Joseph Hitt and Mary Cuntze

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Husband Joseph Hitt

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           Born: Abt 1717 - (Germanna, Essex Co., Va)
     Christened: 
           Died: After 1790 - (Laurens Co., South Carolina)
         Buried: 

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         Father: Peter Hitt (1680/1683-1772)
         Mother: Elizabeth Otterbach (1689-Abt 1773) 1

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       Marriage: 

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Wife Mary Cuntze

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: After 1 Nov 1771
         Buried: 

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         Father: Joseph Cuntze (      -      )
         Mother: Catherine (      -      )

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Children

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1 M Joseph Hitt

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           Born: Bef 1750 - (Fauquier Co., Virginia)
     Christened: 
           Died: 1826 (Feb) - Culpeper Co., Virginia
         Buried: 

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2 M Charles Hitt

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           Born: Bef 1755 - (Fauquier Co., Virginia)
     Christened: 
           Died: 1821 - Fleming Co., Kentucky
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Sarah Vincent (      -      )
           Marr: 7 Apr 1810 - Fleming Co., Kentucky

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3 M Peter Hitt

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           Born: Bef 1755 - (Fauquier Co., Virginia)
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1806 - Laurens Co., South Carolina
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary (      -      )

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4 M Lazarus Hitt

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           Born: Bef 1755 - (Fauquier Co., Virginia)
     Christened: 
           Died: 2 Aug 1823 - Laurens Co., South Carolina
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Eve (      -1819)

         Spouse: Elizabeth (Abt 1779-After 1850)
           Marr: Abt 1820 - (Laurens Co., South Carolina)

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5 M Elisha Hitt

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           Born: Bef 1771 - (Fauquier Co., Virginia)
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Joseph Hitt

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CENSUS:

<pre>1790 Laurens Co., South Carolina; pg 446
Joseph Hitt 201; no slaves
males >= 16 2
males < 16
females 1 </pre>

BIRTH YEAR:

The year of his birth is just a guess. See notes under his father.

MARRIAGE:

According to GERMANNA RECORD NO. 1 by Dr. Charles Huffman Joseph Hitt married Mary Cuntze, daughter of Joseph Cuntze, the 1714 immigrant. She was one of the younger children when Joseph wrote his will in 1730, so she may have been a daughter of Joseph's second wife, Catherine.

CHILDREN:

The 1790 census for Laurens Co., South Carolina lists 3 men named Hitt: Joseph, Peter and Lazarus. In 1800 Peter and Lazarus are still there, but Joseph is gone. He has presumably died. Peter and Lazarus are probably his sons. A deed in 1771 indicates that Joseph had another son Elisha, who may be the second male over 16 in the 1790 census entry for Joseph.

Joseph's brother Peter left a will, and his brother Harman named his children in a power of attorney; thus we have reliable lists of their children. Henry Hitt left Fauquier Co. at an early date; in October 1764 he sold his land in Fauquier Co. to his brother Harman and moved to Halifax Co., Virginia. Most of his children, and very possibly all, were minors, and he probably took all of them with him. Joseph's brother John died in Fauquier Co. in 1782. Land tax records suggest that his land was inherited by John, Elias and Peter Hitt. presumably his sons. If John had other sons, they did not share in the inheritance of their father's land; it is reasonable to assume that he had no other sons.

By a process of elimination it is probable, or at least plausible, that any man named Hitt in Fauquier Co. or nearby who is the right age to be a grandson of the immigrant Peter Hitt is a son of his son Joseph.

Nevertheless I have assigned Aaron and Martin Hitt to John. See notes under Aaron and Martin.

MILITARY SERVICE:

In a roster of Capt. William Edmonds' company of Virginia troops in the French and Indian War dated September 25, 1761 the following are present: Herman Hitt; Jno. Hitt, Jnr; Jno. Hitt, son of Jos.; John Hitt; and Joseph Hitt. Capt. Edmonds lived in Fauquier Co., and it is believed that most of the men in his company were from that county. ("Virginia Magazine of History and Biography", Vol 7, pgs 305-6)

It is not clear who Jno. Hitt, son of Jos., is.

LAND in FAUQUIER CO., VIRGINIA:

Fauquier Co. was created in 1759 from a part of Prince William Co. The land in the 1745 deed is now in Fauquier Co. See deed of September 24, 1770. All references to Prince William Co. deeds are from "Deed Abstracts of Prince William County, Virginia" by Ruth & Sam Sparacio, 1989.

On December 9 & 10, 1745 Nathaniel Hilling of the Colony of Virginia sold (lease and release) to Joseph Hitt of Prince William Co. for 1600 pounds of tobacco and one young mare and colt a tract of 434 acres. It adjoins William Russell and Rev. John Bell and one of the boundaries runs along a branch of Cedar Run. Witnesses: John Frogg, Wm. Hackney, Peter Hitt. (Prince William Co. Deed Records I/28-32)

On March 21 & 22, 1745 Joseph Hitt of Prince William Co. and the Parish of Hamilton sold (lease and release) to John Hitt of the same place for 1050 pounds of tobacco a tract of 217 acres in Prince William Co., being half of a tract of land granted by patent from the Proprietor's Office to Nathaniel Hilling May 20, 1725. Described by metes and bounds; begins near a drain falling into the Parson's Branch; one boundary passes close to the head of a branch of Turkey Run; another boundary runs along a branch of Cedar Run; adjoins Richard Grubb, Serene, Rev. John Bell. Witnesses: Thos. Machen, Peter Hitt. Signed Joseph (X) Hitt. Joseph Hitt and Mary, his wife, acknowledged this lease and release March 24, 1745. (Prince William Co. Deed Records I/32-36) It is not clear why this deed of sale is dated before the preceding deed of purchase.

On March 4, 1746 Joseph Hitt, planter of Prince William Co., conveyed to John Wright and Joseph Blackwell, church wardens on behalf of the Parish of Hamilton, for 10 shillings a tract of 2 acres on or near branches of Cedar Run and intended for the construction of a church. It is part of a 434 acres tract purchased from Nathaniel Hilling. Signed Joseph (X) Hitt. Joseph and Mary, his wife, acknowledged the Deed with the Livery of Seisin by a Delivery of Turf and Twig. "That Livery seizin and possession was this day given by the within named Joseph Hitt of the within mentioned land and appurtenances unto Mr. Joseph Hudnall on behalf of the within mentioned John Wright and Jos. Blackwell by a Delivery of Turf and Twig on the said land in presence of Thos. Thornton, Benj. Taylor". (I/54-55)

On May 27 & 28, 1762 Joseph Hitt and Mary, his wife, Harman Kamper and Catherine, his wife, and Ann Elizabeth Weaver of Fauquier Co. sold (lease and release) to William Hunton of Fauquier Co. for 5 shillings and then £53 a tract of 100 acres in Fauquier Co. which descended to Mary, Catherine and Ann Elizabeth as sisters and coheiresses of Tilman Cowns, dec'd. (Fauquier Co. Deed Records 1/323, 325)

Ann Elizabeth is the widow of Tilman Weaver. Mary, Catherine and Ann Elizabeth are daughters of Joseph Cuntze and Tilman Cuntze is their brother. Tilman inherited the 100 acres from his father, and when he died without issue it passed to his 3 sisters.

On September 24, 1770 Joseph Hitt and Mary, his wife, of Fauquier Co. sold to John Duncan of the same place for £120 a tract of 214 acres in Fauquier Co. and Hamilton Parish being part of a larger tract that Joseph Hitt purchased of Nath'l Hillen. It is described by metes and bounds and the description mentions Capt. William Russell's line, saplings near the head of a branch of Turkey Run, a line of Rich'd Grubs, and a drain falling into the Parsons Branch. Signed Joseph Hitt, Mary (her + mark) Hitt (4/50)

On November 1, 1771 Thomas Lord Fairfax leased to Joseph Hitt a tract of 158 acres in Fauquier Co. [part of a tract] called and known by the name of the Manor of Leeds "for & during the natural life of him the said Joseph & for and during the natural Lives of Mary his wife & Elisha his son & every of them longest Living". The yearly rent was 31 shillings 7 pence sterling. The tract is on the Horseskin Branch and on the Beetree Branch and adjoins Wm. Walker and Wm. Corder, Sen'r. Joseph was required to build one good & sufficient dwelling house and to plant 150 good apple trees. (4/403) Between pages 370 and 427 there are 20 leases of this same form all in the Manor of Leeds and dated November 1, 1771.

TAX LISTS in FAUQUIER CO., VIRGINIA:

According to Earl J. Hitt's database 'hitthaynie' Joseph Hitt is listed with 218 acres in the 1753-1754 Rent Rolls of Prince William County, Virginia. Also listed are John Hitt 216 acres, Peter Hitt 500 acres, Peter Hitt, Jr. 275 acres, and Henry Hitt 200 acres.

Joseph Hitt is on the 1770 rent roll for Fauquier Co. He owns 214 acres. Also there are Harmon Hitt, 500 acres; John Hitt, 216 acres; John Hitt, Jr., 53 acres; Peter Hitt, Sr., 200 acres; and Peter Hitt, Jr., 275 acres. Fauquier Co. was created in 1759 from a part of Prince William Co. ("Abstracts of Wills, Administrations, and Marriages of Fauquier County, Virginia 1759 -- 1800 with Cemetery Inscriptions, Rent Rolls, and Other Data", J. Estelle Stewart King, 1978)

In 1777 Joseph Hitt is on a list of tenants of the Manor of Leeds in Fauquier Co. He has 158 acres. (J. Estelle Stewart King as above)

1782 is the first year that a list of men required to pay a tax on personal property is available for Fauquier Co., Virginia. Joseph Hitt is on the list only one time, in 1783. He has no slaves, 3 horses and 1 head of cattle. He is not a tithable, which may mean that he is too old. Land tax lists are available from 1783 onward and Joseph Hitt never appears there. Lazarus Hitt is on the personal property tax list from 1782 through 1784. His absence in 1785 and later suggests that he left for South Carolina about 1785. It is probable that Joseph and his sons Lazarus and Peter went to South Carolina about 1785.

FAUQUIER CO. MINUTE BOOKS:

In a collection of abstracts by Ruth and Sam Spacacio covering the period 1759-1773, Joseph Hitt appears 11 times as a member of a jury or of a Grand Jury of Inquest. Harman appears 6 times; on 4 of those 6 occasions he and Joseph are serving together. John appears once and Peter twice. On May 24, 1759 Joseph Hitt is appointed surveyor of a road in the room of John Duncan.

CULPEPER CO. ORDER BOOK:

On 28 May 1752, The last Will and Testament of John Holtzclaw was presented for probate by Jacob Holtsclaw, Executor. Jacob Holtzclaw and Joseph Hitt gave bond of administration and Joseph Hitt, with several others, was appointed to appraise the Holtzclaw estate. (Culpeper County, Virginia Order Book 1752-1753, p. 8).

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General Notes: Wife - Mary Cuntze

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GERMANNA RECORD NO. 1, pg 23:

Joseph Hitt married Mary Cuntze, daughter of Joseph Cuntze, the 1714 immigrant. She was one of the younger children when Joseph wrote his will in 1730, so may have been a daughter of Joseph's second wife, Catherine.

1 B. C. Holtzclaw, Ancestors and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia 1714-1750, 1964; Germanna Record No. 5; The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, pg 482.