George Shirley Pitman, Sr.
George Shirley Pitman, Sr. (4/30/1884-4/11/1958 (Moore’s Swamp Baptist Church Cemetery, Surry, Virginia) was born in Surry County, Virginia to Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Pitman. A copious search of Richmond City Directories shows no entry prior to 1908. He married Hattie Myrtle Ford Pitman (5/10/1883 to 4/1/1958) on July 15, 1909 in Henrico. They had a son (George Shirley Pitman, Jr.) on January 18, 1912. They had a daughter – Margaret Lakmay Pitman – On June 7, 1913.
From 1908 to 1911, the directories show Mr. Pitman as a Stenographer for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, first living at 1003 East Clay and then 401 4th Avenue. The directory for 1912 states that he is a clerk and that his hope is at 401 4th Avenue. The 1913 directory states that he is a “Clerk” at Charles M. Robinson. The 1914-1917 City Directories state that he is the “Assistant Secretary-Treasurer” for Charles M. Robinson, Inc., still living at 401 4th Avenue.
The 1918 and later City Directories do not list Mr. Pitman. His WWI draft card, dated September 12, 1918 states that he is the Assistant Manager for the Stewart Motor Sales Company at 1410 West Broad Street and that he is married to Hattie Ford Pitman and that they live at 401 Fourth Avenue. The 1920 Census states that all four Pitmans live at 401 4th Avenue and that he is now a policeman for the City of Richmond. The 1930 Census states that all four live in Norfolk and that he is “Chief Deputy, US Marshall Service.”
The 1940 Census states that the children have left the Norfolk household and that he is still “Chief Deputy, US Marshall Service.” Mr. Pitman’s WWII draft card states that he lives at 612 New York Avenue in Norfolk and that he works for the Department of Justice as a US Marshall.
On April 1, 1958 George and Shirley Pitman (just before their 50th wedding anniversary) were involved in a head-on automobile accident in Warwick, Virginia. Mrs. Pitman died immediately and Mr. Pitman survived for 10 days until he had a pulmonary embolism and passed away immediately at DePaul Hospital in Norfolk. Mr. Pitman’s death certificate makes no mention of being retired and cites his usual occupation as a Chief Deputy for the US Marshalls. Their son, George Shirley Pitman, Jr. passed away on February 27, 1974 at Arlington Hospital of a respiratory arrest from a pulmonary lymphoma. He is buried at Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington.