David Calvin Storer 1780-1852

4^th Great Grandfather Maternal Side

David was born August 5, 1780 as the son of Samuel Storer (1757 - ?) in New Jersey. His mother’s name is not known at this time. Family oral history states that he moved from his birth place to Pennsylvania where he lived near his grandfather. He and his first wife Ruth Hutton relocated to Portsmouth, Ohio before the town was founded.  He had a claim 9 miles west of Portsmouth in Nile Township, Scioto County, Ohio probably resulting from his commission as a Lieutenant in the War of 1812 having joined 1^st Regiment (Noel’s) Ohio Militia (See Sources 8-11).

David later bought a farm from John Conn in October 1814 (See Sources 1 & 7). He was also appointed Commissioner for the Ohio River road from Portsmouth down the Ohio River. (See Sources 12 & 13.)  

Throughout his life time, David fathered 12 children. His first marriage was to Ruth (born about 1780) in Pennsylvania. They had 6 children before her death in Ohio about 1819. 

1. Elizabeth Storer 1800-1889, married William Hutton
2. Rachel Nancy Storer 1804-1845, married George Washington McAtee 
3. Sarah Storer 1806-?, married Isaac Bibbey
4. Asher R. Storer 1814-1875, married Margaret Storer
5. Levi Storer 1815-1884, married Viola Woodruff
6. Charles Storer 1817 -1875, married Elizabeth Dilling

David's 2^nd marriage on January 20, 1820 was to Dianna McAtee born February 25, 1795 in Maryland, daughter of Thomas & Rebecca McAtee. (See Sources 2). They had the following children:

1. Mary Ann Storer 1821-1845 married Allied Zorns
2. Rebecca B. Storer 1823-? married John E. Evans
3. David Calvin Storer, II 1825-1910 married 1st Albina J. Mott & 2nd Elizabeth Waldo. He was a carpenter.
4.  Richard Thomas Storer 1832-1878 married Catherine Elizabeth Hamilton Givens. He was a farmer and steamboat captain. 
5. William Storer 1834-1847
6.  Emily Jane Storer 1835 - 1917 married Dr. Cornelius W. Honaker

The 1820 US Census shows “David Storn” in Nile, Ohio with 8 Free White People on his land in Scioto County (See Sources 3). This listed 2 males under 10 (Levi & Charles, 1 male 10-15 (Asher), 1 male 26-44 (David), 1 female under 10 (Sarah), 1 female 10-15 (Nancy), 1 female 16-25 (Elizabeth), and 1 female 26-44 (Diana). I am aware these dates do not line up with the daughters as Elizabeth married in 1818 and should not be listed and Sarah should be listed in the 10-15 age range. Further investigation is needed.

The 1830 Census shows David Storer in Nile, Ohio with 8 Free Whites listed as 1 male under 5 (David, Jr.), 1 male 10-14 (Levi), 1 male 15-19 (Charles), 2 males 50-99 (David, Sr. & possibly his father, brother or an uncle) ; 2 females under 5 (Emily & Rebecca), 1 female 5-9 (Mary Ann). The McAtee, Hutton, and Woodruff families only a few houses away (See Sources 4). A possible explanation for Dianna not being present is that she was off with ill family.

In 1840 he is listed as “David Stoner” in Nile, Ohio with 9 Free Whites listed as 1 male 5-9 (William), 1 male 10-14 (Richard Thomas), 1 male 15-19 (David, Jr.), 1 male 50-59 (David, Sr.), 1 female under 5 (Emily Jane), 1 female 10-14 (Rebecca), 1 female 15-19 (Mary Ann), 1 female 30-39 (possibly Sarah), and 1 female 40-49 (Dianna), (See Sources 5).

By 1850, still in Nile, Ohio he is listed as David Storer age 69 with his wife Dianna age 58 and three of their children Rich age 17, Jane age 15, and William age 12 on a farm with a value of $2,000. Living next door is their daughter and son-in-law Rebecca and John Evans (See Sources 6) one of my 3^rd great grandmothers.

At his death, his oldest son by his second wife was the executor of his estate. Most of the children from his first marriage having moved out of state. Then the heirs apparently could not afford the taxes or did not care as the following delinquent notice appears in the newspaper on January 7, 1865:

David and Dianna McAtee Storer along with other family members are buried in the Storer Family Cemetery located in Scotio County, Ohio.

Sources:

1. The Storer family 1725-1965 by Mahlon A. Storer – 2^nd Edition; Higginson Book Company
2. Scioto County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 1803-1860 – Ancestry.com, 2012 
3. 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Nile, Scioto, Ohio; Page: 126; NARA Roll: M33_95; Image: 142 
4. 1830 US Census; Census Place: Nile, Scioto, Ohio; Page: 106; NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 140; Family History Film: 0337951
5. Year: 1840; Census Place: Nile, Scioto, Ohio; Roll: 425; Page: 84; Image: 173; Family History Library Film: 0020176 
6. Year: 1850; Census Place: Nile, Scioto, Ohio; Roll: M432_727; Page: 77B; Image: 35 
7.  Residence date: 1810 Residence place: Scioto County, OH, Ancestry.com
8.  Roster of Ohio soldiers in the War of 1812, Ancestry.com 
9. U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789-1858, Ancestry.com 
10. Original data: National Archives and Records Administration. Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M602, 234 rolls 
11. Original data - War of 1812 Pension Applications. Washington D.C.: National Archives. NARA Microfilm Publication M313, 102 rolls. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record G 
12. A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record ... Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913.

Joshua Pettit II, 1734-1786

5th Great Grandfather Paternal Side

Talk about non-linear research! Man, this one was/is a real bugger. Any euphemism that could be thought applies to this family. There are at least 3 Joshua Pettits with no middle name given or suffix. I will therefore assign them the suffix of I, II, & III while others may call II Sr. and III Jr. they omitted Joshua II’s parents: Joshua Pettit and Susannah Carpenter, at least this is who I hope they are. Hence the conflicting data has begun.

Joshua II was born in the Passaic Valley of New Jersey on September 20, 1734. He might have been descended from the Huguenot’s of the Pettit family of France (See Source 3) though no direct correlation has been made by me. He moved to South Carolina sometime around 1768 to the 96 District near Cowpens in Spartanburg County. This was considered to be frontier or on the fringe of civilization. Near the beginning of the Revolutionary War in 1775, he was engaged in helping to build Wofford’s Fort on the Pacolet River. It was more of a fortified log house used where the settlers could escape Indian attacks. Militias were formed to fight off the Cherokees and other tribes. During the Revolutionary War Joshua served as a Private in Col. Benjamin Roebuck’s Battalion of the Spartan Regiment of the South Carolina Militia. He did not file for a pension or collect one but his headstone in the Pettit Family Cemetery states his regiment (See Source 1). His DAR Ancestor # is A089896 for anyone wishing to fill out an application or supplement.

Joshua Pettit married Rachel Monroe* (1734-1786) in 1761 in Essex County, New Jersey where the first six of their eight children were born.

1. Henry, Sr. (1763-1838) married Mary Anne Poole
2. Hannah Caroline (1765-1836) married Joel Bird Hembree
3. Mary (1767-1769)
4. Benjamin H. (1769-1831) married Lucinda Pettit
5. Nathan (Nathaniel ?) John (1771-1808) married ?
6. Joshua III (1773-1827) married Judah Poole
7. Abraham (1776-1808) never married since he had mental defect and was cared for by Joshua III.
8. Rachel (1779-1786) married ?? Hembree

It is rumored that Joshua also had a son with a Cherokee woman Nannie Downing, an important woman of the tribe. He spent some time with the Indians before his wife and children moved to South Carolina. This son was named Thomas Pettit, Sr. and married Catherine Hughes. More research is needed to verify.

In 1775, Joshua sold 500 acres on the Saluda River to John and Ann Armstrong being a portion of the 12 mile square tract previously owned by Richard Pearis. (Note: This tract was supposedly an illegal land cession of 150,000 acres from the Cherokee to Richard Pearis, via his Cherokee son George Pearis, on 21 Dec 1773 and witnessed by Joshua.) After Ann’s husband was taken by Indians and “inhumanly butchered” she petitioned the government for relief. (See Source 2.)

Joshua, Rachel and some of their children were buried in the Pettit Family Cemetery located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

I will add to this post in the future once I am able to study it more thoroughly. I knew that it would be hard writing about one ancestor per week, and here it is only the 2^nd week and I am already having trouble!! Yikes, this is going to be a long year!

*Rumored to be a cousin of James Monroe – I can neither confirm nor deny at this time, I expect this is wishful thinking. She was born in Ulster County, New York.

Sources:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9015886&ref=acom

South Carolina State Archives Series: S165005
Year: 1784
Item: 00006
Page: 000
Date: 2/23/1784
Description: COMMITTEE REPORT AND ATTACHED PETITION CONCERNING ANN ARMSTRONGS REQUEST THAT THE LAND OF HER LATE HUSBAND, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE CHEROKEE WARS, BE VESTED IN HER, FREE FROM OTHER CLAIMS. (2 PAGES) 
Names indexed: ARMSTRONG, ANN; ARMSTRONG, JOHN; PEARIS, RICHARD; PETTIT, JOSHUA
Locations: SALUDA RIVER
Document type: REPORT OF LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Topics: CHEROKEE WAR

      Van Wyck, Katherine Louise Wood, 1857-. Genealogy of Pettit Families In America: Descendants of   John Pettit, 1630-1632, First of That Name In America. South Pasadena, Calif., 1936.