William PITMAN was born about 1771 supposedly at South Petherton, Somerset, England. He died in 1849. He was buried SS Peter & Paul, South Petherton 16th April 1849, age 79 years.
William Pitman married Mary Raison at SS Peter & Paul, South Petherton 31st January 1796. (Parish record extract)
Mary Raison was supposedly christened at Martock, Somerset in May 1770 to William Raison and his wife, Mary.
According to parish extracts of SS Peter & Paul, South Petherton, William and Mary had the following children:
Ann Pitman baptised 7th August 1796 at South Petherton.
(An Ann Pitman born 1796 died January 1816 at SS Peter & Paul ? age 19)
Charles Pitman was baptised at South Petherton, Somerset, 3rd June 1800.
A William born 22nd February 1804 at South Petherton. Died 28th September 1805. SS Peter & Paul.
A William born 13th July 1806, died April 1820 at SS Peter & Paul ? age 14
Betsey Pitman baptised to William & Mary 27th November 1808 at South Petherton. Age 1 ?

Other children who could have been William and Mary?s were:
A Mary Pitman, daughter of William and Mary was buried 12 Jul 1809, SS Peter & Paul.
A John Pitman baptised 1813 and died 1813. His father was a carpenter.

On April 22nd 1794 William Pitman was witness at the marriage of Betty RAISON and Robert WILLY, both of the parish (parish record). Betty was most likely Mary Raison?s sister. When William Pitman and Mary Raison married they named their daughter, Betsey, maybe after Mary?s sister.

Robert Willy was witness to the marriage of William Pitman and Mary Raison.
A submission to LDS says Robert (husband of Betty born about 1779) was born about 1775 at South Petherton and died April 1818 at South Petherton. Another submission says Betty was born about 1773 and Robert in 1767. This one has Betty?s surname down as Russon and that they were married 1794. The date is right, the surname wrong.

Other Pitmans of interest:
A Mary Pitman died 1836 age 71 at SS Peter & Paul ? born 1766, no other information.
An Ann died 1803 at South Petherton. She was a widow. (Possible mother to William?).
A Mary Pitman buried 16th October 1812 at SS Peter & Paul, wife of William. No age given. Possibly Mary nee RAISON.

There were few Pitman?s and Raison?s in South Petherton during this era. There were more in the Martock area. Martock is 3 miles from South Petherton.

According to a historical Biographical sketch on Henry Baker from Illinois, USA, (grandson of William Pitman), William Pitman was an English farmer and carpenter who lived and died in his native shire, which would be South Petherton. The sketch also states that Henry?s grandfather, (whether the Pitman, or the Baker Grandfather is not determined yet), married four times and outlived all his wives. (This has not yet been proven.)

1841 census shows William Pitman age 70, born abt 1771, living in Roundwell Street, South Petherton, not far from Joseph and Betsey Baker (Betsey was William Pitman?s daughter). Staying with William that night were Joseph and Betsey Baker?s sons, John, William and Robert Baker. William?s occupation was a carpenter. He was born in Somerset. John Baker was age 13 years, William aged 8 years and Robert aged 6 years.
Living also with William was William Pitman, age 14. William Pitman was born to Charles (William?s son) and Martha at SS Peter & Paul, South Petherton and baptised 29 August 1827. (Extracted parish records)

Piggott?s Directory 1830 shows:-
William Pitman, occupation: Carpenter of Petherton.

South Petherton Parish Records - Positions held 1715 ? 1842
William Pitman was a Tythingman for the local village parish.
A Tythingman was locally appointed and his duties were to preserve good order in the parish or the church, to make a complaint of any disorderly conduct and to enforce the observance of the Sabbath. He was a peace officer under the constable of the parish. He also presided over the tithing.
William was also a Grass Hayward in 1812 for the parish. A Hayward was originally the guardian of the fence or hedge. Originally to keep the stock enclosed or to keep the stock out of the crops.

And William was a constable in 1828. The constable was the peace keeper of the parish under the sheriff.
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Surviving children of William Pitman & Mary Raison:-

Charles Pitman married Martha Paul in 1822 at Martock, Somerset, England. Martha was the daughter of William Paul and his wife, Elizabeth. Martha born abt 1799 at possibly Martock, Somerset. She was christened at Martock on 7th January 1799. William Paul was later the South Petherton Constable. Both William Paul and Elizabeth Paul were deceased before 1853, according to Martha?s immigration records when she and Charles sailed to Australia in 1853.
Charles Pitman was a carpenter by trade. Charles and Martha and three of their children, Leah, Eliza and William, migrated to Australia.
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Have found no record of Ann Pitman. She may have died at South Petherton in 1816.
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Betsey Pitman married Joseph Baker on May 15th 1828 at South Petherton. Joseph died in 1848 at South Petherton.