From Virginia Through the Southwest:Information about David Pruett
David Pruett (b. Abt. 1740, d. 1830)
Notes for David Pruett:David Pruett, the youngest known child of Thomas Pruett is sometimes listed as born in 1731 or earlier but census data places his birth in the 1740's. David is sometimes listed as being the son of Thomas Pruett's second wife Mary Chastain Ducray, a French Huguenot widow born about 1680 and married to Thomas Pruett about 1719. But Mary Chastain would have been nearing age 60 by the timeframe of David's birth and it is more likely Thomas Pruett married a third time and fathered youngest sons Michael and David. David named his first born son Snowden; perhaps this name was for his mother's family; perhaps a Miss Snowden?
It is believed that Thomas Pruett, Sr. died in 1759, and following the English law of primogeniture, the home plantation and the bulk of the estate went to the first born son, Thomas, Jr., on Feb. 21, 1760. Thomas, Jr. sold 100 acres each to brothers William Pruitt and David Pruitt. OnJune 20, 1765 William Pruitt sold 50 acres to Michael Pruitt, and on Feb. 18, 1767 William, David, and Michael all sold their lands in Halifax Co., Virginia, back to Thomas Pruitt, Jr.
David Pruett married Amey Bright, the daughter of Tobias Bright, about 1756. His brother Michael married Amey's sister Elizabeth Bright, and secondly Rachael Dawson Ereckson. After both the deaths of his wife Amey and brother Michael, David married his brother's widow Rachael Dawson Ereckson after 1813.
May 2, 1770- David Pruett granted 300 acres on Forgerson's Creek on the Tyger River by Gov. William Bull in Craven County, South Carolina. He sold this land in 1787 for a total of £400 sterling.
Listed as a South Carolina colonist in 1779 as David Pruet.
Patent Land Survey 1785-1788, Book C, page 180- lists "David Pruiet" with 113 acres on Creek of Tiger River, Union County, South Carolina.
From Spartanburg, South Carolina Deed Abstracts:
page 83-85
February 21, 1787- "David Prewet (Spartanburg) to William Brown (same); for 200£ sterling sold 150 acres on Forgerson's Creek of Tyger River; North part of 300 acres grant May 2, 1770 Gov. William Bull to D. Pruitt in Craven County; border: NW-James Wofford, W-Isaac Crow, S-Enoch Floyd, and others vacant; rent in lease to be paid to David Bruton. Witness- Aaron Floyd, Ben Rhodes, and James Wofford.
Signed David Prewett"
From Spartanburg, South Carolina Deed Abstracts:
page 85-88
February 21, 1787- "David Pruett (Dutchman's Creek) to Benjamin Rhodes (Forgurson's Creek); for 200£ sterling sold 150 acres of Fougerson's Creek of Tyger River; part of 300 acres grant May 2, 1770 Lt. Gov. Wm Bull to D Pruett in Craven County; border: NW-James Wofford, W-Isaac Crow, S-Enoch Floyd, and others vacant. Witness- Aaron Floyd, William Brown, James Wofford, and Enoch Floyd,Sr.
Signed David Pruett"
David Pruett is listed in the 1790 and 1800 Census of Pendleton District, South Carolina.
From Spartanburg, South Carolina Deed Abstracts; David Pruett signs as witnesses on a land transaction of his son Drury Pruett:
page 540-542
December 24, 1791 "Drury Prewit and wife Linna to Thomas Evatt; for 20£ sterling sold 100 acres on both sides of Dutchman's Creek and North side of Tyger River; border East Drury Prewit, and others vacant; grand Dec. 3, 1787 Gov. Thos. Pinckney to Drury Prewit. Witness- William Prewett, Moses Prewitt, and David Prewitt.
Signed Drury and Linna Prewitt's marks.
Witness oath Feb. 9, 1792 William and Moses Prewitt to Samuel Lancaster. Rec. May 30, 1792."
NOTE: The witnesses- Moses Prewitt is David's son, and William is his half-brother.
March 13, 1792- David Pruett bought 125 acres in Spartanburg Co. South Carolina from Abraham Balow, part of a two tract 150 acre grant originally to Moses Wiley on April 27, 1767. David and Amey Pruett sold this land in 1797.
On Jan 20, 1797, David Prewet conveyed a cow and other property in Pendleton District, South Carolina, to Hezekiah and Harley Burrell...his grandchildren. They were the sons of his daughter Mary Jane and her husband Jesse Burrell.
From Spartanburg, South Carolina Deed Abstracts Book F:
page 5-6
February 24, 1797- "(Pendleton County) David Pruett (Pendleton Co) to Daniel Pruett (Spartanburgh); for 50£ sold 125 acres; part of 2 tracts; (1) 150 acre grant April 27, 1767 to Moses Wiley who sold to Abraham Balow, who sold March 13, 1792 to David Pruett; and (2) grant Gov. William Moultrie to David Pruett see Book 4H p. 268. Witness- Snoden Pruett, Jesse Burrell, and Robert Caldwell.
Signed David Pruett and Amey's mark.
Witness oath June 17, 1797 Snoden Pruett to Samuel Lancaster. Rec. Oct. 10, 1797"
NOTE: Witness "Snoden" Pruett is David's son Snowden, and Jesse Burrell is David's son-in-law, the husband of Mary Jane Pruett. The buyer Daniel Pruett may be Daniel Pruett (born 1766) nephew of David, the son of Thomas Pruett, Jr. (1711), half-brother of David.
April 13, 1799 "David Pruit" bought land on Generositee Creek in Pendleton District, South Carolina; the land was originally surveyed for Joseph Walker June 26, 1784, and later acquired by James Martin and Francis Bremar, who sold it to David Pruett. David's brother Michael Pruitt and Jesse Burrell lived nearby. David owned land on Dutchman's Creek in Spartanburg District, South Carolina.
David Pruett, with sons Drury, Thomas, and Michael moved to Gwinnett County, Georgia, in 1823. In 1826, Michael and Drury moved to Hall County, Georgia, where son Drury Pruett died in September that year.
In 1830, David Pruett was living with his grandson, Ansel Beddington Pruett (son of Drury Pruett) in Gwinnett Co. Georgia, his age listed in the census as 80-90 years old. If the age is accurate then David Pruett would have to have been born between 1740-1750.
Census:
1790 Pendleton District, South Carolina
1800 Pendleton District, South Carolina
1810 Union County, South Carolina
1830 Gwinnett Co. Georgia, page 352. Listed in the household of his grandson "Ansel B. Pruett". Listed as male 80-90 years old. (NOTE: This census establishes David Pruett's birth timeframe between 1740-1750. David Pruett was not born in 1731 as some records erroneously claim.)
More About David Pruett and Amey Bright:
Marriage: Abt. 1757, Virginia.
More About David Pruett and Rachael Dawson:
Marriage: Aft. 1813, South Carolina.
Children of David Pruett and Amey Bright are:
- Snowden Pruitt, b. 1758, Halifax Co. Virginia, d. Bef. December 13, 1849, Greenville Co. South Carolina.
- +Drury Pruett, b. 1762, Halifax Co. Virginia, d. September 05, 1826, Hall Co. Georgia.
- Moses B. Pruett, Sr., b. 1764, Halifax Co. Virginia, d. 1820, Warren Co. Kentucky.
- Michael Pruett, b. 1770, Pendleton Co. South Carolina, d. 1833, Hall Co. Georgia.
- Mary Jane Pruett, b. Abt. 1772, Halifax Co. Virginia.
- Stephen Pruett, b. Abt. 1774, Halifax Co. Virginia, d. 1810, Pendleton Co. South Carolina.
- Judith Pruett, b. Abt. 1775.