from The Pettit Correspondent, Vol. 2, No. 1, page 46 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two Josephs By Michael Cooley I have often received letters from Morgan County, Ohio Pettit researchers suggesting that the Joseph Pettit that enlisted into the army at Zanesville, Ohio in 1812 was the same that married Mary Lindsey in 1818/19 in the same county and the same that died in Morgan County in 1855. However, I have recently received from Bonnie Bartlett (3251 Partridge Way, Springfield, OR 97477) a copy of the pension records of Joseph Pettit of Burlington County, New Jersey which gives, I believe, sufficient evidence to show that the Joe of 1812 and the Joe of Deerfield township, Morgan County were not the same man. Brief Abstract of Bounty Land and Pension Applications Bounty Land app. for Joseph Pettit of Burlington County, New Jersey dated 13 January 1854: Enlisted at Zanesville, OH on or about 11 April 1812 under the command of Col. L. Cass and Capt. Reynolds for the term of one year. Surrendered under General Hull in August 1812 at Detroit. Was released near Buffalo, NY Sept. 1812. Pension app. dated 17 March 1871: 82 years. Resides at Fairview twp., Burlington Co., NJ. Married Levina Krimer 1819 (date and place not mentioned). Enlisted 14 August 1814 at Zanesville, OH under Col. Cass and Joseph Karnes. Discharged December 1814 at Zanesville. [2nd enlistment? - ed.] "Brief of Claim For a Survivor's Pension in the case of Joseph Pettit, deceased..." dated 15 September 1873. States that according to a "Report from (Third?) Auditor of the Treasury" Joseph enlisted 12 June 1812, discharged 12 April 1813, Capt. Joseph Carnes Co. Ohio Mil. Further states that "claimants death shown by letter from atty, under date of Sept. 18, 1872". This third set of seemingly contradictory dates makes me wonder if there was a second Joseph Pettit that enlisted at Zanesville. Joseph of Burlington Co., having been deceased, would not have verified these dates (See Addendum). This Joseph and wife Levina are undoubtedly the same that appear on the 1850 census of Burlington County, NJ (see July `88 TPC p. 19). TPC subscriber Ted Bozarth (Box 126 Rt. 2, Titusville, NJ 08560) has sent me a copy of a letter dated 30 November 1977 in which Burlington County researcher John W. Haines states, "A Chalkley Pettit died in 1907, son of Joseph & Levina..." (ibid., p. 20 for Chalkley's census entry). Ted Bozarth writes in a letter dated 25 January 1989, "Samuel Finch Bozearth ... m. 1 Sep 1856, near Indian Mills, by Thomas Cotton, J.P., Emeline/Emaline Pettit (c.1839 - 4 Sep 1904, age 65) per G/S, d/o Lavinia Pettit." Ted also states that Emeline Pettit Bozearth is buried in the Baptist Cemetery, Vincentown (Burlington Co.), NJ. Joseph, Sr. of Deerfield Early deed records in Morgan County, Ohio for Joseph mention wife Mary so it is possible that he is the same that married Mary Lindsey in Muskingum County, Ohio on 29 June 1818 (some records say 1819). Joseph married 2) 12 September 1850 in Morgan County to Rose Anna Porter. In Morgan County Chancery Record E, pp. 230-2331 is found the petition of Roseanna Pettit, widow of Joseph, for her part of Joseph's estate. Joseph's date of death is given in this record as 9 February 1855. As well, his three sons are named. Joseph Pettit, Sr. and his known descendants: 1. Joseph Pettit. According to the 1850 census of Morgan Co. he was born in PA c.1795. His parents are not yet known but it is likely he was closely related to the Thomas Pettit that left Mercer County, PA for Zanesville in 1819. Children by first wife: + 2. Elijah. + 3. Francis. + 4. Joseph, Jr. 2. Elijah, m. Susannah Moore, 12 June 1844, Perry County, OH (Bk 2-3, p.100). Information provided in Perry Co. death records show an Elijah born c. 1820 in Pike twp., Perry Co., died 17 Sept. 1881, New Lexington, Perry Co. and a Susannah, b. 10 April 1823, Morgan Co. OH, d. 19 Sept. 1885, Harrison twp., Perry Co. Their children (as per the 1870 census, Deerfield twp., Morgan Co., p.58): 5. Mary A., b. ca. 1851, OH. 6. Francis A., b. ca. 1854, Perry Co. 7. John Milton. Perry County death record #79754 gives the following information: Born 27 May 1856, Tridelphia, Ohio. Died 24 December 1929 in Crooksville, Harrison twp., Perry Co. Widow: Martha Houston Pettit. Informant: Harry Pettit of Crooksville, OH. The Perry County marriage index shows a marriage in 1886 between John M. Pettit and Martha H. Cooper. 8. Malinda E., b. ca. 1859. May be the same that m. Charles Conaway in Perry County, 1878. 3. Francis, b. ca. 1823, OH. He married 1) Jane Parker 17 April 1949 in Morgan Co. (Vol. B, p. 336). She was b. ca. 1824, OH and died in Morgan Co., 1 July 1850 and is buried in the Baptist Cemetery, Deavertown. They had one daughter listed in the 1850 Morgan Co. census, p. 215: 9. Mary Jane, born June 1850, died Morgan County 27 February 1851. Francis m. 2) Frances L. Dolson in Morgan Co. 15 April 1855 (Vol. C, p. 67). She was b. ca. 1832 in Ohio. Their children (as per 1860 Morgan Co. census, p. 522): 10. Eva H., born ca. 1857, OH. 11. Emmet J., b. 1860, OH. 4. Joseph, Jr., prob. b. ca. 1825 (Morgan County census records for 1830 and 1840). He married in Morgan Co. on 11 June 1846 to Sarah Ann Morris (Vol. B, p. 229). Found in Morgan County Chancery Record E, pp. 139-141, is Sarah's petition for divorce which was granted 14 June 1855. According to her testimony her husband left the home about the 25th of May, 1850 and had never returned. (See TPC April `88, p. 7 for some further information). According to various deeds drawn up to settle the estates of Joseph, Sr. Joseph, Jr. was a resident of Franklin Parish, Louisiana. Their children (as per the petition for divorce and page 213 of the Morgan Co. OH 1850 census): 12. Oscar B., b. ca. 1847, OH. 13. Sarah Amelia, b. ca. 1850, OH. 1This and most of the other court records mentioned here were copied and sent to me by Morgan Co. researcher Cris Reed (Rt. 1, Malta, OH 43758). Addendum In 1816, Joseph Pettit, later of Deerfield, and other heirs of Elias Pettit (see "Some Notes about the Descendants of Elias Pettit of Westmoreland County, PA," TPC v. 3, no. 3, page 145) sold lands from their father's estate to Henry and Joseph Kernes. This raises some questions: Is this Joseph Kernes the same Joseph Karnes that a Joseph Pettit served under during the War of 1812? And, did both Joseph Pettits serve under the same unit but at different times? Was there a family connection between the Kerneses and Pettits? If both Joes served, which dates are correct for the Joseph of Burlington County? It would seem to me that the Bounty Land dates might have been more accurate as Joseph was a much younger man and might have been able to recall the information from memory. When he later applied for a pension at an advanced age, he might have had to rely on government records. Perhaps only the latter enlistment was found. -- It certainly would not have been to Old Joe's advantage to complain. Furthermore, the Westmoreland County Pettits very likely were in Ohio by 1814 as Joseph's sister, Elizabeth, married there in 1815. That Joseph was of sufficient age at the time, about 19, to enlist. - Michael Cooley, December 1992.