The Family Garden

Notes

Peter PITTS

He married in about 1655 after he had arrived in the Plymouth Colony to Mary Andrews Hodges, the daughter of Henry and Mary Andrews of Taunton and the widow of William Hodges who died April 2, 1654.

In 1643, Peter was able to bear arms for Taunton and was a grand jury member there in 1655, the same year he signed an agreement with Mary binding him to maintain (her) two children until they come to the age of fifteen or sixteen years. He was a shareholder in the Taunton Iron Works. On June 3, 1656, Timothy Halway of Taunton was presented to the Court and admonished for threatening to strike Peter Pitts with a pitchfork, saying that he did not care if he were hanged for it. On June 3, 1668, an Indian named Powas complained that Peter Pitts took away his gun in a dispute about Powas digging some ground for Pitts. The Court ordered Powas to dig up about 20 rods of ground following which Peter must return the gun. Peter died in 1692, his inventory including household goods, wearing cloths, flax comb and wheel, farm tools, sheep, oxen, steer, swine, leather, hemp, wool, and a cowbell as well as his real estate.

Apparently Alice Paine of Rehoboth, wife of Stephen, was a relative, for her will of 1672 mentions Peter Pitts, Jr., of Taunton as her cousin and includes his children. Also in the Plymouth Colony records is mention of Edith Pitts who was in 1636/7 a servant to Samuel Jackson of Scituate and was to appear in court as a witness against John Emerson who had been accused of abusing her. The Pitts name is sometimes misrecorded as Pitt in the records of the colonies. A recommended source I could not obtain was SOME DESCENDANTS OF PETER PITTS OF TAUNTON, MASS.

The children of Peter and Mary Pitts were:

Samuel m. Sarah Babbitt
Mary m. Isaac Hathaway
Sarah
Peter m. Bethiah Robinson
Alice m. John Wilbore
Ebenezer m. Elizabeth Hoskins
*Source:  Internet

Mary ANDREWS

Mary, the daughter of Henry and Mary Andrews of Taunton and the widow of William Hodges was left with two children in 1654 when he died. In 1655, she married Peter Pitts.  *Source:  Internet

Henry ANDREWS

Henry Andrews of Taunton, Massachusetts, was an original purchaser there, a representative in 1639 and four more years after that and died in 1652, leaving his estate to his wife Mary and to his daughters Mary (wife of William Hodges), Sarah and Abigail and to his grandson John Hodges. His wife Mary was 43 years old in 1654 when she made her will. Their son Henry was killed by Indians in King Philip’s War. Henry Sr. built the first Taunton meeting house and his son Henry was given permission to build a saw mill in 1659.

The book MEET THE TISDALES includes a record of the names of heads of families at Taunton in 1675: Henry Andrews, Edward Bobet (Babbitt), John Hathaway, John Macomber, Jr. and Sr., Peter Pitts, John Tisdale Jr. and Sr. and James Walker, Jr. and Sr. In 1650, Henry Andrews was foreman of a jury trying Thomas Cook and also included on that jury were James Bobbitt (Babbitt) and John Tisdale.  *Source:  Internet

Sarah (Sally) RADFORD

Sarah....married Reuben Bennett in Georgia around 1806.  Bennett, a blacksmith, followed his wife's family to Perry County, Alabama.  Sarah and her husband raised several children and lived in Radfordville near the rest of her family.  In the 1850 census, Sarah and her family were living next door to her widowed sister and elderly mother.
*Source:  ELISHA TALMON HARBOUR  HIS LIFE AND FAMILY, by Robert L. Adair Jr.
website at:  ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ar/war/civwar/harbour.txt

James BENNETT

Source: 1850 Census, Perry Co. AL pg.345.

Calloway BENNETT

Source: 1850 Census, Perry Co. AL pg.345.

Sarah Ann BENNETT

Source:  1850 Census, Perry Co. AL pg.345.

Susan BENNETT

Source:  1850 Census, Perry Co. AL pg.345.

Reuben E. BENNETT

Source: 1850 Census, Perry Co. AL pg.345.

Charles SIMMONS

Early Van Buren Co IA Marriages
Simmons, Charles            Houston, Elizabeth           2-23-1845
*Source:  Van Buren County US Genweb site

1847 VAN BUREN COUNTY IOWA CENSUS
This census lists the head of household and the number of inhabitants in the home.  
Three of these Simmons are likely brothers of Charles, they were all married in Van Buren Co:  Roley in 1840, William in 1849 and John in 1850.  One of the Williams may have been the father and the other the son (brother of Charles).   This is all pure speculation, and I have no idea where Charles was living - perhaps with one of his siblings or his parents?

SIMMONS          John            3
SIMMONS          Roley           1
SIMMONS          William        5
SIMMONS          William H.    8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1860 Census, Lone Oak Twp, Bates County, Missouri, Page 070, left side

Charles Simmons, age 40, Ocupation:  farmer, born in Indiana, can't read or write
Elizabeth, age 13, born Illinois, can't read or write
Margaret, age 14, born Missouri, in school
Ely?, age 11, b. Iowa, in school
John W., age 9, b. Iowa, in school
Sarah, age 7, b. Iowa, in school
Melvina, age 5, b. Iowa, in school
George, age 3, born Iowa

Copy provided to my father by Ann Daberko
NOTE:  Elizabeth is listed as age 13, I feel sure this is Elizabeth Houston Simmons, wife of Charles and the age can't be correct.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Melvina SIMMONS

She is listed here in the 1880 census with her sister Margaret:

1880 Collin County, Texas Census (copy in files)
Garrett, Priett , age 31, Farmer, born in Arkansas, parents born in
    Kentucky
   Margaret, age 32, wife, keeping house, born in Iowa, parents
       born in ??
    Albert, age 13, son, born in Arkansas, father born in Arkansas,
       mother born in Iowa
    Wines, Eli, age 18, son, born in Missouri, father born in ?,                           
      Simmons, Melvina, 24, sister, b. in Missouri, parents born in Iowa

John HOUSTON

1847 VAN BUREN COUNTY IOWA CENSUS
HOUSTON          John           9
Note:  This census listed the head of household and number of people living in the home.  The Iowa Constitution of 1846 provided that within one year after its ratification and within every subsequent term of two years, an enumeration of all the white inhabitants of the State should be made.

*Source:  Van Buren County Genweb site

Early Van Buren Co IA Marriages
Houston, John to Giauque, Sarah 10/27/1866
*Source:  Van Buren County US Genweb site
NOTE:  This may not be our John.

HOUSTON 266A-266B pages of Van Buren County, Iowa 1850 Census

Ruth Ann HOUSTON

Early Van Buren Co IA Marriages
Pender, Thomas C. to  Houston, Ruth Ann 6/27/1854
*Source:
 http://www.rootsweb.com/~iavanbur/VBCmarriages_N_Q.html

George William RADFORD

Extracts from:  Probate Court Records, Perry County, Alabama, Book K, pp. 115-117, Probate Court, September 29th 1863, See notes for William Radford, SR for full context.

In this 1863 document, he is listed as George J. Radford, son of Reuben Radford.  He is "of Perry County, Alabama" and in the Confederate Army.

Asa DARBY

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE NEW REPUBLIC
In the year 1777-8 two proclamations were issued commanding all men over 18 years of age to declare their allegiance to the new government by taking the following oath.
"I (Name) do swear that I do not hold myself bound to yield any allegiance or obedience to the King of Great Britain, his heirs or successors, and that I will be true and faithful to the State of Maryland, and will to the utmost of my power, support and maintain and defend the freedom and independence thereof and the government as now established against all open enemies and secret and traitorous conspiracies and will use my utmost endeavor to disclose and make known to the Governor of some one of the Judges or Justices thereof, all treasons, or traitorous conspiracies, attempts or combinations against the State or government thereof, which may come to my knowledge."
At the D.A.R. Library in Washington D.C. are three Volumes of"Unpublished Maryland Revolutionary Records" Volume III give returns of those taking this oath of Allegiance.  In returns of Gerrard  Briscoe is Josiah Darby (No. 22, page 1); in returns of Edward Burgess are George Darby (No. 230, page 19) and Basil Darby (No. 230, page 19); in returns of William Deakins, Jr. is Asa Darby (No. 4, page 39); and in returns of Elisha Williams is Benjamin Darby (No. 141, page 78).

Schedule of Inhabitants in Chester County, South Carolina 1790   Census, Transcribed, p. 183
Asa Darby, 1 free white male 16 years upwards and heads of family, 1 free white male under 16, 4 free white females and heads of families

Various land transactions that include Asa Darby's name in SC:

13 Mar 1801 (Chester) SC. Thomas (x) RODEN, Sr. to George DARBY, both of Chester, for $275, 124 ac. on Smith's Creek, a branch of Brushfork, also 5 ac. granted to Abraham MAYFIELD. Wit: William WILKS, Asa DARBY, Wm. KETCHINS. Bk. I, p. 39.

3 Dec 1807 (Chester) SC. Mary RODEN, James RODEN, Jane RODEN and Thomas RODEN to Abraham MAYFIELD all of Chester, for $150, 75 ac on Smiths's Creek, Brushy Fork, Broad River. Part of a tract granted William RODEN, dec'd on 22 Aug 1786. Wit: George DARBY and Hugh WALLIS. Bk. R, p. 317.

27 Oct 1825 (Chester) SC. William RODEN of Blount Co., AL power of attorney to William MAYFIELD, also of Blount Co., to sell RODEN's property in Chester Co., SC which is now in hand and possession of Newman PROCTER, app. 200 ac bound by Jesse HYATT, Asa DARBY Abram MAYFIELD and Richard WILKS. Wits: George RODEN and Elisha HYATT. Bk. W, p. 22.

WILL OF ASA DARBY

The State of South Carolina: Chester County.
In the name of God, Amen. I, Asa Darby, of the District and State aforesaid, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and calling to mind the uncertainty of life, and being desirous to dispose of all such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, do make this my last Will and Testament, in manner following: that is to say, my will and desire is that I be decently buried and that all of my debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon after my decease, as conveniently can be.

FIRST, I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved wife, Dorcas Darby, all of, or such part of my personal property as she may think proper to keep during the term of her natural life, and at her death to be divided and disposed of as hereinafter described.

SECOND. It is my will and desire that after my decease, all that part of my personal property which my wife Dorcas may not think proper to keep for her support, be appraised and equally divided if practicable, if not I desire it to be sold, and equally divided between my children, John Darby, Thomas Darby, James Darby, William J. Darby, Lydia Sanders and Mary Humphries, each a share and my grandchildren heirs of my son George Darby a share, and Thomas Sanders who intermarried with my daughter Anne, who has since deceased, a share, for his children born of the said Anne.

THIRD. I give, devise and bequeath unto Edward Sealy, who intermarried with my daughter Nancy, Ten Dollars in cash of his sons Ellis and Thomas, born of the said Nancy, Ten Dollars.

FOURTH. I give, devise and bequeath unto Thomas Estes, who intermarried with my daughter, Elizabeth, Two Hundred Dollars, for his two children born of the said Elizabeth.

FIFTH. I give and bequeath unto Asa Sanders, son of John Sanders and the above named Lydia and unto Asa Davies Darby, son of the above named James Darby, each the sum of Fifty Dollars, in addition to the divide allowed them on their parents in the second item above written.

SIXTH. It is my desire that the monies given or bequeathed unto the above named Edward Sealy and his two sons, Ellis and Thomas, Thomas Ester, Asa Sanders (son of John), and Asa Davies Darby, to be raised out of any monies, notes or accounts or surplus property of my estate.

SEVENTH. It is my will and desire that at the death of my wife Dorcas, all the rest of my personal estate shall be equally divided between my children and grandchildren as legatees as mentioned in the second item above written; that is to say, giving the said John Darby, Thomas Darby, James Darby, Wm. J. Darby, Lydia Sanders and Mary Humphries each a share and my grandchildren heirs of the above named George Darby, deceased, a share, and the said Thomas Sanders a share for his children born of my said daughter Anne.

And lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my sons John Darby an James Darby executors of this my last Will and Testament by me heretofore made.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this eleventh day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty.
ASA DARBY (S)

Signed, sealed, published and declared as and for the last Will and Testament of the above named Asa Darby in the presence of us: John Smith, James D. Sealy, Clement Woods.. Clement Woods affirmed the witness in court on January 13, 1834..
*Source:  Genealogy of the Darby Family, George Darby, 1726 - 1788 of Montgomery Co., Maryland, by R. C. Darby, 1914
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Schedule of Inhabitants in Chester County, South Carolina 1790 Census, Page 183
Asa Darby
# of white males over 16:  1
# of white males under 16: 1
# of white females over 16: 4
# of white females under 16: none
# of slaves: none
*Source:  http://www.rootsweb.com/~scchest2/scc1790183.htm

Dorcas GORE

*Source:  Genealogy of the Darby Family, George Darby, 1726 - 1788 ofMontgomery Co., Maryland, by R. C. Darby, 1914

William Jefferson DARBY

Died unmarried; his will is names Lydia Sanders, John Darby, Thomas Darby, James Darby, and Mary Humphtries, and niece Nancey Darby daughter of George, brother John Darby.  Probated  6th Sep 1830.
*Source:  Genealogy of the Darby Family, George Darby, 1726 - 1788 ofMontgomery Co., Maryland, by R. C. Darby, 1914