Leaves of the Pettigrew Family Tree By Penelope Johnson Allen

• James Petigru of France, went to Scotland with two sons, John and James- John remained in Scotland
• James Pettigrew married Dame Geiles Moncrieff in 1658 in Edinburgh, Scotland; moved to Ireland about the time his son, James was born.

          "As you wish to know something of the origin of your family I will give you as good an account as I can.
         My great-grandfather left France for the sake of his religion in the time of King Louis XIV, and was an officer in
     Cromwell's Army. He had two sons, John and James. As to John, we have very little account given of him.
         James married Martha Moore, a Scotch lady. He settled in Ireland, and was an officer in King William's army at
     the Battle of the Boyne (1690). After the Peace took place he was given a tract of land of 300 acres in County
     Tyrone on what was called the Blackwater where he lived and died ...... 7 sons and 2 daughters.
         William, James (my father), Robert, Charles, John, Samuel. One died young. William was the eldest. He had three
     sons. His oldest son James held a Captain's commission, was with Howe at the Battle of Brandywine, and was badly
     wounded. Robert, the third son, was a Doctor of Physic, and said to be eminent... Charles never married ... John
     had a large family ... Samuel got a Captain's commission, was at Gibraltar and died there.
         My father had a classical education, but never went to college. In his 18th or 19th year he married Mary
     Cochran, the daughter of Capt. George Cochran who lived at a place called the Grange. After having four
     children, he left all of his friends and came to America in November 1741. He landed at New Castle. His oldest
     child was a daughter named Rachel after her grandmother with whom she stayed. My father became acquainted
     with Dr. Franklin, who wished him to study physic which he declined, but got a tract of 300 acres on March Creek
     in Pennsylvania where he lived until he was broken up by the war of 1755. Shortly after Braddock's defeat he sold
     his land for 80 pounds and removed into Virginia to Lunenburg Old Court House, and rented a piece of land.
     There I was born in 1758. After staying there three or four years we removed into Granville Co., North Carolina,
     bought 300 acres of land from Mr. Howell Lewis. Before he left Pennsylvania, he sent for his daughter Rachel but
     she died at sea.
         His next oldest child, Martha, married a Mr. John Witherspoon. She had a large family. Likewise his son, John,
     married Sarah Matthews. Mary, his third daughter, who is now alive, married a Mr. John Verner. These were all
     married before we left Virginia. When he came to North Carolina he had James, Charles, George, Ebenezer,
     William, Jane, Elizabeth and Nancy. These were all single. James went to the (illegible in copy), Charles to school.
     The rest of us stayed at home.
         Hearing a good account of Long Cane, my father sold out, and set out in the latter end of October 1768 for
     South Carolina, where we landed after three weeks traveling. Jane about this time married Stephen Tilly, Charles
     had a school in Edenton so that our family was but small. We settled on what was called Jews' land about 6 or 7
     miles above Abbeville Court House. We lived there until 1775 when we removed to land bought of John Du upon
     Little River now in the possession of Peter Brown.
         Our land being good we made good crops, our stock increased very fast, and my father and mother enjoyed
     themselves quite comfortably until the war commenced which did not affect us until the Indians broke out on 1st of
     July 1776. The alarm was great. Capt. Smith and family, all but two sons, were killed. The whole country was in a
     great bustle to get a place of safety which we found at Mr. James Noble's fort commanded by Patrick Calhoun Esq.
     As the family did not stay long in the fort, they soon got home. I was taken to camp. Everything went on very well
     and better than we had the right to expect until the year 1779.
         James Pettigrew, the son of John, better known as "Long Jim", brought up the camp fever from Stono. My father
     had him brought to his home where he lay 2 or 3 weeks, but at last recovered. My youngest sister, Nancy, was
     taken with the same kind of fever. I was obliged to join camp on the 8th of August. She was ill at the time, but we
     did not think in great danger, but when I left her she told me she did not think she would ever see me again. I went
     to camp. We did not march until the 11th, then we set out for the middle ground between the Cherokee and Creek
     Indians. When I was about 100 miles out from the habitation I was overtaken by Gen. Anderson who told me my
     sister died the very day we marched from our encampment on the Lower Dam__? in Georgia. I wished to turn back,
     but Gen. Pickens would not hear of it. I wore four solitary weeks before my return. The last day and night I rode
     about 61 miles, still in hopes the news might not be true, but I found it much worse than I had heard, for my other
     sister, Elizabeth, lay at the point of death, and died the day after my arrival, 15th September. This was a serious
     shock to the family as there was no white person left with my parents by myself. But I have dwelt long enough on
     the distressing. I will now give a short account of the other side of the family.
         My grandfather, George Cochran, was married to Rachel Higginbotham. He had 2 sons and 2 daughters. His
     oldest son, Robert, died young with the small pox. William lived to be old, enjoyed a small post under the
     government, but was not happy in his marriage.
         My great-grandfather, Robert Cochran, is mentioned in the history of those times. He was a Captain of
     Dragoons, was in the memorable siege of Derry (1689) where they all like to have died of famine before they got
     relief. It is recorded of him that he went through the body of King James' Army, sword in hand, after his horse was
     shot under him, and he shot through his leg, and that he killed two French generals though he always said he
     killed only one, Gen. M___. He was a good soldier, there is no doubt.
         My grandfathers on both sides were old. One had 94, the other 96 marked on his tombstone.
         I have given you a small sketch of your ancestors which may be an amusement in a vacant hour, and I hope you
     will always conduct yourself in such a manner that it will be a pleasure to some friend to write your history, and I
     wish it may be handed down to posterity."