Capt. Joshua Hitch

From the book, The Founders and Builders of the Oranges, we find the following: "Capt. Joshua Hitch son of Samuel was born in Fairhaven Mass He was a well known sea captain and a brave and fearless officer. During the War of 1812, he commanded the privateer Governor Gerry. She was schooner built and thoroughly equipped for business. After landing a cargo of silks and other valuable goods in some French port she came out July 29 1813 and ran directly into a fleet of British men of war. She was given chase and only surrendered after she had carried away all her spars. Capt. Hitch carried the first American flag to Rio Grande Brazil. He married Mary Wilkey and had a son Henry Hiram."

From A Hitch Orchard, Daisy Hitch Davies, 1931: "Joshua Hitch was born in Fairhaven, MA. He was a well known sea Captain and a brave and fearless officer. During the War of 1812, he commanded a cargo of silks and other valuable goods in some French port, she came out Jul 29 1813 and ran directly into a fleet of British Men of War. She was given chase and only surrendered after her spars had been carried away. Captain Hitch carried the first American Flag to the Rio Grande, Brazil." (See Munsell) Also Historical Sketches of Old Dartmouth Vol. 6, p. 13., likewise see MA Hist. Mag. Vol 2 page 208."

In the Federal Census of 1810, Joshua Hitch is indicated on page 291 in a household in Bristol County, Massachusetts with one male under age 10, one male age 16-26, one male age 26-45, one female age 16-26 and one female age 26-45.

Joshua married Mary (Polly) Wilkey on 21 Oct 1802 in New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA.¹ (Mary (Polly) Wilkey was born on 08 Mar 1785,^{3 4} died on 20 Jan 1818 and was buried about 23 Jan 1818 in Riverside Cemetery, Fairhaven, Bristol Co., MA.)

Joshua next married Abigail Sherman, daughter of Isaac Sherman and Elizabeth (?), on 21 Apr 1821 in Bristol Co., MA.² (Abigail Sherman was born about 1789 ³ and died in 1851 ³.)