PITS FAMILY
Dr. Josiah H. Pitts ( 1866)
Letter from the Southerner to the Brazilian Paper - Personally Interesting to the Home Friends of the Colonials.
The following letter we take from the Brazilian Reflector, a journal published at Rio Janeiro in the interests of the Confederate Colonists. It could be found exceedingly interesting.
(Written by: Jos L. McGee Excerpted, Full letter on McGee family page)
SANTAREM, ON THE AMAZON, August, 1868
To the Editor of the Brazilian Reflector:
Dear Sir – I take the liberty of writing to you, on the ground that your paper is benevolently inclined, and I believed it to be an act of charity to help us poor Southerners in giving publications to our appeals to brother exiles. I supposed, too, that you would like yourself to know something of us, so far away on the banks of Amazon, outside, almost of the pale of civilization, buried in the deep recesses of the Amazonian wilds. Our means of communication with Rio de Janeiro, and other parts of Brazil south of Rio are so devious and uncertain that we seldom endeavor to give our scattered countrymen in the south any news of ourselves.
Reports, too, from your part of Brazil to ours are so very unfavorable; that we fear almost, that you would consider us as exulting and triumphant should we inform you of our success. True, this success has not been very great, still, to most of us, it must been sufficient, and we are satisfied. We had succeeded in an humble way, and have barely supported ourselves as yet we have not had time to do more. We have all done the work ourselves - none of us had the money to hire workmen.
As the matter of course, men who were never accustomed to hard bodily labor could not be expected to open large plantations in a new months, but as much as could have been rationally expected as been done. Some are now being as well as they lived in the United States before the War. Dr. Pitts, a Tennessean, for example, leaps a first-rate table, and buys nothing but carne secca.
Only last Sunday I visited him. I found him well, and in high spirits, but his wife was not perfectly satisfied. She told me, what I think explains her slight dissatisfaction, that it had been seven weeks since she had seen an American lady’s face. The doctor had planted sweet potatoes, several varieties of beans, and peas, pumpkins, green corn, cucumber, (illegible), and a kind of squash that was very delicious.
He had also plenty of tomatoes and water melons.
The doctor’s garden is not an exception; others have better. Mr. Rhome, at the place called “Taperinha,” can add to the doctor’s behalf far by giving real hot “syrup de batons” just taken from the kettle, and good battered (illegible – probably chicken), butter and milk, and all the different ripened fruits for dessert.
Pitts Family - Working Notes
(Editor's EDITS IN RED.)
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Thelma Andersn
https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/jennings@rootsweb.com/thread/23092976/
Re: WHO IS FOUNTAIN PITTS???
By genealogy.com user December 25, 1998 at 08:37:56
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In reply to: Re: WHO IS FOUNTAIN PITTS???
12/19/98
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Dr. Josiah H. Pitts and Martha Pitts (Sophy)
CHILDREN
1. Clarence - deceased
2. Lyllian married an englishman Benjamin Franklin.Their children:
1. Marven,
2. Spurgeon,
3. Carmen (deceased), and
4. Jason.
3. Fountain Elliott Pitts (Alfonso) married Sarah (Sallie) Vaughan.Their children:
1. Amy - no children
2. Thelma - my grandmother married Francisco Coelho Barbosa.He was a windower and had
around 9-10 children by his first wife.Their children:
Samuel-lives in Brazil and married Neuza Nunes.Their children:
Lyllian,
Linda,
Elias, and
Licea.Linda is single.The others have children.
Miriam - lives in Springfield, MO, she is married to Robert Goller.Their children:
Phillip,
Timothy, and
Heather.Heather is in college, single.
Sarah (Sarita)-my mother named after her grandmother.Sarah married Isaac Anijar, he is the son of immigrant jews from the spanish morocco.My parents live in Manaus, Amazon. Their children:
Estrela - named after my father's mother.Estrela is married to Paulo de Albuquerque.They live in Manaus. Their children:
Michael-is married and they are expecting their first baby this december.
Paula - is in college, single.
Carol - teenager, single.
Telma - I was named after my grandmother Pitts.My name is spelled differently because in portuguese it is pronounced the same even if the name has a h.I am married to R. Scott Andersen, he is originally from Utah.We presently live in Idaho. We have two children:
Jeremy Bentham - senior in high school, he is going to college next year.He is a sport fanatic.
Thaddeus Stevens - born autistic, he is in 7th grade--Middleton Middle School.He is high function and he is a character.Nick is his nickname, and he has seizures.My grandmother Thelma used to have convulsions, and my mother said that she had strokes.Does any one know if seizures are common within the Pitts family?
Jacob - was first married to Eth, they have one daughter named after my mother, Sarah. Jacob later divorced his first wife because of adultery.He married a lady from Peru named Ula.Her mother is from Peru and her father is from Switzerland.Jacob has his own business. They live in Brazil and have two children:
Israel and
Stephanie - both are in elementary school.
Miriam - has one daughter--Rebecca.She is not married.Miriam is a doctor.Lives in Rio de Janeiro.
Rebecca
Esther - never got married.Lives in Manaus, Amazon.
Victoria Regia - married Samuel's son Elias.Divorced because of his adulterous life style.Had two children by Wilson, they lived together because divorce in Brazil is hard to get. Wilson Sr. died a few years ago in a motorcycle accident. Victoria lives in Rio de Janeiro with her children.She has a companion.Their children (Wilson):
Julianna - 13 years old.
Wilson Jr. - elementary school.
Lucas - adoptive son.Lucas is the son of Elias, son of Samuel.The mother was a 13 year old girl that was a maid in his parents home.Lucas is now 21 years old, single.Has two boys.
Rachel Pitts (Raquel)- married Robert Alfred Tyree.They traveled the world because of his career.Robert died a few years ago of a heart attack in Texas.That is where their children reside.Their children:
Rebecca Barbosa - now Rebecca Garcia de Franco.Lives in Houston, TX.Has one son:
John Carlos.
David - married, no children.
Anna - married, now Chambers.Has three children in Texas.
James - born in Iran.Has two children.Not married.
Esdra - has one child.
Ida - is married to Marlin Oliver Sluder Sr., they live in Kansas City, MO.Their children:
Samantha - married, last name now Kitch. (Randy )She resides in Kansas City.No children yet.
William - married, lives in Kansas City, MO. Has two children.
Marlin Oliver Jr. - single.
Samuel - high school.
David - junior high.
Josiah (Josias) - died as a child.
James (Jim) - married Maria Santana Vaughan - children: Onilda and Lawrence.
Betty - married Felix, had children.
I will try to translate from a book written by a lady that did research for a book "Confederates in Santarem".I found a few mistakes in her genealogy.Her name is Norma Guilhon.
After the civil war some southern families immigrated to Brazil to start their lives in a new nation.They were pioneers, just as their ancestors had come to this country and had to live in wood houses, so did they.
Who are they?What are they doing here? Why Santarem?They came to stay, they are americans, immigrants brought over by the Brazilian government.
The new arrived americans whatched from the dock of the small boat as their belongings were being carried out.The women held tight to the hands of their children not to loose them in the confusion.They were dressed formally, rounded skirts, gloves, and small hats tied around their chins.It was hot and humid, it was afternoon and the day was promising to be hotter.A breeze was blowing, making the round skirts blow and puff up.The families were honorable, like the family of Dr. Josiah Pitts, Vaughn, Jennings, Emmett, Steele e other plantation owners from Mississipi, Tenessee, and Alabama.
This families were the reminants of the war of succession, they were profoundly hurt in the flash in the spirit because they lost the war, they lost their slaves, and with the new government in their states.They preferred to leave instead of having to submit to such humiliation.Some without knowing why they left, later returned to the USA.
Major Warren Lansford Hastings, was the american agent for the immigration of these families to Brazil.This was the first group to immigrate to Brazil, 109 people, almost 70 stayed in Belem waiting transportation.The plan was to help 500 people immigrate to Brazil.Some were already immigranting to the southern states of Brazil.
Descendants of the old confederates in Santarem tell stories about the voyage that brought them to this new land.When the ship Red Gauntlet docked in the Island of St. Thomas because it could not go any further, the capitan requested from the head of the families to loan him money to fix the ship.He never repaid his debt to these families.
A newspaper from Mobile published the names of the passengers of the Hastings' group:
Noles, Kramer, Joiner, Wells, Bulfatin, Stuk, Wood, Gaston, Kollinger, Smith, Touamjer, Jennings, Pitts, Sexton, Pichowski, Feagin, Carter, Myers, Steele, White, Emmett, Mendenhall, Vaughan, Dowds, Rean, Howell, Davis, Graham, Webster, Carrington, Moore, Harvey, Linden, Wogen, Norman, Cottingham, and Murphy.
From Hastings' group that stayed in Santarem, state of Para were:Pitts, Jennings, Steele, Vaughan, Emmett, Mendenhall, and Pichowski.
The remaining families continued in their journey until they reached the Colony of Saint Barbara in Sao Paulo.
In 1868, the colony already had 200 people.The following death occurred within the colony:Elizabeth Annie Dowds from Alabama died May 1868.Michael John Graham from Alabama died June 4, 1869.
Many of the immigrants left many descendents in Santarem.Some families' names did not remain because of the low birth of males.These families were:Pitts, Steele, Mendenhall, and Emmett.
Between the years of 1868 and 1874, the ones that acquired land were 212.If all immigrants had stayed in Santarem the colony would have been numerous.Some returned to the USA others went up the river to other small cities because of the Brazil nut orchards.Some traveled without direction or purpose.
The family Pitts, after settled in Santarem moved to Oriximina.Some families went as far as Manaus.
In 1871, arrived in Santarem three British families:Gray, Franklin, and the third is unknown.Maybe the Wickham?They were 18 in number.These families brough machines and tools -- agriculture or industry.These families lived close to the american families.One of these families died within the first year of palustre fever.They left three young girls.These girls were adopted by two american families.
In 1874 the number of people within the colony is about 100 people.In the newspaper of Santarem the following was reported:The colony is comprised of 12 families, 74 individuals are from north america, 14 english, 2 swiss, 1 french, and they are established in Piquiatuba, Diamantino, Taperinha, Tapera e Tiningu, in the surroundings of Santarem.
Sugar canes were 10 feet high, the canes were as thick as a fist of a man.The help of the native caboclos (mixture of indian and the portuguese), was the only hired help they could find.Some caboclos would work for a few days not to return.The americans could not understand the slow pace of work, or the disregard for hard work.
Dr. Pitts, wrote about his plantation called Valley Home, on May 14, 1868:
Judge Mendenhall continues to live in temporary quarters.He is cultivating the land and doing well, all his family is well.Mr. Riker arrived after you left, lives a few miles from here, he lives close to uncle Joe; his has a lot of money.He is getting ready to build a mill, a lumber mill, and a sugar factory in the Morro do Veado.His half brother Dr. Weatherly, will soon join him.
Some gentlemen from Mississipi have established themselves between Judge Mendenhall and myself, they have brought a considering sum of money.As you can see we are growing in numbers, and I can assure you, only good people.
Some gentlemen from Mississipi have established themselves between Judge Mendenhall and myself, they have brought a considering sum of money.As you can see we are growing in numbers, and I can assure you, only good people.
I planted brazilian corn in January and I had a good harvest.Since then I planted three times, the harvest has been abundant.I have sugar cane, cotton, squash, five kinds of sweet potatoes, english potatoes, beans, grains, butter, tomatoes, a special brand of tobbaco.I have enough to live on and I am happy.I have a great variety of fruits.
Soon we will be an excellent neighborhood.The government is building roads and it will be finished soon.McGee is supervising the construction.It would be better for you to come here and to free yourself of the Brownhow, the negros, the yankes, and the taxes.
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I will have to continue another time.
An Interesting Story of The Time Period
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/56171/56171-h/56171-h.htm
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Nashville Union and American
May 24, 1874
A Veteran Minister Gone
Death of Rev. Fountain E. Pitts--His Career as a Preacher and Soldier
Intelligence was received in this city yesterday of the death, on Friday evening, of Rev. Fountain E. Pitts, pastor of the West End Church, in this city. The disease of which he died was pneumonia, and the sad event occurred at the residence of Mrs. E. D. Hobbs, on the Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati Railroad, twelve miles from Louisville.
Mr. Pitts was one of the oldest preachers in the Southern Methodist Church, and one of the most notable men in the Tennessee Conference. As a preacher he was a distinguished veteran in the cause, and had been in the intnerancy for fifty years, traveling from one end of the Southern section to the other, preaching always eloquent sermons with power and success, winning the name of "the old man eloquent." He was born in Georgetown Ky., July 4, 1808, and is, therefore, in his sixty-sixth year. He made a profession of religion in 1820, and was licensed to preach in 1824, when only a little more than 16 years old. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Roberts, at Russellville, Ky., in 1826, and Elder by Bishop Soule, of Shelbyville, Ky., in 1828. During a ministry of fifty years, he has been in the Presiding Elder's office fifteen years. He was in the General Conferences of 1832, '36 and '40, and the Louisville Convention of 1845, and subsequently in the General Conferences of 1846, '50'54, '58, and '70. In 1835 Mr. Pitts was selected to go as the pioneer missionary to South America. In the late ware he served six months as chaplain in the Eleventh Tennessee regiment, and subsequently raised, in East Tennessee, the Sixty-first Tennessee regiment, of which he was elected colonel, and while in command was engaged in fighting Federal gunboats for about five months at Vicksburg. While in the army he did a great deal of preaching as well as fighting, and the soldiers gave him the name of the "fighting parson."
The Louisville Courier-Journal of yesterday, says of the deceased:
"Last week he filled his seat in the General Conference, and was an active worker in all the measures that came up for consideration,last week he preached twice at Olive Branch Church in the country, and was apparently in his usual health, but early in the week he was stricken down with disease. Dr. McFerrin went out on the train yesterday afternoon and attended his venerable brother in his last moments, and closed his eyes after his spirit had departed. He died rejoicing in that faith by which he had lived for three-score years. His remains will be brought to Louisville to-day, and a funeral service will be held at Walnut Street M.E. Churche at 3 o'clock p.m.
The remains will arrive from Louisville this morning.
We have been requested to publish the following announcement:
All preachers and official members of the Methodist Churches in and around Nashville, are requested to meet at the Louisville Depot, at 8:30 a.m. to-day, to receive the corpse of our beloved father and brother, Rev. Fountain Elliott Pitts, and attend it to McKendree Church, where the funeral services will take place, at 10:30 a.m.
Nashville Union and American
May 26 1874
Elder Fountain E. Pitts
The Last Sad Rites over the Honored Dead
The Remains of the late Elder Fountain E. Pitts reached Nashville from Louisville at 8:30 Sunday morning, where they were met by a large number of pastors, officers and other members of the Methodist Churches in the city, and conveyed to McKendree Church, where the funeral services were held at 10:30.
The hymns sung were all favorites of the deceased, the "Old Ship of Zion" being selected as a voluntary. The first hymn was read by Rev. R.K. Brown, and the opening prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Weakley. Dr. Sawrie read the first lesson, Rev. F.R. Hill reading the second.
Rev. J.W. Hill then read the second hymn, after the singing of which Dr. Kelley delivered an appropriate address, giving an interesting description of the life, character and preaching of the late Elder Pitts. He was followed by the Rev. W. Burr, of Clarksville, who gave an account of the last illness of the deceased, his death, and the impressive funeral services which were held at Louisville.
Rev. E.T. Hart then read a hymn, Rev. W. R. Warren followed with prayer, and the services were brought to a close with the benediction, pronounced by Rev. Dr. Green.
The remains were conveyed to Mt. Olivet Cemetery and deposited in the vault, where the services were finally closed by the singing of an appropriate hymn, and a prayer offered by Rev. Dr. Kelly.
At the penitentiary, appropriate exercises were held by the Sunday school relative to the death of this veteran minister of the gospel. Elder Pitts was Chaplain of the Penitentiary at the time of his death, and had won the confidence and love of officers and prisoners. Hence it was thought fit that some expression of the feelings of the prisoners should be made.
The following resolutions were drawn up by a committee of prisoners and unanimously adopted by the school by a rising vote:
"Whereas, it has pleased Almighty God, in his Providence, to call from earthly labor to heavenly joys, as we trust, our beloved pastor and venerable minister, Rev. F.E. Pitts; and, whereas, in him we lose an able preacher of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Church a strong stay, therefore
Resolved, by the Prison Sabbath-school that we recognize in his death the hand of an all wise God, and while we mourn his loss yet we rejoice that his life and death show forth the triumph of the Christian faith.
Resolve, that we will endeavor to follow his precepts and practice his virtues that our end may be like his, that of peace.
Resolved, the we tender to his bereaved family and many friends, especially the Church of Christ, our heart-felt sympathy.
In behalf the Prison Sabbath-school.
Thos. G. Boyd,
W.E. Smith,
J.W. Furman, Committee.
Remarks were then made by J.O. Griffith and R.S. Bennett, Associate Superintendents, relative to the life anc character of the deceased and the circumstances of his death. The exercises were listened to throughout by all with tearful attention.
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Obituary of Joseph H. Pitts from TN, son of James B. (Britt?) Pitts from TN, son of the Rev. Fountain Elliott Pitts of KY, son of Josiah Pitts and Lucy Craig of KY. Nashville Banner 3-30, 1910 pg. 12. Pitts - At his home, Wednesday March 30, 1910, at 3:35 a.m., Joseph H. Pitts, in the 41st year of his life. Funeral services at the residence at Carlton Avenue, tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 10 o'clock, by REv. Elam. Interment at Mt. Olivet. Pallbearers from Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. Carriages from W. R. Cornelius. Joseph H. Pitts was named after his uncle Josiah Henry Pitts that died in Oriximina, Para, Brazil. His descendants believe that the body buried at the Mt. Olivet in TN next to Martha E. (Britt) Pitts wife of Josiah H. Pitts buried in Brazil is not of her husband but of her nephew above.
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JAMES G (GARSED) PITTS SON OF JOSIAH AND LUCY FROM KY
by Andersen
Hi List, I have the following information regarding the children of Josiah Pitts and Lucy Craig from KY. James G. Pitts parents were Josiah Pitts and Lucy Craig of Georgetown, KY. Josiah died in 1815. I have the following information regarding James G. (Garsed) Pitts Casualty - The New Orleans Jeffersonian Republican has the following: Extract of a letter from Col. J.J. MCaughan, dated , "Mississippi City, May 12, 1845(6?). "On the 3rd inst. Mr. Williams, of Canton Miss., Mr. James G. Pitts, of Kentucky, and a negro man of Dr. Te Garden, left this place in a small boat for Cat Island; and when returning that evening were struck by a squall, which sunk the boat about four miles from land, in fourteen feet water, and they all perished. On the 8th inst. we found the body of Mr. Williams, and buried it on Ship Island; the others we have not yet found, though great exertions have been made. Mr. Williams was a mechanic of good standing, and has left a wife and child." Mr. Pitts was a native of Kentucky, at one time an attorney, then an editor and publisher of the Hopkinsville Gazette. He ran the first line of stages between Louisville and Nashville, and afterwards built several steamboats. He was the first to navigate the Green and Barren rivers by steam as far as Bowling Green. He was once in the Senate of Kentucky, and when a lad, was attached to General (or Doctors) Long's expedition to Texas, was wrecked near Barataria, but managed to reach Galveston with only one man out one hundred who started with him. He there came near being massacred by pirates, and afterwards had a narrow risk of being sent home on a false suspicion of piracy by the United States revenue cutter. But upon examination he was entrusted with the command of a piratical(?) prize, and made his way to New Orleans, where in 1841 he published a city directory. Thus has terminated his adventurous life, and I am now in search of his body to give it burial. He has left a wife and one child and one brother, Rev. Fountain E. Pitts of Nashville. If you are related to this James, please reply.
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All of these surnames go back to my g-g-g-grandfather Rev. Fountain Elliott Pitts. His son Josiah H. Pitts MD, immigrated to Brazil in 1886-1887. The rest of the family stayed in Tennessee. I have the following names from 1808 on:
Gabrielle Pitts, m Robert Henry
Juliette Pitts, m Winston Henry
Bickham Pitts
Garsed Pitts
Joanna Pitts m. James West
These are the siblings of F.E. Pitts.
His children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren:
Josiah H. Pitts MD, b. 1828 TN, Nashville, m Martha E. Butt.
James B. Pitts MD, b. 1830, TN, Sumner Co., m. Sophia Ann Douglass.
John C. Pitts b. 1831, TN, died 3-2-1851, Lagrange College AL.
Sarah B. "Sallie" Pitts b. 1839 TN, alive in 1860.
Juliett H. Pitts b. 1841 Nashville TN, m. William Franklin Todd he was b. 1834 Wilson Co. TN.
Margaretta Hill Pitts b. 1846 TN, m. John Wesley Graham b. 1840 Virginia Maryland.
Benjamin Pitts - b. 1850, died 1856.
Grand-children:
Fountain Pitts, b 1857, TN
Elvira Pitts, b. 1858, TN
Elmore D. Pitts, b. 1855 TN or (NC), m. Lizzie Harris, in 1882 Waverly, TN.
John Cryer Pitts b. 1860/1861 Nashville, TN
Joseph H. Pitts b. 1869, TN
Benella E. Todd b. 1860 Davidson Co, TN m. 1884 to James M. Jordan b. Smyrna, TN.
Samuel B. Todd b. 1862 TN m. 1) Carrie E. ? 2) Mattie Zelma ? b. 1893 KY, died 1983 Nasville TN.
Sallie Pitts Todd b. 1864 Goodlettsville, TN.
W.E. Todd b. 1867, TN.
James D. Todd b. 1878, TN
Edgar Vertrease Todd b. 1882 TN, m. 1) ? 2) Manilla Elizabeth Burns died 1943.
Pearl Graham b. 1869 TN
Mattie Graham b. 1872 TN.
Claude Graham 1873 to 1916.
Bert Graham b. 1876/1894, Clarksville, TN
Ralph Graham died 1877, Nasville TN
Jessie Graham b. 1879 TN.
Lucie A. Todd b. 1871 Goodlettsville, TN, m. T. W. Wilkinson.
Great-Grandchildren:
Elizabeth Todd b. 1920 TN, alive in 1950, m. Joe L. Faulkner.
Casey Todd alive 2-1950, m. K.C. Hempstead.
Sophia Pitts, alive 1-1926
Lucy Todd Jordan b. 1886 Smyrna, TN, m. George L. Bugg b. 1891 alive 1942.
Lara Mai Todd b. 189? died 1910.
Lemuel E. Todd b. 1913 TN died 1974 Nashville TN.
Henry F. Todd b. 1915 TN, m. Dorothy S. ?
Samuel B. Todd b. 1917 TN, died 1993 Nashville, TN, m. Mary E. ?
Infant bur. 5-22-1905.
Edgar Russell Todd b. 1909 Colorado alive 1950, m. Louise ?
Margaret Todd b. 1911 Colorado alive 1950 m. 1) L.D. Hollis, 2) ? .
Eleanor Hollis m. Rev. Kinsey (Baptist).
Frances ?
James Burns Todd b. 1913 TN, m. Alice ?, alive 1950
Gay Todd died 3-1991.
Judy Todd
Juliet Pitts Todd b. 1916 TN, alive 1950, m. V.M. Pigott.
Thomas Todd b. 1918 died 1928.
If anyone has any information regarding these families please contact me. I am trying to find out what happened to my descendants that remained in this country.
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