William Russell Hitt and Mahala Gladstone

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Husband William Russell Hitt

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           Born: 31 Jan 1806 - Virginia
     Christened: 
           Died: 12 May 1875 - Perry Co., Ohio 1
         Buried:  - Methodist Cemetery, Thornville, Perry Co., Ohio

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         Father: William Hitt (1774-Abt 1852)
         Mother: Liddy (      -Bef 1829)

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       Marriage: 2 Apr 1832 - Fauquier Co., Virginia 2 3

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Wife Mahala Gladstone

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           Born: 15 Jun 1812 - Virginia
     Christened: 
           Died: 3 Jun 1902 - (Thornville, Perry Co., Ohio)
         Buried:  - Methodist Cemetery, Thornville, Perry Co., Ohio

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         Father: Arthur Gladstone (1760/1765-      )
         Mother: Susannah Hitt (Abt 1770-      )

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - William Russell Hitt

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CENSUS:

<pre>1830 Culpeper Co., Virginia
Wm. Hitt 00001 -- 0; no slaves
male female
< 5
5-10
10-15
15-20
1 20-30
30-40 </pre>

<pre>1840 Perry Co., Ohio, Monday Creek Township
William R. Hitt 001001 -- 21001; 1 in agriculture
male female
< 5 2
5-10 1
1 10-15
15-20
20-30 1
1 30-40
40-50
50-60 </pre>

<pre>1850 Perry Co., Ohio, Thorn Tp, Division No. 119; Nov 1
1393/1393
William R. Hitt 45 M Va Farmer
Mahala " 34 F Va
William A. " 15 M Va Farmer
Lydia A. " 14 F Oh
Sarah J. " 11 F Oh
Joseph R. " 9 M Oh
Matha E. " 7 F Oh
Nancy E. " 5 F Oh
Mary M. " 3 F Oh
Hannah M. " 1 F Oh </pre>

<pre>1860 Perry Co., Ohio, Thorn Township, p.o. Thornville; July 12; pg 96
691/675
Russell Hitt 55 MW Va $100/$40 Laborer
Mahala " 54 FW Va
Hannah " 11 FW Oh
Louisa M. " 7 FW Oh </pre>

<pre>1870 Perry Co., Ohio, Thorn Township, p.o. Thornville; June 6; pg 8
62/65
Russell Hitt 64 MW Va $600/$-- Laborer
Mahala " 58 FW Va Keeping House
Louisa " 17 FW Oh At Home
Joseph Snedlin 6 MW Oh At Home </pre>

In 1880 Mahala Hitt (64, Wd, Va Va Va) is living in Thornville, Thorn Township, Perry Co., Ohio in the household of her daughter Sarah and her husband Simon Miller.

In 1900 Mahala Hitt (87, June 1812, 10 children/7 living, Va Va Va) is still living in Thornville, Thorn Township, Perry Co., Ohio in the household of her daughter Sarah J. and her husband Simon Miller.

DEATH DATE and BIRTH DATE:

William and Mahala Hitt are buried in row 13 of the Methodist or M. E. Cemetery in Thornville, Ohio. On page 85 in Volume 1 of "Perry County, Ohio, Thorn Twp. Cemeteries" (Maxine Lynn Fisher & Norma Lynn Ortman, 1985) his death date is listed as M__ __ ____ and he was 66 years 3 months 12 days old. Mahala was 89 years 11 months 19 days old and died June 3, 1902.

A typewritten record entitled "RECORD OF DEATHS, PERRY COUNTY" found in Perry County by Jeff Phillips has the following information for William Russel Hitt:
Married MW Farmer died 5-12-75 in Perry Co. of consumption, age 69 years; born Virginia; ledger 1, page 94
The analogous information for Mahala Hitt is
Widowed FW died 6-3-02 in Thorn Twp of senile gangrene, age 89 years 11 months 3 days; born Virginia; Register 17

The typewritten record appears to be an index; the names are in alphabetical order. The death dates are probably correct. The exact ages are presumably calculated from a known birthdate. In the case of Mahala the number of days in the record differs from the number on the tombstone, and in the case of William his age in years differs by 3 years from the age on his tombstone.

Three census entries suggest that William was born in 1805 or 1806. If we assume he was 69 years 3 months and 12 days old at death, he was born January 31, 1806.

William Russell Hitt's tombstone can be seen on Find-a-Grave. The photograph is not legible.

WHO WAS HIS FATHER?

Earl J. Hitt's database 'hitthaynie' asserts that William Russell's father was Rev. Benjamin Hitt. William Russell Hitt married Mahala Gladston April 2, 1832 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, and Earl asserts that the marriage bond says that the groom's father was Rev. Benjamin. The typewritten marriage bond which I have seen does not say that. According to the online LDS catalog, "The original marriage bonds and returns were becoming much worn and torn so in 1933 the county clerk made typed transcripts of these records. These typed copies were bound into v. 1-6." These typewritten marriage bonds have a standard wording. Two bondsmen are bound to the governor of Virginia in the amount of £50 or later $150 for the faithful realization of a promise of marriage between two named individuals. Sometimes someone consents to the marriage on behalf of the bride. Most commonly that person is her father, but he might be a brother or a guardian. Sometimes someone states under oath that one or both parties are over 21 years of age.

In the case of William Russell Hitt and Mahala Gladston the marriage bond states that she is the daughter of Arthur Gladston but says nothing about who William's father is.

For a further argument that William's father is not Rev. Benjamin see notes under his brother-in-law Garrett T. Hitt.

The will of William Hitt who died in Seneca Co., Ohio probably in January 1853 makes it clear that both Garrett Thomson Hitt and William Russell Hitt were his sons.

EARL J. HITT:

The following was copied from the database of Earl J. Hitt in WorldConnect (no longer existent):

William's will, written in 1879, is recorded in Perry County, Ohio Will Book 1, page 342.

Birth: 02 JAN 1806 in Virginia]]
Death: 12 MAY 1875 in Thornville, Perry County, Ohio
Note: William died of consumption at age 69.

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General Notes: Wife - Mahala Gladstone

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# Note: The 1860 census gives birth: abt 1805.
DEATH:

William and Mahala Hitt are buried in row 13 of the Methodist or M. E. Cemetery in Thornville, Ohio. On page 85 in Volume 1 of "Perry County, Ohio, Thorn Twp. Cemeteries" (Maxine Lynn Fisher & Norma Lynn Ortman, 1985) his death date is listed as M__ __ ____ and he was 66 years 3 months 12 days old. Mahala was 89 years 11 months 19 days old and died June 3, 1902.

1 "Find-a-Grave," Memorial # 150787898.

2 "Fauquier County Virginia Marriage Bonds and Returns," microfilm, Vol 4, pg 376. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.

3 "Familysearch.org," "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8C-5JH : 6 August 2020), William Russell Hitt, 1832.