William B. Pettit (October 10, 1825 – January 11, 1905) was a Virginia lawyer who served a term as president of The Virginia Bar Association, and was a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901.
William B. Pettit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 10th President of the Virginia Bar Association | |
| In office August 5, 1897 – July 7, 1898 | |
| Preceded by | William Wirt Henry |
| Succeeded by | John Goode |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Beverly Pettit October 10, 1825 |
| Died | January 11, 1905 (aged 79) |
| Spouse |
Arabella Speairs (m. 1851) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Branch/service | Confederate States Army |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
In 1851, Pettit married Arabella Speairs. During the Civil War, Pettit served in the Confederate Army, as an artillery sergeant in the unit from his home county. A collection of the wartime correspondence between Pettit and his wife has been published.[1]
After the War, Pettit practice law in Fluvanna County. He also "had such a wide law practice at the court of Louisa that his portrait was hung in the courtroom."[2] Pettit was elected Commonwealth's Attorney for Fluvanna County in 1874.[3]
Pettit bought "Glen Burnie," now a historic landmark at Palmyra, Virginia, in 1878.[3]
Pettit was the tenth president of the Virginia State Bar Association, for the term of 1897–1898.[4] In 1901–02, Pettit was a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention,[5] including a stint as temporary chairman. "Each member of the convention received a pin oak seedling, and this oak still stands at Glen Burnie."[3]
William and Arabella Pettit, and several of their children, are buried in the cemetery at Glen Burnie.[3]
References edit
- ^ Turner, Charles W., ed. (1989). CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF ARABELLA SPEAIRS AND WILLIAM BEVERLEY PETTIT OF FLUVANNA COUNTY, VIRGINIA, MARCH 1862 TO MARCH 1865. The Virginia Lithography & Graphics Company.
- ^ Gwathmey, John (1981). Twelve Virginia Counties, where the Western Migration Began. ISBN 0-8063-0861-3.
- ^ a b c d "National Register of Historic Places, Registration Form, Glen Burnie" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
- ^ "VBA History and Heritage". The Virginia Bar Association. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
- ^ Brenaman, Jacob (1902). A History of Virginia Conventions.