This Andrew Pettit is the ancestor of many of the present-day Pettits of Bath County. For a long time I had his parents entered as "unknown", because census records would put Andrew's birth in 1819 or the first half of 1820, and in Matthew Pettit's pension application dated 14 Aug 1820, he listed his youngest two children as "Polly aged 6 years and David aged one month", leaving no room for another son born in late 1819 or 1820.

But in Sept 1996, I went to the Bath Co. courthouse, and found the following , in Deed Book J, page 525-26:

"This indenture made this 9th day of May 1836 witnesseth that agreeable to an act of the general assembly in such case made & provided Andrew Petit Orphan of Mathew Petit dec'd of the age of 16 years is ordered to be bound an apprentice to John W. Richards until he arrives of the age of twenty one to learn the trade art or mystery of a farmer during which time the said apprentice shall faithfully serve his said master his secrets keep and all his lawful commands obey do no damage to his said master nor suffer it to be done by others he shall not play at cards dice or any other unlawful game he shall not haunt Ailhouses nor Taverns he shall not contract matrimony nor commit fornication during said term but in all things behave himself as a faithful apprentice aught to do and his said master shall do the utmost of his endeavours to teach or cause said apprentice to be taught the said trade or mystery of a farmer aforesaid and to teach or cause said apprentice to be taught reading writing and common arithmetick including the rule of three and find said apprentice in good meat drink and lodging and apparel both linen and woolen fit for said apprentice to wear and to give said apprentice three pound eight shillings in cash and a decent suit of clothes at the expiration of said term

This Indenture of apprenticeship between John W. Richards and Andrew Petit was this day acknowledged in open Court by said Richards whereof the same hath been duly admitted to record in my office as the law directs Given under my hand as Clerk of the Bath County Court this 9th day of may

Wm M. Sudduth Clk
By B. A. Webb D. C."

Apparently the David age one month in Aug 1820 listed in Matthew's pension application is the same as Andrew age 16 in May of 1836. He was probably born in June or July, and his age was being rounded up a bit in the indenture. I have entered his name as Andrew David, since in adult records he is always called Andrew, but it might have been given at birth as David Andrew.

Andrew’s mother is quite possibly a different person than Molly, the mother of Samuel. See my notes for Matthew.

Bath Co. Vital Statistics for 1852 lists birth of an unnamed daughter, father Andrew Pettit, mother Christan Staton (no specific date.) I am not entering an unnamed daughter as a child of Andrew because census records are consistent that his son William was born in 1852, so either the gender or the date is likely to be wrong on this birth record (it is unlikely she is a twin because there is no record for another birth to Andrew & Christina on that day.)

Bath County newspapers contain two slightly differing accounts of Andrew's death and burial. The Bath County Democrat, Wed, 17 Feb 1897, states "Andy Pettit died Feb 10th at his son's, Harry Pettit, who resides on W. B. Power's place, aged 80. Cause of death was cold and pneumonia. Served in the Civil War. Burial at Harper's School House. Funeral at White Oak Church by Elder B. F. Parker." The Owingsville Outlook of Thu, 18 Feb 1897 says "Capt. Andrew Pettit died Wed. last week at his home on White Oak and was buried in the Cartmill graveyard at Prickly Ash Thursday afternoon. He was 73. His wife and several children survive."

The differences on the burial location apparently just reflect an informality in naming - Harper's School House was at the corner of Prickly Ash Creek and White Oak Road, and there is a cemetery across the road from it, which is marked on an 1884 map as Donaldson Cemetery, adjacent to the property of W. J. Cartmill. The ages at death are equally off in opposite directions - Andrew was a few months short of 77! "Harry" Pettit is probably the son who is listed in the censuses as "James H."

I could not find a marriage record for Andrew and Christina in Bath Co., and all the records from 1811 on are extant. So they either married in a neighboring county, or never registered their marriage with the court.

According to email correspondence with ---, Christina’s father was Solomon Staton. However, the 1830 census of Bath Co. lists only one daughter with the Solomon Staton family, and she is under 5. In 1830 Christina would be about 11. I suspect that her father may actually be Samuel Staton. The Samuel Staton family in 1830 lists one daughter 10-14, as well as one daughter 5-9. Andrew’s father Matthew provided surety in 1825 for Samuel Staton’s second marriage, to Drusilla Sadler.

1850 census of Bath Co., KY, p. 77, taken 7 Aug, lists as family #312:
Andrew Pettit, 31, farming; Christina, 31; Louisa, 5; Mary, 3; B. F. (male), 2; James H., 4/12; Cyntha A. Bright, 27. All born in KY except Cyntha Bright b. Indiana.

1860 census of Bath Co., KY, enumerated 5 June, lists on p. 15 as family #109:
Andy Pettit, 43, wagoner; Christiana, 43; Louisa, 16; Benj. F., 12; James H., 10; William, 8; Georgiana, 5; Hannah, 2. All born in Ky.

1870 census of Bath Co., KY lists as family #137:
Andrew Pettit, 50; Christina, 50; Louisa, 24; Franklin, 23; James H., 20; William, 18; George A., 16 (female); Hannah C., 12; Joseph M., 9.

1880 census of Bath Co., KY, White Sulpher precinct, lists family #235:
Andrew Pettitt, 62; Christina, 64; Joseph, 20; James, 30.