17th Century PRUITT Family

This blog space is devoted to my PRUITT ancestors that lived and died during the 17th Century.

My First Generation Ancestor -

VIRGINA - Charles River County (presently known as York County). - circa 1636.

Thomas PREWITT (b. 1616 and d. unk.) "progenitor" of most present day PRUITT descendants in North America. (My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather.)

The PRUITT/PRUETT/PREWITT Family goes all the way back to a Thomas PREWITT who came to the Charles River Plantation in the early 1630's to work as an indentured servant.

His son was Henry PREWITT Sr, who is listed in Who's Who's in American History as one of the earliest settlers of Virginia and therefore the United States. In other words the PREWITT’s were here before there was a United States of America.

My Second Generation Ancestor -

VIRGINIA - Henrico County

Henry PREWITT (b. 1654 and d. ca. 1722) (My great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather.)

Henry PREWITT was born in 1654, and is thought to have been a son of Thomas PREWITT, who was transported to Charles River County,Virginia, in 1636. On April 25, 1679, Henry was listed with the heads of families in Henrico County,Virginia, when he was a tithable and assessed to support an army to defend against the Indians. In the same group of 40 neighbors was Colonel William BYRD. Henry evidently owned land at that time, since he was taxed. He was not a large land owner by comparison to the CARTER's, BYRD's, RANDOLPH's, or WASHINGTON's, who owned thousands of acres, but to be a land owner at age 25 was of some importance.

Note: York County was originally named Charles, and was one of the eight original shires formed in 1634. The present name was given in 1643, probably in honor of James, Duke of York, the second son of Charles I. Its area is 123 square miles, and the county seat is Yorktown.)

In 1686, Henry was granted 220 acres on the north side of the James River in Henrico County, which tract he sold to Mary (Fields) JONES in 1697. On April 20, 1687, Henry PREWITT and John FIELDS were granted 440 acres of land in Varina Parish, Henrico County, on the north side of the James River, beginning at Almond Creek. Henry was involved with the FIELDS and JONES families throughout the records of Henrico County. Mary FIELDS, sister of Thomas and John FIELDS, married Edward Jones and Henry PREWITT administered the estate of Edward JONES in 1695.

On August 3, 1691, Henry PREWITT, supported by John FIELDS, was sued by William BYRD. The only connection we have found between the PREWITT and BYRD families is that they resided close together. Henry PREWITT's land on Almond Creek was about 20 miles up the James River from William BYRD's plantation Westover. Many families followed the BYRD's into southern Virginia, and the PREWITT's were among them, settling in northern Halifax County in 1745.

Henry PREWITT married Rebecca DOBBS in Henrico County, VA on August 20, 1691, according to depositions taken in court that month. Henry was age 37, so this may have been a second marriage for him. Henry may have first married a FIELDS, or else John FIELDS was married to a sister of Henry PREWITT.

In 1711, Henry PREWITT, over aged person, was exempt from paying poll tax. At the June Court 1722, Henrico County, Rebecca PREWITT, widow of Henry, was summoned to administer the estate of her husband. Rebecca died in Henrico County, VA in 1748.

The Children of Henry PREWITT and Rebecca DOBBS were:

1. Thomas b: Abt 1693 Henrico, Co., VA 4. Richard b: Abt 1698 Henrico, Co., VA

2. Andrew b: Abt 1695 Henrico, Co., VA 5. Uriah b: Abt 1699 Henrico, Co., VA
[Note: My direct ancestry line.]

3. Hugh b: Abt 1697 Henrico, Co., VA 6. Rebecca b: Abt 1702 Henrico, Co., VA

Nominated to America's First Families Ancestor Roll of Honor by:

Henry PREWITT’s 12th generation great grandson; Christopher Michael LUTZ of Saint Paul, MN.

Source: America's First Families -- Ancestor Roll of Honor