Wm Pitman of Edgecombe / Nash… Sappony Creek
This guy married Judith, the daughter of Andrew Ross, Sr who died testate 1761. After the death of his father in law he just went on a tear buying and selling property in Nash County near Sappony Creek. I am studying him prior to 1777 when Nash broke off from Edgecombe and became a county. I would welcome any comments or insights if anyone has studied him after 1770s in Nash. Judith Ross seems to have died by 1770 and William married secondly to a “Marget”… of whom I have little knowledge. Did he die in Nash County? Did he begin to drink spirts, gamble, steal horses and cavort with wanton women? C’mon, fess up.
Oh…and the placement of these patents is wonky and just willy-nilly kinda sorta close…I do not have enough pieces of the puzzle to nail down the details…such as creeks n’ such.
Click the blue filename above for a better view…zoomable.
… a bit more mystery and intrigue… this bit is just some of my raw notes concerning what “might” be later descendants of this Wm Pitman in Nash County. My assumption is that William Pitman (above) died well before 1800. I still have not determined when this Wm Pitman died in Nash…
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…a Sidenote…
A brazen Commenter has STOLEN the comments for his own nefarious purposes and SIDETRACKED this Post whereby he is offering his own theory as to a possible son of William Pitman of an early generation. I cannot help but smile because I am notoriously guilty of the same offense more times than I can count. He is obsessed with the William Wray/Wrey/Ray of whom William Piman (of IOW) married his sister… this William Wray had a son by the same name.
I have tracked a possible (likely?) suspect to near the modern town of Emporia, VA…. albeit, in 1717. I offer my meager notes in an attempt to pacify my rabid commenter.
…some background to chew on…
Here is Forrest King’s take on an Isle of Wight James…
WILLIAM4 PITMAN (Thomas3-1) was born in Surry County about 1678. He was the recipient of a heifer from his grandfather Thomas Pitman in 1680. He died in Isle of Wight County sometime after 4 Apr 1753. He married MARY RAY, sister of William Ray, probably in Surry County.
+++EDWARD PITMAN, b. in Surry County about 1712, m. MARTHA (—) in Isle of Wight County, and d. in Isle of Wight County between 6 May1745 and 12 Jun 1746. Edward Pitman’s first appearance in the records comes on 26 Nov 1739 when he purchases from Joshua Hayes for “natural love that I have for my friend” 200 acres on the second Swamp on the Blackwater at the head of Cooks Branch. Even with this natural love, Joshua Hayes seemed to charge him the going rate for land at that time, judging from the several other land transactions that took place around the same time. There is no known relationship between him and Joshua Hayes. Edward Pitman sold 100 acres of this land to brother James Pitman on 23 May 1741. He sold another 60 acres to Mathew Jordan on 21 Dec 1741. Two of his neighboring properties are owned by Thomas Pitman and James Pitman. He sold the last 50 (sic) acres on 6 May 1745 to “friend” Sampson Flake. His estate is recorded on 12 Jun 1746, with wife Martha (—) being the administratrix. Edward Pitman had at least one child.
+++ JAMES PITMAN, b. about 1715, m. ANN (—), d. probably in Isle of Wight County after 3 Jun 1773. James Pitman purchased 100 acres of land from the Edward Pitman just mentioned on 23 May 1741. He makes several appearance in Isle of Wight Court over the years as an estate appraiser and will witness. He is last seen selling land with wife Ann (—) to Thomas Wombwell on 3 Jun 1773.
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This is essentially the “theory” being discussed… (I doubt if this map can be enlarged, sorry, it was one of my early studies.)
I am now contemplating whether James Pitman, who shows up in Edgecombe in 1742, may have been a son of the 1st wife (unknown name) of Thomas Pitman d.1730 at Meherrin River. He is my present target to be the father of thr above John Pitman near Emporia in 17402 who soon relocates to Edgecombe.
Note that the John Pitman in Thomas Pitman’s will of 1730 lives and dies in Southampton, VA and dies there in 1781.
…update… Hot off the press
Ii believe at the moment the William married to Judith Ross to be the the son of the william pitman of the 1724 land and this william of 1724 to be the son of the william born 1680. The william of 1724 land grant is listed as jr in the land grant and his wife is named mary.it is this william tha i believe is the brother in law of the william raye that left will naming william pitman his brorher in law just not sure how they are brorher in laws. This would be william raye jr. Now william and mary i believe not only had the william married to judirh but also john and arther believe they would be born in 1720s to 1730s.
Darren Altom
June 3, 2025 at 5:59 pm
I have considered that also.
Thomas PITMAN son of Thomas and Frances PITMAN
b c 1655 Surry Co., VA (a son is mentioned in 1680)
d. 1730 near Meherrin River & NC border (age 75 yrs)
He was married three times.
wife (1) unknown
wife (2) Mrs Mary CHAMBERS HOLLEMAN, widow
wife (3) Elizabeth LANCASTER
brother, William PITMAN b. c 1661 (first listed in tithables 1677)
… married sister of William Ray/Wray
It is the above folks you reference.
My take is here…
https://andersonnc.com/william-pitman-of-surryiow/
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My present theory… that I am still developing, is that the William m. Judith Ross is possibly a grandson of Thomas Pitman d.1730 and his first UNKNOWN wife. The son is named James Pitman and his son William m. Judith Ross. I think he sprang from the Meherrin River area near Thomas (his purported father). He was simply not included in the will of 1730.
I am in the process of writing up my thoughts on this James Pitman d. 1746 in Edgecombe/Nash near Rocky Mount.
thanks for commenting… I have tried to track William Ray with little success… it should be in my notes.
Marc
anderson1951
June 3, 2025 at 7:06 pm
I will look at the william rayes and give you my thoughts later. I will sathat the Thomas that died in 1730 was married to tbe holleman chambers before he msrried his ladt wife. What is inzeresting in his deed records he is listed as jr. Shich means that his father was was still alive but cant find him in the deeds but is on some taxlist and of course this isnt the captain thomad that died in 1690s. I believe captain thomas haf 2 sons thomad and william and then thomad had a thomas and a william captain thomas son silliam was marriex to an elizabeth based on deed records..this wulliam brother tbomas had a son william born 1680 and a son thomas that died 1730. More later darren
Darren Altom
June 3, 2025 at 7:31 pm
Forrest King did an excellent analysis of the Pitman line… found here to download:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vaschsm/ForrestKing.html
It is well worth the read.
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This is my take on the William Ray you refer to:
https://andersonnc.com/2012/12/30/william-pitman-and-william-wray-of-surry-county-brothers-in-law/
I would welcome any research you have on the William Ray Sr and JR that you may have to share.
anderson1951
June 4, 2025 at 4:37 am
My take on the pitmans is a little different than yours. i added another thomas in the mix.
i have capt. thomas having 2 sons thomas and william
thomas no.2 i m not sure who he married but believe he had the son william that recieved heifer from capt. thomas and also he had a son thomas who i have married to the mary chambers holeman and elizabeth Lancaster.
The william son of captain thomas have him married to an elizabeth and he could sign his name.
The william that received the heifer in 1680 not sure who he married but i have him with sons benjamin, edward, joseph, james and william jr. and it is this william jr. i have as the one with the 1724 landgrant andwhen he sold the grant in 1743 he signed his name and so did his wife Mary not sure what happened to them afterwards.
In 1753 there was a william that left his estate to his son james and he signed with a mark so the william jr. that sold 1724 landgrant in 1743 is not the same william that left his estate to his son james I believe that william was the father of JR.
MORE LATER
Darren Altom
June 5, 2025 at 5:05 pm
Here is my take on the wrays so far. Im going to start with the 1735 will of william. The wii mentions his wife Martha and his son Leonard Martha to receive the land at coporhonk and then be passed to Leonard and then Leonard to receive the rest of the land he has.
Leonard in 1736 sold 90 acres that his father purchased to a William Fritchet 50 acres is what he purchased from Robert owen in 1698 and the other 40 acres is what he purchased from Edward Newby also in 1698.
In 1690 william and his wife Martha sold 200 acres and it may be the 200 acres they received from the land of her father John whitson the deed is hard to read looks like a lot of bleeding through of the ink.
I gues what i;m saying i believe the will of 1735 is of this william ray and he isn’t the one that listed william pitman as a brother in law.
Now the william of 1731 he is the one that had 2 executors mention a brother in law william Pittman and his father william ray or at least that is the concesus since the word father is listed
so is the brother in law mentioned the william of 1724 land grant that had wife mary in 1743 or is it the william that received the heifer in 1680 and i have no name for his wife. How would thhe brother in law be the pitman married to a Wray or did the william Ray marry a pitman I have no evidence either way
Darren Altom
June 5, 2025 at 5:33 pm
That early Wm Pitman married the sister of Wm Wrey/Ray.
anderson1951
June 5, 2025 at 7:25 pm
yes, i have read your articles on this pitmans and have enjoyed them and gleaned a lot of information from them. i think on certain ones we come to a different conclusion which if ok. that makes me dig a little deeper. I’m going to go make and look at the elizabeth pitman the possible widow of james being the possible parents of a john and others and not sure what to do with the william pitman married to Judith in comparison with the one dealing with wright maclemore is it is the same one or different.
Darren Altom
June 7, 2025 at 5:15 am
I am presently compiling notes on most of the people you refer to… I will post as I hopefully can present some new info.
anderson1951
June 7, 2025 at 5:19 am
ok that will be great. i just got finished looking at a couple of things on William pittman or probably 2 different ones. in 1753 william pittman of isle of wight county gave his son James his estate and he signed with a mark that looks like a wierd looking W. but it may be initials L.S. and then there is the William pittman Jr. that signed his name on the deed of the 240 acre land grant he recieved in 1724 he sold in 1743 he signed without a mark and so did his wife Mary. They were of the county of Surry. NOt sure if father and son but I have them listed that way for now.
One more thing i went back and looked at he Will of William raye 1731 or at least what I could make of it and near the bottom it has father and brother in law wm pittman as whole and sole executors of last and will and testament and below that it showed that william raye one of the executors of last will and testament wa in court for the deceased will. So the William raye executor was probably the father that left will in 1735. This will was in 1731.
Darren Altom
June 7, 2025 at 7:18 am