Mayhew Robinson Hitch

  Notes:

In the Federal Census of 1900, Mayhew R. Hitch is listed in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts in a household as follows: - Mayhew R. Hitch, born 2/1868 in MA - Sarah E. Hitch, born 1/1874 in MA.

The following is a short biography from "Who's Who in Massachusetts, 1940-41): Mayhew Robinson Hitch, Judge - Born: New Bedford, MA 2/6/1867 - Father: James Cannon Hitch - Mother: Louise A. Robinson Married Sarah Elizabeth Kelley of New Bedford on 6/19/1895. - Children: Mayhew Robinson Hitch Jr.
Sarah Elizabeth Hitch - Educated at New Bedford High School and Boston University School of Law. - Admitted to the Mass. Bar in 1889 and set up a General Practice in New Bedford. - Became Assistant DA for Bristol Co. In 1898 - Chaiman of the Adm. Committee of Massachusetts Probate Courts - Member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Society of Mayflower Descendants - Member of the Wamsutta (New Bedford) - Unitarian and Republican. - Home and office in New Bedford.

The following is a paraphrased obituary: "Mayhew R. Hitch, 89, jurist in state. Judge, Dean of Probate Court Judges in Massachusetts when retired in 1948, died of a heart attack at his home in New Bedford, Massachusetts, he was 89. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University Law School in 1889. He married Sarah Elizabeth Kelley in 1895, also of New Bedford, who survives. They observed their 60th wedding anniversary in June 1955." (New York Times, 9/10/1956, page 27, col. 2).

Finally, "The National Cyclopedia of American Biography," gives the following"

"HITCH, Mayhew Robinson, judge, was born in New Bedford, Mass., Feb. 6, 1867, son of . James Cannon and Louise (Robinson) Hitch and grandson of Charles and Abby (Bosworth) Hitch. His father was deputy collector of customs in New Bedford. Mayhew R. Hitch received his preliminary education at public schools in New Bedford and was graduated I.L.B. in 1889 at Boston University. Admitted to the Massachusetts bar in that year, he established a law practice in New Bedford in association with William M. Butler under the title of Butler & Hitch. This partnership was maintained until 1897, when he became associated with William B. Perry in the firm of Hitch & Perry. Upon the dissolution of this firm in 1903 he became senior member in the firm of Hitch & Sparrow. Two years later he joined Merton C. Fisher and Lemuel LeBaron Dexter in forming the firm of Hitch, Fisher & Dexter. Meanwhile, he had become active in public life in 1898 as assistant district attorney of Bristol County, Mass. In 1921 he was appointed to the Probate Court of Bristol County, continuing on that bench until his retirement in 1948. Additionally, in 1935 he was one of three probate judges aimed to attempt to coordinate a state committee of the probate courts, and from 1937 to 1947 he served as chairman of the administrative committee of the Massachusetts Probate Courts. Aside from his professional interests, he was president of E. Anthony & Sons, Inc., owners of the New Bedford Standard-Times, from 1932 to 1955 and vice-president of that company thereafter until his death. In addition, he was a director of Bristol Mills, Butler Mills, Kilburn Mills, and the Nield Manufacturing Co., all New Bedford cotton mills. Hitch was the author of "Practice and Procedure in Probate Courts" (1952). He was a member of the American, Massachusetts State, Bristol County, and New Bedford bar associations, Society of Mayflower Descendants, Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the English-Speaking Union of the United States, Old Dartmouth Historical Society, and the Wamsutta and Brooks clubs of New Bedford. His religious affiliation was with the Unitarian church. Politically he was a Republican. Travel and gardening were his chief recreational interests. He was married in New Bedford, June 19, 1895, to Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Sampson Kelley of that city, a banker, and bid two children, Mayhew Robinson and Sarah. Mayhew R. Hitch died in New Bedford, Mass., Sept. 8, 1956."

  Events

• Graduation, 1889, Boston University Law School - Magna Cum Laude.

Mayhew married Sarah Elizabeth Kelley, daughter of Charles Sampson Kelley and Sarah Anthony, on 19 Jun 1895 in New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA.^{1 2} (Sarah Elizabeth Kelley was born in Jan 1874 in MA ⁶ and died after 10 Sep 1956.)