He was born in 1736 near Amwell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States, of French Huguenot stock. His father, whose family emigrated to southern New York about 1650, was a Philadelphia importing merchant and an underwriter of marine insurance.
Charles received a classical education.
Through the influence of Joseph Reed, his wife's half-brother, he held minor public offices in New Jersey and was appointed a provincial surrogate November 19, 1767. On April 3, 1770, he was admitted to the bar as an attorney and on November 17, 1773, as counselor.
He succeeded Reed as deputy secretary of the province, clerk of the council and of the supreme court, October 27, 1769, and was appointed aide to Gov. William Franklin in 1771, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. When Franklin was arrested as a Loyalist in 1776, Pettit cast in his lot with the colonies and continued as secretary under the new state government until 1778. On October 8, 1776, he was appointed aide to Gov. William Livingston with the rank of colonel, and in the following year drafted a plan for oyer and terminer courts for the new state régime.
On Gen. Nathanael Greene's recommendation Pettit was appointed assistant quartermaster-general of the Continental Army, Mar. 2, 1778. His experience with administrative details and his exacting methods well qualified him for the post. In the keeping of accounts and cash, the particular duties assigned to him, he inaugurated many needed reforms. In the face of congressional interference and a treasury "wretchedly poor" he found his duties exceedingly difficult, and in 1780 would have quit the place if he could have done so "without evident impropriety. " When Greene resigned as quartermaster-general, Pettit was offered the post, but emphatically declined it. He retained his assistantship, however, feeling that the prompt settlement of all accounts in the department would be facilitated by his remaining.
He finally resigned June 20, 1781. After the war he became an importing merchant in Philadelphia. During 1784-85 he was in the Pennsylvania assembly. From 1785 to 1787 he was a member of Congress.
During 1790-91 he was delegated to present to Congress Pennsylvania's Revolutionary claims against the federal government.
Much of his later life was devoted to the business of the Insurance Company of North America, of which he was an original director and from 1796 to 1798 and from 1799 to his death, president. He was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania (1791 - 1802).
He died in Philadelphia.
Charles Pettit was well-known as chairman of a committee of merchants in the Pennsylvania assembly, appointed to find means for improving national commerce. He joined with other Philadelphia merchants in opposing the Jay Treaty (1795) and headed a committee appointed to secure relief against French spoliation of American commerce. Pettit was also the delegate for Pennsylvania to the Confederation Congress. Besides, he was the author of Pennsylvania's funding system and of a pamphlet, View of the Principles, Operation and Probable Effects of the Funding System of Pennsylvania.
Although a Constitutionalist in Pennsylvania politics and opposed to parts of the federal Constitution, he urged the adoption of the instrument and at the Harrisburg convention of 1788 called to discuss measures for securing its revision, he was largely instrumental by his conciliatory conduct in placating the Pennsylvania opposition.
He was a member of the American Philosophical Society.
He possessed a calm dignity, a genial manner, and sound practical judgment.
His marriage, April 5, 1758, to Sarah, daughter of Andrew Reed, a Trenton merchant and also his father's business associate in Philadelphia, gave him important connections which opened the way to a public career.
One of his four children, Elizabeth, married Jared Ingersoll; another, Theodosia, married Alexander Graydon. Thomas McKean Pettit was a grandson.
