W. A. Stith
Ralph O. Stith
Thomas J. Stith
Stith Valley Farms
Phone 18R255 or 21R2 -- Garrett Exchange via West Point, Ky.
Shipping Point Brandenburg, Ky.
Guston, Kentucky
Apr 24/56
Mr. Jon Whitfield
Battletown Ky
Dear Jon: Was glad to have you visit us on Sunday last.
You certainly have a lengthy, interesting history of the Stith genealogy coming down to you.
Starting with Maj. John Stith in 1656 and the legendary manner in which the name originated. If you will look in the dictionary you'll find the word Stithy means a worker on an anvil, hence the invention of horse shoeing. From Maj. John Stith comes Lt. Col Drury Stith 1st, then Col Drury Stith 2nd who married into the Buckner family and our Griffin was their eldest child who m. into the Washington family. Then Griffin had another brother Richard Stith Sr. who was the father to Thomas, William and Richard who m. three Jones sisters and settled here in this valley in 1800 and therefore made it Stith Valley. Your great great grand father was William's son and he m. Richard's daughter Susan, own double cousin. Then Marion Stith, then Griffin, then your mother.
I would be glad to have pages 1 & 2 returned after you have copied them. You may keep this little yellow sheet. Come see us again and bring your parents.
Cousin
Allen
STITH FAMILY
1. Major John Stith came to Virginia about 1650 He had a grant to
himself and to Samuel Earl of 500 acres on the North side of the James River in Charles
City County Feb. 15, 1663 ( Va. Record Book 5 page 268) He also had a grant
of 550 acres July 29, 1675 ( Wm and Mary Quarterly x 249 x III page 121 (See Va.Mag.I page
226 -252 x V page 322) He married Jane Parsons, a widow in 1659
ISSUE: John who married Mary Randolph
Col
Drury who married Susanne Bathurst
Anne
who married Col. Robert Bolling
Jane
(See Ancestral records Grafton No.1 also Wm. and Mary Quarterly Vol. XXI pages 190-270)
2. 2nd Generation; Lieut Col. Drury Stith married Susanne Bathurst ( dau. of
Lancelot Bathurst of New Kent Co. , son of Sir Lancelot Bathurst) about 1690 He had
a patent for himself and Samuel Earl for 660 acres in Charles City County Va. (Va.Pat.
Book 5 page 5, 539) He was Justice of the Peace of the Co. in 1714 (see Va. Magazine 11-3)
Was High Sheriff in 1714-1724 Palmers Cal.1, 198) He lived in Prince Geroge County, later
in Brunswick Co. The Order Book of Charles City Co. has the following; January Court 1741,
the last will and testament of Lieut Col Drury Stith was presented in Court by Susanne
Stith and William Stith, two of th executors therein named and was approved by the oath of
the witnesses. ( The will was lost by the destruction of Charles City Co records in
civil War.
Issue: William; Drury; John (Wm. and Mary Quarterly XXI page 190
3. Lieut. Colonel Drury Stith, Jr., (Lieut of Militia like his father) was born
1695 Lived in Prince Geroge Co. Va. and Brunswick Co.. On Sept. 10, 1722 Robert
Bolling of Prince George Co. and Anne Stith, his wife, convey to Drury Stith Jr. 892 acres
of land on the north side of Sappony Creek (see Prince Geroge Co. Book 1 page
557 He married Elizabeth Buckner, dau. of Major William Buckner of
Yorktown (Wm and Mary Quar. VII page 57 (Major Wm. Buckner's will proven at Yorktown
Va. May 21, 1716 names his dau. Elizabeth
Issue: Buckner; John; Bathurst; GRIFFIN; Drury. He died in 1740
At a court July 3, 1740 letters of administration were granetd to his son Drury. (Wm and
Mary Quar. XXI page 190, 270.
(pencil on copy: Richard 30 Sept 1727, Thomas 29 Dec 1731)
4. Capt. Buckner Stith of Rocks Springs Co. Va. was born 1722 died
1791 His will dated May 18, 1789 was proven July 26, 1791 He married Susanne
Field
Issue Robert; John; Susanne Meade; Buckner; Anne Watson; GRIFFIN; Katherine
Bolling and RICHARD.
(hand written at bottom but a copy: My line continues from Griffin who married Francis Townshend Washington)
(ed note: This attachment didn't belong to Wm Allen Stith since Wm Allen descended from Richard, the 6th child of Drury Stith Jr. and not from Buckner, the 3rd child. Maybe something given to Wm Allen which he was passing along?)