Family Group Sheet
NameBenjamin D. Pettit
Birthabt 1776/1782
Marriage23 Dec 1800, Madison Co., Kentucky
SpouseCharity Skidmore
Birthabt 1776/1784
BurialBailey Cem., Thompkinsville, Monroe Co., Ky
Children
Death1863
SpouseLevi Spear
Notes for Benjamin D. Pettit
Madison Co., Ky, marriage records list Benjamin Pettit m. Charity Skidmore, 23 Dec 1800. (Madison Co. is just south of Lexington, which is in Fayette Co.) Probably this Benjamin is a brother of the George Pettit who married Elizabeth Gillespie in the same county one month earlier.
Kentucky Gazette of 9 Oct 1815, includes a notice that "Benj. D. Pettit at the steam mill of J. H. Morton & Co. in Lexington wants to hire coopers." Kentucky Gazette of 1 July 1816 posts a notice by N. and B.D. Pettit regarding their cooper's shop at the steam mill of J.H. Morton. "N" is probably Nathaniel Pettit Jr., son of Nathaniel Pettit Sr. & Rebecca Owens, since he was the only N. Pettit in the 1820 census of Fayette Co. The question is, how are Benjamin D. and George of Madison Co. related to Nathaniel Jr.? Almost certainly they are; it is too much coincidence to have two unrelated Pettits running a business together. Probably not brothers, as no Benjamin or George was included in the 1814 estate settlement of Nathaniel Pettit Sr. Benjamin and George aren't likely to be sons of Nathaniel Sr's brother, Thomas of Washington Co., unless they both died before 1834, as they aren't listed in Thomas' will. They aren't likely to be sons of Samuel who married Elizabeth Bragg on 10 Dec 1783 in Fauquier Co, as they were probably older than 17 when they married. Yet they seem to be of a younger generation than Nathaniel Sr., Thomas, and Samuel, as the latter were all married in the early 1780's. They are, however, near the age of William of Scott Co., whom Sylvia Welch lists as a son of Obediah. If she is right, then perhaps Obediah had two wives, and William, Benjamin D. and George are brothers in the second family. Or perhaps they are descended from Obediah's reported brother Zedeciah, whom I have nothing else on.
If these notes turn out to pertain to different Benjamin Pettits, then I can split these records later. For now it seems like a good bet that Benjamin Pettit of Madison Co. moved to Fayette Co. sometime between 1800 and 1815. (There is no Benjamin Pettit in 1820 or 1830 in Madison Co. The index to the 1810 census of Ky lists no Benjamin Pettit anywhere in the state.)
Kentucky Gazette of 9 Oct 1815, includes a notice that "Benj. D. Pettit at the steam mill of J. H. Morton & Co. in Lexington wants to hire coopers." Kentucky Gazette of 1 July 1816 posts a notice by N. and B.D. Pettit regarding their cooper's shop at the steam mill of J.H. Morton. "N" is probably Nathaniel Pettit Jr., son of Nathaniel Pettit Sr. & Rebecca Owens, since he was the only N. Pettit in the 1820 census of Fayette Co. The question is, how are Benjamin D. and George of Madison Co. related to Nathaniel Jr.? Almost certainly they are; it is too much coincidence to have two unrelated Pettits running a business together. Probably not brothers, as no Benjamin or George was included in the 1814 estate settlement of Nathaniel Pettit Sr. Benjamin and George aren't likely to be sons of Nathaniel Sr's brother, Thomas of Washington Co., unless they both died before 1834, as they aren't listed in Thomas' will. They aren't likely to be sons of Samuel who married Elizabeth Bragg on 10 Dec 1783 in Fauquier Co, as they were probably older than 17 when they married. Yet they seem to be of a younger generation than Nathaniel Sr., Thomas, and Samuel, as the latter were all married in the early 1780's. They are, however, near the age of William of Scott Co., whom Sylvia Welch lists as a son of Obediah. If she is right, then perhaps Obediah had two wives, and William, Benjamin D. and George are brothers in the second family. Or perhaps they are descended from Obediah's reported brother Zedeciah, whom I have nothing else on.
If these notes turn out to pertain to different Benjamin Pettits, then I can split these records later. For now it seems like a good bet that Benjamin Pettit of Madison Co. moved to Fayette Co. sometime between 1800 and 1815. (There is no Benjamin Pettit in 1820 or 1830 in Madison Co. The index to the 1810 census of Ky lists no Benjamin Pettit anywhere in the state.)
Census
Although he was married in 1800, I cannot find an 1810 tax list entry for this Benjamin Pettit. Possibly he was not a head of household.
1820 Census of Fayette Co., Ky, lists on p. 67:
Benjamin Pettett, 3 m < 10, 2 m 10-16, 2 m 26-44, 1 f 26-44. 2 persons engaged in manufacturing (the cooper's shop). No slaves. If the 5 boys are all sons of Benjamin, then he and his wife are probably at the upper end of the 26-44 age range. The other adult male may be a brother of Benjamin or his wife, or perhaps another cooper in partnership.
There is no Benjamin Pettit in the 1830 or 1840 censuses of Kentucky, nor any female-headed Pettit family in Fayette or Madison Co. that fits the above profile (I would expect it to have 3 teenage boys in 1830.) So it is likely that this family migrated to another state between 1820 and 1830.
1820 Census of Fayette Co., Ky, lists on p. 67:
Benjamin Pettett, 3 m < 10, 2 m 10-16, 2 m 26-44, 1 f 26-44. 2 persons engaged in manufacturing (the cooper's shop). No slaves. If the 5 boys are all sons of Benjamin, then he and his wife are probably at the upper end of the 26-44 age range. The other adult male may be a brother of Benjamin or his wife, or perhaps another cooper in partnership.
There is no Benjamin Pettit in the 1830 or 1840 censuses of Kentucky, nor any female-headed Pettit family in Fayette or Madison Co. that fits the above profile (I would expect it to have 3 teenage boys in 1830.) So it is likely that this family migrated to another state between 1820 and 1830.
Census Notes for Charity Skidmore
The IGI lists Charity Skidmore as "of Bailey Cemetery, Thompkinsville, Monroe, Kentucky".
