to farm-letter & by thes e presents doth grant, bargain, sell, demise, & to farm-le t unto the said
Thomas Pitman, Jr, his executors, sdministrators & assign s a certain tract or parcell of land scituate on the sout h side of the main Blackwater Swamp in theCounty of Surr y & Isle of Wight aforesaid containing three hundred & fift y acres of land be the same more or less which said tract o r parcell of land is part of a Pattent formerly granted t o James Allen dated the 25th day of April1701 for fourtee n hundred acres, & by the said James, given & bequeathed i n his Last Will & Testament to the above named, John Alle n & his heirs forever (as relation to the said Will being h ad may more at large appear) bounded viz:
Beginning at ye mouth of the Little Swamp on the south sid e of the main Blackwater Swamp aforesaid thence up the vari ous courses of the Run of the said Little Swamp to a mark d ash then north twelve degrees west thirty five pole t o a pine, then north fourteen degrees east on hundred seven ty four pole to a corner of Samuell Lancaster’s land & by t he said Lancaster’s line east a hundred & sixty pole to th e main Blackwater Swamp side aforesaid & down the various c ourses of the run of the said swamp to the beginning, toget her with all & singular the orchards, houses, gardens, wood s, ways & waters & all other royaltys, priviledges, profitt s, commoditys, & advantages whatsoever to the said tract o r parcell of land belonging, or in any wise appertaining o r therewith or with any part thereof used, enjoyed or accep ted, reputed or taken as part parcell or member thereof an d the reversion & reversions, remainder & remainders thereo f & every part & parcell thereof.

TO HAVE & TO HOLD the said tract or parcell of land with al l & singular the premises hereby demised, granted, bargaine d & sold unto the said Thomas, his executors, administrator s & assigns from the day next before the day of the date o f these presents for & during the term of one year fully t o be compleated & ended yielding & paying therefore to th e said John, his executors, administrators & assigned on th e feast day of St. Michael, ye Archangel, next ensuing th e date thereof one ear of Indian corn if the same shall b e lawfully demanded, to the intent that by virtue of thes e presents & of the statute for transferring uses into poss ession the said Thomas may be in actual possession of the p remises & be enabled to take & accept of a grant & releas e of the reversion & inheritance thereof to him, his heir s & assigns forever.

In witness whereof the party first above named to these pre sent Indenture have interchangeably set their hands & seal s the day & year first above written.

John Allen
Sealed with a waf er
Signed, sealed & delivered in the presence of:
Henry Harrison
Thomas Eldridge

At a court held at Southmark for the County of Surry Augus t ye 20th 1712

This day appeared in Court the above named John Allen & di d acknowledge the
above specified contents to be his reall, act & deed whic h is ordered to be
recorded & is recorded by:

John Allen, Cl. Cur.

Spelling appears as it did in original documents. Words n ot fully decipherable are followed by a question mark. Paragraphing was added by the transcriber for ease in reading . There are no paragraphs in the original document.

Source: Library of Virginia, Wills & Administrations,Deed s & Wills, Etc. 6, 1694-1709; 1709-1715, Reel 3

Here are the map metes & bounds… this is like candy for a mapmaker…

Beginning at ye mouth of the Little Swamp on the south sid e of the main Blackwater Swamp
thence up the vari ous courses of the Run of the said Little Swamp to a markd ash
then north twelve degrees west thirty five pole t o a pine,
then north fourteen degrees east on hundred seven ty four pole to a corner of Samuell Lancaster’s land
by t he said Lancaster’s line east a hundred & sixty pole to th e main Blackwater Swamp side aforesaid
down the various c ourses of the run of the said swamp to the beginning

And here is where I will locate where it is on the Blackwater River…  or so I will try…

Well this isn’t where I thought the “Little Swamp” was but it does solve one riddle… my question now is whether there was another one near the Meherrin River on the VA/NC border.

I may have to rethink where some of these folks were…

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