Henry Atwood Hitch Sr.

The following article is from "The Allen Historian" of August 2000

Recollections of the Hitch Family of Allen, by H. Atwood Hitch (written January 15, 1972)

Robert Thornton Phoebus Hitch (b. 7-28-1873; d. 4-15-1946) and Edith Ellen Bounds (b. 7-12-1875; d. 3-7-1945) Married on December 18, 1895.

I, Henry Atwood Hitch, was born November 19, 1896, about one mile from Allen, MD at the home of my Grandfather and Grandmother, Robert John (Jack) Hitch (b. 11-17-1833; d. 4-28-1901) and his wife, the former Sarah Amanda Phoebus (b. 10-24-1836; d. 12-25-1904).

Allen, Maryland was originally known as Upper Trappe. The name Allen came from the name of the first postmaster, Joseph Allen. His wife was the former Mary Phoebus, sister of Amanda Phoebus.

When I was a few months old, my parents went to live on the north side of the Wicomico River, a distance of about two miles from Salisbury, Maryland. My father was a tenant farmer on a farm known as "Bell" Farm. The farm was located on what was called River Road, west of Salisbury, Maryland. We lived in a tenant house, which was practically on an island along the north side of the river.

When I was two years old, my parents went back to Allen and purchased a General Store, which they operated for about two years.

When I was about four years old, my father rented a farm and sold the general store. My sister Hannah was born October 27, 1898, while my parents were living here. The farm was located in Somerset County about one mile from Loretto Railroad Station and about one mile from a crossroads place located at the head of one branch of Wicomico Creek, known as "Head of the Creek". The distance from the farm north to the village of Allen, Maryland was 3 1/4 miles and south to Princess Anne, Maryland was 3 1/2 miles. The farm was owned by Judge Lore, who lived in Wilmington, DE. The "Head of the Creek" was favored with one general store, two houses, and one single room school house. Seven grades were taught there. In September, 1901, at the age of five years and ten months, I started school at the one room school at the "Head of the Creek". During the period of November 19, 1896 to the summer of 1901, my Grandfather Hitch had purchased a small place near the Allen School. In 1901 my Grandfather Hitch died at the age of 69. Robert John (Jack) Hitch was born May 7, 1901.

About 1902, my father purchased my Grandfather's place near the Allen School from his estate. During the next two years my Father farmed this small place in addition to running the Grist Mill at Allen. This was the worst mistake he ever made in my opinion. Only fifteen acres of land and the quality of soil was such that it was impossible to be at all productive. My parents had prospered well while living on Judge Lore's farm. During these 2 years, the original house burned to the ground and a new house had to be built. There was no insurance on the house and these two years proved to be very difficult financial times. Perhaps the most trying period for my father and mother in their lifetime.

In the summer of 1904, Howard Chandler Christy, the artist, bought a farm on Wicomico Creek in Somerset County 2 1/2 miles from the "Head of the Creek". My father was employed to run this farm for Mr. Christy, so we moved from Allen to this farm. Once again, I was back in school at the one room schoolhouse at the "Head of the Creek". My brother Howard was born on this farm on September 7, 1905 and was named after Mr. Christy, Howard Christy Hitch.

This I remember as the period in which I enjoyed most in my life as a farm boy. This farm was a large acreage and located on the Creek. We had ducks, geese, turkey, chickens, hogs, cattle, as well as horses and mules. A new barn was constructed while we lived there. Many fond memories do I have of those days on this farm. We lived very well for farm folks. We had driving horses, buggies, a surrey with two seats. We went to the fair at Pocomoke, Maryland with two horses hitched to the surrey - in all, a period to remember. We lived there until December, 1907, when Mr. Christy sold the farm and we moved back to the place near Allen which my father had been leasing. My brother Paul Phoebus Hitch was born here February 2, 1908.

Again the struggle was on to make a living on 15 acres of nondescript land, renting land away from home, and my father was running a saw mill for Uncle Peter Bounds along with other employment, when time would permit. As a family, however, we were fortunate, as Mother was a woman of unusual resourcefulness, thrift and natural executive ability. My father was hardworking, thrifty, sober and of integrity beyond reproach. Here again the family was a unit, which was helpful for the success to earn a livelihood, as we knew as children at a young age the financial situation.

We went to school at Allen School, which was about 300 yards from our house. I went to school here through the eighth grade, but failed my final examination in May, 1911, which was no surprise to me, since I had lost so much time in the fall of 1910 and the spring of 1911 due to farm work. As I was the oldest of five children, it naturally fell my lot to carry on farm chores of which I may have been capable, thereby adding to the family income. My mother was determined that I should have some education. That, in her opinion, would be the most value to me to earn a living (other than farming). The result - I never went back to public school, but enrolled in Beacon Business College in Salisbury, Maryland in the fall of 1911.

The year 1911 was a fairly good year for farming. My father rented 15 acres of land for $50 cash rent. We planted the entire acreage in tomatoes and had an excellent crop. The price received was only 15 cents per 5/8 bushell, but a crop of tomatoes was so unusual we had more cash money than usual when fall came. This resulted in my starting to Business College in September, 1911. In order to get to Salisbury, my parents bought me a bicycle, as the distance from Allen to Salisbury was seven and one-half miles, which distance I covered each school day. I only missed three days due to snow. The bicycle cost $29.50 and the make was a "Kennelworth".

For some time I had been trying to convince my father that he should sell the 15 acres of nondescript land and buy a larger farm with better quality land. He found such a place in summer, 1912, which was one mile west of Allen on the road to Collins Wharf, a boat landing for the BC & ARR steamers plying the waters between Salisbury and Baltimore, Maryland. The BC & ARR stood for Baltimore Chesapeake and Atlantic Railroad Company. He sold the old 15 acre place, which was originally my Grandfather's home, and purchased this new farm. The new farm did not have much of a house - two rooms up and two rooms down. But this farm had quite a quantity of pine timber, which had much to do with my father buying it.

His calculation of the timber value was equal to the value of the purchase price. His knowledge of timber value was a result of working with Uncle Peter Bounds in the saw mill business. The timber made into lumber resulted in the house being enlarged by adding two rooms down and two rooms upstairs. Not a bad country home. The timber deal worked out very well from a financial standpoint. Most of it was worked for mine timbers for use in anthracite mines in Pennsylvania. He received $3.00 per ton for the timber. We hauled them on wagons to Fruitland, Maryland, a distance of five miles, where they were loaded in coal cars for shipment. The quality of land was much improvement over the former place.

The fall of 1912 found me back at Beacon Business College, as I had not completed the necessary studies to receive a diploma. During this time I rode my bike 8 1/2 miles each morning and evening from our new home to Salisbury, Maryland, one mile of which was dirt road.

The spring of 1913 found me back on the farm, having received a diploma from Beacon Business College. I spent the summer on the farm as well as helping in the handling of the mine timber operations. The fall of 1913, with farming operations about over for the year and the mine timber operations completed as far as timber on this farm, it was a time for less push and hard work. My mother never wanted me to try to make a living on the farm, and yet at heart I was a farmer. But events do happen to change our whole future.

My mother had a brother, my Uncle Carroll Bounds, who was working on the Pennsylvania Railroad passenger steamer from Cape Charles, Virginia to Norfolk, Virginia. He wrote and said he had a job for me on the boat. Of course my mother was anxious that I take the job. But here again, a farmer at heart and being part of a close-knit family, I did not want to go. But I did. It was September, 1913 and I would be 18 years old on November 19. Somehow, I had never grown as some 18 year olds did. I weighed only 108 pounds and had never worn long trousers due to lack of size and height. My mother and I went to Salisbury and bought a suit with long trousers. As I remember they had to cut off about 12 inches from the pants. Not a perfect fit to say the least. But I could not go out in the world to assume a position as a grown up wearing short trousers. The suit cost $14.50. I left Salisbury on the train for Cape Charles, Virginia, to go out into the world to earn a livelihood. Before I reached Pocomoke, Maryland, a distance of 15 miles, I found myself sitting in that railroad coach with tears rolling down my cheeks. Again, I suppose that family unity came to the front.

In the Federal Census of 1920, H. Atwood Hitch and his brother are listed as employees on the U.S.S. Maryland in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia as follows: - H. Atwood Hitch, age 23, born in MD - Robert J. Hitch, age 18, born in MD.

Henry married Rosalee Harrell, daughter of Richard Henry Harrell and Mary Ann (?), on 05 Jun 1920. (Rosalee Harrell was born on 05 Apr 1898 in Franklin, VA,⁷ died on 13 Jun 1952 in VA and was buried about 16 Jun 1952 in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Granby St., Norfolk, VA.)

Henry next married Blanche Ramey Hazelgrove on 26 Dec 1953. (Blanche Ramey Hazelgrove was born on 01 Feb 1903 and died on 12 Feb 1983.)