Samuel Pittard arrived in America in 1727 and was an indentured servant of Thomas Waring, the sheriff of Essex County VA. He was probably born about 1710 in Kingsbury, Somersetshire, England.

Though the usual term of an indentured servant was seven years, 15 months of Samuel's term was forgiven in exchange for making 40,000 bricks for Sheriff Waring. Most early immigrants paid for their passage to America by agreeing to seven years in indentured service, but since records show Samuel twice tried to run away, we can speculate that he knew how to make bricks before arriving (why would Waring forgive service time for a skill he was responsible for teaching?), and that he was possibly kidnapped by one of the many shipping agents pressed to fill the demand for skilled labor in colonial Virginia.

While still in Essex County VA, Samuel married Mary Newton, the daughter of Henry Newton, Jr. about 1736.

Samuel Pittard's name is the first found in Granville County NC land records. In 1782 he had 200 acres, one slave, two horses or mules, and nine cattle. He died about 1785 in Granville County NC and is buried in Family Plantation, VA, Mecklenburg County.

Children of Samuel Pittard and Mary Newton:

1. John Pittard b. about 1738, Essex County VA, m. 1st Mary Irving, m. 2nd widow Frances "Franky" Glass Ragland, d. probably early 1821, buried in Pittard Family Cemetery, Bullock, Granville County NC.

2. Samuel Pittard (Jr.) b. about 1748 probably Essex County VA, m. Ann Davis about 1774, d. between Feb 1820 and 1825, buried probably Caswell County, NC.