Many families from Pittsylvania County Virginia had migrated to what is today Grayson and Carroll Counties. Most were tobacco f

The Bobbitt Family In America

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Many families from Pittsylvania County Virginia had migrated to what is today Grayson and Carroll Counties. Most were tobacco farmers and they were in constant need of new fertile land on which to raise their crops. Iron ore was also an attraction in this area.

William Bobbitt and his brother James Bobbitt received land grants for their service in the Revolutionary War. Both chose land in this area. By 1790 the Bobbitt family along with many of their relatives by other family names were living in this area. The other family names were Jennings, Hensen, Phillips, Blair, and McKenzie. Most were families of Welsh and English heritage.

In 1790 James Bobbitt, son of John Bobbitt, and a nephew of Captain William Bobbitt, moved into the family compound. James married a daughter of Captain William's named Rosanna Bobbitt. I believe that a sister of James Bobbitt also lived in the area and was a widow who made her home with the family of James.

For the most part, the records of Grayson County are concerned with those of the family of Captain William and those of his nephew, James Bobbitt.

By the year of 1803 we had families living in Grayson County with the following heads of households.

Captain William Bobbitt son of James Bobbitt Senior

William Bobbitt Junior son of Capt. William Bobbitt

James Bobbitt son of Capt. William Bobbitt

Caleb Bobbitt son of Capt. William Bobbitt

James Bobbitt son of John Bobbitt and a nephew of Capt. William Bobbitt.

Before 1803, James Bobbitt, brother of Captain William Bobbitt had moved to Pulaski County Kentucky. In 1803 he was followed by his nephew, James Bobbitt, son of Captain William Bobbitt. By 1830 many members of the family were living in Pulaski County Kentucky.

In 1803, Captain William Bobbitt was taxed for a son over the age of 16. Subsequent records prove that this had to be his son, William Bobbitt.

There were many marriages between first cousins and especially between first cousins once removed. In fact the records indicate that most of the families for many miles around were related in some way to each other. Almost every male of one name had a son by the same name. Almost every brother honored his brother by naming a son after him. The duplication of a name must be associated with some dated record in order to identify which is being recorded. The name "James Bobbitt" is the name most used in the families of Grayson County. At one time there was as many as five with the name of James, and all were related to one another.

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