Samuel Whitsitt of Montgomery Co., Kentucky, Son of Ralph Whitsett of Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania

The second name is that of Margaret Tuttle. There appears to be no documentation for the claim that this was the name of Samuel’s wife. An article in THE ADVOCATE of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky written by Mrs. Hazel M. Boyd in 1981 says that “a correspondent” of hers stated that it was Margaret Tuttle, but offers no other proof. Even if this person did find a document with the name “Tuttle,” that could simply be a transcriber’s error. The reason I think it to be an error is that during the time and in the areas where Samuel was born and raised, and where he likely was married, there were no Tuttle families. The first mention of a Tuttle individual living in an area anywhere near the Whitsitt’s is in western Pennsylvania and dated long after Samuel and Margaret removed from Pennsylvania for Kentucky. In contrast, there were numerous Tittle’s in all of the areas where Samuel lived, from Lebanon Township in Lancaster County to Westmoreland County. We have discussed Peter Tittle, both father and son, in our sketch of Samuel’s father Ralph. Tittle family researchers tell us that Peter Tittle Sr. had brothers George and John who came to America and settled in northern Lancaster County at about the same time as the Whitsett’s. In the documents of Lebanon Township and the church records of Rev. Stoever we found several other Tittle names including women Elizabeth and Rachel and a child named John Peter Tittle.

Thirdly, I have my own theories about the name “Varner.” While discussing Ralph Whiteside/Whitsitt above, we mentioned Robert Varner/Vernor who was Ralph’s close neighbor. The Varner name shows up in Lancaster County documents as Varner, Vernor, Verner and Varnar. Some of this family settled in northern Lancaster County after coming to America from Ireland. Later they seemed to have followed the same path as the Whitsitt and Tittle families to Cumberland and even later to Westmoreland and Fayette Counties. A Google search of the Internet turns up several links for the family history and genealogy of the Verner/Varner family. I do not want to get into the family history of the Varner family except to illustrate my point, so I haven’t included here specific sources. A simple search using Google will give you enough sources to back up my statements. The Varner name was originally Werner a German variant of Warner. The family came to Northern Ireland from Germany; probably about the time the Whiteside/Whitsitt families arrived there. Because of the German pronunciation of “W” as “V” Warner or Werner was written as “Varner” and “Verner” (and a few other variations). This occurred first in Ireland and continued in America. What does this have to do with us? During the era when Samuel Varner Whitsitt (junior) was born, it was a common practice to give at least one child the mother’s maiden name, sometimes as a first name, but usually as a middle name. While contemplating the coincidence of a Varner being the neighbor of Samuel, Sr. when he was young, I began to think that perhaps Margaret was Widow Tittle when she married Samuel and her maiden name was Varner. According to the birth dates of their children, they must have been married in either Cumberland or York County, Pennsylvania. Margaret may have first married one of the several Tittle young men in Lancaster or Cumberland County; her husband dying soon after, perhaps before any Tittle children were born of the union. Margaret Varner-Tittle then married Samuel about 1766 at about the time Samuel first gained a warrant for survey of land in York County. I readily admit that this is all conjecture and will probably remain so unless marriage records, a probate record or some other form of solid documentation is found.

Various researchers have given Samuel, Sr. birth dates ranging from the early 1740’s to as late as the 1760’s. His birthplace has ranged from Northern Ireland, to Virginia. A few have placed it in Lancaster County. None that I know about have given a specific source to prove either the date or the place. Family legend supports the theory that he was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and the most likely date seems to be about 1746.

The first record of Samuel is his land warrant application on April 10, 1767. The warrant register lists his name as Samuel Whitsitt and the land was 300 acres located in Fairfield Township, formerly Newbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania. A survey for a portion of the land was done many years later. In 1833, when this final survey was made, the land belonged to Jacob Stromenger. The survey indicates that at least part of the tract had been annexed into a warrant for Abraham Norblett originally issued in April 1760. It is not clear to me what the significance is of that fact; does it mean that Samuel eventually walked away from the land or did he sell at least a portion of it to Norblett when he left York County.

Eight years later, Samuel’s brother Joseph had his tract surveyed on April 7, 1773. The survey was based on his warrant of April 1, 1773. The survey shows that Joseph’s land was adjacent to Samuel’s on the west side and was located on Yellow Breeches Creek very near where Ralph Whitsett had his mill on the opposite side of the creek in Cumberland County. Also adjoining Joseph’s land on the south side was that of Peter Tittle.

Samuel must have left York County for Westmoreland about the same time that his brother Joseph took out his warrant. Westmoreland County was created by an act of the government of the Colony of Pennsylvania on February 26, 1773. Hanna’s Town was selected as the temporary county seat of Westmoreland County, chosen over Pittsburgh. Robert Hanna, also from York County, laid out the town on his land. The usual size of the lot was 60’ by 120’ and the cost was about 2 pounds. The buyer also had to pay an annual quit rent of 15 shillings. The new owner was required to build a house of a certain size on his lot within two years. These early deeds are recorded in Westmoreland County Deeds, Book A. One of the reasons we have not found any warrants or surveys for Samuel, or his brother William, may be that they purchased one of these town lots rather than farm land. If so, those deeds were probably recorded in Deed Book A.

Westmoreland County, when it was created, encompassed all of the counties in today’s southwestern Pennsylvania. It was also a difficult place for white settlers. In 1774 a number of petitions, all with similar wording, circulated among the settlers in western Pennsylvania asking the Governor for protection from Indians. The signatures of a group in Westmoreland County contain the names of Samuel Whiteside, Robert Hanna and one hundred thirty-two others.

"The people of the border counties assembled and petitioned Governor John Penn, setting forth "that there was great reason to apprehend that the country would again be immediately involved in all the horrors of an Indian war; that their circumstances, at that critical time, were truly alarming; deserted by the greater part of our neighbors and fellow subjects, unprotected with places of strength to resort to with ammunition, provisions, and with almost every other necessary store. Our houses abandoned to pillage; labor and industry entirely at a stand; our crops destroyed by cattle; our flocks dispersed; the minds of our people distracted with the terrors of falling, along with the helpless and unprotected families, the immediate victims of savage barbarity. In the midst of these scenes of desolation and ruin, next to the Almighty, we look to your Honor, hoping, from your known benevolence and humanity, such protection and relief as your Honor shall see meet."

By December 1774 Samuel was the goalkeeper in Hanna’s Town. He soon found himself caught up in the border dispute with Virginia over the authority of Virginia to collect taxes in Westmoreland County. Lord Dunmore governor of Virginia sent his tax collectors into Westmoreland County. When some residents resisted because they believed themselves to be citizens of Pennsylvania, the Virginia tax collectors would often break into the house and take anything they could find of value, sometimes causing injuries to the occupants of the house. These troubles led up to what became known as Dunmore’s War, considered by some to be the first shots of the American Revolution. In 1774 Lord Dunmore issued a proclamation declaring Virginia’s claim to all of the territory that included today’s Fayette, Greene, Washington and Allegheny Counties in western Pennsylvania. Lord Dunmore sent John Connolly to the area to enforce his edict. Connolly raised a militia force in Virginia and marched to Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh) and took control of the Fort. Connolly changed the name of Fort Pitt to Fort Dunmore. Justice of the Peace for Westmoreland County, General Arthur St. Clair raised militia, built forts and blockhouses, and regained Fort Pitt. Westmoreland County officials arrested Connolly and jailed him at Hanna’s Town. He was released after posting bail but he soon returned to Hanna’s Town with more than one hundred fifty men. He arrested some county officials and took them back to Virginia. That fall he again returned to Hanna’s Town and released all of the prisoners in the goal in Hanna’s Town, including two murderers. The motivation seems to have been that some of the prisoners were Virginia tax collectors arrested for breaking into people’s houses. Because of the trouble, not many crops were planted that year and the severe winter of 1774-75 caused serious problems for the settlers in Westmoreland.

On December 24, 1774 Connolly and his group confronted Samuel Whitsitt, who was the goalkeeper in Hanna’s Town. After the incident, Samuel made the following deposition before Justices Robert Hanna and Arthur St. Clair.

"Before us Robert Hanna and Arthur St. Clair, Esquires, two of his majesty's Justices for Westmoreland County, personally appeared Samuel Whiteside, keeper of the Goal of the said County, and being duly sworn according to Law, deposeth and saith: that on this Instant, twenty-forth of December, a number of armed Men came to the Goal of said County, and ordered him to open the Prison Doors, and turn out a certain William Thomas, then in his Custody on sundry Executions; that he believes a certain William Christy and Simon Girty, who seemed to be Officers from their dress, were at the head of their party; That he, this deponent, refused to deliver his prisoner or open the door where he was confined; that they then talked of throwing down the house, when a certain Major Conolly came up, enquired who resisted the releasment of the prisoners, threatened to tie and carry off him this deponent; ordered the party to fire their pieces against the house, and strip off the roof, on which he, (this deponent) being afraid of ill consequences, both to his person and property, did open the door to allow the prisoner to speak to the party, and one of them rushed in, seized him [William Thomas], and dragged him out, and also turned out a certain William Dawson, who was likewise in his custody on execution, and that it was Conolly himself who laid hands on Thomas and dragged him out.”

A few weeks later, on February 7, 1775 Samuel was again confronted with the same situation. That same day he made another deposition to the Justices of Westmoreland county:

“Deposition of Samuel Whitesitt, 7 Feb. 1775, Westmoreland County. Personally appeared before us, the subscribers, three of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county aforesaid, Samuel Whitesides, who being duly Sworn upon the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, did depose & say that this day being the Seventh day of February, in the morning between twilight, there came a number of Armed men, and with a large Sledge, about ten poundweight, broke open the outside Goal door & one of the Inside doors, both being lock'd and sent the prisoners then in the Goal, being three in number, who were commited (one by Name of John Neil for a Riot & throwing down a man's house, (with a number of others) the other two by Name Samuel Wardin & Samuel Wilson, who were committed for a Trespass) of and giving each of them the prisoners after the Goal being broke a Pistol, and told them, the prisoners, that they had help'd them so far, and to Clear their own way: and the said Samuel Whitsides further says, that he heard the number of armed men aforesaid say that for their so doing they had orders from Captain William Crawford… [signed Samuel Whitesitt]. Carnachan, Esquire, Sheriff of the County, … [asked] one Benjamin Harrison, who appeared to be their head man, whether they had orders for their so doing … and he read a paper & said it was Captain William Crawford's orders. Foreman also saw one Samuel Wilson make a push at Robert Hanna, Esquire (one of the Justices of the Peace) with a Gun. [Robert Hanna’s statement] The sledge was stolen from the smith shop. William McGeery came to Robt. Hanna about daybreak to inform him of the break in. "One Benjamin Harrison said, "What they had done they did by Authority from Virginia."

Justice William Crawford who had ordered the raid was the same William Crawford who some claim was the uncle of Hadessa Crawford Whitsett, wife of William Wirt Whitsett (see below)*. This makes me wonder which side the Whitsitt’s were really on. It could be that Samuel’s depositions were his attempt to mitigate his role in the affair. One of the reasons for the strong feelings in this dispute was because some of the Westmoreland County settlers had obtained their land under the authority of Virginia, rather than Pennsylvania. Others had warrants issued by the Colony of Pennsylvania. Sometimes these claims overlapped, which was always a sure-fire formula for violence. I have read somewhere that many of the land records for grants from Virginia for land in Westmoreland and Washington Counties, Pennsylvania were recorded in Virginia and not Pennsylvania. This may be the reason we have not found land records in Westmoreland County for Samuel or William Whitsitt. It may also explain why some descendants have claimed that the brothers Samuel, William and Joseph were from or born in Virginia.

In May, 1775, anticipating a war with Britain, the two sides put aside their differences, at least temporarily. In that year men of Virginia and men of Pennsylvania produced the Hanna’s Town Resolves, declaring in no uncertain terms that they would take up arms to defend their rights against British oppression. Hanna’s Town became the center for recruitment of militia to fight the British and their Indian allies in Ohio and Detroit.

Whether or not Samuel favored the authorities of Pennsylvania or Virginia, he was one of the signatories of a petition to Governor John Penn of Pennsylvania pleading that the Governor return troops to Hanna’s Town for the protection of its citizens. The petition is undated but appears to have been organized about 1781-82. Hanna’s Town was completely destroyed by Indians acting with the blessing of the British on July 13, 1782, almost a year after Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. The official end of the war came another year later in September 1783 with the Treaty of Paris. Several of these petitions, worded exactly the same were sent to Governor Penn. Most had more than twenty signatures. Among the signatures were Samuel Whitsitt and Robert Clifford. Clifford was the brother of Mary Clifford who married Joseph Whitsett, Samuel’s brother. The petition reads as follows.

“To the Hornorable John Penn Governor in and over the province of Pennsylvania, and the counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on the Delaware; The Petition of Sundry of the inhabitants of Westmoreland County--- Humbly showeth, That your petitioners in consequence of the first Alarum in these parts, did assemble at Hanna's Town; where at their own expense they Erected a Small Fortification as a shelter for their Wives and Families during the Troublesome times, and under the direction of the Gentlemen of the Association Voluntarily took up arms for the general defense of this part of the country, 'till such times as your Honor and the Honble Assembly were pleased to approve our proceedings. Your Petitioners thought themselves extremely happy and Secure, when your Honor Assembly so considerately order'd a number of troops to be embodied for our General protection and Safety; but your petitioners are now rendered very uneasy, by the removal of these troops, Their Arms and Ammunition, on which your Petitioners further understand are ordered to the Kittaning, a place at least distant from any of the settlements, Twenty five or Thirty miles. Your Petitioners by being left thus exposed without Arms or Ammunition, humbly conceive themselves to be in great Danger from the Enemy, and are sorry to observe to your Honor and the Honble Assembly, that 'tis the General, as well as the humble opinion of your Petitioners, that removing the troops to so distant and uninhabited a part of the Province as the Kittaning, cannot answer the good purpose for which they were intended, but appears calculated only by the advice of some who prefer their own private interest to the Public Welfare. Your Petitioners are further most humbly of the opinion, that some ill disposed person or persons have misrepresented our real Situation to your Honor and the Honble Assembly, otherwise we could not conceive that Your Honor and the Honble Assembly would leave us exposed and de fenceless in the manner we now are. Your Petitioners therefore most humbly request that your Honor would be pleased to consider their alarming Situation, and order such assistance as their Defenseless condition requires. And your Petitioners as in duty bound shall pray &ea, &ea.”

The destruction of Hanna’s Town on July 13, 1782 was especially hard on the settlers in young Westmoreland County. All of the court and other county records of the time were destroyed. That may be one of the reason we have found so few records of the Whitsett’s in Westmoreland County before the Revolutionary War. Hanna’s Town was not rebuilt. Court continued to be held there until 1786 when the county seat was moved to Greensburg, a few miles south of Hanna’s Town. By 1783 Samuel Whiteside had relocated to Mount Pleasant, located just north of today’s Fayette and Westmoreland County borders. In that year he was taxed on 200 acres. A transcript of property in Westmoreland County also lists him with 200 acres. According to the family records of Mirian Holstine, a descendant of Samuel and Margaret, their son Samuel Varner Whitsitt was born in 1784. It is a safe guess that he was born in the Mount Pleasant area of Westmoreland County. In 1786 Samuel, Sr. is again on the tax rolls in Mount Pleasant. There was also a Samuel Whitesides on the tax roll in Tyrone Township of Fayette County in 1785. Were there two Samuel Whitesides in the area in the 1780’s? That may be, but Tyrone Township in Fayette County is not far from Mount Pleasant in Westmoreland. It could be that Samuel owned two pieces of property. Jacob’s Creek marks the boundary between Westmoreland on the north and Fayette on the south. Tyrone Township is on the south bank of the creek. Just north is Huntington Township and near it on the east is Mount Pleasant, so it probably is not unrealistic to assume that Samuel had property in both. Samuel’s brother Joseph Whitesides also appears on the tax list for Tyrone Township in 1785.

Evidence from records in Kentucky and Indiana seems to indicate that Samuel took his family to Kentucky in about 1786. This is supported by the fact that the 1786 tax roll in Westmoreland County is that last record we have of him in Pennsylvania. The family may have gone to Clark County originally but in 1804 Samuel purchased land on Lulbegurd Creek in Montgomery County, Kentucky. Much of the makeup of this family is documented in several probate records in Montgomery County, Kentucky for the estate of Samuel Whitsitt who died in 1815.

The make-up of the family of Samuel and Margaret is pretty well documented in the estate records of Montgomery County, Kentucky. Even so, there are some details that are not completely clear. Their children were: William, born May 6, 1767, died on May 9, 1854 in Indiana; John H., born about 1768, died in Missouri in 1845; James W., born about 1771, died in 1844 in Kentucky; Joseph, born about 1774, died in 1824 in Indiana; Ralph, born on July 27, 1778 in Pennsylvania, died on August 19, 1849 in Indiana; Margaret, born before 1782 and died about 1849; Samuel Varner Whitsitt, born about 1784; Nancy O., born about 1786; Sarah, born May 6, 1787; Rachel, born in 1789, died in Kentucky in 1860; Mary, born about 1793.