John Pettus

John Pettus, described in the supplied notes as a Norwich tailor and as the son of the tailor Thomas Petyous, was born about 1495 or 1496 in Norwich, England. He acquired property in St. Simon’s parish in 1536 and was recorded as a tailor in Norwich in 1550. He died in Norwich in 1558; the supplied material gives conflicting dates of 25 July and 28 August.

John Pettus was born about 1495 or 1496 in Norwich, England, the son of Thomas Pettus, also recorded in the notes as Thomas Petyous. A 1558 will is attributed to “John Pethous, Gent.,” who reportedly said during a disturbance at an inn that he was the son of the tailor Thomas Petyous. The supplied notes identify this man with John Pettus, though the identification is not independently documented in the material provided.

John was on record as purchasing property in St. Simon’s parish, Norwich, in 1536. By 1550 he was described as a tailor in Norwich.

The supplied family-tree notes give differing accounts of John’s marriages. They name Jone Dethick, also described as Mrs. Simon Dethick or the widow of Simon Dethick, as the mother of his children. They also name Cicelyn or Cecily Capon, said to have been the widow of Richard Corpestry and to have died in 1542 without children by John. A third wife is called Rose Beatrice in one account and Beatrice Duckett in another; the notes describe her as a widow of Simon De Thick of Wormegay, Suffolk, and place that marriage about 1545, while another entry gives 1 February 1542/43. The notes further state that John, his three wives, and three children were buried in what is now the churchyard of Saints Simon and Jude.

His children by Jone Dethick were listed as Thomas Pettus, Esq., Jone Pettus, and Anne Pettus. Thomas was born about 1519, later bought Rackheath Manor near Norwich, and died at Norwich in 1596/97. The notes state that Jone and Anne did not marry.

John Pettus died in Norwich, Norfolk, England, in 1558. The supplied life-date heading gives 25 July 1558, while the family-tree notes give 28 August 1558 and associate his death with St. Simon and Jude Church. In the supplied pedigree, he is identified as Barbara’s 14th great-grandfather.

Historical context

The supplied material places John Pettus in sixteenth-century Norwich, where he was recorded as a purchaser of property in St. Simon’s parish and as a tailor.

Sources & research

Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 4: Birth about 1495 in Norwich, England.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 5: Death 28 August 1558 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, associated with St. Simon and Jude.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 6: Marriage to Jone (Mrs. Simon) Dethick, estimated 1509–1539.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 7: Birth about 1495 in Norwich, England.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 8: Death 28 August 1558 in Norwich, Norfolk County, England, St. Simon and Jude Church.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 9: Marriage to Jone (Mrs. Simon) Dethick about 1515.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 10: Marriage to Cicelyne Capon, estimated 1528–1539.
Family Tree Maker notes for John Pettus, citation 11: Marriage to Beatrice Duckett, 1 February 1542/43.
“The Pettus Family in England,” transcribed within the supplied Family Tree Maker notes; no publication details provided.
Talloch, cited within the supplied notes as stating that Jone was the widow of Simon Dethick; no further citation details provided.