Ezekiel Hitch

In the Aug Court of 1732 for Somerset County, Rachell Hitch offered, with Daniel Cordry and Timothy Adkinson, bond of £139.4.2 for orphans William, John, Nehemiah, Rachell and Ezekiel Hitch "of William Hitch, dec'd". Balance due from account of estate of £64.12.1 to be paid when they are "of full age." (SoJ-1730/33:248)

Ezekiel Hitch's first time on the Somerset County Tax Lists was in 1747, indicating that he probably had just recently attained the age of 15 years. This probably means that Ezekiel was born just a little after his father's death in 1730. This line is not clear, but it does agree with the Daisy Hitch Davies assessment in A Hitch Orchard of 1931. The uncertainty revolves around the question to whether there were two Ezekiel Hitches as listed here in a father-son relationship or, was there only one that lived to the old age of 98? Circumstantial and factual evidence supports either possibility although it was rare (but not impossible) for a person to live to age 98, especially in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Also, under the one Ezekiel theory, he would have been age 50 to 52 during his service in the militia in the Revolutionary War. Such an age would be considered an old man in those days when the average life expectancy was about 40 years. In this document, I show the father-son Ezekiel setup so that the generations can be shown as such. However, I leave it to the reader to remember that there may have only been one Ezekiel who lived to a very old age. One slight hint of evidence for the two Ezekiel theory surfaces when, in 1891, George Wilson Hitch's (1809-1891) obituary states that his grandfather Ezekiel had a father named Ezekiel. The dates were wrong in that reference (e.g., it states the first Ezekiel was born in 1690 and the second in 1730), however it may provide a clue to a fact that was clouded through the years.

In the 1747 Somerset County Tax List, "Ezecall" Hitch is listed in the same household in Wicomico Hundred as George Vinson. In the 1748 Somerset County Tax List, "Ezekiell" Hitch is listed in a household in Wicomico Hundred as the only taxable. In the 1749 Somerset County Tax List, "Ezcakil" Hitch is listed in the same household in Wicomico Hundred as Nehemiah Hitch. In the 1750 Somerset County Tax List, Ezekiel Hitch is listed in the same household in Wicomico Hundred as George Vinson. On Nov 20 1750, Allen Gray sold Ezekiel Hitch 50 acres of land called "Gravelly Hill" for £15 (SoLR-A:205). It was the land willed to him by John Gray. This was confirmed in the Somerset County rent rolls for the same date for the tract called "Gravelly Hill" (total 50a, yr. rent £0.2.0) surveyed Dec 10 1721 at N side of Wicomico River. (SoRR-10:281)

In the 1751 Somerset County Tax List, Ezekiel Hitch is listed in a household in Wicomico Hundred as the only taxable. In the 1752 Somerset County Tax List, "Zeekall" Hitch is listed in a household in Wicomico Hundred as the only taxable. In the 1753 Somerset County Tax List, "Zeekall" Hitch is listed in a household in Wicomico Hundred as the only taxable. On Feb 10 1757, Ezekiel Hitch patented 50 acres of land called "Hitch's Choice." (Settlers of Maryland 1751-1765, Peter Wilson Coldham; and MdHR Index #55, Land Patents by Tract, BC11:188 and GS10:342) In the 1757 Somerset County Tax List, "Ezekell" Hitch is listed in a household in Wicomico Hundred as the only taxable.

Ezekiel Hitch patented land called "Hitch's Choice" in 1759. He received a warrant of survey on Sep 15 1759, land warranted to William Adams on Nov 8 1756 for 50 acres in Somerset County "…beginning at a marked white oak standing on the north side of the head of the Wicomico River back in the woods and on the north side of John Hitch's plantation by the east side of said Ezekiel Hitch's plantation." Thence, NE 80 poles, thence NW 100 poles, thence SW 80 poles, thence with a right line to the beginning. (SoLP)

Ezekiel Hitch does not show up again until 1780 as a member of the Somerset Maryland Militia. That Ezekiel Hitch is no doubt the one in the DAR lineage records born in 1748 and died in 1828 and a probable son of this Ezekiel Hitch. It is therefore assumed that this Ezekiel Hitch died not long after he patented "Hitch's Choice" in 1757. No extant wills or inventories have been found.

Ezekiel Hitch is listed for the first time on the Somerset County Tax Lists in 1747 suggesting he had reached age 15 near that time. (SoTL-1747)

Ezekiel married about 1750 in Somerset Co., MD.