Identification of John Link as James’ father is based on family tradition from his descendants as well as those of John Tom Pettit. Their mother Lizzie Pettit lived alternately with John and James and later James’ daughters Mollie and Maude.

The marriage record of James' daughter Arvilla says that her father was born in Morgan Co., as does the birth record for his daughter Anna, but I cannot find any James Pettit in Morgan Co. or surrounding counties who is about 8 in 1870 or 18 in 1880. (Nor can I find Lizzie or her other children in those years.)

This is possibly the James Petitt listed on the 1885 tax roll of Rowan Co., with 100 acres, neighbor Dan'l Ginter, 1 male over 21, no children 6-20. But that entry may instead be for James Preston Pettit, s/o Benjamin.

The Kentucky Death Index lists Elizabeth Pelfrey, died 7 May 1958 in Boone Co. at age 90.

Rowan Co. marriage register, bk A, p. 111, lists James L. Pettit as a witness at the marriage of David Jones & Lily M. Elliott, on 15 Sep 1897 at James B. Jones.

1900 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Pierce Precinct, lists as family #133:
James L. Pettitt, b. Jan 1862, age 38; wife Lizzie, b. May 1868, age 32, married 15 yrs, 7 children, 7 living; daughters Dora L., May 1886, 14 yrs; Arvilla, June 1887, 12 yrs; Mollie J., Aug 1891, 8 yrs; Anna, May 1893, 7 yrs; Maudie M., Jan 1896, 4 yrs; Annie, May 1897, 3 yrs; Ada L., May 1900, 1 mo.; mother Lizzie, widow, b. Jan 1847, 53 yrs, 6 children, 6 living. All born in Ky.

Living nearby is Amos Pettit, 16, a border with Jed D. Cogswell, who I would tentatively place in this family except that James & Lizzie say that they have only been married 15 years and have 7 children, all listed.

The reconciliation of this 1900 census reading with the Rowan Co. marriage records is somewhat problematic. The marriage books record D. B. Donohew marrying "Annie" Pettit age 16 in Dec 1909 (when the census Annie would be 12-13 and the census Anna 16-17), and J. E. Pelfrey marrying "Anna" Pettit age 21 in Feb 1919, when the census Annie would be 21-22 and the census Anna 25-26. The birth records for their children are consistent, though, in giving the name of the mother of the Donahue children as Amy Pettit, and the name of the mother of the Pelfrey children as Anna Pettit or Annie Pettit. So it appears that both this census and the marriage record for D. B. Donohew are incorrect, and the daughter born in 1893 should have been listed as Amy. (It is possible that the marriage book said Amie and I misread it, but the 1900 census definitely says Anna.)

See the census notes for Lizzie and her second husband Beverly Pelfrey for later listings of the children in this family.