Dr. William J. Short Hitch

BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER DURING THE CIVIL WAR. While still on the subject of the Civil War, we often hear people say the event was literally brother against brother at War and that normally references siblings joining fighting units opposing each other for the USA and the CSA. However, I found a story where it applied to civilians as well in the local area here on the Shore. This is an interesting finding that literally pitted family members against each other during the conflict. Dr. William J. Short Hitch (1838-1921) was son of Delaware Senator William Hitch (1802-1886) and his wife Maranda Short (1818-1888), Senator Hitch (see his photo below) was a strong pro-slavery member of the Sussex Co., Delaware contingent and often butted heads with reps from the northern part of the state. Their son Dr. Hitch evidently carried that same sentiment. However, Dr. Hitch's brother, George Philip Hitch (1840-1923), was a strong Union Man and was vocal in his position as well. The family lived just to the east of Laurel in Sussex Co., DE.

Dr. William J.S. Hitch left an interesting trail of letters that still reside in the National Archives complaining of Union troops disparaging his land by taking wood for fires from it. He wrote letters to the War Dept. demanding reparations for scavenging. One of the letters that Union officers sent between one another about the accusations said something like, we've never got such complaints from true "Union Men" in the area and they basically ignored Hitch's complaints.

Then, evidently, Dr. Hitch crossed the line as seen in the attached letter (below) where he was found guilty of aiding a Confederate soldier to escape the area near Laurel. The body of the letter states, "In this that the said William Hitch Jr. did at or near the Town of Laurel aforesaid and on or about the 12th Day of August 1863 assist in the escape of a rebel soldier known to be such to wit, William T. Cooper, out of said Town of Laurel by furnishing and permitting to be furnished a certain Waggon (sic) or Dearborn to be used in the conveyance of said Wm. T. Cooper thereby knowingly harboring and protecting an enemy of the United States." The letter was signed by Ed Gylee? but, that is not the surprising part of this as the witnesses signing were William C. Rust and Dr. Hitch's own younger brother Geo. Philip Hitch! William Hitch was taken as a political prisoner by the Union Army.

In the second paper below, we see that, on Dec 24 1863, Dr. Hitch was subsequently commended to be released upon the conditions that he swear an Oath of Allegiance (see below) to the United States, remain under "honor parole" confinement to Sussex County and report to the Commanding Officer of the Union Army in Salisbury, MD monthly on the 15th of each month for the duration. He had spent 4 1/2 months in the military jail before released on parole. I wonder how the relationship between the two Hitch brothers were after that affair and, furthermore, how the relationship was with their father, the Delaware Senator????

In the Federal Census of 1870, William Hitch is listed in a household in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware (page 672) in a household as follows: - William Hitch, age 30, doctor, born in DE - Harriet Hitch, age 21, born in DE

In the Federal Census of 1880, Dr. William S. Hitch is listed in a household in Laurel, Little Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware (page 50) as follows: - Dr. William S. Hitch, age 40, born in DE - Lucretia Hitch, age 19, born in DE - Victor C. Hitch, age 8, born in DE.

In the Federal Census of 1920, William S. Hitch is listed in a household in Pocomoke, Worcester County, Maryland as follows: - William S. Hitch, age 81, born in DE - Nettie A. Hitch, age 53, born in MD.

His tombstone indicates birth date as 9/30/1830. This should be 1840 as indicated by Census and other records or 1838 as stated on his death certificate.

From his Death Certificate: William A. Hitch, born 9/30/1838, died 11/9/1921, age 83-1-9. Was a retired physician. Burial in Laurel, Delaware on 11/12/1921. Father born in Maryland?, mother in Delaware.

His tombstone reads, "O wonderous works, he healed the sick."

William married Harriett E. (Hattie) Hearn, daughter of Nathaniel Hearn and Eliza Jane Smith, about 1868 in DE. (Harriett E. (Hattie) Hearn was born on 08 Sep 1848 in Sussex Co., DE,^{2 10 11} died on 19 Mar 1878 in Laurel, Sussex Co., DE ² and was buried about 22 Mar 1878 in Centenary U.M. Church, Laurel, Sussex Co., DE.)

William next married Lucretia R. Johnson on 08 Jan 1880 in New Castle Co., DE.¹ (Lucretia R. Johnson was born in 1861 in DE ¹².)

William next married Alice Annette Crissy?. (Alice Annette Crissy? was born in 1867 in MD ¹³.)