An American Family History

John Pitts was born in 1781 in North Carolina. Sarah Pitts was born in 1795 in North Carolina. They married before 1820. Their children were born in Tennessee.

Edna Pitts Stanfield was born about 1820. Amos Pitts was born about 1825. Sarah Pitts Smith was born on April 30, 1826.

Polly Pitts was born about 1833. Nancy Pitts Hammet was born about 1835.

The John Pitts family appeared in the 1840 census of Sullivan County, Tennesse. The household consisted of

One man between 50 and 60-John
A woman between 40 and 50-Sarah
Two girls between 15 and 20- Edna born 1820, Sarah 1826
Two boys between 10 and 15 - Amos born about 1825
Two girls between 5 and 10 - Polly 1833
One girl under 5 - Nancy 1835

Sarah married Josiah Smith in 1846 in Sullivan County.

The family was in Subdivision 4, Washington County by 1850. Washington County is next to Sullivan County. The household consisted of John Pitts age 66, Sarah Pitts age 59, and Edna Pitts age 30, Polly Pitts age 17, and Nancy Pitts age 14. John was a miller.

In 1860 they were living in Buffalo Ridge in Washington County. The post office was Jonesboro (now spelled Jonesborough). The household consisted of John Pitts age 74, Sarah Pitts age 66, Edny Pitts age 45, Nancy Hammet age 23, and Sarah Hammet age 1. John was a cooper and Edna was a weaver.

In 1870 they were still in Buffalo Ridge. John was a 84 year old invalid, Edna Stanfield was 50 and keeping house, Nancy Hammet was 35, John Hammet was 8 and Joseph was 3. The adults were illiterate.

In 1880 the Pitts household was back in Sullivan County. It consisted of Dentney Pitts age 59, her sister Nancy Pitts age 45 and her nephew Henry F. Hamet age 13.

Buffalo Ridge, A post village of Washington county, in the eastern extremity of the State, situated on Solomon's creek, and near the line of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, 375 miles by railway east from Nashville, and 100 from Knoxville.

It contains a male and female high school, a colored Baptist church, two general stores, several flouring and saw mills and varied professions and trades [including] Hamilton, Pitts & Isaac, coopers. from Tennessee State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1860-61, Issue 1, John L. Mitchell