Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

headed argent, between four mullets of
the last. Crest, a Moor's arm proper
escarroned gules and or, advancing a poleaxe,
handle or, headed argent. Thomas
Pitman, born 1614, and Mark Pitman,
born 1622, were early at Marblehead,
Massachusetts. William Pitman, born
1632, settled at Oyster River, New Hampshire.
Nathaniel Pitman was at Salem,
Massachusetts, as early as 1639. John
Pitman settled at Charlestown in 1658.
As far as known, the first of this fam-
ily was Henry Pitman, one of the first set-
tlers of Nassau, Bahama Islands (about
1666), where he built a dwelling and
made considerable improvements, and
died at the end of fifteen years. His son
John Pitman, born 1663, lived for some
time on the plantation established by his
father, established a shipyard and built
several vessels, continuing on New Providence
Island until his house was burned
by the French and Spaniards in July,
1703. For seven years he lived on the
other islands and, in 1710, moved to Newport,
Rhode Island, where he died November
21, 171 1, aged forty-five years.
His wife, Mary Saunders, survived him
ten days, dying December i, 171 1. Their
graves are marked by a double stone in
the old cemetery at Newport. They had
seven sons. The third, Benjamin Pitman,
was born 1697, on New Providence, was
a freeman at Newport in 1741, and died
September 12, 1762. His wife, Mary,
died November 19, 1746, aged forty-nine
years. They had five sons. The second
of these, John Pitman, lived in Newport,
where he died December 27, 1768. He
married, May 6, 1750, Abigail, daughter
of Andrew and Abigail (Plaisted) Nich-
ols. She was admitted to Dr. Stiles'
Church, November 10, 1771, and her four
surviving children were baptized at the
same time, namely : John, Mary, Thomas
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Gilbert and Benjamin. The eldest of
these, John, born June 27, 1757, died May
25, 1809, was the father of Charles Pitman,
first postmaster at Fall River. John
Pitman married Nancy Bennett, born
1756, died September 16, 1828.
Charles Pitman, born March 3, 1790, in
Newport, went to Fall River early in the
history of that place as a city and was its
first postmaster, opening the first mail
February 12, 181 1. Subsequently he was
a farmer and successful merchant. He
was the father of George W. Pitman,
whose daughter became the wife of Isaac
Spear, as previously related. Mrs. Spear
died June 26, 1909, and was buried at New
Bedford. She was a member of the South
Congregational Church. She was the
mother of three sons, George Pitman,
William Perkins and Robert Lyndon.
The eldest died unmarried in 1917. The
others receive further mention below.
William Perkins Spear was born June
5, 1896, in Middletown, and graduated
from the city high school in 1914, after
which he was a student at Lehigh Uni-
versity. In 1917 he entered the store of
which he is now senior proprietor, and
has since given his attention to business,
meantime giving considerable time to
public affairs. His public spirit is re-
markable, and he is often called to pub-
lic service in many ways. For thirteen
months he was in the air service of the
United States during the recent World
War. Since then his share in the social,
benevolent and fraternal activities of Middletown
has been an important one. He
is a member of the South Church ; of
Central Lodge, No. 12, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows ;
Free and Accepted Masons ;
St. John's Lodge, No. 2,
Washington
Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons
Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights
Templar; and Sphinx Temple, Ancient
;