Peter Wittum - The Withams come to America

Next we get to meet Peter & Mary's son, Peter Wittum. Most of us know that our line of Withams came from Kentucky, but have you ever wondered where we came from before that? We're about to find out...

This Peter Wittum was born around 1627 in Steeple Parish, Essex, England.
He died around 1697 or 1698 in Kittery, Province of Massachusetts Bay, now Maine. He was around age 70.

Peter Wittum emigrated to Massachusetts, then settled in Kittery, Maine.

On 17 Jun 1652 when Peter was 25, he married Redigon Clark in Boston, Massachusetts.

Redigon Clark:

Born about 1627 in Kittery, Maine. Redigon died in Kittery, Maine on 18 Mar 1700. She was 73. Her father was Robert Clark. Her mother was Ruddegoe Weare.

They had the following children:

Mary (1653-1653)

Elizabeth (1654-1654)

Peter (1656->1730)

Ichabod (~1658-)

William (~1660-)

Sarah (~1664-)

Hannah (~1669-)

Elizabeth (~1670-)

Ruth (1672-)

Abigail (1674-1705)

Peter and his wife Redigon were mentioned frequently in land records as well as legal records. Here are some of the mentions we were able to uncover:

* In 1660, Peter had taken in the highway between Kittery House and Sturgeon Creek. 

* In 1661, Peter slandered James Heard's wife.

* In 1664, Peter was sued by Richard Cutts.

* On 2 Jan 1665, Peter had a grant of land and lived a little North of Sturgeon Creek. 

* On 14 Mar 1672/3 he bought a parcel of swamp from Abraham Conley for the sum of 5 pounds. 

* On 17 July 1673, Peter and his wife, Redigon, signed a deed with their marks to sell two acres of upland and swamp to Nicolas Hodgsden. 

* On 18 Sep 1678, Peter sold the full and just quantity of 40 acres of swamp and upland to Nicolas Hodgsden for 11 pounds, 10 shillings. 

* In 1684, Peter was taken to court for being drunk and putting his wife and children out of doors. 

* On 16 March 1685 , Peter “conveys, assigns and sets over one half of my premises to my son William. I reserve for may own use, during the time of my own and my wife’s natural lives and to include the side fence for security and to be kept tenantable. My son is to pay me 14 bushels of Indian corn yearly and 7 bushels to be paid to my wife yearly following my decease.”

* On 15 Jan 1690, Peter sold to Samuel Small for 60 pounds "all that messuage or tenement which I formerly lived upon with about 16 acres of land belonging scituate on Sturgeon Creek."  

* On 16 Jan 1704, Peter sold fpr 4 pounds to William Furbish "a parcel of land scituate lying in Kittery containing 25 acres."

* Peter's wife Redigon was also presented for stealing cloth from Abra Conly. She was examined for her offense and "upon her ingenuous confession and Abra Conleys satisfaction, by Admonition was accquitted, paying only the Marshall's fees"

* Peter was on a list of sufferers from the Indians in the Second War.

* Both Peter and Redigon were mentioned more than once in the York County, Maine records for not attending church, for drinking, and playing cards. 

Peter also had another wife, named Eunice.

Wow! How was all of that for interesting?! Next time, we'll talk about Peter and Redigon's son, also named Peter.