Emily Pettitt

[shellyesq]

You're welcome.  I'm not too technical either, but maybe we have a technical person here who can guide you.

The immigration dates can be off, considering it had been many years since they asked. 

I also found these in Boston city directories -

1882 & 1883
Pettitt, Thomas, tennis player, boards 251 East Eighth
Pettitt, William, printer, boards 251 East Eighth

1890 -
Thomas Pettitt
Location: 101 Union Park street room 7  
Occupation: tennis player 

1892-1893
Pettitt, Thomas, tennis player, h. 23 Warren av.
Pettitt, William, tennis player, Boston Athletic Association, h. 273 Athens

There's also a Thomas Pettitt who shows up in Newport, Rhode Island City directories from 1887-1892 and occupation listed as "Prof. court tennis" at Newport Casino.  Newport isn't terribly far from Boston (off-hand, I'd guess it's maybe an hour's drive today), so perhaps he went there for the summer to work?

[irret]

That's quite a lot of information and a brother William ties in well . William Pettitt was born about 1853 England so it's looking good. Is there anything else on William ? I'm going to look for Thomas on the free 1880 census on Familysearch now.
Thanks again.
Terri

[shellyesq]

I found some newspaper articles that mention Thomas.

One is from a Nebraska paper from 1898 which says Thomas became the court tennis player champion of the world in 1885.  After an 1890 match, he returned to the US and took charge of the tennis department of the Boston Athletic association, except for 2 months in the summer when he was in charge of the tennis court at the Newport Casino.  

I found his obituary, which says he died in Newport on 17 Oct. 1946.  The obituary says he was born 19 Dec. 1859 in Beckenham, Kent & came to the US with his family in 1873.  It says his wife died some years ago.

An article from 1933 says he was going to Boston for the winter with his wife, so she was alive then.

One article is from a Newport, RI paper from 1950, which states Thomas Pettitt headed the Newport Casino's tennis department from 1880 to 1947.

There seems to be quite a bit about him. 

[shellyesq]

I just found Catherine's obituary.  She died at her home, 17 Spring Park Avenue, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts on 10 Mar. 1939.  She had been ill for some time, but had improved, so the gastric hemmorrhage that brought the end was stated to be unexpected.

An article from the 18 Nov. 1898 Newport Daily News says that a welcome home banquet was held at Hotel Savoy in Boston for Tom Pettitt, the popular exponent of court tennis and manager of the Newport Casino court tennis, and William Pettitt made a witty speech.

[irret]

That's amazing and with the Beckenham confirmation wonderful. His father was Daniel Pettitt who was in England on the 1881 census. I think you are on a roll

[irret]

An article from the 18 Nov. 1898 Newport Daily News says that a welcome home banquet was held at Hotel Savoy in Boston for Tom Pettitt, the popular exponent of court tennis and manager of the Newport Casino court tennis, and William Pettitt made a witty speech.
what fun!

[shellyesq]

Here's a site with a picture of Thomas:  http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=238

Also, a picture of him up for auction:  http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/thomas-pettitt,-1898-1-c-qv2g0cq7fm

And a very expensive card for sale:  http://www.mdsportscards.com/servlet/the-523/1888-N29-Allen-Ginter/Detail

There is an obituary for William in the New York Times from March 6, 1931.

[shellyesq]

Thomas even shows up in Time magazine:  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,804056,00.html?iid=chix-sphere  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,766937,00.html

This says he emigrated as a penniless teenager:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pettitt

1878 Boston City Directory
Pettitt, William, printer, boards 251 East Eighth

1910 Census, Boston, 18 North St.
Pettitt, William, age 55, married once, number of years of present marriage - 20, born Eng., parents born Eng., immigrated 1875 or 1885 (?), naturalized, instructor - Boston Athletic Club
wife Mary, age 50, married once, number of years of present marriage - 20, mother of five children, 3 of whom are living, born Mass., father born Ireland, mother born New Hampshire, no occupation
daughter Florence M., age 15, single, born Mass.
son George, age 11, single, born Mass.
daughter Lillian G., age 8, single, born Mass.
niece Lillian M. Russell, age 35, single, born Mass., parents born Mass., no occupation

In 1920 Census, all the same family members are present.  They were living at 10 Longfellow St.  William owned the home with a mortgage, immigrated in 1872 and was naturalized in 1890, and was working as an inspector of sporting goods.  Florence was working as a stenographer in an office, and daughter Lillian was working as a stenographer at a creamery.  Lillian the niece was now listed as a lodger and was working as a stock clerk in a surgical store.

[shellyesq]

1930 Census, Boston, 10 Longfellow St.
Pettitt, William, owns home worth $34,000, owns radio set, male, white, age 78, married, age at 1st marriage - 35, born Eng., parents born Eng., immigrated 1880, naturalized, instructor tennis - Boston athletic club
wife Mary E., age 68, married, age at 1st marriage - 30, born Mass., father born Ire., mother born New Hampshire, no occupation
son George, age 30, single, born Mass., father born Eng., mother born Mass., mail clerk - railway, veteran of WWI
daughter Lillian J., age 27, marital status unknown, born Mass., father born Eng., mother born Mass., stenographer - butter & eggs store

WWI Draft Registration Card
George Russell Pettitt
10 Longfellow, Dorchester, Suffolk Co., Mass.
born 9 Nov. 1897
White, native born
Occupation - ship cleaner, Bethlehem Ship Building Co., Squanton, Norfolk Co., Mass.
Nearest relative - Mary Pettitt, same home address
Medium height, slight build, blue eyes, brown hair

Social Security Death Index
George Pettitt
Last Residence: Pembroke, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts
Born 9 Nov. 1897
Died Oct. 1979
Soc. Sec. Number issued in Massachusetts (1961-1962)

Massachusetts Death Index -

George R. Pettitt
Certificate # 007245 
Death Place: Boston 
Death Date: 8 Oct. 1979
Birth Place: Massachusetts 

Lillian G. Pettitt
Certificate # 038240 
Death Place: Everett 
Death Date: 17 Jul. 1988
Born Massachusetts on 17 Aug. 1901
 
The Massachusetts vital records through 1910 are here:  http://www.sec.state.ma.us/vitalrecordssearch/vitalRecordsSearch.aspx  There are entries for Florence Marie Pettitt born 1895, George Pettitt born 1897, and Lillian Gertrude Pettitt born 1901, all in Boston.  There's a marriage record for Thomas Pettitt from 1884 in Boston.