The Pettus Baronetcy of Rackheath in

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, England, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 23 September in 1641 for Thomas Pettus, the

High Sheriff of Norfolk The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually (in March) by the Crown. The High Sheriff of Norfolk was originally the principal law enforcement officer in Norfolk and presided at the assizes and other imp ...

. The sixth Baronet was the High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1746. The title became extinct on his death in 1772. There are discrepancies in the lineage of the baronetcy due to source documents disagreeing with details in various published accounts. The most notable is the confusion of two related individuals, both called "Sir John Pettus" by ancient chroniclers. The family played a role in trade and exploration including the settlement of the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

, by founding the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...

, and by other commercial and military achievements. The family also suffered in the Royal Cause under King Charles I, supporting him with arms, money and military action. The family is said to have descended from Simon Le Petit, a merchant of

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

, where he is mentioned on the Patent Rolls: "1227 A.D. De Licencia per Lewelinum (sic). –Simon le Petit, Mercator L. principis Norwallic, habet licenciam veniendi in Angliam et morandi et redeundi cum vinis et mercandisis suis, faciendo inde rectas et debitas consuetudines. Et durabit usque ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno etc. xj. Test ut supra.". Translation: "1227 A.D. Licensed by Lewelinum (sic). - The high Norwallic merchant prince Simon le Petit has left to come to England and has brought with him wines and merchandise. He will stay until the feast of St. Michael next year." The family seat was Rackheath Hall, Rackheath, Norfolk.

Pettus Baronets of Rackheath Hall, Norfolk (1641–1772)

Sir Thomas Pettus, 1st Baronet

Sir Thomas Pettus, son to Sir Augustine Pettus (16 July 1582 - 9 July 1613) was the first of the Baronets. He firstly married Elizabeth Knyvett, daughter to Sir Thomas Knyvett of Ashwellthorpe, and secondly, the daughter to and coheiress of Sir Nathaniel Bacon of Stiffkey. Sir Thomas Pettus accompanied King Charles I on his expedition in 1640 into Scotland and Northumberland and may have been granted his Baronetcy as a result. He served as a captain under Colonel Jerom Brett and Lieutenant Colonel Sir Vivian Molineaux. His monument can be found in the St Simon and St Jude's Church, Norwich in Norwich.

Sir Thomas Pettus, 2nd Baronet

Son to Sir Thomas Pettus, 1st Baronet, and Lady Elizabeth Knyvett. The birth-date of Thomas Pettus is unknown. He died on 30 October 1671 at Rackheath, Norfolk, and was buried on 4 November the same year. He married Elizabeth Overbury in 1656, daughter to Walter Overbury, Esq. of Barton-on-the-Heath,

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...

, and his wife Magdalen Marsham.

Sir John Pettus, 3rd Baronet

Son to Sir Thomas Pettus, 2nd Baronet, and Lady Elizabeth Overbury. He was born in 1645, and on 27 May 1670 married at Chiselton,

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

, Mary Burwell (cc.1650 - 1672), daughter to Nicholas Burwell, Esq. of

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and W ...

. His date of death is unknown.

Sir Horatio Pettus, 4th Baronet

Son to Sir John Pettus, 3rd Baronet and Lady Mary (1672-1731). He married Elizabeth Meers in 1701 at St Giles in the Fields, Middlesex.

Sir John Pettus, 5th Baronet

Son to Sir Horatio Pettus, 4th Baronet and Lady Elizabeth Meers. He was born on 27 December 1705 at Rackheath, Norfolk. He died on 2 May 1743 at Rackheath.

Sir Horatio Pettus, 6th Baronet

Second surviving son to Sir Horatio Pettus, 5th Baronet and Lady Elizabeth (1707 - 1772). He married Rebecca Prideaux on 31 December 1744 at the Church of

Saint John the Baptist, Maddermarket, Norwich The Church of St John the Baptist, Maddermarket, is a redundant Anglican church in the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is in the care ...

. He was appointed

for 1746–47.

References

{{Reflist Extinct baronetcies in the Baronetage of England