Octavia Matilda Hitch

From "A Hitch Orchard" by Daisy Hitch Davies (1932):

>>Mrs. Collins has always been interested in the Hitch family history. She has a chest of old papers, land grants etc. She sent me much data for her line and is a very interesting and clever woman. Following is a copy of the land grand to her ancestor, Ezekiel Hitch, as it was sent to me:

"From Frederick under Lord Baltimore - Mr. Ezekiel Hitch pat. 50 Acres, Somerset Co., MD. called "Hitch's Choice" in Liber B. Land Grants #10 Folio 342. From an agreement by virtue of an assignment from Mr. Adams, granted the said Adams the 8th. of Nov. 1756 - Feb. 10, 1757."

This property is still owned by Mrs. Collins. Her father lived on it all his life. All her brothers and sisters were born there. There her daughter Blanche and a nephew were born. It is situated five miles from Salisbury, MD; about eight miles from Laurel, Del. and about four and one half miles from the Delaware line. A part of the old house is still standing but a tenant set fire to the stable with a cigarette. It burned all the old out houses, brandy house, big barn, cider mill, shelter, corncrib, horse stables, cow stables, shop, etc. There is still standing a very old log cabin near the kitchen. I took a picture of this cabin when I visited the farm in the summer of 1930. On this old farm Mrs. Collins also spent her honeymoon. She resides at Norfolk, Va., is a democrat, Episcopalian and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution on the record of Ezekiel Hitch - the only one by 1930 to join on his record.<<

Ms. Davies also cites a letter written by Mrs. Collins:

"March 7, 1917, written by Octavia Hitch Collins:
"I have written some cousins of mine, Ezekiel's daughters, to find out if they have anything. Aunt Rachel never married and lived with him all his married life dying at the age of 87, so these girls were grown long before her death and it is possible they have heard and can remember something that will be of interest. My first ancestor was Ezekiel. He married Betsy Piper. This is the beginning of the record in the old Bible. They had two children, Robert and Betsy. Betsy died. Robert (my grandpa) married Nellie Wilson. They had three sons, George (my father), Ezekiel (Frank Hitch's father) and Robert who left three sons, Herbert, George Robert, and Ernest - live in Salisbury, MD. Herbert has a son grown and married named for my brother Samuel. I can't think whether George Robert has sons ........."

Octavia married Samuel Quinton Collins I, son of Joseph R. Collins and Jane H. Parker, on 10 Dec 1867 in Wicomico Co., MD.¹ (Samuel Quinton Collins I was born in 1840 in Worcester Co., MD,^{6 7} died in 1926 in VA ² and was buried in 1926 in Elmwood Cemetery, Norfolk, VA.)