From "The History of Greene County, PA", 1882 - Rev. Wm. Hanna
According to The Ten-Mile Country by Howard Leckey, Nathaniel Pettit (1796-1839) was the son of another Nathaniel (1762-1843), also of Greene County. The senior Nathaniel is believed to have been a son of Isaac Pettit whose will was proved in Was hington Co. PA, 5 Sept. 1807. Nat married Rachel Wilson and was, at his death, the father of eight minor children (O.C. Docket 2, page 166).
.....about forty-three years ago a murder occurred which involved the whole community in a state of the most intense excitement. An old man, whose name was Samuel Venatta, who owned a large tract of land on the Thomas branch of Wheeling creek, had also bought a settlement right on the South branch. A man whose name was Jesse Pettit had purchased the same land - as part of the Cook or Leiper lands - and insisted on having possession of the same. This Venatta refused to give, when a posse of some ten or twelve men attempted to forcibly eject Venatta's tenant. The old man came to their assistance and was very much abused by them; but still he and his tenant held the "fort". On the next day they returned, armed with a warrant, in the hands of Nathaniel Pettit, who was the Constable of Morris township. This warrant the Constable attempted to serve, and was refused admittance on the ground that Venatta was afraid to risk his life in the hands of the men who had torn his shirt of his back the day before, as well as otherwise bruising and kicking him. The Constable then attempted to break the door, when Venatta warned him from the inside that if they persisted they would do it at their peril. This warning was unheeded; the posse from behind pressing the Constable on against the door, which yielded and flew open, when the Constable rushed in and was met by Venatta, who held a butcher-knife in his hand. He instantly thrust the knife into the breast of the Constable, who immediately exclaimed, "it is all over; let him alone!" and turned to go out the door, when he received another thrust in the back, and after walking a step or two, fell dead on the porch. Either of these wounds would have proved fatal as the knife in both instances had touched the heart. A warrant was procured the same evening from 'Squire Lazear for the arrest of Samuel Venatta for murder. This warrant was immediately served by George Stroup, the Constable of Richhill township, to whom Venatta peaceably surrendered himself, and was taken to Waynesburg the same night. He was permitted to file a bail bond, endorsed by Francis Gray and John Conkey. He was eventually tried, and acquitted on the ground that the killing was in self-defense.