Descendents of John Tom Pettit (in particular, his daughter-in-law Bearl (Haney) Pettit, and his granddaughter Mabel (Slusher) Forman, and his grandson Wilbur Moore) say that John was illegitimate, and his father was John Link and his mother "Lizzie Pettit".

His death certificate records John T. Pettit died 27 June 1930 in Morgan Co., age 61 years 2 months 23 days, married, surviving spouse Belle Pettit, date of birth Apr 4, 1867, birthplace Morgan Co., KY, occupation farming, father John Link b. Pennsylvania, mother Liz Pettit, informant Belle Pettit, Craney, KY, cause of death "heart failure died suddenly".

Joint stone in New Alfrey Cemetery says:
Pettit
John T. Isabell
1866-1930 1874-1949

(The year of birth for John is probably wrong. The census has him marked as 2 in 1870, 10 in 1880, 29 in 1900, and 40 in 1910. I consider 1869 to be the most probable date, 1868 second most likely.)

John is listed in the 1880 census, as John D. Link, age 12, boarder, with the family of his first cousin Bluford Elliott (whose mother was Mary Ann Pettit). I have not found him (nor Lizzie’s other children) in the 1870 census.

Her death certificate records Isabell Pettit Rodgers, age 76 years 9 months 8 days, born 5 April 1872 in Rown Co., Ky, died 13 Jan 1949 in Fair Haven, Preble Co., Ohio, married, father Coleman Brown, mother’s maiden name Mattie Dillon, cause of death carcinoma of stomach, informant Asa Pettit, Middletown, Ohio, burial in Phillips Cemetery near Morehead, Ky.

She is buried in New Alfrey Cemetery in Morehead, with the inscription “Isabell Pettit 1874 - 1949”, under a double stone with her first husband John Tom Pettit. (Their graves were moved from Phillips Cemetery as part of the Cave Run Lake relocation project.)

Rowan County Marriage Register, Book A, p. 42, records marriage of John T. Pettit and Bell Brown, 10 Nov 1891, at “my storehouse”, by W. W. Phillips, witnesses Levi Morefield, Joseph N. Phelpp.

1900 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Pierce precinct, enumerated 12 June, lists on p. 9A as family #155:
John T. Pettitt, Apr 1871, age 29, works at sawmill; Isabell, Apr 1875, age 25, married 8 yrs, 3 children, 3 living; Loretta, Dec 1894, 5 yrs; Lizzie B., Feb 1897, 3 yrs; John W., May 1900, 0 mo. All born in Kentucky.

1910 census of Morgan Co., Ky, North Fork precinct, enumerated 21 April, lists on p. 2B as family #24
Petitt, John T., 40; Belle, wife, 34, first marriage for both, married 19 years, mother of 6 children, 6 living; Icy, dau, 16; Lizzie, dau, 13; Arville, son, 9; Asa, son, 7; Hopy, son, 4; Minnie, dau, 1; Lizzie, mother, 65, single, mother of 6 children, 4 living. All born in Ky Ky Ky.

Our great-aunt Ola (Petitt) McBrayer says that John Tom & Bell's oldest child was named Isy, and she married Harve Middleton. (The list that Ola gives is Isy, Lizzie, Asy, Orville, Minnie, David, Lenora.) Since Loretta appears in the 1900 census b. Dec 1894, but not at all in the 1910 census, and Icy appears in the 1910 census age 16 but not at all in the 1900 census, it is likely that they are the same person. John W. (the baby in 1900) apparently died young, unless for some reason they decided to change his name to the very different Arville Green.

1920 census of Morgan Co., Ky, Panther’s Branch precinct, enumerated 28 Jan, lists on p. 12B as family #226/231:
Pettit, John T., 52, farmer; Isabell, wife, 48; Arvel G., son, 19; William A., son, 17; David H., son, 14; Minna J., dau, 11; Lenora M., dau, 7. All born Ky Ky Ky.

1930 census of Morgan Co., Ky, Blaze precinct, enumerated 8 April, lists on p. 5B as family #36:
Pettitt, John Tom, 61, farmer, age at first marriage 21; Belle, wife, 56, age at first marriage 18; Lenora, dau, 18. All born Ky Ky Ky.