Dr. William Hitch

William Hitch received a warrant of resurvey on June 18, 1795 to re-check the bounds of the tract Joseph Hitch had patented in 1762 called "Come By Chance" for 134 acres. William had received this land from his father Joshua Hitch in his will. The survey was conducted on April 28, 1796 and the tract re-named "Culver's Folly" for 150 acres. The original survey for "Come By Chance" had been adjusted to 136½ acres then land was subtracted as 13¼ acres to "Clowlett," 6 acres to "Friends Assistance" and 1½ acres to "Chance." Vacant land was added totaling 34¼ acres. The patent was awarded to William Hitch on December 27, 1797 and the land described as follows:

Land is on the north side of the Wicomico River back in the woods beginning at a marked oak in the first bounder of "Clowlett" also the first bounder of original "Come By Chance," thence: ·SExS 61 poles to 5th line of "Friends Assistance" ·SW 96 poles, reversing the 5th line of "Friends Assistance" to the beginning thereof ·SE 64 poles reversing 4th line of "Friends Assistance" ·S53W 12 poles to end of 9th line of "Mill Lott" ·S33W 60 poles by and with the 10th line of "Mill Lott" ·S47:30E 16 poles ·S15W 42 poles ·WSW 7½ poles to 2nd line of "Last Choice" ·N 48 poles to end of 2nd line of "Last Choice" ·N83W 20 poles with home course of "Last Choice" ·N 5 poles to end of 3rd line of "Addition" ·N35:30E 46 poles with 4th line of "Addition" ·N29:15W 40 poles to 3rd line of "Come By Chance" ·S58:30W 111 poles to end of 3rd line of "Come By Chance" ·N41W 32 poles ·S76W 9 poles ·N60W 40 poles ·N54W 76 poles ·N33E 26½ poles to home line of "Clowlett" ·N69:15E 43 poles with said line to 9th line of "Come By Chance" ·S34E 21 poles ·S41:15E 26½ poles reversing 12th line of "James Fortune" to beginning of said course ·N36E 3 poles to 6th line of "Wallers Meadow" ·S42E 12 poles reversing said line to its beginning ·N33:30E 26 poles reversing 5th line of "Wallers Meadow" ·N60W 9 poles reversing 4th line of "Wallers Meadow" ·N36E 38 poles reversing 3rd line of "Wallers Meadow" ·S65E 9 poles to 2nd line of "Chance" ·S33W 74 poles to end of 2nd line of "Chance" ·S57E 79½ poles to 12th line of "Come By Chance" ·N58:30E 74 poles to end of 12th line of "Come By Chance" ·NW 10½ poles to home line of "Chance" ·N33E 10 poles to bounder of "Chance" ·N57W 100 poles with 1st line of "Chance" ·N23W 17 poles to home line of "Clowlett" thence with home line to first beginning 150 acres in total.

On May 4 1796 William Hitch wrote to the Land authorities concerning his right to land in "Addition." This was land surveyed for Joshua Hitch (William's father) on Apr 8 1775 and left to William in his father's will. "Addition" is land that adjoined the dwelling plantation of Joshua Hitch and contained 14½ acres. William Hitch received a new patent for the land In late 1796. (SoLP:C43)

In the Federal Assessment of 1798, William E. Hitch of Rewastico Hundred in Somerset County was listed as owner/superintendent of five slaves, of which three were over age 12. (TA1798) It is unknown if this is the same William Hitch.

On Jun 15 1799, Wm. Hitch and John Hitch, with wife Jean Hitch, sons of Joshua Hitch, sold land "Come By Chance" and "Culver's Folly" ("Culver's Folly" was a resurvey of 134 acres of "Come By Chance" by William Hitch) to Thomas Humphries Jr. (Land Records of Wicomico County, 1666-1810, Ruth Dryden, page 96).

William Hitch had moved to Williamsburg District, South Carolina by 1801.

In his will written Mar 20 1815 and probated Nov 13 1822, William Hitch, "physician of the district of Williamsburg, South Carolina" left: - To John Pressley & William Burrows - To sister: Nelly Handy and her daughters Nelly and Jane. The will was probated in Georgetown, South Carolina. (SoW-JP4:157)

Given the logistics of distance from Somerset County to South Carolina, the settling of William Hitch's account took quite a bit of time when, on Sep 2 1829, the balance of his inventory was brought forth at $3234.99½ with Mary Hitch as administratrix. From this, various payments were made including:
- Expense of sending an agent to South Carolina $209.79
- Payment due James Herron (Hearn) $1.42
- Due Ann Lowes for board $130.67
- Due Mary Townsend for shroud for deceased $1.50
- George Handy $0.86
- Due Joshua Hitch assigned him by William Hitch $28.50
- Registration fee $5.46
$2870.48½ on Sep 8 1829
- Due Thomas Horsey and Littleton Aires $14.00
- Appraiser fee $2.21½
$2854.27
Distribution was performed on Oct 24 1829 as follows:
- To John Pressley; bed & furniture, wearing apparel $77.75
- Balance to sister Nelly Handy $2776.52
(SoAA-JP9:57,65)