Person:Nicholas Pittman (1)

[Snapp.FBK,fbc.FTW]

NICHOLAS PITMAN (son of ANDREAS PITMAN and ANNA GERTRAUT SCHWORM) bf 1760 in Frederick County, Virginia. NICHOLAS PITMAN was born on 19 Dec 1727 in Framersheim, Rhineland Pfalz, Germany. He immigrated on 15 Sep 1749 to America. He received First Holy Communion on 9 Apr 1775 in St Paul's Lutheran Church, Strasburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. He died in 1798 in Strasburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. He served in the military in Revolutionary War. He was a Farmer. He was Lutheran. Source of information on the Pittman family came from Sherry Carrell in California and Jake Mauck in Topeka,Kansas, who quote from a book by the name of "The descendants of Peter Mauck 1708-1980".

A footnote in the above book on Nicholas and Catherine Snapp Pittman, John Pittman's parents, as follows: "Pittman was often spelled with only one "t" in the early days, but later two were generally used. The family name in origin is occupational - a "Pit" man being a miner". Nicholas came to America abt 1740 from Bingen, on the Rhine River. As a pioneer farmer he lived upon his land north of Strasburg, Va, on Cedar Creek in Shenandoah Co., Nicholas served in the Rev. War, (see DAR Patriot Index). All of his children emigrated to Corydon, Indiana except Lawrence. (Lawrence acquired an estate of several thousand acres in Shenandoah Co., and erected as his home the famous mansion, "Red Banks", which still stands today abt 10 miles south of Woodstock, Virginia.) There is also a book out "The Nicholas Pitman Family of Va" published in Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Gen. Magazine. Vol 32, pp 139-145, 234-245, 313-324. Also a note on Catherine Snapp Pittman. She was the daughter of John and Barbara Snapp. See Frederick Co., Va Will book No 3, page 35, for John Snapp's Will."

Little is know about Nicholas.The earliest documentary evidence or record of Nicholas Pitman that we find bears the date of Mary 3rd, 1760. On that day, he bought of Lewis and Mary Stephens for 10 three lots in the town of Stephensburg, "Part of a larger tract of 674 acres granted to Peter Stephens October 3, 1734." Although his wife is not mentioned in this transaction, Nicholas Pitman was probably married at that time, 1760, for the will of his father in law, John Snapp, discussed above, dated November 30, 1761, names Catherine A. Pitman as his daughter.

On June 7, 1763, Nicholas Pitman bought three more lots in the town of Stephenburg of Lewis Stephens.

Again "at a court held on Tuesday, May 28th, 1776... Among those transferring land were the following: Ch. Whitmore and wife to Nicholas Pitman..."
Wayland records 1777, February 24, 25 Nicholas and Catherine Pitman sell to John Heckman for L150.5, 100 acres on North River of Shenandoah; land conveyed to Pitman by Christian Whitmore, S.C.D.B.B, pg 436.

Nicholas Pitmans Revolutionary War Record is indicated solely by the inclusion of his name in: "A list of Captain Alexander Machir's Company in the Strasburg District (15th): "Pitman, Nicholas". Also named in the list are: Philip Pitman, Lawrence Snapp, Peter Snapp and Philip Snapp, Jun'r Ensign.

In the census of Shenandoah of 1785, Nicholas Pitman is named in the list returned by Samuel Porter as being the head of a family of eight whites and possessing one dwelling, and one other building. From this it would seem that Nicholas and Catherine had others than their three children living with them.

On September 30, 1797, Nicholas Pitman, farmer, conveys to his son, Lawrence Pitman, farmer 202 acres "in the said County of Shenandoah", originally belonging to Martin Roller, for L200. On this same date, Lawrence Pitman and his wife, conveyed 100 acres, a part of the same tract to John Pitman for L200. Although not stated, these two transactions May have been connected with the settlement of Nicholas Pitman's estate.

an Examination of the tax records in Richmond shows Nicholas a taxpayer each year up to and including 1797, but not thereafter. He probably died that year.

  "On the property located two miles south of Strasburg, on the Shenandoah River, are located the graves of Nicholas Pitman and his wife. I have seen them at a distance. Two large blocks of limestone, I understand. The present owner of the property told us these stones had no inscriptions on them, so we did not visit them. This place was the farm purchased by Nicholas, where he made his home. There seems to no doubt that Nicholas and his wife sleep there".

The earliest documentary evidence or record of Nicholas Pitman that we find bears the date of Mary 3rd, 1760. On that day, he bought of Lewis and Mary Stephens for 10 three lots in the town of Stephensburg, "Part of a larger tract of 674 acres granted to Peter Stephens October 3, 1734." Although his wife is not mentioned in this transaction, Nicholas Pitman was probably married at that time, 1760, for the will of his father in law, John Snapp, discussed above, dated November 30, 1761, names Catherine A. Pitman as his daughter.

On June 7, 1763, Nicholas Pitman bought three more lots in the town of Stephenburg of Lewis Stephens.

Again "at a court held on Tuesday, May 28th, 1776... Among those transferring land were the following: Ch. Whitmore and wife to Nicholas Pitman..."
Wayland records 1777, February 24, 25 Nicholas and Catherine Pitman sell to John Heckman for L150.5, 100 acres on North River of Shenandoah; land conveyed to Pitman by Christian Whitmore, S.C.D.B.B, pg 436.

Nicholas Pitmans Revolutionary War Record is indicated solely by the inclusion of his name in: "A list of Captain Alexander Machir's Company in the Strasburg District (15th): "Pitman, Nicholas". Also named in the list are: Philip Pitman, Lawrence Snapp, Peter Snapp and Philip Snapp, Jun'r Ensign.

In the census of Shenandoah of 1785, Nicholas Pitman is named in the list returned by Samuel Porter as being the head of a family of eight whites and possessing one dwelling, and one other building. From this it would seem that Nicholas and Catherine had others than their three children living with them.

On September 30, 1797, Nicholas Pitman, farmer, conveys to his son, Lawrence Pitman, farmer 202 acres "in the said County of Shenandoah", originally belonging to Martin Roller, for L200. On this same date, Lawrence Pitman and his wife, conveyed 100 acres, a part of the same tract to John Pitman for L200. Although not stated, these two transactions May have been connected with the settlement of Nicholas Pitman's estate.

an Examination of the tax records in Richmond shows Nicholas a taxpayer each year up to and including 1797, but not thereafter. He probably died that year.

  "On the property located two miles south of Strasburg, on the Shenandoah River, are located the graves of Nicholas Pitman and his wife. I have seen them at a distance. Two large blocks of limestone, I understand. The present owner of the property told us these stones had no inscriptions on them, so we did not visit them. This place was the farm purchased by Nicholas, where he made his home. There seems to no doubt that Nicholas and his wife sleep there".

Nicholas Pitman and two cousins came over from Bingen-on-the-Rhine, Germany, about 1740. They bought land near Strasburg, Virginia, Then Frederick County, later became Shenandoah County. They were religious and some were musicians.

One reason that there is not more Pitman information is because of the translation or corruption of it. The entries on old church records is "Bittman" and the records shoe "Bittman" and "Biettman". A gradual approach to American spelling, and finally became "Pitman" in English. The names Pittman and Pitman are used by various branches of the family.

Nicholas Pitman is not listed with the German immigrants of "Pennsylvania Pioneers" so it is evident that he did not land at port Philadelphia. It is assumed that they landed about 1740 along with the Bakers, Conrads, Wills, and Snapps of near Winchester, Virginia.

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1. ↑ Snapp.Family Tree Maker files.

   Date of Import: 12 Apr 2005

2. ↑ Snapp.Family Tree Maker files.

   Date of Import: 12 Apr 2005

3. ↑ Snapp.Family Tree Maker files.

   Date of Import: 12 Apr 2005

4. ↑ Snapp.Family Tree Maker files.

   Date of Import: 12 Apr 2005