James Pettyjohn Sr.

James's birthplace is a matter of conjecture. (see different cited works below) He is considered the emigrant ancestor of the Pettyjohns. James and his wife died in Northampton, VA in 1665 leaving four small children. Captain John Custis was appointed administrator of the estate, which under order of the court was sold at public outcry (auction) bringing 27,308 pounds of tobacco and casks. After paying debts, there were 12,324 pounds for the children.

**James Bruce was directed to have the "tuition and bringing up of James Pettyjohn, the eldest son of James Pettyjohn, deceased, until eighteen years of age or the court ruled otherwise".

***William Satchell was ordered "to have the tuition and bringing up of William Pettyjohn, son of James Pettyjohn, deceased."  On October 18, 1678 he released his guardian from liability. He must have been of age.  He appears in the records of Accomac County from 1660 to 1702: he purchased land in princess Anne County from his brother in law, John Oakman. (That is why his death place is assumed to be there.)

****Isabel Pettyjohn was placed under the care of Abraham Heath. He kept James Pettyjohn's Bible for her use.  On Dec 11, 1678 Isabel discharged her guardian (Nicholas Powell) and at that time described herself as the wife of Richard Lester.

name often spelled Pettijohn

The story as told in the "Dawes History," is to the effect that the earliest known man of the name in America is James Pettyjohn (1) who lived in Hungar's Parish, on the peninsula, in Northampton County, Virginia, prior to 1660. The author then proceeds to treat this James (1) as our emigrant ancestor, but states that the fact is not definitely proved. Be that as it may, for want of a better starting point, and with the knowledge that our conclusions are perhaps based more on speculation and possibilities, than on definite and established facts, we shall, for our present purposes, and in the absence of proof to the contrary, accept and consider James (1) as our ancestor and proceed from that point. The record of the probate of his estate, and that of his wife, Isabel, as well as the guardianship proceedings for their four minor children are among the probate files of Northampton County.  The place of residence of the family, prior to coming to America is shrouded in the mists of the past, and all we have to enlighten us in that direction are two fairly well established, but opposing, family traditions, one of which tells us that our fore fathers came from Wales, while the other, perhaps as well supported, lends credence to the belief that France was the ancestral home.  (pettyjohn.net)

JAMES PETTYJOHN, born about 1635-40, and his birthplace is a matter of conjecture in the absence of evidence that he was born in America he will be considered our emigrant ancestor. He married Isabel, whose family name is unknown, about 1654. The court records show that both James 1 and his wife Isabel died in Northhampton county, Va., in 1665, leaving four small children, and Capt. John Curtis was appointed administrator of the estate, which, under the order of the court, was sold at public outcry, bringing 27,308 pounds of tobacco and casks. After paying the debts there remained for distribution to the children 12,324 pounds of tobacco and casks. The children of James 1 were as follows: (1) James, born about 1655 for whom one James Bruce acted as guardian; (2) William, born about 1657. On Oct. 28, 1678, he had evidently reached full legal age for on that date he released his guardian, Wm. Satchell, from liability. He appears in the records of Accomac county, Va., from 1660 to 1702, at which latter date he purchased land in Princess Anne county, Va., from his brother-in-law, John Oakman; (3) Isabel, born about 1660 and baptized at Northhampton May 16 of that year. Her guardian was Abraham Heath, who was succeeded by Nicholas Powell who had bought in the plantation for 9000 pounds of tobacco and casks. On Dec. 11, 1678, Isabel, then evidently having reached the age of eighteen years, discharged her guardian and at that time described herself as the wife of Richard Lester. This Richard Lester died in 1694 and before 1702 Isabel married John Oakham, the man who had bought the land in Princess Anne county from her brother, William; (4) John. (pettyjohn.net)

James Pettyjohn (son of John Pettyjohn and Elizabeth Evans) 216 was born 1610 in Devon, England 216, and died May 26, 1665 in Northampton County, Virginia 216. He married (1) Joane. He married (2) Issabel Heath on Abt. 1654 in Virginia.

Merwyn Brian Pettyjohn in his book, Les Petitjeans: The Voyage to Turtle Island: states the parentage of James has not been proven.

James' headrights were granted in 1635. What is a headright? A headright was a way to own land. The Virginia Company wanted to encourage immigration to the "colony (Virginia)". On November 18, 1618 in a meeting in the Quaker Court, The Virginia Company passed some laws called "Orders and Constitutions which later became known as "the Great Charter of privileges, orders, and laws of the colony." One of the laws stated that if a person settled in Virginia or paid for the transportation expenses of another person who settled in Virginia would be entitled to receive fifty acres of land for each immigrant. The right to receive fifty acres per person, or per head, was called a headright. The practice was continued under the royal government of Virginia after the dissolution of the Virginia Company, and the Privy Council ordered on 22 July 1634 that patents for headrights be issued. (Source: Library of Virginia, "Headrights," VA-NOTES, http://www. lva. lib. va. us/what we have/local/va4_headrights. html on October 5, 2007 at 2:03 PM)

James birthplace is a matter of conjecture. He is considered the emigrant ancestor of the Pettyjohns and others included in this data base. James and his wife Isabel died in Northampton County, Virginia in 1665, leaving four small children. Captain John Custis was appointed administrator of the estate, which under order of the court was sold at public outcry (auction), bringing 27,308 pounds of tobacco and casks. After paying the debts there remained for distribution to the children 12,324 pounds of tobacco and casks. [Andrew PettyjohnJr. FTW]

Pettijohn Book 1660, Living in Hungars Parish, Northampton County, Virginia.

June 06, 1665, Estate sold at public auction

In court records, James' surname is spelled PettiJohns, Petti-john, Pettyjohn.

More about James Pettyjohn:

Record Change: October 04, 2007

More about James Pettyjohn and Issabel Heath:

Marriage: Abt. 1654, Virginia.

Children of James Pettyjohn and Issabel Heath are:

James Pettyjohn, b. Abt. 1655, Northampton County, Virginia 217, d. date unknown. (found in PDF on familysearch.org) (a couple other interesting PDFs found on familysearch.org)

When James Pettijohn was born in 1635, in Devon, England, his father, John Pettyjohn, was 51 and his mother, Elizabeth Evans, was 52. He married Isabelle Heath in 1654, in Virginia, British Colonial America. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 1 daughter. He died on 6 June 1665, in Northampton, Virginia, British Colonial America, at the age of 30, and was buried in Bridgetown, Northampton, Virginia, British Colonial America. (familysearch.org)

*Isabelle Heath was born in 1636, in Virginia, British Colonial America. She married James Pettijohn in 1654, in Virginia, British Colonial America. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 1 daughter. She died on 6 June 1665, in Hungars Parish, Northampton, Virginia, British Colonial America, at the age of 29, and was buried in Bridgetown, Northampton, Virginia, British Colonial America. (familysearch.org)