Sarah (Abney) Witt (abt. 1746 - 1846)

Born about 1746 in Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of David Witt Sr. — married about 1770 in Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died Mar 1846 at about age 100 in Nelson County, Virginia, USA

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Deborah Roesler [send private message], Holly Witt [send private message], and Dale Smith [send private message]

Biography

Sarah (Abney) Witt was a centenarian, living to age 100.

Sarah (aka Sally) Abney was born about 1746 in Virginia Colony to Dannett Abney Jr. (abt.1700-abt.1757). She was named in her father's will dated 3 Nov 1756.

Sarah married David Witt, Sr.^[1] about 1770 based on her first child's birth about 1771, probably in Amherst Co., Virginia based on land deeds (see attachment to her husband's profile). Note that Nelson County was formed from Amherst County in 1807.

Sarah died in 1846, aged 100 years (per her son's statement and evidence provided to the court; see sources and notes), following her husband's death on 28 Sept. 1818, likely in Nelson County, Virginia ^[2] She is buried in the Witt Family Cemetery at Nellysford, Nelson Co., Virginia (no headstone photo shown).^[3]

Census Records

1820 ^[4]

Name: Sarah Witt

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1820

Event Place: Hopkins Fork, Boone, Virginia, United States

1830 ^[5]

Name: Sarah Witt

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1830

Event Place: Hopkins Fork, Boone, Virginia, United States

1840 ^[6]

Name: Sarah Witt

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1840

Event Place: Nelson, Virginia, United States

Slaves

The following enslaved persons were named in the 1850 Chancery Case files related to the estate of Sarah and David Whitt ^[2]:

• London Witt
  
  
• Bet Witt
  
  
• Joe Witt
  
  
• Hannah Witt
  
  
• Alse
• Delphia
• Dillard
• Jenny
• Lillah
• Milly

Research Notes

1. Witt-1888 08:58, 15 November 2021 (UTC): Sarah is listed in the Nov. 1756 will of Dannett Abney Jr. (abt.1700-abt.1757). Based on this and the conclusions of R. Robert Abney, I am reattaching her as his daughter.

1. Cruise-394 28 Apr 2021: While the "Find a Grave Index" lists Sarah's year of death as 1818, her son, Burgess Witt, reports her alive in 1820 and later (as late as 1846) in his response regarding his father's/her husband's (David Witt) contested will in 1850 (see sources). Burgess writes to the court, "in 1820 the said Sally, widow of said David surrendered nearly the entire estate of her husband for sale and distribution among her children reserving to herself, only an old woman, Hannah, which was willed to Dicey Hamlet and her children, and a girl Betty willed to Dennett Witt." He provides evidence to the court of various expenses for Sarah in the years that follow, several signed by the Justice of the Peace, ending with a final grocery receipt on 27 Feb 1846 and a receipt for the making of a coffin on 4 Mar 1846. Burgess Witt reports in his statement that his mother "lived until she was in her hundredth year and died in 1846." Final settlement of his father's estate was given to the heirs on 27 Sep 1847. Regarding Sarah's age, the census of 1840 shows her between 90 and 100, while the census of 1830 shows her between 70 and 80. If the statement made by Burgess that his mother lived to be 100 is correct, only the census of 1840 would be accurate.

Sources

1. ↑ Witt, Robert W. 2006. Descendants of John Witt, the Virginia immigrant. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} *https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=125-1850-029 Accessed 26 Apr 2021 Daniel Wade and Wife (Malinda (Witt) Wade vs. Executors of David Witt, deceased. https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=125-1850-029#img
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #140559973 (Note: No tombstone photograph, therefore information is considered heresay.)
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1820", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLC-ZWH : Thu Oct 05 16:45:44 UTC 2023), Entry for Sarah Witt, 1820.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5H-W9K : Thu Oct 05 17:47:35 UTC 2023), Entry for Sarah Witt, 1830.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1840", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBW-S4Y : Thu Oct 05 22:41:22 UTC 2023), Entry for Sarah Witt, 1840. NOTE: This is for Nelson County, Virginia. Unknown why FamilySearch citation in error mentions Choctaw, OK.

See also:

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72052545/dannett-abney. Accessed 21 Nov 2020. (Note: No tombstone photograph, therefore information is considered heresay.)