An American Family History

Amos Pitts was born about 1825 in Tennessee. His parents were probably John and Sarah Pitts.

Amos married Ruth Ann Sell. Ruth Ann was born in 1822 in Tennessee. She was probably related to Adam Sell of Knob Creek. He was the only Sell in Washington County. She was not mentioned in his will.

Sarah Pitts Curtis (1845, married William M. Curtis),

William Pitts (1846, married J. J. R.),

Martha Jane Pitts Curtis (1852, married Maranda G. Curtis),

Rebecca L. Pitts Yones (1852, married James M. Yones),

Dimon Pitts (1855, married Elizabeth Catherine Range great granddaughter of George Humphreys),

Amos Pitts (1857, married Rebecca Curtis who married John Yones after Amos' death),

John H. Pitts (1857, married Mary C. Stevens),

Joseph Pitts (1859),

James R. E. Pitts (1860),

David Pitts (1865).

In 1860 the Amos Pitts household was in Piney Flats, District 9, Sullivan County, Tennessee, The household consisted of Amos Pitts age 35, Ruth A. age 38, William age 14, Sarah , age 12, Limeon age 10, Martha age 8, Rebecca age 6, John age 4, and James R. E. 2 months. Joshua Miller was a 20 year old farm laborer in the household. Amos was a farmer.

Amos seems to have died between 1864 and 1870.

Sarah married William M. Curtis before the 1870 census.

In 1870, Ruth A. Pitts was the head of household in Jonesboro, District 15, Washington County, Tennessee. The household consisted of R. L. Pitts age 17, John Pitts age 15, Amos Pitts age 13, Joseph Pitts age 11, and David Pitts age 5. R. L and Amos were attending school and John was working in a brick yard. The entire family was illiterate.

Pitts, Boy
On last Sunday evening, a boy by the name of Pitts, eight or nine years of age, was drowned in the Watauga river near Mr. Henry Curtiss’s in this county. We learn the following particulars of the sad occurrence: The unfortunate boy was playing on the bank of the river with two other lads, one of whom said to him that “he was going to learn him to swim" and then threw him into the river. The water was deep, but Pitts after much struggling reached the bank and got out almost exhausted. He was again thrown into the water by the same boy, and sank to rise no more.(Jonesboro Herald-Tribune, Vol. II. #39, Thursday., June 1, 1871)

In 1872 Denman married Elizabeth Catherine Range in Washington County. She was the granddaughter of Isaac Range.

About 1874 Amos, Jr. married Rebecca Curtis. She later married John Yones.

About 1875 Martha married Maranda Curtis.

In 1880 Ruth was living next to the Moser's (Martha's family). William was married and was a brick mason in Jonesborough. Sarah and William Curtis were in District 11 of Washington County. Rebecca was also living in District 11 with shoemaker Isaac White and his wife Sarah, as their "adopted" daughter who did housework. Denman was in Dallas Texas.

John H. married Mary C. Stevens on May 21, 1884. Rebecca Pitts married James Yones on May 28, 1884 in Washington County, Tennessee.