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Research Notes. Read First!!!!
- Adopted this abandoned profile on 24 June 2024 and haven't yet made changes as I'm overhauling the profile of Robert Pitt, the man behind this will. Robert's profile was filled with many errors, so it's likely this on contains some also.
- Abandoned this page on 4 July 2024 after spending hours of editing time, but finding my edits could only occasionally be saved. There is a problem with the profile and it is a waste of time. Therefore, I'm moving the information about Robert's will to his personal profile.
- Note that there are multiple transcriptions of Robert's will as well as multiple abstracts of the will. Transcriptions of old documents are always subject to errors based on the condition and readability of the document. But 17th century documents were in a script that differed greatly from today with letters that looked vastly different, words that were abbreviated in different ways and symbols for words. One example is the 15th and 16th century English often used the letter X as a symbol for Christ. I found a document for Robert's granduncle Christopher Pitt, where his name Christopher was spelled "Xoffer". The point is that transcriptions differ and while the differences usually aren't critical, as in a misspelled word, they can sometimes lead to severe genealogical misinterpretations as they did with Robert for over a century. For details see the profile of Robert Pitt referring to the section entitled "The myth of Martha Lear as Robert Pitt’s third wife"
1672 Will, Death, Estate
Will
Robert Pitt made a will on 6 June 1672 at Isle of Wright Co, VA. His will was witnessed by Richard Jones and Thomas Hill. [1]
The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr., 1899), Page 237
- Will of "Robert Pitt, " merchant": wife Martha, son John, grandson John Pitt, grandson Wm. Pitt, dau. Hester Bridger, dau. Elizabeth Nosworthy, gr. son Robert P., son of Robert Pitt, dec'd, dau. Brasheire. Dated 6 June, 1672; proved June 9, 1674.[2]
(Note placed by G. Pinson (Pinson-796): The above abstract of the will was in error, because it omitted the fact that wife Martha was deceased. The gift was in honor of Robert's deceased wife Martha.)
In his will dated in 1672 Robert Pitt lists sons John, grandsons John, William and Robert Pitt, and daughters Martha Pitt, Mary Brashor (?), Higbe (?) Bridges, and Elizabeth Norsworthy.[3]
His wife, Martha, had died before that date as he left in her memory, a parcel of land with the stipulation that his executor would build one house of twenty-five feet within four years of his death on the land to be used for poor women. He also left in memory of his daughter, Martha, "two cows and two female cows, which cattle and their increase are to be put upon the aforesaid land and not to be disposed of until they increase to a number of twelve which number is to be continued upon the aforesaid land, and what shall be over that number of cattle shall be disposed of by the Sheriff, then one half of the benefit of the cows and the whole benefit of the land to be for the estate of poor women and the other half of the benefit of the cattle to be for the estate of poor female orphans". Will of Col. Robert Pitt recorded in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. (notes of Ray Isbell.)" [1]
He also left in memory of his daughter, Martha, “two cows and two female cows, which cattle and their increase are to be put upon the aforesaid land and not any to be disposed of until they increase to a number of twelve which number is to be continued upon the aforesaid land, and what shall be over that number of cattle shall be disposed of by the Sheriff, then one half of the benefit of the cows and the whole benefit of the land to be for the estate of poor women and the other half of the benefit of the cattle to be for the estate of poor female orphans” [4]
Complete Will
Pitt's will was dated 1672 and he mentions a grandson Robert, “the son of Robert Pitt deceased” so I assume the Blackwater property was his. Other folks speculate he also had some property in Accomack County (I haven’t looked into that but it would make sense if he was plowing the James River hauling merchandise around. [5]
WILL OF ROBERT PITT – Recorded in ISLE of WIGHT Co., Virginia 1672
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN: I, Robert Pitt, Merchant, being sick and weak of body but praise be god in sound memory do ordain this for my Last Will and Testament in manner and form as follows:
- First, I give and bequeath my soul to God my maker trusting to find Salvation and redemption for my soul and life eternal through the merits of my Saviour his son Jesus Christ who died for me and my body to be buried at the discretion of my executor.
- ITEM: I give and bequeath as a gift of my beloved wife Martha Pitt one parcel of land that lieth about the plantation that Robert Bartlitt now lies on and joineth upon the North side of the land by Mr. John Seward for the length, and breadth towards the Church upon the land, which was Captain Uptons on his land my executor is to build one house twenty-five feet in length within four years after my decease which aforesaid land and housing is to be given for the estate of poor women and three cows.
(Note placed by G. Pinson (Pinson-796): John A. Brayton's transcription of the will in Volume 7 of Colonial Families...differs in an important way from this one. Bryton reads it as deceased wife Martha, not beloved wife Martha. This is important because dropping the word deceased in an abstract of the will led to the myth that Robert Pitt had married a Martha Lear.)
- ITEM: I given and bequeath as a gift from my daughter Martha Pitt two cows and two females calves, which cattle and their increase are to be put upon the aforesaid land and not any to be disposed of until they increase to a number of twelve which number is to be continued upon the aforesaid land, and what shall be over that number of cattle shall be disposed of by the Sheriff, then one half of the benefit of the cows and the whold benefit of the land to be for the estate of poor women and the other half of the benefit of the cattle to be for the estate of poor female orphans.
- ITEM: I give and bequeath the dividend of land, where I now live upon being twelve hundred acres and what more lieth between Capt. Bridgers Creek and Sewards adjoining to it unto my son John Pitt, during his life and after his death to my grandson William Pitt and his heirs for ever.
- ITEM: I give and bequeath that land that lieth on the North side of the Creek that Robert Bartlitt lives on and the Creek Captain Bridgers lives on, for running towards William Ernest and northly into the woods, unto my son John Pitt during his life and afterwards to my grandsons, John Pitt, and to his heirs lawfully begotten of his body.
- ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my son John Pitt that land that Thomas Turner liveth on and what land shall lie between the land, given to my grandson William Pitt and Chuckatuck the bounds of which land is to be the Branch which runeth straight up through field to Captain Godyne which aforesaid land after my son John’s decease, I give to my grandson Robert Pitt and to his heirs lawfully begotten of his body.
- ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mary Brassier, the Value of ten thousand pounds of tobacco and cattle in goods or chattel to be paid out of my personal estate, by my so John Pitt and his heirs, more I give unto my daughter Brassier on silver tankard and one looking glass and furniture and clothes.
- ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my daughter [Hester] Bridger a pair of cushions being worked upon canvass.
- ITEM: I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Norseworthy five hundred pounds of tobacco and cattle to be paid unto her yearly to be paid out of the rents of the land which I have given to William Pitt, more I given unto my daughter Elizabeth Norseworthy my set of chairs.
- ITEM: I give unto my grandson Robert Pitt, the son of Robert Pitt deceased, the sum of five thousand pounds of tobacco and cattle or to the value in goods to be paid unto him when he is come to the age of eighteen years. And if it should please to take away out of this life anyone of my grand children in whom I have given my land before the decease of my son John, then his part of land shall be disposed of at the discretion of my son John Pitt.
- I hereby revoke all former wills and do make my son John Pitt my Executor of my Last Will and Testament as Witness my hand and seal this sixth day of June 1672.
- Robert Pitt Seal
- Witness Richard Johns; Thomas R. Hill
Erroneous Information Previously Entered On This Profile
On my adoption of this will page, I discovered a lot of information, some erroneous, not directly related to the will. Items related to people other than Robert Pitt were removed, because they belong in those people's profiles. The following information did relate to Robert and was generally concerned with his time and place of death and burial. Much of it is erroneous, but has been retained along with it's source citations, so that the errors can be pointed out to the reader. It's my hope they aren't reentered here, or elsewhere.
True Claim: Robert Pitt died 1673/4 at Isle of Wight County. [6] Robert actually died in a short window of time between 27 November 1673, when he deeded 2,050 acres of land to his son and heir John Pitt. [37] and 9 January 1674, when his will was proven in Isle of Wight County court.
False Claim: Robert Pitt died 6 Jun 1672 (aged 66–67) in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, USA and is buried in St. Luke's Cemetery, Smithfield, Isle of Wight County, Virginia, USA[7] This claim in wrong on the date of death, since Robert deeded land to his son John in the following year. Robert's exact place of burial is unproven.
False Claim: Colonel Robert Pitt, Sr died in 1669/70. [3] This is impossible since his will was proven in January 1674. Robert had been deceased for five years in 1669.
Erroneous claim: He died before 9 Jun 1674 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia - probate [8] While this claim is actually true, it implies Robert's will was proven on 9 June 1674, when the event actually occurred six months earlier.
True claim: Colonel Robert Pitt died before 9 January 1674, as his will was recorded on that date, It was dated 6 Jun 1672 and wittnessed by Richard Jones and Thomas Hill. [7] Wills are seldom proven on the actual date of death. That date is used to delineate the latest possible date of death. Robert most likely died in December 1673, which occupied most of the time between his last living record on 27 November 1673 and the 9 January 1674 appearance in court to prove his will.
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Judy Marshall Stell. [Pitt Family of Isle of Wright & Accomack Counties, VA.]
- ↑ William and Mary Quarterly, Vol 7,No 4 (April 1899), Page 237. Cited by Marshall
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kathryn Gearhart. Geesnmore: A Family History. Paragraph on Robert Pitt Accessed 24 February 2024 jhd
- ↑ will of Col Robert Pitt recorded in Isle of Wight Co., VA. Cited by Find-a-Grave
- ↑ Will of Robert Pitt, 1672, on the site of Marc Anderson, Andersons of Colonial North Carolina Pitt _IOW to Edgecombe Accessed 24 February 2024 jhd
- ↑ Jamestowne Society. List of Qualifying Ancestors. Pitt, Robert - A6208 Accessed 24 February 2024 jhd
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Find A Grave: Memorial #155852843 Accessed 23 February 2024 Find-a-Grave is not considered a reliable source because it does not require sources for material posted on its site. jhd
- ↑ Mike Marshall. Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. Profile for Robert Pitt Accessed 24 February 2024 jhd