Billie Cavitt Smith:
I've done no research whatever on the Cavitts who are said to have come
from Scotland and/or Ireland to western Lancaster County in the first
half of the eighteenth century. Since Ellen Burnett Cavitt, compiler of
"Some Tracings of Cavitt/Cavett Family History, 1725-1965," cites no
sources for the information she offers about the earliest Cavitt
immigrants, it cannot be regarded as credible - particularly in view of
the many known inaccuracies which diminish so much of her book. I
presume, however, that the Will of John Cavitt (probated in 1784) which
she quotes in its entirety, is correct.
Mrs. Cavitt says that John (1713-1784) was third of the seven sons of a
Moses Cavitt who was born in Scotland in 1684, moved to Ireland in 1738
and came to America with his three youngest sons in 1750. Although she
quotes the source of John's Will as Lancaster County, PA, she states that
he died in Augusta County, Virginia.....confusing him with a nephew and
namesake (a son of Richard and Catherine Whitley Cavitt) who did move
there from western Pennsylvania some years earlier.
John's Will indicates that each of his three sons, John, James and
Thomas, had a son named John and Mrs. Cavitt tells us that Patric Cavit,
purportedly the elder John's youngest brother, also had a son named John.
Thus for a time, at least, there may have been as many as six John
Cavitts living concurrently in western Pennsylvania. If this was the
case, it is little wonder that E. B. Cavitt simply lists the John
Cavet/Cavit/Cavett/Cavitts mentioned in "Penn Archives" but makes no
attempt to sort out them out.
Bottom line; I can't help you much.