Tracks of My Georgia Ancestors: Georgia Notable Ancestors

JOHN PITTMAN AND POLLY ROWE PITTMAN

Colonial America Settlers

Pittman Family History In Colonial America 1700’s

A Collection from Ancestry.com and Various Website (*referenced)

Referenced and Assembled by
S.S. Pittman, Author/Photographer/Owner
Pittman/Carroll/Marley Family Tree, Ancestry.com
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Document Format: Outlined by Name and Date

Linked to Individual Pittman’s Page in The Pittman/Carroll/Marley Family Tree

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It has been said that this Pittman Line came from the Wales Pittmans and were among the first settlers in the 13 Colonies as one is listed among the dead in Virginia in 1623.

I. JOHN PITTMAN – Oct. 3, 1726-April 17, 1785

~John Pittman was of Scotch-English descent. He lived in Buckingham County, Virginia before moving to Edgefield District, South Carolina prior to 1770.

~Moved to St. Paul's Parish, GA and settled on Kiokee Creek. His plantation was located in that portion of land later named Richmond County, and in 1790 was cut off and named Columbia County.

~Enlisted on Dec 18, 1776 in the 4th Artillery Regiment of South Carolina, commanded by Col. Barnard Beeckman.

He served as a Matross (Gunner) in Capt. Harmon Davis' Company.

Link to Capt. Harmon Davis Regiment and Battles HERE

Photo: Revolutionary Canons…Revolutionary War Antiques

~In 1778 John Pittman was reported in the South Carolina Militia as a Ships Master. *Georgia Revolutionary War Soldiers Graves by Arnold and Burnham, 1993 pg 576. Other Documentation: The Roster of South Carolina Patriots In The American Revolution by BG Moss, 1983 pg 775.

~ John Pittman is also listed with the Rebels who kept watch on the Savannah River Crossings. On the Muster Roll of Capt. Ephraim Mitchell’s Company of the South Carolina Continental Regiment of Artillery Encampment at the Two Sisters Ferry commanded by Colonel Owen Roberts…March 21, 1779.

~Sons of John Pittman who also served in the Revolutionary War:

John Ichabod Pittman…aka John Pittman, Jr.

Buckner Pittman

James Greene Pittman

Phillip Pittman

Timothy Pittman

The Torries Raid on John Pittman Homestead

While John and his sons were away fighting in the American Revolution the Torries raided their home. The house was ransacked and Mary Polly was thrown off the porch while trying to defend her home. She suffered a broken hip which left her crippled for the rest of her life. The Pittman men returned home and learned the identities of the raiders. Only one had survived the war and he was found in Nashville, Tennessee where Buckner Pittman shot him dead in the street.

II. John Pittman and MARY POLLY ROWE PITTMAN – Marriage May 1, 1747 Buckingham, Virginia (Amelia County)

~After the birth of Fifth child…James Greene Pittman…moved to Edgefield District, South Carolina where John had a survey in Amelia Township in 1757. It is thought he owned land on Raifords Creek Mill, South Carolina. In 1772 John Pittmans Platt between back swamp and cabin branch showed a path to the meeting house (according to Townsends South Carolina Baptists, 1670-1805,pg.142n,144n).

~Pittman Family Biographers proposed that John and Mary moved further south to escape Religious Restrictions placed upon Baptist activities. The following excerpt from Pittman Family Biography…authors unknown.

John Pittman, wife and ten children joined the Colony of Baptists headed by the celebrated preacher, the Reverend Daniel Marshall, whom they most likely met in church in Buckingham County Virginia. This Colony settled in Georgia on Kiokee Creek, St. Paul’s Parish which became Richmond County and later Columbia County. The church established by the Reverend Marshall was the first Baptist Church in Georgia. (Marshall Monument in Elijah Clark Memorial State Park-Lincolnton Georgia)

*A Number of Baptist Ministers were named Pittman. James Pittman, a member of Tuckahoo Baptist Church, was imprisioned for 15 days for preaching in his home on December 18, 1776. *History of The Rise and Progress of Baptists in Virginia Robert B. Semple…revised in 1894 by G.W. Beale.

JOHN ICHABOD PITTMAN, son of John and Mary, married LUCY EUNICE MARSHALL…daughter of REVEREND DANIEL MARSHALL and Martha Stearns Marshall.

JAMES GREENE PITTMAN

HON. JOHN GREENE PITTMAN

The Unveiling of Bronze Marker In Their Honor

James Pittman, born in Amelia County, Virginia, March 4, 1756. was the 4th child of John and Mary (Rowe) Pittman, who came from Buckingham County, Virginia to Edgefield Dist., S.C., and later to Georgia prior to 1770.

Tradition says the Pittman family, this line, came from Wales. Pittmans have been among the first settlers in all 13 colonies; one is listed among the dead in Virginia in 1623.

James Pittman, with his father, John Pittman, and four brother, Buckner, John Jr., Phillip and Timothy, were soldiers in the Revolutionary War, where James Pittman rose to the rank of Lieutenant. When Georgia fell into the hands of the British, James Pittman returned to Virginia, where he met and married Martha Taylor. July 5th, 1781. She was the daughter of James and Nancy (Owens) Taylor, of the same lineage of President Zachary Taylor.

They returned to Georgia, September 1788. Their three children were born in Virginia. Old letters, land grants, etc., prove that James Pittman owned large tracts of land in Franklin Co. which in 1796 became a part of the new County, Jackson, and in 1812 that portion where he lived was made part of another new county, Madison. He also owned a large tract of land in Wilkes Co. The old home once stood in sight of this spot, but was burned many years ago.

James Pittman did not retire to private life after the war, but took an active part in the affairs of his state. He was a delegate from Jackson Co. to the convention of 1795. The Convention which referred the question of repudiating the sale of the Yazoo land to the succeeding Legislature, and made provision for the Convention of 1798. He represented Jackson Co. in that Convention, of which George Smith, Historian says, "Was the largest and ablest that ever assembled in Georgia. They formed the Constitution that was not materially changed until after the War between the States."

He was appointed Judge of the Inferior Court of Jackson County, June 21st, 1796, by Gov, Jared Irwin, at that time a position of honor and distinction. He was a Justice of the peace in 1798, He was commissioned by Gov. Jared Irwin, Oct. 13th, 1798, as Captain in the Jackson Co. Militia. In 1799, Gov. James Jackson appointed him Judge of the Inferior Court, where he served until that part of Jackson County was cut into Madison in 1812,

He represented Jackson County in House of Representatives in 1797-98-99. Was made a commissioner for the Jackson County Academy February 11, 1797, and in 1603. December 9th, was made Commissioner for the joint Academy of Clarke and Jackson Counties. Was a member of the Convention of 1633, from Madison Co., which met to reduce the members in the General Assembly. Was made Commissioner of Madison County Academy November 6th, 1812, represented Madison County in Legislature several terms.

Pittman's Militia District in Madison County was named for him. He died December 25th, 1850, 94 years old, honored and respected by all. He and his wife reared a family of 13 children, whose descendants are now scattered all over the south and west.

His grave which we have marked today with the Bronze Marker of the U.S. Daughters of 1812 is also marked with the Government Marker of the Revolutionary War. This was secured through the efforts of two of his great-granddaughters, Mrs. J. H. Hardwick, Cleveland, Tenn., and Mrs. C. K. Henderson, in 1912. The stone wall was built by the family slaves.

Martha Taylor Pittman, wife of James Pittman, died in May 1850; during that summer James Pittman had his slaves build this rock wall enclosing her grave and that of his daughter Martha and her husband, Abner Wells. This marker was not properly set in cement in 1912, and some years later, William Owen Davis (My great Uncle) of Gainesville, Texas, a great-grandson of James Pittman, visited the cemetery, seeing that the wall was falling to pieces and that his great- grandmother's grave was unmarked, he generously and lovingly procured a marker for her grave, at his own expense, A year later he returned to Georgia had the marker placed over the grave of Martha Pittman, and the Government Marker for James Pittman cemented, the wall reset and firmly cemented. The family owe a debt of gratitude to William Owen Davis for this service.

JOHN GREENE PITTMAN was a son worthy of his sire. Born in Virginia October 2nd, 1782, coming to Georgia with his parents in September 1788. He grew to manhood and married Mary Moore, January 24, 1804, dying, October 7th, 1873, leaving a large family. like his father he too was active in the affairs of his country and state.

He represented Jackson County in the Convention of 1853. In the House of Representatives from Jackson County in 1833-34-35-36. He was Judge of the Inferior Court of that County from 1835-36-37. Was Ordinary of the County 1853-59, Was a delegate from the County to the secession Convention in 1861.

He was Major in the 53rd Battalion, Georgia Militia from February 15th, 1810 to June 23rd, 1814, when he was made a Lt. Col. He was a man of prominence in his county and had large property investments.