PREWITT - PRUITT RECORDS OF VIRGINIA By Richard A. Prewitt PREWITT - PRUITT RECORDS OF VIRGINIA DATE MICROFILMED f/tfAf /?<?f ITEM #-,// . .., PROJECT and G.S. ROLL # CALL # By Richard A. Prewitt 1800 N.W. 81st St. Des Moines, IA 50325 1996 FAMILY HISTORY LIBRA BY 35 NORTH WEST TEMPLE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84150 VIRGINIA State - 1788 The name Virginia was given by Queen Elizabeth to the country explored by Sir. Walter Raleigh in 1584. On April 10, 1606, James I granted a territory 200 miles wide to two companies, usually called the London and Plymouth Companies. The London Company, that held the southern grant, was organized under Sir. Thomas Smith. Christopher Newport sailed for America with the first colonists and arrived at Cape Henry on April 26, 1607. Having explored Chesapeake Bay, Newport entered the James River and founded Jamestown on May 14, 1607, the first permanent English settlement in America. Malaria, Indian hostility, insufficient provisions, and unaccustomed labor reduced the number of Jamestown settlers to half in less than four months. When Captain Newport returned on Jan. 12, 1608, only 38 men were left. John Smith was elected president of the colony in 1608. Captain John Smith provided the strong leadership needed by the fledgling settlement. Through several harsh winters the colony struggled to stay alive, new supplies and immigrants came each year. A new charter in 1609 incorporated the London Company and enlarged its territory. John Rolfe established the tobacco growing industry in 1612, and in 1614 married Pocahontas, daughter of the powerful Indian Powhatan, thus improving relations between the colonists and the Indians. On July 30, 1619, the first representative assembly in America met. A council elected by the Company and a house of burgesses chosen by the free colonists. In the same year, the first negro slaves were introduced into the country. By 1620 the population of the colony had reached 4,000 persons. An Indian massacre in 1622 and internal disputes in the colony led James I to revoke the Virginia Company's charter and make Virginia a royal colony in 1624. Immigrants arrived nearly every month. Thomas Prewitt and seven others were transported to Virginia (Charles River Co.) in 1636 (Patent Bk 1). Much has been written about the indentured servants that came to the Colonies. Like most immigrants, they were of all classes, but they were mostly young men with little or no material goods, believing that they could make a killing quickly in the new world and return home. There were some who, for political or religious beliefs, chose to come as indentured servants because in doing so, they would not have to take an oath to support Church or King. The colony prospered with the growth of the tobacco industry, and the population in 1648 reached 15,000. W. B. Bowman "Bristol to America", London, 1929, p. 64, shows a Thomas Pruatt of Salisbury listed for Virginia 1654-1663, we do not know what became of him, whether he died at sea or settled in one of the counties whose records have been lost. Henry Pruett, born about 1654, is listed with heads of families tithed to support an army of defense against the savages, and listed in the same group of 40 neighbors with Col. William Byrd in Henrico Co., VA in 1679. George Prewett's will was recorded in Accomack Co., VA on July 10,1670, and Benjamin Pruitt was transported to Accomack Co., VA by John Washbourne on Sept. 16, 1690. William Pruet was transported to Maryland in 1676, and Andrew Pruett, out of Old England, came to Dorchester Co., MD in 1678. There is a will of William Pruitt of Talbot Co., MD in 1727, in which he mentions his eldest daughter, Alice Jones, his grandson, Lewis Jones, and granddaughter, Mary Springer, but no Pruitt's. Among the papers of his estate is the oath of Thomas Sims, that there is no other kin of William Prewit in this country. The records of these early Pruitts in Maryland are very sparse. William Priyet and his son, John Privet, were among the early settlers of North Carolina (Bristol to America, p. 93), and were the ancestors of a long line of Priyet's in North Carolina. By 1700, Virginia had 80,000 persons in the Tidewater area. Settlers began scattering over the costal plain and the Piedmont Plateau before 1700. Between 1710 and 1740, passes were discovered across the Blue Ridge mountains into the Shenandoah Valley, and emigrants from Pennsylvania and New Jersey began to enter the valley from the north. As early as 1730, there was a heavy immigration of Scotch-Irish, Germans and Welch from Pittsylvania into Virginia, most of whom settled in the upper valleys. The charter of 1609 had fixed the limits of Virginia at 200 miles north and 200 miles south of Point Comfort, and west and northwest from sea to sea. Maryland and Pennsylvania also claimed western lands, but Virginia's title to a large part of the Northwest Territory was undisputed until the French, moving south from Canada, settled the region. In 1749, the Ohio Company, comprised chiefly of Marylanders and Virginians, was formed to explore the Northwest Territory. During the French and Indian War, Virginians saved the British army under Gen. Edward Braddock from complete annihilation, and the Virginians organized by George Washington, successfully held the Virginia frontier against the Indians and French. Between 1750 and 1784, land grants made to the Ohio Company encouraged exploration beyond the Alleghenies. The new area, southeast of the Ohio River, was organized in 1775 as the District of West Augusta, though much was ceded to Pennsylvania in 1779. The Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap opened up Kentucky, and is was organized as Kentucky County in 1776. Following the Revolution, the conflicting land claims of other states led Virginia to cede its claims north of the Ohio River to the United States in 1784, reserving only a small part for the state's veterans. Later, Kentucky was also relinquished to become a seperate state. ACCOMACK CO. VA Accomack Co. was formed in 1634 from Northampton CS. Accomac, VA Tangier Island in Chesapeake Bay was settled in 1636 by John Crockett, who with his eight sons and their families, chiefly of Cornish descent, came over from the mainland of Virginia. Today practically one-third of the island inhabitants, descendants of the original settlers, bear the surname of Crockett, with the family names of Dize, Parks and PRUITT running close seconds. There were families of both Prewitt and Trewitt in Accomack County. At least one scribe in the county made his capital "T" in the manner of an elaborate "P". 1670, Oct. 10 - Will of George Trewitt probated. Will written July 10, 1670, mentions sons: George, Henry, James and John; daus: Jane, Dorothy, Susannah and Elizabeth. 1676, Dec. 19 - Will of Henry Truit probated. Will written Sept. 5, 1676 mentions son: George, sole heir to remain with his mother until he becomes 21 years of age; wife: Elizabeth; and unborn child (Accomack Bk 1, p. 12). 1689 - James Truet, executor of the will of John Arew. 1690, Sept. 16 - Certificate is this day granted to John Washbourne for 350 acres of land due by rights underwritten, he having made legal proof there of, etc.. BENJAMIN PRUITT and four other whites and two negroes (Certificates and Rights, Accomack Co. 1663-1709, by Nottingham, p. 185). 1691 - George Truet, Jr., son of Henry Truet, dec'd, 100 acres (Accomack Bk 8, p. 159; & VA County Records, by Crozier, Vol. 2, p. 6). 1697, Feb. 1 - BENJAMIN PRUIT - "desire of my late wife, as also the love and affection which my quondom Master and Mrs Mr. John Washbourne and his wife have alwaies and still upon several occasions account manifest themselves to have and bear unto my Daughter Ester, being three years of age the first day of November last and being born in their house, etc., that my said daughter, ESTER PRUIT, shall continue to remain be and live with my sd Master Mr. John Washbourne and Susanna, his wife or the survibor of them until she attain her lawful age; but if my said Mrs. Susannah Washbourne shell decease before my said daughter Ester Pruitt shell attain her lawful age, it shel in her power and libery to dispose of my said daughter unstil she attain her lawful age as aforesaid to such person or persons as to her shall seem most meet and fitting. In witness Benjamin "B" Pruit sinted 1 Feb. 1697 / 8" Ack. and Rec. same date 1697 (Part 1 of 1692-1715 Bk, p. 315, Reel 6, Richmond). 1697, June 1 - Will of Thomas Rily, Senr. mentions: grandson, James Truit; daughter, Mary Truit. 1719, Sept. 1 - Will of Henry Truitt probated. Will written March 26, 1718 mentions: son, Elias, under 18 years of age; wife, Elishe; daughters, Elizabeath, Tibitha, Hannah and Sarah. 1 ACCOMACK CO. VA 1726 Oct 4 - Will of Mary Copes probated. Will written Feb. 10, 1723 / 24 mentions: grandson, John butter, son of my son Thomas Outter, son, Abraham Outter, all money and all due me from abroad; granddaughter, Mary Truitt. 1731, April 6 - Will of Elizabeth Jackson mentions: granddaughter, Hannah Truett. 1736, Sept. 7 - CATHERINE PREWETT's estate to be adm. by John Willet (Accomack Order Bk 1731-36, p. 195). The George Middleton estate left a portion (143 acres) to a Catherine Willett. Catherine Prewett died "intestate" and is believed to be the same woman, and to have left a son BENJAMIN PRUITT as heir. In 1757, Elijah Liston and Elizabeth sold Benjamin Pruitt 83 acres, "it being all but 60 acres at the east end of the land conveyed by Benjamin and Rachel Pruitt by a General Court Deed".