Mary (Polly) Hitch

On Apr 13 1813, Polly Hitch received a deed for 350 acres of land called "Dumbarton" for £489.15.0 from Tubman Lowes. (SoLR-JP1:83) This also mentions Lowes as trustee for William E. Hitch was instructed to sell the land on Mar 1 1806 and that Polly Hitch was the purchaser for the said amount. This record confirms that she has satisfied all debt to this purchase.

In the Commissioners of the Tax Ledger for Election District 1 in Somerset County in 1817, Mary Hitch is assessed as follows: ·"Dumbarton"; 285 acres: $835 ·house, livestock, etc.: $205 ·personal property: $158 and $52 ·1 carriage: $20 (added 1819) (SoTA-1817)

In the Federal Census of 1820 for District 1 in Somerset County, Polly Hitch is listed on page 103 as two males age 16-26, one female age 16-26, one female age 45+, 11 slaves and one free colored person. She is but three houses from Mary Hitch (widow of Thomas).

In the Commissioners of the Tax Ledger for Election District 1 in Somerset County in 1823, Mary Hitch "of William" is assessed as follows: ·"Dumbarton"; 285 acres: $855 ·Slaves Will (age 50), Phillis (age 45): $130 ·5 beds etc., 4 horses, 14 oz. of plate: $129 ·16 cattle, 30 hogs, 12 sheep: $122 ·1 still, other property: $48 (SoTA-1823:195)

In the Federal Census of 1840, Polly Hitch is indicated in Somerset County (page 189), Upper District, with one female age 40-50 and one female age 70-80, and three slaves.

On Dec 14 1841, for $3,140.62, Mary Hitch of Baltimore County sold to Purnell Toadvine of Somerset County, land part of "Dumbarton" and "Hitch's Hard Luck" that was land of William E. Hitch sold by Tubman Lowes by advertisement dated Jan 8 1806. Mary purchased the land on Mar 1 1807. The bounds of the land are described as beginning at a marked crooked white oak on the county road that leads from Salisbury to Rockawalking Meeting House (this is probably the origin of modern-day Crooked Oak Lane!) and from thence running N26:30W 34 perches, N29W 151 perches to a stone a division of George Todd's and said land, S58W 7½ perches to a post, N54:15W 34 perches to a marked post, N53W 20 perches to a marked post, N1E 81 perches to a marked post, S88:45W 10 perches to a stone a division of John McDaniel's and said land then with said division N27:45E 149 perches to a marked white oak a corner of Stone's and said lands, then with a line of marked trees between Stone's and said lands S2E 127½ perches to the land of George Todd, next continuing the same direction with said lands 67½ perches, thence with the division fence the following two courses S18E 3½ perches and S9:30E 72 perches to a marked chestnut a corner of John Taylor and said land, thence continuing in the same direction S9:30E 186 perches by and with a division of John W. Taylor and said lands to a marked cypress post standing on the county road that leads from Salisbury to Rockawalking Meeting House, thence with a right line to the beginning containing 345? acres of land more or less. Mary signed the document as Polly Hitch. (SoLR-AH:45). Also, the same day, for $1,051.00, Mary Hitch of Baltimore County sold to Purnell Toadvine of Somerset County, more land in "Dumbarton". The land is described as beginning at a marked cedar post on the corner of George Todd's land and then running N53W 20 perches to another marked post thence N1E 81 perches to a marked post at the corner of Mary Hitch and said land, S88:45W 123 perches to a marked post a corner of a parcel that John McDaniel sold to Josephus Humphreys, thence S16:45W 37 perches, S29:45W 46 perches to easternmost side of Humphreys Mill Branch, thence with the east side of the branch to a marked chestnut and thence with a straight line to the beginning containing 115½ acres in all. Also includes the mill seat and pond and mill lot where said lot is a part of "Green Hill" contained in a deed to Mary Moore from Sarah and John Hitch and Littleton Aires. This land is described as beginning at a stone on the county road that leads from Spring Hill to the Upper Ferry, thence N71E 17 perches, N19:30W 22 perches, S51W 12½ perches to a large white oak standing on the side of the said road, thence S3E 18½ perches to the beginning containing 1¾ acres in the lot. [Note: this is no doubt the mill seat owned by Adam Hitch in the 1720s and 1730s] (SoLR-AH:47)

In the Somerset County Tax Assessment Ledger of 1841/52, Mary Hitch is listed in Election District 9, Salisbury, and assessed as follows: Mary Hitch, 1842: ·To "Come by Chance", 280a: $1960 ·To John (12), 1 horse, 2 yoke oxen: $ 215 ·To 3 cows, 1 Gig, 15 oz. plate, 2 cattle: $ 115 ·To 5 beds etc., other: $ 100
Total: $2385 1844 added: by error in this a/c: $2385 (SoTA-1841/52: 63)

The Maryland Mortality Schedule for 1850 states that Mary Hitch, a widow born in Maryland and age 80, died in Aug 1849 of a brain inflammation. An inventory of her estate was done by Littleton Ayres and William Martin in Baltimore Co., MD on Apr 29 1850 with William Hitch as administrator. It was valued at $2114.41 and consisted of sundry household items plus 7 slaves: Hester (mulatto) age 25, Daniel age 6, Fanney age 3, Lena age 18 months, Ann age 28, George age 7, unanmed girl age 3 and unnamed boy age 1 2/12 years. The slaves accounted for $1850 of the value of the estate.

Chancery Court papers relating to her husband's estate show Polly Hitch at age 34 on Jan 1 1805 (MdCC Papers; MSA S512-126, MdHR 17, 898-115-1) and the Maryland Mortality Schedule for 1850 states that Mary Hitch, a widow born in Maryland, age 80, died in Aug 1849 of a brain inflammation.

Chancery Court papers relating to her husband's estate show Polly Hitch at age 34 on Jan 1 1805 (MdCC Papers; MSA S512-126, MdHR 17, 898-115-1) and the Maryland Mortality Schedule for 1850 states that Mary Hitch, a widow born in Maryland, age 80, died in Aug 1849 of a brain inflammation.

Mary married William Elgate Hitch, son of Joshua Hitch and Sarah Dashiell?, about 1793. (William Elgate Hitch was born about 1764 in Somerset Co., MD and died 15 May 1801-01 Sep 1801 in Somerset Co., MD.)