Mary Elizabeth Dennis

Mary Elizabeth Hitch wrote her will on May 23, 1849 and included the following:

Vicksburg Miss May the 23 1849

Knowing the uncertainty of this mortal life and the certainty of Death and thinking perhaps that I may not have an opportunity when I come to my dawn on the bed of Death of if I should knowing that I shall have something of more importance to engrace my attention than this world and its concerns; having no kindred Friends to communicate my wishes to and also knowing the invalidity of such a procedeing; I have thought best; to express my wishes on paper with regard to the raising - education and management of my Dear Boy and and what little property I may have to give him; this property what ever it may be must be managed with economy to give him such an education as I desire and I think that it will be sufficient; should no unforeseen circumstance or calamity befall, and in fact I want no pains spared in his education let it take all the interest if it is necessary, and I desire that Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown my Neighbours take my child into their family and treat him as their own children and above all things watch his morals be kind and gentle to him as a lamb committed to theor charge, and in case they should refuse or have left the place I desire that he be placed in some Religious family that will take the same pains with him and in either instance Mr. Patterson or whoever may be in his place shall have the prvalige and is requested to visit him for the purpose of adviseing him and instructing him, and in case the Mr. Brown refuse or shall have left the place, and an Episcopal Minister in the place who has a family then I desire that he be placed in their family with the same privealige of managing as their own and in either case the court shall allow whatever is right for his Board,

the request of a Departed Mother
Mary E. Hitch

Vicksburg Miss May the 23 1849

A Synopsis of My Will

I Mary Elizabeth Hitch of the City of Vicksburg or vicinity do make and publish this my last will and testament.

First I direct that my body be decently inter'd with as lettle expence as possible and according to the rites of the Episcopal Church; and as to such worldly estate as it has pleased God to intrust me with I dispose of as follows; first, I direct that my funeral expenses and what debts I may owe be paid out of the first moneys that shall come into the hands of my executors - Secondly - I direct that all my household property be sold to the best advantage consisiting of all my property furniture stock or whatever else may be on the lot with exception of what I shall name wich is as follows Two likenesses one of his Farther and one of my self one half doz. Table spoons and the same of tea spoons three or four of my best bed quilts and my jewelry Two volumes of Blairs Sermons my Bibles and Prayr Books to be reserved together with Oscars own Books and kept for him by some Friend Thirdly - I direct that my house be rented out for whatever value may be set on it and reasonable repaires made to be paid out of the rent also one lot adjoining Mr. Folks and Hunt to be rented or leased for a Term of years not excedeing ten years this left at the discretion of my Executors to do what ever ever may be most _________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ____ otherwise disabled before he dies, Eby shall also have her own time by paying to the said county of Warren and city of Vicksburg the sum of twelve dollars and a half to the above named county and city each yearly, in consideration of which the said county and city shall appropriate a sufficiency out of the money paid in for that purpose to support her in case she should be past searvis or disabled before she dies, the above named sums shall be paid into the hands of persons appointed for that purpose, I have provided for the two searvants named above in this way provided it is lawful and if it is not lawful they shall be disposed as the others named below that is in the same way;

Margaret and her increase Mary and her increase and William shall have the privalege of choosing their masters and shall be sold but shall not be sold out of the county of Warren without their consent if they are they shall be free this money that is received from the sale of Margaret and her increase Mary and her increase and William shall be equally divided into three parts, one part of shall be paid to the vestry of the Episcopal Church of the city of Vicksburg for the purpose of keeping up the repairs of the said church, the second part shall be appropriated to the use of the free shool in the said city, the third and last part shall be appropriated to the use of the Episcopal Missionary Society to be paid into the hands of the vestry of the said church whose business it shall be to pay it to those who is duly authorized to receive it, there shall be fifty dollars deducted out of this and appropriated to the Sunday Shool Library of the above named church for the benifit of the Youth, the will of Mary Elizabeth Hitch.

the contents of this will may be copied by some efficient person or a lawyer and condensed in fewer words than I have taken to explain my wishes but not one jot nor little of the meaning shall be altered and I think it is sufficiently plain for any person to understand.

Riten with my o wn hand and in my perfect mind this twenty third day of May Eighteen hundred and forty-nine.
Mary Elizabeth Hitch

NB this will may be coppied if thought nessary by a lawyer and shall be done ten ^and proven^ ten days after my decease.

In the Federal Census of 1850, Mary E. Hitch is indicated in Warren County, Mississippi (page 203) in a household as follows: - Mary E. Hitch, age 38, $1,000 in land, born in MD - John Whitington Hitch, age 10, born in MS.

In Fisher's Funeral Home Records 1854-1865 (Vicksburg, MS - original manuscript), it states for "April 2, 1857: Mary E. Hitch, age 47½, residence Warren Co., Dr. Harper. Coffin, case, grave and hearse $35.00; extra trip $3.00 for a total of $38.00. Thomas Hackett Dr."

The "Vicksburg Weekly Whig" of April 8, 1857 ran her obituary stating "Died on the 2d of April 1857 in the vicinity of Vicksburg, in the 48th year of her age, Mrs. Mary E. Hitch, relict of J.W. Hitch. Esq., formerly merchant of this city."

Her tombstone states she was born in Maryland.

Annotation in the Fisher Funeral Home Record in Vicksburg, Mississippi:

April 2, 1857: Mary E. Hitch, age 47½, residence Warren Co., Dr. Harper. Coffin, case, grave and hearse $35.00; extra trip $3.00 for a total of $38.00. Thomas Hackett Dr.

Plot is in Division B, Square 24, Lot 2.

Mary married Joshua Whittington Hitch, son of John Hitch and Jane (Jean, Jeanie) Polk, on 06 Sep 1826 in Worcester Co., MD.¹ (Joshua Whittington Hitch was born in 1799 in MD,^{9 10 11 12} died on 09 Jun 1844 in Vicksburg, Warren Co., MS ^{13 14 15} and was buried on 10 Jun 1844 in Vicksburg, Warren Co., MS ⁸.)