Peleg Pettis

From Black Hawk Slept Here

Peleg Pettis is listed in Le Roy Barnett's Roster as having served as a Private in Sewal Goff's Cavalry Company from Blissfield. His service dates were May 22 to June 6. The spelling is given as "Petty, Peleg". The "Remarks" column says (AKA Peleg Pettis).

The following information is from the "Portrait and Biographical Album of Hillsdale County, Michigan" published in 1888, and was presumably provided by his son, William.

"Peleg Pettis was a man of considerable force of character, and became quite prominent in local affairs, officiating as Captain of the Lenawee County Militia, and led his forces against the Indian warrior, Black Hawk, during the troubles of that time, and later in the Toledo War."

This statement is somewhat confused. (It could be that Mr. Pettis had exaggerated his exploits when telling about them, but it is just as likely that his son William was confused about what he had heard from his father, or that the makers of the county history garbled it when getting the information from William.) During the Black Hawk war he was a private, not a captain. He was a militia captain during the Toledo War -- not of "the" Lenawee County Militia, but of one of 8 companies from Lenawee County.

Additional information from the same source:

• Pettis was a native of New York State.
• As a young man, Peleg Pettis had been a teacher.
• When living in Wayne County, NY, he married Lavina Powers.
• Peleg and Lavina came to Monroe County in 1831 with three children, including William S., who had been born August 28, 1826.
• Operated a stagecoach between Adrian and Monroe
• He operated the first grocery store in Blissfield (Lenawee County) from 1834 to 1837.
• His wife, Lavina, died in Blissfield in 1837.
• He kept a hotel in Blissfield after leaving the grocery business, and until moving to Hillsdale County.
• His second wife was Minerva Young, who lived only a year after the marriage.
• He moved to Hillsdale County, Jefferson Township, in 1839.
• At some point he operated a distillery in Hillsdale Township, Hillsdale County.
• He lived one year in Allen, Hillsdale County
• His 3rd wife was Melissa Fraker, who outlived him.
• Peleg and Melissa had six children.
• Died in Jefferson Township in 1853.