Pruett Family Origins
This entry was posted on 11/18/2010 12:57 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
There is (and likely always will be) great speculation as to the origins of Pruetts (regardless of spelling), as evidenced by the Origins page on my site and the following information emailed to me by Paul Pruitt:
"I don't know where the original research was from, but the idea that when Thomas Prewitt born in 1616 came to Virginia in 1636 with Joan Bennett that they were already Quakers, as implied by the source below, seems off. Even the fornication conviction of 1648 because of Quakerism and being married outside the Church of England, doesn't seem right. See a source herehttp://www.angelfire.com/ms/prewett/wga19.html#I2763
According to Wikipedia, Quakerism didn't start until 1652...And the first Quaker evangelists came to America in the mid-1650's. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaker_history
Apparently it might be more accurate to have labeled Joan Bennett and Mr. Prewitt as "Seekers" if that's what they were. They may have become Quakers only after the mid 1650's but historical memory may have been inaccurately recorded that they were Quakers from the beginning. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seekers"
Another possible subject is the supposed Welsh origins of the Prewett name, particularly in Carmarthen Wales. I did a search in the British Telecom phone book and there are no Pewett's near Carmathen now. But there does seem to be a bunch of them in various spellings almost in a straight line from Bristol on the West Coast through Salisbury where Thomas Prewitt, the first Prewitt to reach America came from, to Southampton, UK. THere appear to be few Prewetts in Wales, but not as many as in Southern England, and maybe the ones in Wales came from Bristol or the like.
The idea that they came from Carmarthen Wales is research sold by the House of Names Society. I suppose they are good scholars there, but I would like to know their sources.
The site is here: http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.c/qx/prewitt-coat-arms.htm
So what do you all think? Does anyone have information to add / share?
Thanks,
John
