Descendants of Robert Whytt/Witt

 

Complied and Submitted by Libby Clay
lclay12212@cs.com

 

Generation No. 1

 

1.  ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT

 

Notes for ROBERT WHYTT/WITT:

The first mention of a Witt (Whytt) that I have found is from Virginia Colonial Abstract 18 re William Claiborne.  Robert Whytt Accomack County, Virginia 1636.  Robert Whytt, Mariner on September 5, 1636 at Court of Acchowmacke.  "I William Claiborne being Secretary of State, Phillip Taylor planter of Acchowmacke complained against Robert Whytt, mariner 2,000 lbs. tobacco, lost by casualty, Isle of Kentry 6 & 20 1636 William Clayborne on September 5, 1636."

 

The first mention of the name is in Sterling, Kilseth near Edinburgh, a port in Scotland is 1643.  Thomas Whitt father of infants Archibald and Bessie in the 1660s.

         

Child of ROBERT WHYTT/WITT is:

2.                   i.     JOHN2 WITT I, b. 1645, Herefordshire, England; d. Abt. 1715, Charles City County, Virginia.

 

 

Generation No. 2

 

2.  JOHN2 WITT I (ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1645 in Herefordshire, England, and died Abt. 1715 in Charles City County, Virginia.  He married ANN DAUX 1669 in Albermarle County, Virginia.  She was born 1647 in Albermarle County, Virginia.

 

Notes for JOHN WITT I:

John Witt emigrated to the Virginia Colony in 1659.

 

John Witt received a Land Patent on Novermber 20, 1670, in Charles City County, Virginia.  In 1677, he served as a juror in Charles City, Virginia.

         

Children of JOHN WITT and ANN DAUX are:

3.                   i.     WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3 WITT, b. 1675, Virginia; d. June 13, 1754, St. Ann Parish, Albermarle County, Virginia.

4.                  ii.     JOHN WITT II, b. Abt. 1676, Charles City County, Virginia; d. Abt. 1751, Goochland County, Virginia.

5.                 iii.     EDWARD WITT, b. Abt. 1685, Bristol Parish, Virginia; d. Aft. 1752, Virginia.

6.                 iv.     RICHARD WITT I, b. Abt. 1690, Virginia; d. Abt. 1764, Bute County, North Carolina.

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

3.  WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3 WITT (JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1675 in Virginia, and died June 13, 1754 in St. Ann Parish, Albermarle County, Virginia.  He married MARY MILDRED DAUX 1710 in Virginia.  She was born Abt. 1679 in Virginia, and died August 10, 1741 in Albermarl County, Virginia.

 

Notes for WILLIAM GUILLAUNE WITT:

The Will of William Witt

Albermarle County, Virginia, Will Book 1, April 25, 1754, Probated June 13, 1754

 

In the name of God, Amen.  I William Witt of the Parish of St. Anne and County of Albermarle being in perfect health and sound memory, thanks be to Almighty God for the same.  I do think fit to constitute and appoint this my last Will and Testament in manner and form followeth.

 

First, I commit my Spirit into the Hands of Almighty God that first gave it.  Secondly, my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian manner.

 

In primis I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Benjamin Witt a Grey mare, a great Bible, one Pewter Bason, one plate and half of my wearing Cloaths.  I give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Canidey one Feather Bed and Furniture and all the Meat and Corn on my Plantation for the use of her and her Children this ensuing Year.  Likewise, I lend to my said Daughter my negro Tom till such time her husband John Cannady comes in takes care of her and her Children as a husband ought to do.  In the Case the said Canidey should not return the said Negro to remain in her possession during her Natural Life and after to be divided among my children except my Son Benjamin Witt, Sarah Caniday and Agness Key.

 

Item, I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Agness Key my Negro fellow Ned all the rest of my Estate household Furniture, Cattle, Horses, Hoggs, etc.  I desire it may be equally divided among my Children except Benjamin Witt, Sarah Canidey and Agness Key.  I do appoint my son John Witt and Peter Chasteen Executors of this my last Will and Testament revoking all former Wills by me made as Witness Whereof.

 

I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this 25 Day of April 1754.

 

William Witt L. T.

 

Witnesses:  Henry Martin, Samuel Hopkins, and John Barnet

 

He is buried in St. Ammis Parish Churchyard beside his wife.

 

The Witt home was in Albemarle County on the north side of the Rivanna in the neck cut off by Ballenger Creek.  In 1738 he purchased 200 acres of land when it was still in Goochland.  In 1741 he gave the land to his son John.

 

The old Witt homestead at Roseland, now in Nelson County, remained in the possession of Witt descendants for over two hundrec years.

 

Notes for MARY MILDRED DAUX:

Mary Mildred Daux Witt is buried at St. Anne's Parish where the old church of Rev. Robert Rose is located.  There is said to be a very interesting transcription on her tombstone.

         

Children of WILLIAM WITT and MARY DAUX are:

7.                   i.     JOHN4 WITT, b. 1710, Manakin Town, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. March 04, 1782, Amherst County, Virginia.

                      ii.     MADELINE MIDDY WITT, b. 1718, Albermarl County, Virginia; m. PETER CHASTAIN.

                     iii.     SARAH WITT, b. 1716, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. April 25, 1754, Bedford County, Virginia; m. JOHN CANADEY.

8.                 iv.     BENJAMIN WITT, SR., b. 1712, Virginia; d. 1774, Rockingham County, Virginia.

9.                  v.     AGNES WITT, b. 1714, Albermarle County, Virginia; d. 1788.

                     vi.     RICHARD WILLIAM WITT, b. 1726, Albermarl County, Virginia.

 

 

4.  JOHN3 WITT II (JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born Abt. 1676 in Charles City County, Virginia, and died Abt. 1751 in Goochland County, Virginia.  He married ANN ROGERS. 

         

Children of JOHN WITT and ANN ROGERS are:

                       i.     SILVANUS SILAS4 WITT.

10.                ii.     SARAH WITT, b. 1695, Virginia; d. Aft. 1769, Halifax, Virginia.

                     iii.     FEMALE WITT, m. DAVID BARNET.

                     iv.     FEMALE WITT, m. JOHN FARRAR.

11.                v.     JOHN WITT III, b. 1693, Charles City County, Virginia; d. 1779, Halifax, Virginia.

 

 

5.  EDWARD3 WITT (JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born Abt. 1685 in Bristol Parish, Virginia, and died Aft. 1752 in Virginia.  He married MARY ELIZA PETTIPOOLE. 

         

Children of EDWARD WITT and MARY PETTIPOOLE are:

                       i.     ANN4 WITT, b. December 11, 1730.

                      ii.     JOHN WITT, b. July 10, 1734.

                     iii.     WILLIAM WITT, b. 1742.

                     iv.     MARY WITT, b. 1745.

 

 

6.  RICHARD3 WITT I (JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born Abt. 1690 in Virginia, and died Abt. 1764 in Bute County, North Carolina.  He married (1) ELIZABETH LIPTROT.    He married (2) MARY KIMBROW. 

         

Children of RICHARD WITT and ELIZABETH LIPTROT are:

                       i.     RICHARD4 WITT II.

                      ii.     HEZEKIAH WITT.

                     iii.     JOHN WITT.

                     iv.     ROBERT WITT.

 

         

Child of RICHARD WITT and MARY KIMBROW is:

                      v.     EDMUND4 WITT.

 

 

Generation No. 4

 

7.  JOHN4 WITT (WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1710 in Manakin Town, Albermarl County, Virginia, and died March 04, 1782 in Amherst County, Virginia.  He married LUCY LITTLEBURY 1740 in Virginia.  She was born 1713 in Manakin Town, Henrico County, Virginia, and died Aft. 1782 in Virginia.

 

Notes for JOHN WITT:

John Witt has seven sons that served in the Recvolutionary War.

         

Children of JOHN WITT and LUCY LITTLEBURY are:

12.                 i.     ABNER5 WITT I, b. 1754, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. Abt. 1813, Knox County, Tennessee.

13.                ii.     DAVID WITT, SR., b. 1752, Pittsylvania County, Virginia; d. September 28, 1818, Nelson County, Virginia.

14.               iii.     JOHN WITT, b. 1753, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. August 25, 1825, Knox County, Tennessee.

15.               iv.     LITTLEBURY WITT, b. 1746, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. 1796, Amherst County, Virginia.

                      v.     LUCY WITT, m. BENJAMIN CARPENTER.

                     vi.     AIRES WITT, b. 1745, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. 1820, Knox County, Tennessee.

                    vii.     CHARLES WITT, b. 1756, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. 1796, Knox County, Tennessee.

 

Notes for CHARLES WITT:

Charles Witt died in service during the Revolutionary War.

 

                   viii.     GEORGE WITT, b. 1758, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. 1830, Knox County, Tennessee; m. BETTY UNKNOWN.

 

Notes for GEORGE WITT:

George Witt served in the Revolutionary War.

 

16.               ix.     ELISHA WITT, SR., b. September 18, 1759, Albermarl County, Virginia; d. December 16, 1835, Estill County, Kentucky.

17.                x.     WILLIAM E. WITT, SR., b. December 11, 1762, Powhattan County, Virginia; d. December 26, 1827, Howard County, Missouri.

 

 

8.  BENJAMIN4 WITT, SR. (WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1712 in Virginia, and died 1774 in Rockingham County, Virginia.  He married MARRIANNE CHASTAIN. 

         

Children of BENJAMIN WITT and MARRIANNE CHASTAIN are:

                       i.     MARIANNE5 WITT, b. March 19, 1731/32.

                      ii.     BENJAMIN WITT II.

                     iii.     JOHN WITT.

                     iv.     CHARLES WITT, b. Abt. 1730.

                      v.     LEWIS WITT, b. Abt. 1734.

 

 

9.  AGNES4 WITT (WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1714 in Albermarle County, Virginia, and died 1788.  She married JOHN KEY, JR. December 27, 1750 in Virginia.  He was born 1731 in Virginia, and died 1789.

         

Children of AGNES WITT and JOHN KEY are:

                       i.     ELIZABETH5 KEY.

                      ii.     BARBARY KEY.

                     iii.     JUDITH KEY.

                     iv.     WINNEY KEY.

                      v.     WILLIAM KEY, b. Abt. 1751.

                     vi.     JOHN WALLER KEY, b. May 11, 1752.

                    vii.     GEORGE KEY, b. 1753.

                   viii.     JOSEPH KEY, b. 1764.

 

 

10.  SARAH4 WITT (JOHN3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1695 in Virginia, and died Aft. 1769 in Halifax, Virginia.  She married THOMAS HARBOUR 1715 in Charles City County, Virginia.  He was born 1675 in Wales, and died 1770 in Henry County, Virginia.

         

Children of SARAH WITT and THOMAS HARBOUR are:

18.                 i.     LAMINIA5 HARBOUR, b. 1720, Virginia; d. Aft. 1782, Halifax, Virginia.

                      ii.     TALMON HARBOUR, b. 1718, Virginia; d. 1820, Patrick, Virginia; m. MARY WRIGHT; b. 1726, Virginia.

                     iii.     ABNER HARBOUR, b. 1730, Hanover County, Virginia.

                     iv.     ELISHA HARBOUR, b. 1733, Halifax, Virginia; m. MARGARET UNKNOWN; b. 1737, Virginia.

                      v.     ELIJAH HARBOUR, b. 1735, Hanover County, Virginia; d. 1769, Virginia; m. PRUDENCE PUSEY, Abt. 1758, Virginia.

                     vi.     ADONIJAH HARBOUR, b. 1748, Goochland County, Virginia; m. NANCY ANN DALTON; b. 1752, Virginia.

                    vii.     MARY HARBOUR, b. 1726, Virginia; m. PALATIAH SHELTON; b. 1722, Virginia.

                   viii.     JANE HARBOUR.

19.               ix.     SARAH HARBOUR, b. 1732, Virginia; d. 1814.

                      x.     DAVID HARBOUR.

                     xi.     THOMAS HARBOUR.

 

 

11.  JOHN4 WITT III (JOHN3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1693 in Charles City County, Virginia, and died 1779 in Halifax, Virginia.  He married ELIZABETH P. PARRISH Abt. 1723 in Virginia. 

         

Children of JOHN WITT and ELIZABETH PARRISH are:

20.                 i.     JOHN5 WITT IV.

21.                ii.     MARY WITT.

22.               iii.     HANNAH WITT, d. Aft. 1805, Georgia.

                     iv.     JUDAH WITT, m. JOHN MATLOCK, November 22, 1756, Goochland County, Virginia.

                      v.     JESSE WITT, d. 1807, Henry County, Virginia.

                     vi.     JOYCE WITT.

23.              vii.     CHARLES C. WITT, b. 1712, Henry County, Virginia; d. January 20, 1791, Halifax, Virginia.

24.             viii.     DAVID WITT, b. 1725, Charles City County, Virginia; d. 1808, Henry County, Virginia.

                     ix.     ELIZABETH WITT, d. 1810.

 

 

Generation No. 5

 

12.  ABNER5 WITT I (JOHN4, WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1754 in Albermarl County, Virginia, and died Abt. 1813 in Knox County, Tennessee.  He married RHODA ANN CHURCHILL. 

 

Notes for ABNER WITT I:

Abner Witt was a soldier of the Americsn Revolution.

 

Chattanooga Free Press Feb. 25, 1996 page F 10

 

WHITT FAMILY CAME TO AMERICA IN SEARCH OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

 

Abner Witt, a native of Amherst County, Va., and a descendant of Huguenots (French Protesrants) was one of the pioneers of uper East Tennessee.  He finally made his way to Sale Creek, where he lived below the Indian boundary near his sons-in-law, Robert Patterson and Robert Gamble.

 

He was the grandson of Guillaume (William) Witt, who was born in France in 1675 and made his way to Albemarle County, Va.,  Guillaume Witt's father was John Witt and his mother was Ann Daux, daughter of a London merchant, Walter Daux.   Guillaume Witt married Mary Daux.

 

To escape religious persecution in France, the Witts sailed in 1699 from Southampton, England, for the Virginia Conony.  Guillaume Witt was one of the founders of Manakintowne, bout 15 miles from Richmond.  His estate at St. Ann's Parish at Mankin County was known as Roseland.  In his wwill in 1754, he left one son a gray mare, a "great Bible", a pewter basin, one plate and"half my wearing clothes."  Several slaves were parceled out to the children.

 

They were Charles who married Lavinia Harbour, Benjamin who married Marianna Chastain, Lewis, Abner who married Anna Churchill, David who married John Key, III, Satah who married John Canaday, and Caleb.  The Harbour sisters were children of Thomas Harbour and Sarah Witt.

 

Another son of Guillaume Witt, John, was born in 1710.  His first wife was Elizabeth and the second was Lucy Littlebury.  His children, in addition to the Abner who came to Sale Creek were john, littlebury, who married Jane Bennett, Charles, George, Eliisha who married Phoebe Dodd Williams, David and Lucy who married Ben Carpenter.  John Witt died at Amherst County, Va., in 1782.  He left 10 shillings to be divided seven of his sons,William, was given "all of the landsand personal estate goods, chattles I die possessed with."

 

Abner Witt left Virginia several years after his father's death and venutred into the frontier of the future Tennessee.  A store account receipt from May 27, 1787, from the state of Franklin bears the name Abner Witt.  In 1790, he bought 200 acres in Greene County from Abednego Inman.  This section was later formed into Knox County.

 

In the Knoxville Gazette in 1797 there was notice that "Abner Witt offered the reward of $15 for the return of a runaway negro felloq named Jack."

 

In November 1806, Abner Witt went alone into the Caney Fork region of Cumberland in Middle Tennessee.  He remained there until August of 1897 when he returned to his family and made plans to join the Pattersons and Gambles to the future Hamilton County.  They had moved there December 1806.

 

Richard Waterhouse in his diary has this entry for July 3, 1813:  "Left home down Tennessee Vally crossing Sale Creek, to Abner Witt's, 24 miles."

 

Abner Witt's daughter Elizabeth had married Robert Gamble.  Another daughter, Rhoda, who was born in the Revolutionary year of 1776, married Robert Patterson in Knox County about 1794.  Other children of Abner Witt were Jesse, John, Charles Wiley, Abner, Jr., and Delphia who married Robert Patterson.

 

In 1823, in a deposition given by Robert Patterson after the death of Abner Witt, Patterson said he had been acquainted with Abner Witt "since 1787 or 1788, with Soloman Reed since about the time of Blount's Treaty with the Cherokee Indians where Knoxville now stand."

 

An Abner Witt was an early purchaser of property at Dallas when it was the county seat and was listed as one of the first 53 citizens of Chattanooga.  This apparently was Abner Witt, Jr.

 

Charles Wyley Witt, who was born in 1780, married Alabama Gibson about 1800, and they made their home at Sale Creek.  The eldest son was named Gibson Witt.  A daughter, Ann, married Jesse Pendergrass from a neighboring farm, and they moved to Cookeville.  Other children of Charles Wylie Witt included James H. who married Jane Bryant, Abner Lewis who married Elizabeth Nolen, Almira, John P. who married Celia Moore, and Mary who married John Hodges.  Two of the children married children of James Varner.  Rhoda married George Varner and Samuel H. married Jane Varner.  The two youngest sons married Yeager sisters of Sparta.  Charles Wylie Jr., married Phoebe Emiline Yeager and Allenson married Ann Yeager.

 

Charles Wylie Witt died in 1815.  His children sold the 100 acre homeplace for $400 in 1846 to Lewis Patterson, a grandson of Abner Witt.

 

Some of the descendants of John Witt, older brother of Abner Witt, also made their way to Hamilton County.  He had married Elizabeth Luttrell about 1769.  Their children were Elizabeth who married William Lutrell, Jesse who married Alice Brown, John, Mary who married John Jarnigan, Sarah, Margaret, Charles, William and Abner.

 

Some Witts who resided at Georgetown traced back to Charles Witt, son of Guillaume Witt.  William Hopkins Witt was born just before the Civil War near Georgetown, the son of Joseph N. Witt, a great grandson of that Charles Witt.  Joseph N. Witt was the son of Nathaniel Witt and Mary Cate and grandson of Joseph Witt and Sarah Kinbrough.

 

Joseph N. Witt was a schoolteacher, farmer, and postmaster at Meigs County.  Fighting for the Union side, he was captain of Company G of the 3rd Tennessee Infantry.  He married Charity Agnes Gamble and then Mary Whitmore.

 

W.H. Witt lived the last 32 years of his life at Kennewick, Wash. after settling there in 1906.  His wife was Caroline Brooks.  A son, William Owen Witt, remained in Georgetown.  Owne Witt operated the Witt Barber Shop on Runyan Road off Highway 58.  He married Grace Allen.  Their children were listed as Mrs. Claire Saulters, Mrs. G.F. Cope, Jr., Mrs. George Hixson, Mrs. Noel Scaffa, W.O., Jr., J. Eugene, R.M. Mike, Barney, Walter, Douglas, James (Tony) and Harry H.

         

Children of ABNER WITT and RHODA CHURCHILL are:

25.                 i.     RHODA6 WITT, b. November 11, 1776, Virginia; d. June 23, 1853, Sale Creek, Hamilton County, Tennessee.

                      ii.     ABNER WITT II.

                     iii.     DELPHY WITT, m. RICHARD ROSEYGRANTS, January 01, 1801, Knox County, Tennessee.

                     iv.     ELIZABETH WITT, m. JAMES CHURCHWELL LUTTRELL.

                      v.     JESSE WITT.

                     vi.     JOHN P. WITT, m. REBECCA WEAR.

                    vii.     POLLY WITT, m. WILLIAM MCNAMEE, November 28, 1797, Knox County, Tennessee.

                   viii.     THOMAS WITT, m. POLLY WRIGHT, December 19, 1807, Knox County, Tennessee.

26.               ix.     CHARLES WYLEY WITT, SR., b. 1780, North Carolina; d. 1835, Hamilton County, Tennessee.

 

 

13.  DAVID5 WITT, SR. (JOHN4, WILLIAM GUILLAUNE3, JOHN2, ROBERT1 WHYTT/WITT) was born 1752 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and died September 28, 1818 in Nelson County, Virginia.  He married SARAH ABNEY. 

 

Notes for DAVID WITT, SR.:

David served in the Revolutionary War.

         

Children of DAVID WITT and SARAH ABNEY are:

                       i.     SALLY6 WITT, b. November 21, 1810, Nelson County, Virginia; m. WILLIAM WITT, November 21, 1810, Nelson County, Virginia.

                      ii.     DENNIS ABNEY WITT.

                     iii.     ANN SPARKS WITT.

                     iv.     DAVID WITT, JR..

                      v.     CECELIA WITT.

                     vi.     LINNIE WITT.