Nathaniel T. Petty was born in 1873. He gave his birth date as 22 January 1873 when he registered for the World War I draft on 12 September 1918. That form does not include a birth place. When he applied for a Social Security number, Nath gave his birth date as 21 February 1873 and his birthplace as Madisonville, Tennessee. Since the family lived in either Logan or Hopkins County, Kentucky at that time, his birthplace was Madisonville, Kentucky, which is in Hopkins County. His correct birth date is unknown.
Nath was three and a half years old when his mother died in July 1876. He was one of the five children who went to live with their aunt Mary Thomas Echols in Forsyth County, Georgia, after Margaret died.
On 12 May 1906, Nath married Delia Harmon in Cherokee County, Georgia. Delia was born on 11 February 1887 in Georgia. Her parents were James Matison Harmon and Emaline Bennett.
By 1910, Nath and Delia lived on Lowe Avenue in Collins District in Fulton County, Georgia, and Nath worked as an engineer on the railroad. They had two children. Alma was born on 10 March 1907. Emmett was born on 17 March 1909. Both children were born in Georgia, probably in Cherokee or Fulton County.
Delia died on 23 June 1914 at their home in Peachtree Park area of Atlanta in Fulton County. She was buried in Pleasant Hill Christian Church Cemetery in Cagle, Pickens County, Georgia.
Nath married Amanda Kincaid about 1915. Amanda was born on 20 June 1896 in Fannin County, Georgia. Her parents were Calvin Kincaid and Pairlee Lands.
Nath and Amanda’s son Clifford gave his birthplace as Copperhill, Tennessee, which is in Polk County, when he applied for a Social Security number. He said he was born in Fannin County, Georgia when he registered for the World War II draft. Amanda’s parents lived in Sugar Creek in Fannin County, which borders Polk County and is fourteen miles from Copperhill. Clifford was also inconsistent about his birth year giving the date as 22 January 1916 to Social Security and 22 January 1917 on his draft registration.
When Nath registered for the World War I draft on 12 September 1918, they lived in Etowah, McMinn County, Tennessee. Geneva Harriet was born on 22 June 1919 in Cooperhill.
In 1920, Nath and Amanda lived in Fairplay in Cherokee County, Georgia, and he farmed. They apparently soon moved as Pauline was born on 2 November 1921 in Whitestone in Gilmer County, Georgia.
The family lived in Town Creek in Gilmer County in 1930, but it is possible they moved between 1921 and 1928 and then returned to Gilmer County. Dorothy was born about 1924 in either Tennessee or Georgia, but the exact location is unknown. John William was born on 23 February 1926 in Copperhill, Tennessee. Annie Mae was born on 18 November 1928 in Gilmer County. In 1930, Nath worked as a fireman in a dolomite mine.
Nath and Amanda moved to Pickens County, Georgia, by the time their youngest child, Bertha Neel, was born there on 10 August 1933. Amanda died on 30 June 1936 in Ball Ground in Cherokee County where they lived since at least 1935. She was buried in Four Mile Baptist Church Cemetery in Pickens County.
Nath lived in the Dug Road District in Pickens County in 1940 and was again farming. The six youngest of his and Amanda’s seven children lived with him.
On 30 October 1942, Nath died in Pickens County. He was buried beside Amanda in Four Mile Baptist Church Cemetery.