THE PETTY PAPERS
Vol II No. 1
July 1977.
William Petty was born about 1708 in Richmond County Virginia. He was probably the 4th son and 5th child of Thomas Petty and Elizabeth Garton.
He married Elizabeth _____, about 1732 or 1733, probably in Richmond County.In 1734, his father, Thomas Petty, Sr and older brother, John Petty sold their property in Richmond County, and moved to Spotsylvania County where they purchased lifetime leases from Alexander Spotswood, Esq.
A few months later Spotsylvania divided and they found themselves a part of newly formed Orange County.
In 1741 William Petty purchased a lease in Orange County from Alexander Spotswood in which he named his sons, Theophalus and William Petty.
William appeared in several court records in Orange County until 1748.
William next appeared in Brunswick County Virginia in 1750 where he and his wife Elizabeth sold property to John Marshall of Charles City County Virginia. No record has been found of when they obtained this property, but the possibility exists that the property came by inheritance.
In 1751, William appeared in the lists of thithes of Lunenburgh County Virginia. Nearby, his son Theophalus Petty was listed in the household of James Faylor. The thithes named all white males over the age of 16, indicating that Theophalus was born about 1734.
In 1752, the thithes of Lunenburgh County lists William, Sr. and Theophalus in same household.
Between 1751 and 1756 William and Elizabeth Petty appear numerous times in the court minutes of Lunenburgh County, together with thechildren of Thomas Petty, Jr.
In July 1756, a suit between the widow of Richard Taylor and William was reported in court as being "no longer a resident of the county".
At this time William and his family move to Orange County North Carolina. William received land grants which were later divided among his children.
He appears in court records in this county on and off until 1769.
William Petty, Sr. may have died in 1770. In August William Petty, Jr. was still using the "Jr" in his signature. By November of that year , and from that time on he did not use "Jr.".
The children of William and Elizabeth are known only through deeds and supposition. Theophalus and William, Jr. have been confirmed in deeds. A third son, Hubburd Petty is determined by supposition as is a possible fourth son, John Petty.
Any daughters, and surely there are some, have not yet been determined. The children were born from about 1734 to 1749.The children of William and Elizabeth Petty are determined as follows:
i.. THEOPHALUS PETTY, b about 1734 in Richmond County Virginia. He received a portion of his father's grant in Orange County, which he sold to John Cook in 1769. He then moved to Cumberland County North Carolina, which later became Moore County, where he lived until the late 1870's. Then he moved to Kershaw County South Carolina with his family about 1779, where he died about 1780. The Theophalus Petty, Jr. born 10 June 1758 in Orange County North Carolina is believed to be his son, determined by process of elimination. This Theophalus enlisted toward the end of the Revolutionary War, in Kershaw County where he was living with his mother. He stated that she moved to the Edgefield District while he was serving in the war. He enlisted about 1780. Theophalus Petty, Jr. married in South Carolina and moved in 1825 to Butler County Alabama, where he was still living in 1858.
ii.. WILLIAM PETTY, SR. b about 1736 in Orange County Virginia. He 1st married Mildred ____, about 1760 in Orange County. He appears numerous time in Chatham County North Carolina deed records from 1770 to 1800. His estate was inventoried on 5 Oct. 1822. Their children were: William, James, Jesse, Isaac, Guilford, Mary, and perhaps others.
iii.. HUBBARD PETTY, b about 1741/45 in Orange County Virginia. He married Mary ___ about 1766 in Orange County North Carolina. He first appeared in the land records of Orange County North Carolina in March 1770, and in Chatham County from 1770 to 1775.
Hubbard ( also spelled Hubbird or Hughbird,etc.) He moved to Moore County North Carolina about 1778 until after 1800. In the early 1800's he moved to Hickman County Tennessee, which later became Wayne County and Hardin County. He received several land grants and later passed the property on to his children.Children of Hubbard and Mary Petty were: (no girls have been determined)
....01) THEOPHALUS PETTY, b about 1770, in Chatham County North Carolina. He was married shortly after 1790, and was in Ashe County County North Carolina by 1800. He moved to Virginia, and from there to Butler County Kentucky, where he raised his family. He died in the 1830's and some of his children moved on to Arkansas and Texas.
MY NOTE: This is the FATHER of THEOPHALUS PETTY, JR. who marr. CHARLOTTE SORRELLS in Butler Co. Ky, 1818.....02) WILSON PETTY, b about 1777, Chatham or Moore Co. North Carolina. Served in the War of 1812 from Hickman Co. Tennessee. Married Margaret _____. He lived in Gasconde Co. Missouri, 1830. McNairy Co. Tennessee in 1840. Finally settled in Osage County Missouri.
....03) JOHN PETTY, b about 1779, in Moore Co. North Carolina. Married Polly _____, about 1807 in Dickson or Hickman Co. Tennessee. They moved to Carroll Arkansas. Had sons: Josiah, William, Hubbard, Abram, Joshua, James M., Elijah and possibly others.
....04) ISHAM PETTY, b about 1786, in Moore Co. North Carolina Served in the War of 1812 from Hickman Co. Tennessee. He married Abigail Hale 6 July 1816, in Hickman County. Isham died in Hunt County Texas on 23 October 1854.
....05) WILLIAM PETTY, b about 1784, in Moore Co. North Carolina. Married Elizabeth ____. Lived in Hickman Co. and McNairy Co. Tennessee between 1810 and 1830. He died about 1828.
iv.. REBECCA PETTY, b about 1745 in Orange County Virginia. Married Zachariah Harmon about 1770 in Orange or Chatham County North Carolina. Between 1771 and 1810 she and her husband appear in county records in connection with her brothers William and Hubbard Petty. Zachariah Harmon died in Chatham Co. in 1808. Rebecca Petty Harmon died in Monroe Co. Georgia, summer of 1830.
Ref.: THE PETTY PAPERS, Vol II, No. 1, July 1977.