The Tale of Two Edumunds (Pettiford)

30 January 2011

I get asked a lot about Edmund Pettiford in Guilford County who his parents were by researchers that are trying to tie him into George Pettiford, the Revolutionary War Vet in order to join DAR. I am sorry to inform you that there were actually 2 Edmund's and that the Edmund from Guilford County is likely not directly descended from George.

First, let's look at the facts about Edmund Pettiford from Guilford County and died in Grant Co., IN

• 1795 - born August 8th (source: obituary)
• 1816 - married Sarah Carter December 13th in Chatham County (Source: Marriage Bond)
• 1820 - I have not found him in the census - yet
• 1830 - Wake County, NC census Little River Township, pg. 473 line 16
• 1840 - Guilford County, NC census page 229
• 1850 - Guilford County, NC census, Southern Division with wife Sarah, p. 272a
• 1860 - Grant County, IN census, Liberty township, p. 309

Now, let's look at the Edmund in Granville County records:

• 1800 - born (Source: age 50 in 1850 census)
• 1820 - I have not found him in the census
• 1830 - I have not found him in the census
• 1832 - married Rebecca Johnson March 19th Granville County, George Anderson bondsman (source: marriage bond)
• 1840 - Granville County, NC census pg. 149
• 1850 - Granville County, NC census, Oxford District, dwelling/family 53, pg. 103a
• 1860 - I have not definitely identified him yet, but there is an Ed Pettiford age 60 in Cedar Creek, Granville County, NC, dwelling/family 1199, pg. 304b

As you can see, there are two separate Edmunds.Now, let's take a look at George who served in the Revolutionary War:

• 1757 - Paul Heinegg estimates his birth year as this
• 1771 - inherited a bed from George Anderson (Oh! wait, wasn't a George Anderson bondsman for Edmund Pettiford's marriage to Rebecca Johnson?)
• 1785 - Tax list for Granville County
• 1786 - State census for Granville County, NC
• 1790 - Granville County, NC census
• 1800 - Granville County, NC census, Hillsborough District
• 1810 - cannot find him in the census yet
• 1820 - Granville County, NC census
• 1830 - Granville County, NC census; North Regiment, pg. 19
• 1837 - married to Tabitha Johnson May 1st, Granville County, **Edmund Pettiford as bondsman

So let's look at this. The question here is which Edmund was the bondsman? This is where it starts to get interesting and starts to fall in place, but it is also important to note that at this point it is speculation, an educated guess if you will, as there is not been any definite proof to show either way. The first piece to fall into place is the marriages of George and Edmund - Edmund married a Rebecca Johnson in 1832 and now George married a Tabitha Johnson in 1837. Let's continue with the time line for George:

• 1840 - Granville County, NC census pg. 149 (**note: he is living near and listed on the same page as Edmund)
• 1850 - Granville County, NC census, Oxford District dwelling/family 52 page 103a (**note: Now he is living next to Edmund)
• 1860 - I cannot find him in the census and he may have died by now (**note - the Ed Pettiford I found in Granville County is sharing his household with a Tabby Pettiford - this is interesting. Unfortunately the 1860 census does not list relationships so they may be husband and wife or they may be widowed in laws sharing a house).

Although it is possible that the Edmund in Guilford County could have come to Granville to be the bondsman of George's wedding and then returned, it is more likely that it was Edmund of Granville County. Another piece to fall into place - the 1830 census. Edmund of Granville County was not found, but in the 1850 census he is listed as 50 years old. In the 1840 census, he is listed as being between age 34-55 and was likely about 40 years old. In the 1830 census, he is not found, but looking at the ages from 1850 and 1840, he is probably about 30 years old and single (as his marriage to Rebecca was 2 years later). George just happens to have a man between the ages of 24-36, so it is possible that a 30 year old bachelor Edmund was living with his father George, but again, this is just speculation.