Saturday, July 25, 2020

Solomon Pattillo 1748 - 1804 My 4th Great Grandfather on My Father's Side


Town Office in Boydton, Virginia. One of my
photos taken in 2017.
Solomon was a fourth great grandfather who lived his entire life in southeast Virginia. On most records, he spelled his name Pittillo and on some, it was spelled Pettillo. He was the son of James Pattillo Jr. and Martha Burge[1]. Solomon was born in about 1748 in Dinwiddie County when it was still part of British America several years before the American Revolution. Like his father and grandfather Solomon was a farmer – most likely a tobacco farmer. Most of the records I have for Solomon are land and court records. Those plus the inventory of his estate tell the story of his life.

Solomon was the second son of James and Martha. He had an older brother Augustine “Austin” who was born about 1747, and three younger brothers – Matthew born about 1749, James II born about 1750, and John born sometime before 1758. I believe Solomon was born in Dinwiddie County which was formed in 1752 and had been part of Prince George County. The county was named for Robert Dinwiddie who was Lieutenant Governor of Virginia 1751-1758.

When he was twenty-four Solomon married Sarah Major, daughter of Bernard Major Sr. and Elizabeth. Sarah’s family was also from southeast Virginia. Solomon and Sarah were married in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, and had four children.[2] 
Dinwiddie County seal where Solomon
and Sarah were marrried.

The oldest land record I’ve found for Solomon is from 1775. It was about a parcel owned jointly with two of his brothers – Austin and James II. This was land given to the brothers by their father, James Jr. In 1782 Solomon appeared on a list of early residents of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He was living in Precinct 4 at the time and paid taxes on his property which included two African Americans. There were six whites living in his residence at that time which accounts for Solomon, Sarah and their four children. Mecklenburg was then and still is known for growing tobacco – a labor-intensive crop that required slave labor to cultivate and harvest the crops.

Solomon’s father James Pattillo gave Solomon a tract of land in Dinwiddie County in 1782. Solomon paid taxes on 400 acres of land in Dinwiddie County – this was probably the land his father gave him. The tax records for Dinwiddie County from 1788 to 1790 show that Solomon paid taxes on 404 acres of land but at some point, he sold a large portion of his land because the tax list from 1796 shows that he only paid tax on 133 ½ acres. He would have been 48 at the time so it is likely that he gave the land to one or more of his sons.

In the Pattillo Family book by Melba Crosse she notes, “Solomon must have lived in Brunswick County, Virginia for a while as he appears on the 1787 personal tax list of that county. However, he was back in Mecklenburg county by 1788. The 1800 tax list of this latter county lists Solomon and his sons, William (Williamson) and Samuel, who are living with him.”[3]

I found a court record from 1790 that shows that Solomon was involved in a dispute. He was sued by a business that later dropped the case. The paperwork lacks details of what the case was about or why it was settled.
Tobacco field in Mecklenburg. One of my photos from 2017.
Solomon was a farmer who most likely cultivated tobacco.


On January 3, 1793, Solomon purchased 156 acres in Mecklenburg from Benjamin Morgan. He paid 85 pounds for the property. That’s $2756 in 2020 dollars so it seems like a remarkable bargain. About a month later Solomon sold two Negro boys – Fell aged about 12 and Dick about 6, to Thomas Penticost. The price was 30 pounds and 8 shillings.

Solomon and John Farrar bought eight head of cattle from Stephen Mabry on January 17, 1793. The sale was recorded in Deed Book 8 of Mecklenburg County. In the same deed book Solomon sold a 150-acre parcel to John Allen and his wife Nancy. I have yet to figure out what the relationship between Solomon and John Farrar was.

One of the documents I found in the Boydton Courthouse was a complicated indenture. It involved Solomon, Bernard McAnally and Robert Baskerville. Apparently, Solomon owed McAnally 41 pounds 11 shillings 6 pence and a halfpenny. Another 5 shillings was paid by Baskerville and the court discharged him. Solomon sold a 96-acre parcel to Baskerville – land that he had previously purchased from Benjamin Morgan. Solomon also sold a 60-acre tract plus appurtenances to William Edward S. Tabb. According to the document, Baskerville was to keep the land until December 25th and then sell it and use the profits to pay the amount Solomon owed to McAnally. Any excess profit was to go to Solomon after covering expenses. This transaction, which seems rather convoluted to me, took place on July 21, 1795. All this was recorded in the Mecklenburg Court on June 13, 1796. But that’s not all – more than a year later in August of 1797 Solomon was summoned to appear in Chancery Court as the defendant in a case brought by Bernard McAnally & Company. McAnally claimed that Solomon still owed a 100-pound debt. 
This is the document dated 19 August 1797. It commands Solomon to appear in
court regarding the McAnally & Company matter.
In September 1798 Solomon, John Morgan and Stirling Morgan were asked to do an inventory of the estate of Sherwood Bugg. According to Crosse, “When the inventory of the estate of John Pettway, deceased was filed in Warren County, North Carolina on January 12, 1796, it included bonds and notes due from Solomon Petillo as well as many other people”.[4]
Another document from the McAnally case.

The following month Solomon was in court again. He appeared along with Samuel Goode, Mark Alexander and Samuel Holmes. Samuel sold a 306-acre parcel to Richard Crowder for 230 pounds – land that he purchased from John Allen and Benjamin Morgan. Apparently, this was land that was part of his wife’s dowry.

On January 6, 1800 Solomon was again involved with a convoluted court case. He agreed to lease two of his slaves – Pris and her son to William Drumright but only until December 25th. Then Drumright was to advertise Pris and her son for sale. The document said that he was to advertise the sale in three locations. They were the Courthouse, Sett’s Ordinary and Speed’s Store. They were to be advertised for ten days, then sold and the proceeds were to be used to pay a sixty-pound debt that Solomon owed to Crowder. 
One of two documents related to Solomon and a man named Crowder that he owed a debt to.

Two years later Solomon still owed Crowder money so he leased two additional slaves – Hanna and her son Cyrus to David Dortch. This was from January 4, 1802, until December 1st after which Dortch was to advertise and sell Hanna and her son at the courthouse on court day. Dortch was to pay off Crowder, cover his expenses, and give the rest to Solomon. 
Another partial Crowder vs. Solomon Pittillo document from the Boydton court records
Solomon executed his will on January 6, 1804, and he died a few days later in the town of Boydton which is in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Even though three generations of my Pattillo ancestors lived and died in Boydton I have been unable to locate Solomon’s grave or other Pattillo graves nearby.

After his death, Solomon’s estate was inventoried by Pettus Phillips (his daughter-in-law’s father), Dabney Phillips (Pettus’s brother), Samuel Farrar and John Farrar. Some of the items listed on the inventory were 12 head of cattle, 12 hogs, 1 bay mare and colt, 1 black mare cold, 2 beds and furniture, 1 black walnut table, 1 pine chest, 1 loom, 1 Dutch oven, a loom, and two spinning wheels. Pretty standard stuff though it is somewhat unique that the appraisers noted the types of wood in the table and chest. The appraised value of these items, completed on January 9, 1804, came to 114 pounds and six shillings.
Solomon's signature on one of the documents I found at the Boydton courthouse

One of the documents from Solomon's probate packet.
This lists items sold from his estate after his death.
It is dated 7 Jan 1806 and was administered by
Solomon's son Williamson



[1] According to Crosse James Jrs. wife was named Elizabeth surname unknown. Multiple sources show Martha Burge as James Jrs. Wife including the FamilySearch family tree and FindAGrave. The will of Thomas Burge references his daughter Martha married to Solomon Pittillo.
[2] See my biography of Sarah Major Pattillo for the children’s names and dates of birth.
[3] Crosse Melba C. Patillo, Pattillo, Pattullo, and Pittillo Families, p. 101
[4] Crosse who cited Warren County, N.C. Rec. book Vol III, p. 80 by Mary Hinton Kerr

Sarah Major Pattillo 1750-1870 My 4th Great Grandmother on My Father's Side

The Claiborne Moody Home, Dinwiddie County, built in 1753.
This is the type of home that would have existed when Sarah
was born. Photos from the Virginia Heritage website.

Sarah Major was the wife of Solomon Pattillo. She was born about 1750 in the State of Virginia close to the border with North Carolina which is the same vicinity where our Pattillo ancestors lived. Sarah was the daughter of Bernard and Elizabeth Major. She had an older brother Bernard Major, Jr., a younger brother Samuel and a younger sister Joanna known as Joice.

Sarah married Solomon Pattillo in Dinwiddie County about 1772 when she would have been about twenty-two years old. They had four children – a small family by the standards of the times. Their eldest was a daughter Rebecca who was born about 1774. Then there were three sons, Williamson J. born about 1776, Edward M. born about 1778, and Samuel Henry Willis Pattillo, my third great grandfather, who was born about 1780. All of her children were born in Dinwiddie County. About 1788 the family moved from Dinwiddie to Mecklenburg county. They lived in Boydton which was the county seat.

The Boyd Tavern in Boydton existed in 1801 when Sarah
lived there with her family
Sarah died in Boydton in 1817 when she would have been about 67 years old. She left a short will that was written in beautiful script such that it is easy to read the entire text. Here is a transcript of the contents of Sarah’s will.

In the name of God amen I Sarah Pattillo of the County of Mecklenburg and State of Virginia being sick and weak but of sound mind and disposing memory and being disposed to dispose of such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with do give and bequeath the same in manner following.
Item, I give and bequeath to my son Williamson Pattillo one negro man by the name of Frank, also one feather bed and furniture to him and his heirs forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my son Edward M. Pattillo one negro boy by the name of Littleton, two feather beds and furniture to him and his heirs forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Pattillo one feather bed and furniture to him and his heirs forever.
Item, my will and desire is that all my property except such legacies as I have given above to my sons Williamson, Edward M. Pattillo and Samuel Pattillo after paying my just debts be equally divided between my four children. Viz. Williamson, Edward, Samuel and my daughter Rebecca Bradley. In witness whereof I have herewith set my hand and affixed my seal this fourth day of April one thousand Eight hundred and seventeen.
Sarah signed with an X.
Witnesses: William Bilbo, William L. Richards, Temperance Spinlock
At a court held for Mecklenburg County the 19th Day of May 1817 this last will and testament of Sarah Pattillo, deceased was presented into Court and proved by the oath of William Bilbo and William L. Richards, witness thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Teste Edward A Tubb
This is Sarah's will. 
According to Melba C. Crosse, “Sarah Major Pittillo gave her son, Williamson, power-of-attorney to reclaim a portion of her father’s estate which is evidenced by the following: Sarah Pittillo of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. For natural love and affection, I give my son Williamson Pattillo of said county and do by these presents constitute and appoint him sole attorney for me to sue for and recover my portinate part of the estate of my sister, Nancy, late wife of John Cabe of Orange County, North Carolina. And to divide the property of said deceased between the heirs of Bernard Major, Sr., deceased, late of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, or the legal representative of said heirs, his receiving for me and to my use one-fifth part and I do employ one or more attorneys-at-law under him _____ to revoke _____ this 7th day of November 1808.

Witnessed by Edward Pattillo and Major Brasfield.[1] 
Private residence in Boydton, Virginia. One of my photos
taken in 2017.



[1] Crosse, Melba C. Patillo, Pattillo, Pattullo, and Pittillo Families, p.102, Orange Co. N.C. Deed book 13, p. 211