Benjamin Hitt , Rev. and Nancy Curnal
Husband Benjamin Hitt , Rev.
Born: Abt 1779 - Virginia Christened: Died: After 1860 - (Newton Co., Mississippi) Buried:
Father: Peter Hitt (Bef 1755-Abt 1806) Mother: Mary ( - )
Marriage: Abt 1799 - (Laurens Co., South Carolina)
Wife Nancy Curnal
Born: Abt 1777 - Virginia Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Barnett Carnal ( -Abt 1790) Mother: Gracy ( - )
Children
1 M David Hitt 1
Born: 25 Aug 1800 - South Carolina Christened: Died: 31 Aug 1880 - Newton Co., Mississippi 2 Buried: - First Bapt. Ch. Cem., Newton, Newton Co., MississippiSpouse: Catherine Addison (1800-1834) 3 Marr: Abt 1819Spouse: Elizabeth Bradley (1800-1881) 1 Marr: 14 Jan 1836 - Greene Co., Alabama 4 5
2 M Daniel Hitt
Born: Abt 1805 - South Carolina Christened: Died: 1870-1880 Buried:Spouse: Hannah (Abt 1822- )
3 M Charles Hitt 6
Born: 25 Apr 1808 - South Carolina Christened: Died: Jun 1864 - Newton Co., Mississippi Buried:Spouse: Susan Jarman ( -Bef 1843) Marr: 22 Aug 1839 - Sumter Co., Alabama 7 8Spouse: Sena Jarman (Abt 1818- ) Marr: 19 Mar 1843 - Sumter Co., Alabama 9 10
4 M Austin Hitt 11
Born: 1 Jun 1811 - South Carolina (Laurens Co.) Christened: Died: 18 Jun 1853 - (Sumter Co., Alabama) 12 Buried: - Siloam Cemetery, Sumter Co., AlabamaSpouse: Rebecca Hall (Abt 1817- ) Marr: 19 Nov 1832 - Greene Co., Alabama 4 13
5 M Benjamin L. Hitt
Born: Abt 1816 - South Carolina Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Lorenn Houston (Abt 1816- ) Marr: 15 Jan 1838 - Sumter Co., Alabama 14 15Spouse: Emma (Abt 1815- )
6 M Henry J. Hitt
Born: 1815-1820 - (South Carolina) Christened: Died: 1850 - (Sumter Co., Alabama) Buried:Spouse: Martha Jarman ( -1850) Marr: 20 Jul 1841 - Sumter Co., Alabama 16 17
7 F Mary Ann Hitt
Born: Abt 1820 - South Carolina Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: William S. Jones (Abt 1818- ) Marr: 13 Mar 1836 - Sumter Co., Alabama 18 19 20
General Notes: Husband - Benjamin Hitt , Rev.
CENSUS:
<pre>1810 Laurens Co., South Carolina
Benja Hitt Sen'r 30010 -- 11010; no slaves
male female
3 <10 1
10-15 1
16-25
1 26-44 1
>45 </pre>
He is in the sequence Curtis Cearnal, Larkin Hitt, x, Benja Hitt Sen'r, 5x, David Hitt, Henry Hitt, x, Lewis Ball.
<pre>1830 Greene Co., Alabama
Benj'n Hitt 00300001 -- 10100101; no slaves
male female
< 5 1
5-10
3 10-15 1
15-20
20-30
30-40 1
40-50
1 50-60 1 </pre>
He is in the sequence James Everett, Benj'n Hitt, Jno. P. Chambers.
In 1840 Rev. Benjamin and all his sons except David are missing from the census.
In 1845 in a Mississippi state census B. L. Hitt (2,3), Marshall Hitt (3,4), and Benjamin Hitt (1,1) are in Newton Co. There is one male and one female in Benjamin Hitt's household.
<pre>1850 Sumter Co., Alabama, New York Division; Sept 26
149/151
Benjamin Hitt 71 M Va $50
Nancy " 73 F Va </pre>
He is not in the Slave Schedule. His son David Hitt lives at 148/150.
In 1860 Benjaman Hitt (81, Va) is living in Newton Co., Mississippi in the household of his son David.
CENSUS COMPARISON:
<pre>
1810 1830
male:
10-15
10-15 Henry J., b. 1815-20
10-15(14) Benjamin L., b. 1816
Austin, b. 1811, m. 1832
<10 (2) Charles, b. 1808, m. 1839
<10 (5) Daniel, b. 1805
<10(10) David, b. 1800, m. 1819
26-44(31) 50-60(51) Benjamin, b. 1779
female:
<5
10-15 Mary Ann, b. 1820, m. 1838
<10
10-15 30-40
26-44 50-60 Nancy
</pre>
The parenthesized numbers represent real ages to be compared with the age categories that appear in the census. Rev. Benjamin Hitt is not in the 1840 census. His sons Daniel, Charles, Austin, Benjamin L., and Henry J. are also missing. In 1830 Austin and either Charles or Daniel may be living with their cousin Marshall Hitt (1802 --).
LAND in SOUTH CAROLINA:
On June 6, 1804 Benjamin Hitt of the District of Laurens sells to William Stone of the same district for $60 all that plantation or tract upon which Benjamin Hitt now lives. It is in Laurens District on the waters of Smith's Creek and contains 26.5 acres, more or less. It was originally granted to James Woodsides, who sold it to Pat. Todd, who sold it to Benjamin Hitt. The deed is signed Benjamin Hitt, and the witnesses are Uriah Stone and Charles Oneall. (Laurens Co. Deed Records H/208)
On November 30, 1805 Benjamin Hitt of Laurens District sells to Patrick Todd of the same place for $40 a tract of 46 acres in Laurens District "on the waters Banks Creek the waters Saluda River" adjoining lands of Benjamin Hitt, Thomas Hitt and Alexa'r Deall, "it being part of a tract surveyed for Benjamin Hitt on south side of said survey. The deed is signed Benjamin Hitt, and the witnesses are John Cook, Tandy Walker and Themas Hitt. (H/257)
On September 12, 1811 Benjamin Hitt of Laurens District sells to John Cook of the same place for $216 a tract in Laurens District "on Banks Creek waters of Saluda River" containing 127 acres, more or less, and consisting of 2 adjoining tracts. The first contains 81 acres and is "part of a tract formerly held by Peter Hitt beginning on top of the hill in the old field on Curnal's line where said Hitt's old farm formerly ran . . ." The second is part of a tract of about 46 acres granted in 1804 to Benjamin Hitt by Governor Richardson. It is described by metes and bounds. The description contains "on Kernal's land". The deed is signed Benjamin Hitt, and the witnesses are Benjamin Cason and Patrick Todd. On October 4, 1811 Nancy Hitt, wife of Benjamin Hitt, relinquishes her dower rights. (J/234)
LAND in ALABAMA and MISSISSIPPI:
Rev. Benjamin Hitt may or may not have owned land in Greene Co. See notes under Benjamin B. Hitt. In April 1851 he and his wife Nancy sold the NW quarter of S30 T18N R3W in Sumter Co. (M/597). It was patented to him on 3/30/1837. On 9/1/1848 a 39.96 acre tract (NWNE S11 T8N R13E) in Newton Co., Mississippi was patented to a Benjamin Hitt. Since it adjoins a larger 160 acre tract patented to his son Marshall, it was probably patented to the father, but the patentee may have been Marshall's brother, Benjamin L. Hitt.
MINISTER:
On page 3 of the Minutes of the Bethabara Baptist Church in Laurens Co., SC (LDS microfilm 22728) Banjamin Hitt is the 30th entry in the list of male members. This list was probably created originally in 1805 and then later added on to. Since there is no indication in the minutes that Benjamin or his wife was received by experience it may be the case that he was already a member in 1805. His wife Nancy is the 43rd entry in the list of female members. However, Larkin Hitt, the 34th male member, was received by experience August 8, 1818.
May 9, 1818: "Tollerated brother Benj Hitt to exercise a publick gift within the bounds of the Church". On July 8, 1820 he was given license to preach, and on July 13, 1822 "According to request the Presbitry met at Bethabara Church Chesley Davis and Samuel Brown and ordained Benjamin Hitt a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ".
November 11, 1826: "Dismissed by Letter Benj Hitt, Nancy Hitt and Elizabeth Brooks". Presumably Benjamin and Nancy went to Alabama shortly thereafter.
Between 1816 and 1826 Benjamin was periodically assigned tasks related to the church. He was once a messenger to the annual meeting of the association and twice an alternate.
October 9, 1819: "Took up a report against Job the property of Garlington and delegated Benj Hitt and John Sadler to go and see him about the matter"
December 11, 1819: "In conference again took up the case of Howard Pinson and delegated the brethren Benj Hitt and Larkin Hitt to cite members from Raborn's Creek to testify against him"
October 9, 1824: "Nominated Benj Hitt Lewis Ball William Tensley and Drewry Sims as helps to Cross Roads church"
Pastor Henry Hitt had a brother, a son and a first cousin named Benjamin. There is only one Benjamin Hitt in the male membership list of the Bethabara Church. Because of the 1826 letters of dismissal we know that his wife was Nancy and thus we know that he was Pastor Hitt's cousin.
The following is from a history of the Siloam Baptist Church in Sumter Co., Alabama which can be viewed at http://www.angelfire.com/al2/bcampbell/siloam.html. One of the sources is "The Story of Siloam - A History of the Church" by Judge Wilbur E. Dearman (June, 1963).
In 1832, shortly before Sumter County was organized, a Primitive Baptist Church was established at Siloam. This church was built of logs, with a rock chimney, and was located on a spot which is now part of the cemetery. The original church and cemetery land were deeded by Daniel Drummond for the sum of $1. Trustees were Benjamin Hitt, Moses Stephens, and Joseph Vann. By 1837, the pastor was Rev. Williamson Milborn. The majority of early Baptist churches in Sumter County were Primitive Baptist, who believed only in Home Missions. By 1837, a large element in the churches were favoring Foreign, as well as Home Missions, which caused a disagreement within the church. This dissention entered the Siloam Baptist Church and in June of 1838 the name of the church was changed to Siloam Missionary Baptist Church. The first pastor of the newly organized church was Benjamin Hitt. The first two deacons were Aba Green and Jesse Hitt. There were only twelve members of the newly organized church. Those who pulled away organized a Primitive Baptist Church and called themselves the "Pulltights". With the passing of time, most of these families returned to Siloam. Benjamin Hitt served Siloam Baptist Church from 1838-1845.
WHO ARE HIS SONS?
In 1860 Rev. Benjamin Hitt is living in Newton Co., Mississippi in the household of David Hitt, who is presumably his son.
Marshall Hitt and Benjamin L. Hitt are in Newton Co. by 1850. In 1860 Marshall, Benjamin L., David and Charles are there. Land in Newton Co. was patented to Marshall, Benjamin L., Charles and Oswell. It is often the case that men with the same surname and of roughly the same age who migrate together are brothers, although at times they are cousins. We know that Oswell is a son of John and that the others are not. We can conjecture that Marshall, Benjamin L., David and Charles are brothers and that they are sons of Rev. Benjamin.
When Henry J. Hitt married, Charles Hitt was one of the bondsmen. Henry J. died in Sumter Co., and Charles Hitt was the administrator of his estate, and Austin Hitt became the guardian of his minor children. It seems likely that Austin and Henry J. are also sons of Rev. Benjamin.
Marshall has sons Charles and Austin. Charles has sons Marshall and Henry. Austin's son Robert Clark Hitt named one of his sons Marshall. David, Marshall and Charles fill slots in the 1810 census for Rev. Benjamin; Benjamin L. and Henry J. fill slots in the 1830 census. Because we have reliable lists of the children of John, Benjamin B. (sons of Lazarus) and David (son of Peter), only Rev. Benjamin is available to be the father of David, Marshall, Charles, Austin, Benjamin L. and Henry J.
Another candidate for a son of Rev. Benjamin is the Daniel Hitt who is in Lauderdale Co. in 1850 and 1860 and in Newton Co. in 1870. Both David and Benjamin L. have sons named Daniel, and Daniel has sons Benjamin and William David. Daniel was born about 1805 and he is the right age to be a son of Rev. Benjamin, but there is no room for him in the 1810 census for Rev. Benjamin if we assign the 3 male 0-10 slots to David, Marshall and Charles. He is also unaccounted for in 1830, either in the household of Rev. Benjamin or Marshall or David. In my experience individuals are rarely left out of the census although families are left out fairly often. Sometimes, however, individuals are omitted. Perhaps that is the case with Daniel, or perhaps Daniel's father is one of the Hitts who remained in Laurens Co., South Carolina. Daniel is clearly related to Rev. Benjamin in some way.
The 1810 will of Robert Hamilton in Laurens Co., South Carolina mentions his grandson Marshall Hitt, who appears to be an orphan. In 1816 Jesse Hitt is his guardian. It is plausible to believe that the orphan and the Marshall Hitt in Greene Co., Alabama in 1830 are the same person. See notes under Marshall Hitt. Then Daniel is a son of Rev. Benjamin, and Marshall is not.
Marshall Hitt in Sumter Co., Alabama in 1840 is very close to 3 people closely related to Jesse Hitt: his widow Nancy, Drury Sims, and Ephraim Banks. When Marshall came of age in Laurens Co., he could have remained there; he had lots of relatives there. However, his father was dead, and there was no possibility to inherit land. Young men like adventure, and various relatives were moving west to Alabama. It would have been very natural for Marshall to have joined them. Since he was an orphan without siblings, he would naturally have related to his male cousins as if they were his brothers.
OTHER SONS?:
In "The Hitts of Sumter County" (1966; self-published) Annie Land Hitt says that Austin Hitt came to Alabama with his parents and seven brothers in the early 1830s. She says the eight male siblings were Henry, Benjamin, James, John, William, Marshall, Jesse and Austin. She says that James died about 1838 and was the first person buried in the Siloam Cemetery but provides no evidence for that assertion. She says no records have been found relative to Benjamin and William. The John in her list is John M. Hitt, who in fact is a son of David Hitt. Her Henry Hitt is the Henry Hitt who is in Tuscaloosa County in 1850 rather than Henry J. Hitt. Her Jesse Hitt was one of the first two deacons of the reorganized Siloam Missionary Baptist Church in 1838.
There are 3 separate and distinct Henry Hitts of roughly the same age: Henry J., Henry H. and the Henry of Tuscaloosa Co. The probate records for Benjamin B. Hitt and for John Hitt show clearly that Henry H. is a son of Benjamin B. and that his wife Fanny is a daughter of John. No one has demonstrated any clear relationship between Rev. Benjamin and Henry Hitt of Tuscaloosa Co., although they are almost surely relatives of some kind. They have the same surname and lived in adjoining counties; Henry Hitt married in Sumter Co., one of the bondsmen being Daniel Hitt; and Henry had sons Benjamin and Marshall. Henry was 45 in 1850 and thus born about 1805; there is no slot available for him in the 1810 census for Rev. Benjamin.
Myers and Phillips in their book (Benjamin Hitt and Nancy Curnal Hitt: their antecedents and descendents; Beatrice Phillips Myers, Vada Hemba Phillips; self-published, 1980) use quotes from Annie Land Hitt and list the sons of Rev. Benjamin as David Benjamin, Marshall, Charles, Austin, James, Jesse, John, Henry, and William. They repeat Annie Land Hitt's assertion about James. There is a Jesse Hitt in Greene Co. in 1830 and he might be a son of Rev. Benjamin, but they are completely wrong in their claim that he is in Sumter Co. in 1850. The 1850 census entry they cite for him belongs in fact to Jesse Simms. Moreover the Jesse Hitt in Greene Co. in 1830 can reasonably be a son of Rev. Henry Hitt who died in Laurens Co., SC in 1830. The John Hitt whom they cite is in fact John Hutt in 1850, 1860 and 1870.
In WorldConnect the database of Earl J. Hitt ('hitthaynie') lists William Russell Hitt and Garrett Thompson Hitt as children of Rev. Benjamin Hitt. That assignment would be highly implausible even if it were a mystery who their father was. For a time it was a mystery, but now it is not. See notes under William Russell and Garrett Thompson.
DAUGHTERS:
Benjamin and Nancy Hitt give their permission for William Jones to marry Mary Ann Hitt. One presumes that she is their daughter. The fact that Charles Hitt was a bondsman strengthens the case that Charles is a son of Benjamin and Nancy.
The census suggests that they had other daughters.
General Notes: Wife - Nancy Curnal
HUSBAND:
Some researchers have said that Nancy's husband was Benjamin Hill. Two deeds in Halifax Co., Virginia (19/418-19, 20/105) show that her husband was Benjamin Hitt. In the first deed the t's in 'Hitt' are faintly crossed, and in the second they are clearly crossed. There are other associations between the Hitt and Carnal families.
The text of 19/418-19 is as follows:
On August 28, 1802 Gracy Curnal, widow of Barnett Curnal, dec'd, Benjamin Hitt and Nancy, his wife, formerly Nancy Curnal, Moses Curnal, Samuel Caldwell and Jenny, his wife, formerly Jenny Curnal, Polly Curnal, and Stephen Owen and his wife Molley, formerly Molley Curnal, heirs and legatees of the Estate of Barnett Curnal, dec'd, of Laurens District, South Carolina appoint Curtis Curnal as their attorney to dispose of their respective shares in a certain tract of land containing 200 acres more or less in Halifax Co., Virginia on the south branch of Lawson's Creek. The witnesses are John Watts, Wm. Whiton and John Smith Jun. This power of attorney is signed by Grace (X) Curnal, Benjamin Hitt, Moses Curnal, Samuel Caldwell, Polly (X) Curnal and Stephen Owen. (Halifax Co. Deed Records, Vol 19, pgs 418-19)
BETHABARA BAPTIST CHURCH:
On page 10 of the Minutes of the Bethabara Baptist Church in Laurens Co., SC (LDS microfilm 22728) Nancy Hitt is the 43rd entry in the list of female members. This list was probably created in 1805 and then later added on to. To the right of her name: "Dismissed".
November 11, 1826: "Dismissed by Letter Benj Hitt, Nancy Hitt and Elizabeth Brooks". Presumably Benjamin and Nancy went to Alabama shortly thereafter.
1 Lois Tessmer Strebeck, "Newton County, Mississippi Cemeteries," 1993, Vol II, pg 5. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.
2 "Find-a-Grave," Memorial # 35599226.
3 Beatrice Myers & Vada Phillips, "Benjamin Hitt and Nancy Curnal, their Antecedents and Descendants," 1987, pg 155. Repository: Orange Public Library, Orange, Texas.
4 Pauline Jones Gandrud, "Marriage Records of Greene County, Alabama 1823--1860," 1969, pg 68. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.
5 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:Q2J1-3Y2M), Entry for David Hitt and Elizabeth Bradly, citing Greene, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,290,852; pg 136, image 184/702.
6 Earl J. Hitt, "http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com db: hitthaynie."
7 "Sumter County, Alabama Marriage Records," LDS microfilm 1293884, 885, Vol 1, pg 110.
8 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG17-XB86), Charles Hitt and Susan Jarman, 22 Aug 1839; citing Sumter, Alabama; FHL microfilm.
9 "Sumter County, Alabama Marriage Records," LDS microfilm 1293884, 885, Vol 1, pg 250.
10 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG17-ZKJ4), Charles Hitt and Senya Jarman, 19 Mar 1843; citing Sumter, Alabama; FHL microfilm.
11 Beatrice Myers & Vada Phillips, "Benjamin Hitt and Nancy Curnal, their Antecedents and Descendants," 1987, pg 136. Repository: Orange Public Library, Orange, Texas.
12 "Find-a-Grave," Memorial # 5627184.
13 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZ3-H363), Austin Hill and Rebecca Hall, 19 Nov 1832; citing Greene, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,290,852.
14 "Sumter County, Alabama Marriage Records," LDS microfilm 1293884, 885, Vol 1, pg 63.
15 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1D-3CCF), Benjamin L Hitt and Lorren Houston, 15 Jan 1838; citing Sumter, Alabama; FHL microfilm.
16 "Sumter County, Alabama Marriage Records," LDS microfilm 1293884, 885, Vol 1, pg 177.
17 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG17-4PX1), Henry J Hitt and Martha Jarmon, 20 Jul 1841; citing Sumter, Alabama; FHL microfilm.
18 "Sumter County, Alabama Marriage Records," LDS microfilm 1293884, 885, Vol 1, pg 30.
19 "Familysearch.org," "Alabama, Church Records, 1831-1994," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG6H-PRGB : 11 October 2019), William S Jones and Mary Ann Hitt, 13 Mar 1836; Trinity Episcopal Ch, Mobile; Government St Presbyterian Ch, Mobile.
20
"Familysearch.org," "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D3-N5DM), William S Jones and Mary Ann Hitt, 12 Mar 1836; citing Sumter, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,293,883.
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