William “Hayden” Truitt was never named in court records and deeds of Somerset, Maryland or Worcester, Maryland. The identity of this person is unknown. Does “Hayden” refer to a person long-time into the future? Outlier researchers usually add a “random” middle-name to indidvuals to promote their interpretation.

So, this is a lesson about individuals on Family Search. Do we believe what we read because we are empowered by uncritically thinking people, to accept, unsourced genealogies. You may be. But I am appaulled at that thought.

Author: Sarah Baird.

Date: 11 January 2025.

Title: Correlation of evidence to establish the identities of Littleton Truitt and son, William Truitt using critical thinking.

Report to file: Purnell Truitt, Belitha Truitt sons of William.

All rights reserved.

The purpose of this research was to separate the identities of many men named William Truitt, active in Worcester, Maryland around the same time. Thomas Truitt of Littleton is identified in the sources consulted.

The will of William Truitt, penned 2 May 1776, names wife Ann, executor, and sons Purnal and Belitha. He devised one-half of his land to each of his sons. He could not write. One of the witnesses, William Speer, John Speer or Hales Spicer may have recorded William’s last intentions regarding the disposition of his real and personal property. [1]

2 May 1776 William Truitt

Executor wife Ann

son Purnal one-half of my land next to Mitchels plantation

son Belitha one-half of my land next to Mitchels plantation

Signs by his x mark.

Wit. William Speer John Speer Hales Spicer

Proved by the first two witnesses 10 June 1776.

William Truitt is described as the son of “Littleton” in Wills, Index, Worcester County Register of Wills, 1742-1908, CR94449, a computer printed subindex to wills for Worcester, Maryland made by Cott Index Company, Columbus, Ohio, online at Maryland State Archives. Ann wife of William (of Littleton) is also identified as “Nancy”. The names Ann and Nancy are interchangeable.

The snippet of this index shows the inventory and administration accounts for William’s estate were filed, 7 January 1786, ten years after his death. Littleton Truitt’s name does not appear in this index nor does Thomas Truitt (of Littleton) described, as pauper, in the 1783 Assessment Acquango Hundred, Worcester. A better citation needs to be crafted for this assertion using, ESM, Evidence Explained.

 

Early property tax records for Maryland were used to identify William Truitt’s land. The Rent Rolls, SM130-59 and SM130-60 for Worcester contain a typed index at the beginning of each book, organised alphabetically by tract name, owner, acres and folio (page number). Entries provide a description of the land, date of survey and when the land was patented. Some entries identify adjoining neighbours. Patent certificates with plats are available at plats.net > Select county >.

Land Office (Rent Rolls) 1743-1763 48, WO, i of tracts SR4395-3, SM130-59.

folio 151 64a. Truitts Venture surveyed 16 January 1760 for Littleton Truitt lying in Worcester county back in the forrest above Col. Mitchells Bridge Beginning at a marked gum standing on a back ridge about one quarter of a mile above the mouth of Green Branch on the east side thereof on the west side of Pocomoke River and on the north side of a tract of land called Golden Valley belonging to Col. Joshua Mitchell. Patented 18 January 1760.

Patent certificate MSA_S1210_2741 Truitts Venture, Littleton Truitt.

Land Office (Rent Rolls) 1763-1775 49, WO, pp. 1-113, i of tracts, SR4395-4, SM130-60.

p83 Williams Lott, surveyed for William Truitt (son of Littleton) 23 August 1768 Beginning at a marked Red Oak Sapplin [sic] standing on a Ridge near a Green Swamp on the North West side of sd Swamp on the west side of a tract of land surveyed for Joshua Mitchell called Golden Valleys Addition on the west side of Pocomoke River. Patented 1 October 1768.

Patent certificate MSA_S1210_2880 Williams Lot, William Truitt of Littleton.

p84 Truitts Lott surveyed for Littleton Truitt 8 April 1768 Beginning at a marked White Oak standing on the South side of a Swamp in a line of a tract of land called Forrest Range formerly surveyed for Thos. Robinson the West Side of Pocomoke River. Patented 2 November 1768.

Patent certificate MSA_S1210_2740 Truitts Lot, Littleton Truitt.

p99 Partnership being a resurvey on a tract called Williams Lott cont. 4 1/2 acres resurveyed for William Truitt son of Littleton 25 March 1769. Beginning at the original bounder thereof being a marked Red Oak standing on a Ridge near a Gum Swamp on the north west side of said Swamp. Patented 18 July 1771. Rents paid to Michls. 1770.

Patent certificate MSA_S1210_2031 Partnership, William Truitt.

MDLANDREC.net, the website for deed records, has been offline since August 2024. The author’s intensive research in archives, has been consulted, to create a snapshot of the ancestors William Truitt, son of Littleon.

Intended identity Purnall Truitt -1776 M384-N77, son of William Truitt -1776 K813-WPP and Ann, Mrs Truitt -1776 KHJK-VD4 added by FamilySearch 2012.

On 29 June 2020 tlwehrenberg01 added William Hayden Truitt 1748-1776 KJ5M-L4K as the father of Purnall Truitt M384-N77 and deleted William Truitt -1776 K813-WPP as the father of Purnall.

Ann Nancy Spicer 1744-Deceased KJ5M-L8H was added as the mother of Purnall Truitt M384-N77 and Ann Mrs Truitt -1776 KHJK-VD4 was deleted. This is a bad merge and indicates a lack of research adhering to the GPS standard.

 It was necessary to separate the identities of men named William, who may have had middle names “Hayden”, unusual pre-revolution. Unfortunately, identities for William son of Littleton have been conflated on FamilySearch and probably on other genealogy websites.

 What is evident:

William “Hayden” Truitt was never named in court records and deeds of Somerset, Maryland or Worcester, Maryland. The identity of this person is unknown. Does “Hayden” refer to a person long-time into the future? Outlier researchers usually add a “random” middle-name to individuals on Family Search. This empowers, uncritically thinking people, to accept, unsourced genealogies, without question.


[1] PREROGATIVE COURT, (Wills) 1635-1777, S538, Liber 41, folio 128, 2 May 1776, S538-60, MdHR 1324.

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