from "History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, It's Past and Present" - 1888, Vol. 2 pp. 856-857
Nathaniel Riley Pettitt, farmer, post-office West Middlesex, was born in 1821 in Bedford County, Penn. He is a son of Nathaniel and Margaret (Carr) Pettitt, who removed from Bedford County in 1828 and purchased the farm now occupied by our subject. Nathaniel, Sr., was born in 1783, and was the father of eight children: John, Isabella, deceased; Samuel K., deceased; William, deceased; Charles T., Margaret, wife of J.M. Brown, of Pulaski, Penn., and Rebecca J., wife of George Brown, of the same place. He died in 1874, his wife having preceded him in 1868.
Our subject was educated in the public schools of the township. He was apprenticed to the carpenter trade, and at the expiration of his time, in 1845, engaged in business for himself, which he carried on successfully for twenty years. On the death of his father he purchased the homestead property and has since been engaged in general farming. He was married in 1845 to Miss Catherine, daughter of Peter and Roseanna (McConnell) Michael, of Harlensburg, Penn., who died in 1883, leaving seven children: Calvin M., of Greenville, Penn.; Samuel R., of West Middlesex, Penn.; Mary, wife of Hamilton Sample, of Ohio; Willis B., of Wilmington, Penn.; John C., who is engaged on the farm; Nathaniel, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Adah Z., at home.
Mr. Pettitt married for his second wife Mrs. Rebecca Falls, sister of his deceased wife. He is a member of the New Bedford Presbyterian Church.