William Elgate Hitch

In late 1770, Sarah Hitch was appointed guardian to William Elgate Hitch under age 14. Joshua Hitch and George Dashiell gave bonds. (SoJ-1769/72:259)

In Sep 1791, William Elgate Hitch paid £300 to Stephen Christopher for numerous household items (SoLR-IPt I:178). The list of items follows and give a good assessment of the kinds of things available to a late 18th century family:

·12 feather beds & furniture·fire tongs & shovel·2 cases of bottles ·1 negro woman Rose·1 horse saddle & bridle·3 cases of knives & forks ·3 walnut tables·1 cow & calf·12 dozen porter bottles ·4 pine tables·a heifer yearling·1 frying pan ·7 winsor (sic) chairs·13 head of hoggs·9 candle sticks ·24 flag chairs·1 spinning wheel·6 pair snuffers ·1 __________ chest·9 punch bowls·Negro Rose's bed & furniture ·6 dozen plates Queensware·13 tumbler glasses·25 baking & milk pans ·24 puter (sic) plates·24 wine glasses·1 looking glass ·11 oval dishes Queens ware·1 riding chair & harness·3 tureens ·6 puter dishes·1 horse cart & gears·16 sawery (?) cane ·1 set teacups & saucers Cheney·2 trunks·Iron oven ·3 teapots·1 silver watch·1 chafon (sic) dish ·3 copper tea kettles·1 spy glass·4 pewter basons (sic) ·1 iron tea kettle·2 half bushels·24 pewterspoons ·5 iron potts (sic)·4 washing tubs·12 silver teaspoons ·2 kettles·4 water buckets·2 tin coffee pots ·1 pair hand irons·2 cans ·2 pair flat irons·9 casks

On Jan 24 1793, William Elgate Hitch received a warrant to re-survey "Come By Chance." The survey resulted in it taking away land from "High Suffolk" along the latter's south border but giving back some land along "High Suffolk's" west border. This "tightened up" the boundaries between the two tracts that had been off since "Come By Chance" was patented in 1721. The survey also took away some land from "Newberry" and added some vacancies. The new tract was called "Dumbarton" as was described as beginning at a stone standing near the head of Cottingham's Creek, thence S54W 180 poles, thence S19W 230 poles, thence S34W 65 poles, thence S 60 poles, thence S38E 150 poles, thence N3E 4 poles to a stump which is first bound of "Elgat's Lott" and bound of "Newberry", thence S52E 72 poles, thence S7E 80 poles to an intersection with "Munsley", thence ENE 148 poles, thence S43E 5 poles, thence E 228 poles, thence NW½N 59 poles, thence W 285 poles, thence with a right line to the beginning. (SoLP Certificates)

In the Mar court of 1793, William E. Hitch made a petition for a commission to mark and bound his land called "Come By Chance." (SoJ-1791/94, MSA C1774-57, MdHR 13,140-106). On May 11 1793, William Elgate Hitch, "son of Joshua Hitch", sold 100 acres of "Come By Chance" to William Adams. (Land Records of Wicomico County 1666-1810, Ruth Dryden, pg 78; also, General Court of the Eastern Shore Abstract Worcester County Index 1786-1793, MS9:651 [or 657]). On May 15 1793, William Elgate Hitch gave mortgage for land, parts of tracts "Come By Chance" and "High Suffolk" to William Adams, 250 acres, for £250. (SoLR-IPtII:570). This record mentions that this land was "particularly described" in deeds from John Crouch and William Lank to Joshua Hitch, the father of William E. Hitch.

On Aug 16 1795, William Elgate Hitch was involved in a court case, "Anne Adams versus William Elgit Hitch". It was a mortgage foreclosure on "Come By Chance" and "High Suffolk." The case was dismissed under rule docket 1806-07-39. This record states that Joshua Hitch was his father. The case surrounded the fact that William E. Hitch owed William Adams (Anne's husband) £250 and she wants to seize the land. (MdCC Papers, MSA S512-73, MdHR 17898-78). On Aug 15 1796, Elzey Spicer received a deed from Seth Griffith and William Elgate Hitch and Mary his wife. Spicer paid £2.10.0 to Griffith and Hitch for land in Nanticoke Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware that was "Pine Grove Furnace Company's" but became property of Ebenezer Gracy of Derby, Connecticut and Theophilius Brown of New York City. (SxLR-W21:59). On the same date, William Anderson received a deed from Seth Griffith and William Elgate Hitch. Anderson paid £28.7.0 to Griffith and Hitch for "Pine Grove Furnace Company's" land. (SxLR-W:21,60)

On Apr 22 1797, Thomas Laws and Seth Griffith received a deed from William Elgate Hitch and Mary his wife. Laws and Griffith paid $1,000 for 4 acres including "Pine Grove Furnace" where Seth Griffith now resides being part of "New Ireland". Mary Hitch signed as Polly Hitch (SxLR-W21:292). On Oct 24 1797, Azakel Phelps received a deed from William Elgate Hitch and Mary his wife. Phelps paid "Pine Grove Furnace Company's" land - text nearly unreadable! Mary Hitch signed as Polly Hitch (SxLR-W21:219)

In the Commissioners of the Tax Received for 1798-1803 William Elgate Hitch's "heirs" were shown in Rewastico Hundred of Somerset County and assessed taxes for 400 acres of land, etc. at: $710, $860, $815, $1315, $1285, $1285 for each of those years, respectively.

In the Federal Assessment of 1798, William Elgate Hitch was owner and occupant (with Emmanuel Brown) of property "situated near Rockawalkin Branch" in Rewastico Hundred, Somerset County, Maryland consisting of: ·1 framed wood dwelling house, 2 stories, size 34'x30' ·1 framed wood cook house, 1 story, size 16'x12' with shed ·1 room adjoining, size 18'x 16' with covered way ·1 sawed log smoke house, 1 story, size 12'x12' ·1 wood frame carriage house, 1 story, size 10'x14'. Contained 80 perches assessed at $500. Also lists: ·1 framed wood barn, 26'x20' ·1 framed wood corn house, 18'x10' ·1 sawed log house, 12'x14' ·1 log dwelling house, 1 story, 16'x14'. Assessed $75 for buildings. (TA1798)

He was also owner & occupant (with Emmauel Brown) of property "situated near Rockawalkin Branch" in the same area consisting of: ·1 round pole dwelling house, 16'x14' ·1 round pole cook house, 12'x10' ·1 log barn, 14'x16' ·1 round pole meat house, 7'x6' ·77½ acres of land. Assessed $25 for buildings, $80 for land. (TA1798)

In 1798, Robert Boyce "of Sussex County" got Alienation Bond from William Elgate Hitch "of Somerset County, Maryland". Hitch was bound unto Boyce for £1200 where William Hitch is co-partners with Seth Griffith and Thomas Laws having one-third part of 500 total acres in tracts "New Ireland", "Addition to Partners", and "Mill Lott" whereon stands Pine Grove Furnace. It also includes tracts "Mediterranean" and "Waterford" "at the fork of Herring Gut and Cool Branch." (SxLR-W21:443) Also, William Elgate Hitch got Bond of Indemnity from Robert and William Boyce and William Stayton. The three are bound unto Hitch for £2000 when Hitch sold the land as described under Folio 443 of this record. (SxLR-W21:487) On Jan 6 1800, William Elgate Hitch received a deed for land called "Dumbarton" from Littleton and Sarah Ellegood Aires for £0.5.0. (SoLR-M:148)

In 1800, William E. Hitch is indicated as head of household in the Rewastico District, Somerset County (page 68, line 2) with two 2 males age 16-26, one male age 26-45, two females age 10-16, one1 female age 26-45, one female over age 45 and 15 slaves.

On Feb 20 1801, William Elgate Hitch, with Levin Handy as "representatives of a certain Joshua Hitch Sr. late of Som. County", gave bond of £1000 to Hugh Gemmill (SoLR-N:116,121). The record mentions Thomas Hitch has a claim and Laban (Levin) Hitch also as a representative. Folio 121 mentions William Hitch as a representative "now residing in SC". On Jun 22 1802, a bond of William Elgate Hitch for £600 to Harry Dulaney dated Dec 19 1796 on 123¾ acres of land, part of tract "Come by Chance" was recorded in the Land Office by Dulaney. The land was described as beginning where the 1st line of "Come By Chance" crosses a divisional fence formerly established between Francis Lank and Dennis Dulaney and 61½ perches from the end of said line thence, S54W 61½ perches to a chestnut post set up by commissioners, S16¾W 134 perches by and with divisional line between said William E. Hitch and Sarah Hitch, N26E 145 perches till it intersects with afsd divisional line between Lank and Dulaney, N43¼W 106 perches by and with said divisional line to first beginning laid out for 123¾ acres. (SoLR-O:10)

There appeared in a Jun 1802 newspaper a notice that Mary Hitch was the Administrator of William Elgate Hitch's estate .

On Jan 1 1805, well after William Elgate Hitch's death, the battle over his estate continued in the trial between Littleton Aires and Joshua Hitch, William Hitch & heirs-at-law of William Elgate Hitch. The latter was indicated to have died intestate without personal estate sufficient to pay debts but with a considerable amount of real estate. In an Aug 14 1805 deposition by William Elgate Hitch's wife, Mary, she indicated that sons Joshua and William Hitch were about age 8 and 6 respectively. Trustee Tubman Lowes sold Dumbarton (300 acres) on Apr 4 1806 - "land is of good soil well timbered and adapted to the growth of Indian corn, wheat and tobacco about three miles from the town of Salisbury on Rockawalking Branch" - and rights of Sarah Hitch (his mother aged 60 and still alive) and dower rights of Polly Hitch (aged 34). The record indicates that William Elgate Hitch owed about $2,000 and the land only brought $1,306 at the auction. (MSA S512-126, MdHR 17,898-115-1; MdCC-64:234/265). In this record, there are many listings of the accounts of William Elgate Hitch that shed light on his life and about when he died. Examples include the following:

·Exhibit - Joint Account of Samuel Smyly and William E. Hitch at Smyly's store from Mar 31 1796 to Mar 4 1799 where they bought various household items including silk, linen, flannel, muslin, thread, etc. Specific interesting line items include: - Jul 23 1797: paid Titus Baley for you - £1.3.0 - Jul 27 1797: to 2 spades and fro articles purchased for you in Baltimore - £1.9.4½ - Jul 30 1797: to paid Mary Nichols for you - £1.5.0 - Dec 3 1797: to paid Elisha Green for you per order - £0.8.3 - Mar 4 1798: paid George Game for you - £2.1.9 - Paid by 2 notes of Isaac Nicholson on account - £12.10.0

·Exhibit 12 - Account of William E. Hitch with John C. Hatton's store from May 26 1800 to Apr 2 1801 where he purchased various items including whiskey, "apel" brandy, hats, shoes, coarse cloth, etc. Specific interesting line items include: - Jun 16 1800: to one hat for Robert Ellegood - £1.0.0 - Jul 21 1800: to one yard of linen for Robert Ellegood - £0.3.0 - Jul 25 1800: to credit James West - £0.13.3 - Aug 18 1800: to Emmanuel Brown's account - £5.6.9 - Aug 18 1800: to James West for judgement against you on Wm. Ellegood's account - £1.1.1 - Jan 26 1801: to one pair shoes for Elijah Ellegood - Apr 21 1801: to 3¼ yards coarse cloth for Capt. Leatherbury as per your letter - £1.1.1½

·Exhibit 13 - William E. Hitch bound to Mrs. Ann Porter for £285.8.2 on payment of £142.14.1; bond executed Nov 5 1799. On Apr 10 1802, Thomas Dashiell and Ann his wife claim no payments had been made.

·Exhibit 14 - Account of William E. Hitch to Samuel Goslee (who evidently was a school teacher) store from Aug 8 1800 into 1801. Specific interesting line items include: - Aug 8 1800: to assignment of one Schollar (sic) 4 months @ 5/mo. - £1.0.0 - 1801: ditto, ditto 5 months @ 5/mo. - £0.15.0 - 1801: to schooling William Turpin's children 1 month - £0.7.6

·Exhibit 15 - William E. Hitch and Thomas Deshield (sic) bound to George Wilson Sr. for £200 on payment of £100 in silver dollars at 7 shillings 6 pence each; bond executed Sep 1 1800. Witnesses were George Wilson Jr. and Levin Collier.

·Exhibit 16 - Account of William E. Hitch with Jesse Townsend (a carpenter?): - Dec 8 1799: to making a boat - £0.15.9

·Exhibit 18 - Account of William E. Hitch with Susannah Sturgis from 1795 to Apr 14 1801.

·Exhibit 19 - Account of William E. Hitch with Robert Dashiell Jr..

·Exhibit 21 - Account of William E. Hitch to Samuel Smyly's store from Jun 22 1799 to Jul 19 1800. Many items including 3 different times, a bottle of snuff for George Game.

·Exhibit 22 - Account of William E. Hitch with Levin Irving (Doctor) from Sep 1794 to May 1801 where he purchased the Doctor's services and medicine, etc. Specific interesting line items include: - Sep 1794: to sundry visits and medicines for wife - £3.8.6 - Oct 1794: ditto ditto - £2.5.6 - Apr 1795: to a visit and "v.s." negro - £0.7.6 - Jan 1797: to sundry medicines and attend wife and child - £5.3.3 (NOTE: this is birth of Joshua, no doubt) - Sep 1795: to credit Stephen Christopher - £1.5.6 - 1798: to credit sister Betty Handy - £6.2.6 - Apr 1800: to inoculating the two Ellegoods for the small pox - £3.10.0 - May 1801: to sundry medicine and attending self and wife (NOTE: Wlliam E. still living in May 1801)

·Exhibit 23 - Account of William E. Hitch with James Smyth from Oct 10 1797 to Jul 14 1800.

·Exhibit 24 - Account of William E. Hitch with David Polk from Oct 1800 to May 15 1801 (NOTE: this is latest date we have of William E. being alive) where he purchased various items. Specific interesting line items include: - 1801: to pair shoes for Robert Allegood - £0.9.4½ - 1801: to pair shoes for Elijah Allegood - £0.7.6 - 1801: to pair of shoes for your Ferry-man John - £0.10.0 - May 15 1801: to finding a hand and attending the ferry for 4 months and 15 days per agreement @ 70/mo. - £15.15.0

·Exhibit 25 - Account of William E. Hitch with Nimrod Maxwell from Nov 1799. Some cash was paid on this by John Gordon.

·Exhibit 27 - Account of William E. Hitch with Thomas Hitch from Jan 14 1800 to Aug 15 1800. Thomas Hitch signed as Thomas James Hitch and did many items of "smithing" work for William.

·Exhibit 28 - Account of William E. Hitch with Josiah Cox from Feb 10 1798 to Sep 20 1798. Edward Brown paid some on this account on Sep 27 1798.

·Exhibit 31 - William E. Hitch bound to Robert Lemmon for £23.13.6 on Dec 20 1791.

·Exhibit 32 - Account of William E. Hitch with Ann Chaille (she was an innkeeper in Salisbury) from Nov 4 1800 to Feb 25 1801 where he purchased various items including gin, bitters, dinners, horse feed, brandy, etc.

·Exhibit 33 - Account of William E. Hitch with Leah Atkinson from Jan 1800 to Apr 1801.

·Exhibit 34 - Account of William E. Hitch with Arthur McGarth (sic, McGrath?) for 10 days of work he did on the ferry boat.

·Exhibit 35 - Account of William E. Hitch with John Humphries for 4 days of work in May 1801.

·Exhibit 38 - Account of William E. Hitch with John Chettam for 2 certificates at $12 each.

·Exhibit 40 - Account of William E. Hitch with John Bloodsworth Sr. (he must have been another innkeeper) from May 1 1798 to Jul 20 1800 where he purchased various items including dinners, billiards, spirits, lodging, grog, etc.

Within this record, the latest we find William Elgate Hitch living is May 15, 1801 and the earliest time we find him noted as deceased is September 1, 1801. Hence, it appears he died sometime during the summer of 1801. We can also see that Joshua Hitch was probably born in January 1797 per Dr. Levin Irving's visit to "attnd wife and child." It also appears that William E. Hitch was in charge of the ferry - presumably the "upper" ferry near where Rockawalking Branch flows into the Wicomico River. We know William liked the "spirits." Finally, we find out that his sister Betty Hitch married a Mr. Handy (Note: the mentioned Mary Nichols may be William's other sister).

From the records given in the text, the latest we find William Elgate Hitch living is May 15 1801 and the earliest time we find him noted as deceased is Sep 1 1801.

William married Mary (Polly) Hitch, daughter of Joshua A. Hitch and Mary (Molly) Taylor, about 1793. (Mary (Polly) Hitch was born in 1769-1770 in Somerset Co., MD and died in Aug 1849 in Baltimore Co., MD.)