Henry L. Hitt

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Husband Henry L. Hitt

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           Born: Abt 1838 - South Carolina (Laurens Co.)
     Christened: 
           Died: Jun 1873 - Laurens Co., South Carolina
         Buried: 

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         Father: William Hitt (Abt 1805-1861)
         Mother: Millie (Abt 1802-1875)

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Wife

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Henry L. Hitt

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Genealogically there is an overabundance of Henry Hitts. In particular there appear to be two Henry L. Hitts.

William's son Henry was born about 1838 and is in his father's household in 1850 and in 1860. In 1861 he is named as executor in the will of his older brother Benjamin. He is referred to as 'my Brother Henry' in the will. Benjamin died in June 1862. In December 1862 Henry L. Hitt renounced executorship of the estate, and another administrator was appointed.

So it appears that William's son Henry is Henry L. Hitt. Moreover, many years later, in 1883 a lawyer M. E. Babb petitioned to be appointed administrator de bonis non of the estate of Benjamin and in his petition he states that Benjamin in his will named his brother H. L. Hitt to be his executor and that H. L. Hitt later renounced the executorship.

This Henry Hitt born about 1838 does not appear in the 1870 or 1880 census. In fact he died in 1873. See below.

William's brother Benjamin L. Hitt had a son Henry born about 1845. He is in his father's household in 1850 and in 1860. He is in the 1870 and 1880 censuses in Laurens Co. and in 1880 is identified as 'H. L. Hitt'. Benjamin L. died in 1865. The probate procedure makes it clear that Benjamin L. had a son Henry L., who, in fact, is the executor of the estate of his father.

Between 1869 and 1872 H. L. Hitt acts as an agent for Milly Hitt, the administratrix of the estate of William Hitt. In that role his name appears 3 times as 'H. L. Hitt' and once as 'Henry L. Hitt'. In 1875 a new appraisal of the estate of William Hitt lists various doubtful assets. One is a doubtful note on H. L. Hitt in the amount of $1003.05. Two credits on H. L. Hitt made in 1863 and in 1864 amount to $400.00. In 1882 J. J. McGowan, administrator of the estate of William Hitt, reports that $1228.99 was received "from Estate of H. L. Hitt, dec'd". The same amount is reported in the probate documents for the Henry L. Hitt who died in June 1873.

I think we can be confident that the Henry L. Hitt who owed money to William Hitt was William's son, not William's nephew. Presumably the Henry L. Hitt who acted as an agent for Milly Hitt was her son.

MILITARY SERVICE:

Henry Hitt, E. S. Hitt, and Benjamin Hitt, Cpl. were in the South Carolina 3rd Inf. Co. F according to Confederate State Roster -- South Carolina, Vol. II (Unit Roster). According to the same source Henry L. Hitt was in Inf. 3rd Bn. Co. B along with Patrick Hitt, Peter Hitt, and Robert Hitt. There were 3 Henry Hitts in Laurens Co. who might have been soldiers during the Civil War. William Hitt's brother Henry was relatively old (born about 1810), and Benjamin L. Hitt's son Henry L. was quite young (born about 1845). I think the Henry Hitt cited below is probably William's son Henry L., who was born about 1838. The fact that he was wounded in July 1862 is consistent with the fact that on December 23, 1862 he declined to be the executor of his brother's estate.

The following is on page 451 of South Carolina Troops in Confederate Service by A. S. Salley, Volume II.

Hitt, Henry, joined for duty, at Boyd's Old Field, Laurens District, April 14, 1861; reenlisted May 13, 1862; wounded at Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862; reported on muster roll of October 31, 1862, as in hospital, in Richmond, Va., on account of wounds; reported on muster rolls of December 31, 1862, and February 28, 1863, as at home, a leg having been amputated; not on next available muster roll (June 30, 1863).

For an explanation of the 3rd Infantry Battalion see

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/3rd_Battalion,_South_Carolina_Infantry_(Lauren's)_(James')

3rd Infantry Battalion [also called Lauren's Battalion and James' Battalion] was organized in November, 1861, at Camp Hampton, near Columbia, South Carolina. It contained four companies, with three additional companies joining the unit at White Point. Most of the men were from Laurens County, and a few were recruited in Richland and Fairfield counties. The Battalion was reorganized in April 1862.

Company B - (also known as the Williams Company) - many men from Laurens District

For an explanation of the 3rd Infantry Regiment see

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/3rd_Regiment,_South_Carolina_Infantry

The 3rd Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Infantry was also known as the 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers. It began its organization in the first part of 1861 and mustered into state service in March 1861. Further enlistment was at Camp Johnson north of Columbia, South Carolina in April, 1861, and it was then mustered into Confederate service.

Company F - (also known as the Wadsworth Volunteers and the Wadsworth Guards) Many men from Newberry District and Laurens District.

PROBATE:

Probate records for Henry L. Hitt are in Box 173, Package 4 (image 156/1465) of Laurens Co. Estate Papers. They can be seen online at familysearch.org.

Jno. J. McGowan states that H. L. Hitt departed this life in June 1873 intestate and being seized in his own right of a small personal estate. He petitions for letters of administration (image 159).

The appraisal (image 167) mentions a note on Henry Hitt dated February 10, 1873 for $55 (doubtful) and a 1/3 interest in 4 accounts (all doubtful) for a total of $177.50. The value of other items is $419.62. A sale took place on October 1, 1873. Mrs. Susan Smith bought a saddle and wearing apparel ($5.50). H. F. Hitt bought a 1/3 interest in certain machinery ($375). Six other buyers bought a few items. Total proceeds = $510.40.

In 1873 the administrator received $40 on Henry Hitt's note.

The administrator petitioned the court to summon all interested parties to appear on December 23, 1882 to show cause, if any, why the administrator should not make a final settlement and be discharged (image 180). He stated that the said Henry L. Hitt, dec'd has now only collateral relatives, viz., sisters and deceased brother's and sister's children in this county and state and one sister sui juris living in the state of Mississippi and that the estate of said Henry Hitt, dec'd is utterly insolvent (image 181).

There is a summary of the estate from 1873 through 1882 on images 184-87. The final amount in the estate is $1228.99, and that amount was turned over to the estate of William Hitt, dec'd. A larger amount ($1518.82) is mentioned, and it may be that the smaller amount was paid because no more was available. The court ordered John J. McGowan as administrator of the estate of Henry L. Hitt, dec'd to transfer $1228.99 to himself as administrator of the estate of William Hitt, dec'd and discharged him from his trust as administrator of Henry L. Hitt, dec'd.