How we are related:
William Nelson Pittman
James Nelson Pittman
May Ellen Pittman Brewer
Ina Beatrice Brewer Johnson
Marion Allan Johnson Speakman
Most of the information for this post is taken from the website:
William Nelson Pittman
Navarro County, Texas
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txnavarr/biographies/p/pittman_william_nelson/index.htm
There is much more information than I will post here, so please visit the link to see the wealth of research data available there, although I have added a few additional things. Thanks to Dana Stubbs and Edward Lynn Williams for permission to re-post their work.
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| William Nelson Pittman |
"William Nelson Pittman was born 24 May 1822 (according to Winnie Pittman’s Bible; 25 May according to his tombstone) in Alabama (according to 1850&1860 Census-North Carolina; 1870 Census-South Carolina). He was one of 10 known children born to Matthew and Mary Y. (Harkey) Pittman both originally of North Carolina. His father fought in the Revolutionary War.
An undocumented genealogy for Pittman Ancestors going back to Thomas Pittman, Sr. who was born 1614, and died about 1688 in Surry County, Virginia can be found here:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~morganandrelatedfamilies/families/pittman.htm
More information about research and issues here:
http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/PITTMAN/1999-05/0926483811
Military and pension data can be found here:
http://genealogytrails.com/main/military/1813revwarpensioners.html
http://revwarapps.org/rnc1.pdf
An undocumented genealogy for Pittman Ancestors going back to Thomas Pittman, Sr. who was born 1614, and died about 1688 in Surry County, Virginia can be found here:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~morganandrelatedfamilies/families/pittman.htm
More information about research and issues here:
http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/PITTMAN/1999-05/0926483811
Military and pension data can be found here:
http://genealogytrails.com/main/military/1813revwarpensioners.html
http://revwarapps.org/rnc1.pdf
William married 12 August 1847 in Mississippi to Winnie Christina Pryor the daughter of Samuel Odle and Unity (Fox) Pryor. Winnie was born 20 Nov 1830 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama."
They are listed on the 1850 U.S. Census of Choctaw, Mississippi.
1850 United States Federal Census
| Name | William N Pittman | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 28 | ||||||||||
| Birth Year | abt 1822 | ||||||||||
| Birthplace | North Carolina | ||||||||||
| Home in 1850 | Western Division, Choctaw, Mississippi, USA | ||||||||||
| Gender | Male | ||||||||||
| Family Number | 32 | ||||||||||
| Household Members |
|
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| Minerva (Winnie) Christina Pryor |
"At the outbrake of the 1860’s war the family was living in Choctaw County Mississippi. William enlisted into the Confederate Army on November 2, 1861 at Greensboro, Mississippi. At the organization of the Choctaw Rough and Readies, October 25, 1861, he was elected captain and served in what became Co D, 3 MS Inf. CSA. He fulfilled his tour of duty through the four years of conflict without much injury but came out worn, dirty and tired. It was told by one of William and Winnie’s sons that his mother ran the plantation during the war with the aid of the slaves and her children. As this son was reminiscing of his mother he said he could almost hear the noise the spinning wheel made as she spun fabric for their clothing late at night."
1860 United States Federal Census
| Name | W N Pittman | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Year | abt 1822 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gender | Male | ||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Place | North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||
| Home in 1860 | Township 21, Choctaw, Mississippi | ||||||||||||||||||
| Post Office | Oakland | ||||||||||||||||||
| Family Number | 1582 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Household Members |
|
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| Civil War Military Records |
"The family moved by wagon train to Texas and is first found in 1868 on the Anderson County tax list with a total value of $3,100 and taxed in the amount of $5.15. The next year, 1869, he is listed on the Navarro County tax list. Here William had obtained four parcels of land amounting to over five hundred acres.
Navarro County was also where Isaac Pittman, William’s brother, had died and was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Corsicana in 1859."
1870 United States Federal Census
| Name | W Pitman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age in 1870 | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Year | abt 1822 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birthplace | South Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home in 1870 | Beat 1, Navarro, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Race | White | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gender | Male | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Post Office | Corsicana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Household Members |
|
William was active in public affairs:
Corsicana Observer, November 26, 1873
Announcements
To the Voters of Navarro County—I am a candidate for Justice of the Peace of Beat No. 1. I have served fifteen years as a Justice, and feel competent to discharge the duties of the same. W. N. Pittman
Corsicana Observer, May 6, 1874
Comments
Pittman says that his cabbage head alluded to in the Dresden locals was not bitten by the late frost but was bitten many years ago while in his youth & has taken the big head.
Wise men think they know but little and fools think they know it all.
Several letters by William can be found in the Corsicana, Texas, newspapers.
View them on the above mentioned website. I'm posting this one for the farmer in the family.
Corsicana Observer, June 3, 1874
Agriculture
Eds. Observer:
Are farmers selfish in Texas? Or do they know all? Seldom do I see an agricultural article communicated in your columns. I recollect well when I was about 25 years of age, I flattered myself that I was a scientific farmer, and I have lived 27 years since and I now see and know that I did not know the first rudiments of agricultural science. It is a deep and profound science that is continually progressing. There is a commendable spirit of enterprise growing up in this country. Many Granges have already been organized in this county, and I understand there will be an agricultural store opened in Corsicana this year. If farmer’s clubs were also organized for the discussion of questions of practical value, and for the interchanges of opinions founded on individual observation and experience-as I hold experience to be the best taught wisdom-many good ideas might be imparted in this way. One might give his experience on the proper distance to cut out cotton, how many stalks of corn should be left to the acre, &c.
If our farmers could be induced to abandon only universal prejudices of daddy’s custom of carrying the pumpkin in one end of the bag and a rock in the other, it would be much better for them. The prevailing custom should be onward. Cotton is called King, and it must be related in some way to a Kingdom, for it always keeps its subjects pressed down, as a cart loaded with many thieves. We have not been troubled a great deal with the King’s evil since the revolutionary war until recently with King cotton.
It is ruinous for our country to purchase all their supplies with cotton. We shall never be prosperous while we do it. A few more panics will cause our people to raise their own meat, horses and mules cheaper than we can raise cotton to buy them with; but as I remarked before, it takes time to get out of daddy’s old groove in which daddy has run so many years.
The cotton question reminds me of an old corn song I used to hear the negroes sing at corn shuckings: “Negro make de cotton and de white man get de money.” So the farmers toil and labor, exposed to the beating storms and burning sun, deprived of time even to worship his Creator, for the speculator to get the money; for he bets more of it than any man in proportion to the amount invested and labor done in raising it. The people often and emphatically declared that they will cease raising so much cotton. They remind me of the sinner’s return to his Savior, after hearing the devil’s dark dungeon depicted in all its benighted black forms. He resolves to abandon his evil ways and seek life. Just so with the cotton raiser. After all the evil is portrayed and laid before him, when planting time comes around he steps over and loses all sight of his former vows.
It is true the agricultural prospect in this section is quite gloomy. The farmers are the most independent people on earth, if they will only unite, and I think this work is rapidly progressing and will soon be completed, when they will not need a drummer to run around and hunt up business, or like the candidate when he meets you-“Howdy, howdy, howdy. How do you do? Tolable. How do you do? Tolable. How is all your folks? Tolable. How is yours? Tolable. How is your neighbors? Tolable. How is yours? Tolable. All going for me this time? Sorter tolable.” And after the election, no go.
Notwithstanding that farming is an honorable pursuit, a great many boys and young men desert the labor of the farm and turn their attention to other pursuits less useful and much more demoralizing.
Hogs cannot be raised on the range in this country, and corn is too costly a crop to feed them on entirely; therefore, we should endeavor to raise more grain. Rye and barley are excellent food for hogs. Until our farmers stop following the flowing tide to financial ruin, in planting nothing but cotton, times will get no better but still grow worse. If the people would raise only half the amount of cotton it would only require one-half the labor, and they would realize the same amount of money for it.
I will not intrude any further on your space. The Legislature has adjourned and the Legislators returned home. After a session of four months they passed a yearling and fish law, and received $800,00 to each one.
Respectfully, W. N. Pittman
CHILDREN:
1. Mary Ellen (Nellie) (Nettie) Pittman Weaver Holmes
BIRTH 14 FEB 1849 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH After 1920 * Texas, USA
2. William Joseph Pittman
BIRTH 26 SEP 1850 • Mississippi, USA
DEATH 22 MAY 1921 • Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas, USA
3. James Nelson Pittman
BIRTH 23 MAY 1852 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 21 NOV 1917 • Italy, Ellis, Texas, USA
4. Thomas Henry Pittman
BIRTH 24 FEB 1854 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 8 NOV 1919 • Hico, Hamilton, Texas, USA
5. John Manly Pittman
BIRTH 11 MAY 1856 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 13 JAN 1922 • Navarro County, Texas, USA
6. Fannie Belle Pittman Meador
BIRTH 24 DEC 1857 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 8 OCT 1948 • New Mexico, USA
7. Sally Unity Pittman Hamilton
BIRTH 30 OCT 1860 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 28 AUG 1947 • El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
8. Martha Eugenia Pittman Blasingame Rushing
BIRTH 17 AUG 1863 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 20 DEC 1930 • Mangum, Greer, Oklahoma, USA
9. Robert E. Lee Pittman
BIRTH 4 NOV 1866 • Choctaw County, Mississippi, USA
DEATH 10 MAR 1911 • Estancia, Torrance, New Mexico, USA
10. George Pryor Pittman
BIRTH 30 SEP 1869 • Navarro County, Texas, USA
DEATH 11 MAR 1892 • Hamilton County, Texas, USA
11. Frank Pryor Pittman
BIRTH 30 SEP 1869 • Navarro County, Texas, USA
DEATH 2 SEP 1926 • Wichita County, Texas, USA
12. Nora Dozen Pittman (so named because she was the 12th child)
BIRTH 9 FEB 1873 • Navarro County, Texas, USA
DEATH 3 JUN 1873 • Texas, USA
13. Cora Elizabeth Pittman Scales
BIRTH 22 FEB 1875 • Navarro County, Texas, USA
DEATH 24 MAY 1950 • Nolan, Texas
14. Nancy Virginia Pittman Sims
BIRTH 17 SEP 1876 • Navarro County, Texas, USA
DEATH 4 AUG 1932 • Bell, Texas
William Nelson Pittman died May 21, 1879. I have posted his will on FamilySearch. In 1993 a monument was erected honoring his military service.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=PIT&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=46&GScntry=4&GSsr=2921&GRid=14238816&
Winnie (Pryor) Pittman was left a widow at the age of forty-nine years with six children under sixteen, the youngest age two years. She managed the estate of her husband and ran the farm while raising the rest of her children alone. She had moved to Ellis County to be close to a son by the 1880 census and the 1900 census she was in Hamilton County Texas where she was living with a son, Robert Lee Pittman. Robert Lee Pittman and his mother eventually moved to Estancia, New Mexico where they died and were buried at the Estancia Memorial Cemetery in Torrance County; Winnie died August 8, 1910.
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| William Pittman Memorial |
How we are related:
William Nelson Pittman
James Nelson Pittman
May Ellen Pittman Brewer
Ina Beatrice Brewer Johnson
Marion Allan Johnson Speakman
