My great grandmother Elizabeth Emma Pettie/Pettye (1893-1979)

[pdickinson2014]

I'm struggling to find more information on the ancestors of my great grandmother Elizabeth Emma Pettie/Pettye (b. b. 20 Sept 1893; d. 12 Apr 1979).  Her husband was John Pickett Hoffman (b. 7 Aug 1885; d. 11 May 1946)  I inherited a family tree written down in the 1990s that names her parents as Robert Walker Pettie/Pettye (b. 7 Apr 1856; d. 28 Aug 1907) and Emma Jeanette Hitt (b. 4 Feb 1855; d. 20 Jul 1923).    I believe they are from VA or MD, but not sure.  I'm trying to confirm what's on the tree, and then to push back to her great and great great grandparents.

I'm attaching a picture of the tree I was given (she's on the bottom left).

Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Kay99]

This looks like Elizabeth (Lizzie) Pettie, her mother and siblings in 1910.  Living at Robertson, Madison, Virginia

Emma Pettie 52 b Virginia Widow
Robert Pettie 19 b Virginia Farm Labourer
Lizzie E Pettie 16 b Virgina
David F Pettie 13 b Virginia

Interesting - living next door John Hitt age 59 farmer,  wife Georgie and children all born Virginia which does match with your tree.

This could be Emma's marriage to John Pettie https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRS8-7KR

Kay
   

[Kay99]

Possibly the Hitt family in 1870 - transcribed as Hett- Living at  Salem, Culpeper, Virginia.   All listed as born in Virginia

Peter Hett    64 Farmer
Emily Hett    53
Mary Hett    35
Louis Hett    23
James Hett 22
John Hett    20
Isabella Hett 16
Emma Hett 13
Russel Hett 10
Thomas Hett 8

[pdickinson2014]

Amazing!  What's a good method for finding the next generation back?  I should have put this question in  the beginner forum.

[pdickinson2014]

I do have who I think is Robert Petty and his parents Robert and Martha on the 1860 census

http://interactive.ancestry.com/7667/4297389_00086/34604111?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3d1860usfedcenancestry%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3drobert%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dpetty%26gsln_x%3dNS%26msbdy%3d1856%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msddy%3d1907%26cpxt%3d1%26catBucket%3drst%26uidh%3d9jw%26msbdp%3d2%26cp%3d12&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

[pdickinson2014]

Peter and Emily Hitt in the 1880 census?

http://interactive.ancestry.com/6742/4244675-00291?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

[Kay99]

Do you have access to the family trees on Ancestry?   Edit from your previous posts you do.

 There is one that lists Peter Hitt's parents as Joseph Hitt b 1775 Culpepper and Rhoda Marshall b 1774 Virginia and traces the family back to Germany.   Whilst these trees are not always reliable it could be worth contacting the owner.

This could be the parents in 1850 living in Culpepper

Joseph Hitt    74
Rhoda Hitt    75
Mary G Hitt    41

This is the tree http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/37928371/person/19159200032?ssrc=&ml_rpos=1

Edit -Yes - your links do look like your family

[pdickinson2014]

Yes, I do have ancestry.com but I'm still learning to use it.  That tree is a wonderful find.  I see that some of the information in the tree is backed up with sources.  Do you have a gut feeling about its reliability? 

[Kay99]

It is reasonably documented, but even the best researched trees sometimes make mistakes or assumptions