David Hitt 
      Sex: M
Individual Information 
     Birth Date: 25 Aug 1800 - South Carolina
    Christening: 
          Death: 31 Aug 1880 - Newton Co., Mississippi 2
         Burial: in First Bapt. Ch. Cem., Newton, Newton Co., Mississippi
 Cause of Death:
Parents 
         Father: Benjamin Hitt , Rev. (Abt 1779-After 1860)
         Mother: Nancy Curnal (Abt 1777-      )
Spouses and Children 
1. *Catherine Addison (15 Jun 1800 - 7 Jul 1834) 3 
       Marriage: Abt 1819
       Children:
                1. James A. Hitt (1820-1902)
                2. Sarah Ann Francis Hitt (1823-1842)
                3. Benjamin A. Hitt (1825-1860/1870)
                4. David W. Hitt (1827-1906)
                5. Daniel M. Hitt (1829-1905)
                6. Catherine D. Hitt (1831-1904)
                7. Nancy R. J. Hitt (1834-1840)

2. Elizabeth Bradley (29 Aug 1800 - 13 Nov 1881) 1 
       Marriage: 14 Jan 1836 - Greene Co., Alabama 10 11
       Children:
                1. Emeline M. Hitt (1838-1915)
                2. Mary Elizabeth Hitt (1840-1923)
Notes
General:
CENSUS:

<pre>1820 Laurens Co., South Carolina
David Hitt 000100 --- 00100; 1 in agriculture; no slaves
male female
<10
10-16
16-18
1 16-26 1
26-45
>45 </pre>

<pre>1830 Greene Co., Alabama
David Hitt 211001 -- 010001; no slaves
male female
2 < 5
1 5-10 1
1 10-15
15-20
20-30
1 30-40 1
40-50 </pre>

<pre>1840 Sumter Co., Alabama
David Hill 0012001 -- 2101001; 1 slave
male female
< 5 2
5-10 1
1 10-15
2 15-20 1
20-30
30-40
1 40-50 1
50-60 </pre>

His surname is clearly 'Hill', not 'Hitt'. The census taker routinely crossed t's. He is however 3 entries away from Marshall Hitt and they are close to numerous other Hitts. More specifically he is in the sequence David Hill, Ephraim L. Banks, x, Marshall Hitt, x, Nancy Hitt, Drury Sims, 9x, John Altman, 4x, John Hitt, Laz Hitt, Aswell Hitt, Alford Hitt, Willis Ball, Moore Stephens, x, x, Henry Hitt, Benj'n Hitt, 6x, Richard Hitt.

The Hitts are David (1800-1880), Marshall (1802-1870/80), John (1790-1846), Lazarus (1814-1872), Oswell (1812-1877), Alfred (1819-1866), Henry H. (1812- ), Benjamin B. (1786-1850), and Richard (1812-1843).


<pre>1850 Sumter Co., Alabama, New York Division; Sept 26
148/150
David Hitt 49 M SC $-- Farmer
Elizabeth " 49 F NC
David W. " 23 F Al $-- Farmer
Daniel M. " 20 M Al
Emiline M. " 13 F Al
Mary E. " 10 F Al </pre>

He is not in the Slave Schedule. David's father Benjamin Hitt lives at 149/151. The sex of David W. is an error.

<pre>1860 Newton Co., Mississippi, p.o. Garlandsville; July 18; pg 2
12/12
David Hit 59 MW SC $400/$400 Farmer
Elizabeth " 59 FW NC
Mary " 20 FW Al
Benjaman " 81 MW Va
Catherine Philops 29 FW Al
David " 8 MW Al
James " 7 MW Ms
Mary " 10 FW Ms </pre>

He is not in the Slave Schedule. His daughter Emiley and her husband James Philops live at 15/15.

<pre>1870 Newton Co., Ms, Township 5 Range 11, p.o. Newton; June 9; pg 23
80/80
Hitt, David, Sen. 69 MW SC $600/$625 Farmer
Elizabeth 69 FW NC Keeping House
David Jr. 43 MW Al $200/$150 Farm Laborer
Mary E. Sen. 30 FW Al
Mary Jr 19 FW Al
Sarah E. 16 FW Ms </pre>

Mary Jr and Sarah E. are daughters of David's son Benjamin.

<pre>1880 Newton Co., Mississippi, Beat No. 4, ED 88; June 26, 28; pg 53
491/491
David Hitt 80 M SC SC SC Farmer
Lizzie " 78 wife M NC NC NC Keeping House
D. W. " 53 son S Al SC NC Farm Laborer
Elizabeth " 40 dau S Al SC NC </pre>

CENSUS COMPARISON:
<pre>
1830 1840
male:
<5 (0) Daniel M., b. 1830
<5 (3) 10-15(13) David W., b. 1827
5-10 (5) 15-20(15) Benjamin A., b. 1825
10-15(10) 15-20(20) James A., b. 1820
30-40(30) 40-50(40) David, b. 1800
female:
<5 (3) Emaline, b. 1838
5-10 (6) Nancy R. J., b. 1834, d. 31 Oct 1840
5-10 (9) Catherine D., b. 1831
5-10 (7) 15-20(17) Sarah Ann F., b. 1823
30-40(30) 40-50(40) Catherine/Elizabeth, b. 1800
</pre>
The parenthesized numbers in previous columns represent real ages to be compared with the age categories that appear in the census.

LAND in ALABAMA:

The following 4 tracts were patented to David Hitt. The 79.98 acre tract in Sumter Co. was patented to "David Hitt, Junior of Greene Co.".
<pre>
NWNE S3 T21N R1W 38.72 acres 3/30/1837 Greene Co. David Hitt, Junior
SENW S3 T21N R1W 38.72 acres 3/30/1837 Greene Co. David Hitt, Junior
W1/2NE S29 T17N R3W 79.98 acres 11/2/1837 Sumter Co.
W1/2SE S12 T18N R4W 80.04 acres 11/4/1899 Sumter Co.
</pre>
In February 1835 David Hitt, Jr. sold a 38.72 acre tract (NENW S3) which joins the first two and which was patented to Daniel Hitt 3/15/1837 (K/852). There is no record of his having sold the two tracts that were patented to him. In June 1855 he sold the tract that was patented to him in 1899 (N/452). In both Greene Co. (K/852) and in Sumter Co. (April 1851, M/597) he sold land different from that patented to him and for which there is no record of purchase.

JP:

In the late 1830's and early 1840's David Hitt was a Justice of the Peace in Sumter Co. Between March 1838 and January 1841 he performed at least 9 weddings.

WILL:

Pages 15-18 of Newton Co., Mississippi Will Book 1 deal with the estate of David Hitt. Mary Elizabeth Hitt and D. W. Hitt say on October 28, 1880 in a sworn statement that David Hitt died during the previous August. They state that he died possessed of a small real and personal estate consisting of a small plantation and farming utensils and credits and that the personal estate is worth $500 based on the information they have been able to obtain. David Hitt's will follows:

I David Hitt of Newton county in the State of Mississippi being of sound mind, memory and considering the uncertainly of this frail and transitory life do make and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, as follows, to wit.

First, I desire that all my just debts & funeral expenses be paid out of my estate by my executors hereinafter named as soon after my deceased [sic] as practible.

Second, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth and my daughter Mary E. Hitt two choice cows and calves one horse and ten head of hogs (absolutely) and all the lands which I may own or possess at the time of my death together with my dwelling house, out houses and farm for and during the term of their natural lives or until they shall marry and on the death or marriage of both of them all of said lands to be sold by my executors either at public or private sale as they may deem best so as to command best price, and the proceeds thereof to be equally divided between my daughters Mary Elizabeth Hitt, Catherine D. Phillips, Emeline M. Phillips wife of J. J. Phillips and my sons James A. Hitt, David W. Hitt, D. M. Hitt and the heirs of B. A. Hitt deceased to share and share alike (the heirs of B. A. Hitt deceased taking their fathers B. A. Hitts share) and the three youngest of said heirs pay to the two oldest of said heirs out of their joint share the sum of ten dollars each out of said share.

Third, I desire all the residue of the personal property I may die possessed of (except my household and kitchen furniture and the provisions which may be on hand, be sold as soon after my decease as practible and the proceeds to be paid over to my beloved wife Elizabeth and daughter Mary Elizabeth Hitt to be used in their ________ during their natural lives or until they shall marry and on both of them marrying to be divided as provided in second clause above.

Fourth, I desire that my son David W. Hitt to remain on my plantation with my beloved wife Elizabeth and daughter Mary Elizabeth in charge of the same, and as a compensation for superintending said farm and taking care of my beloved wife and daughter Mary Elizabeth Hitt during their lives or singleness to enjoy equally the rents and profits of said farm free of rent or charge therefor.

Fifth, I desire that no other action be had upon this my last will and testament by the courts but that the same be proven Probated and recorded. And my executors hereinafter appointed be and they are hereby authorized to make a sale of all my real and personal estate at public or private sale as they may deem best.

Lastly, I hereby appoint my daughter Mary Elizabeth Hitt executrix my son David W. Hitt executor of this my last will and testament that [he] be not required to give Bond for the execution of this will, and I hereby revoke all former wills heretofore made by me.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the ninth day of February A. D. 1874.
David Hitt (seal)

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said David Hitt as & for his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto set and subscribed our names as witnesses hereunto this the 9th day of Feby A. D. 1874.

Eugene Carleton
Andrew F. Clarke
A. J. Brown

CHILDREN:

David Hitt's will identifies 4 sons and 3 daughters. Nancy R. J. Hitt, whose existence is alleged by Beatrice Myers and Vada Phillips on page 166 in Benjamin Hitt and Nancy Curnal, their Antecedents and Descendants fills a slot in the 1840 census. Sarah Ann F. Hitt, who married William McDonald August 12, 1842 in Sumter Co., Alabama, can fill matching slots in the 1830 and 1840 censuses. On page 156 Myers and Phillips state

"The Bible record kept by his son, James Addison Hitt, and later by James Meredith Hitt, indicated that David Benjamin was the father of nine children. According to cemetery markers, death records in the Bible, wills, and other sources, we have determined that three of those children preceded him in death. The Bible pages recorded by James Addison and James Meredith are detached from the Bible, but are legible and in good condition. Mrs. Mamie Hitt, wife of Dan Hitt, has the original pages in Yazoo City, Ms. Copies of the pages were obtained from the originals and are in the possession of the compilers of this record."

MIDDLE NAME:

Hitt researchers routinely refer to this David Hitt as 'David Benjamin', which is convenient for purposes of distinguishing him from his uncle, but they provide no evidence as to his middle name. I have never seen the combination 'David Benjamin' or 'David B.' or any reference to him as 'Benjamin' in a 19th century document. He signed his will 'David Hitt' and the name on his tombstone is 'David Hitt'. Correspondingly I refer to him simply as 'David Hitt'.
picture

Sources

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 Smith County Genealogical Society, Smith County Mississippi Cemeteries, 1999, pg 353. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.

5 Smith County Genealogical Society, "Smith County Mississippi and its Families," 2003 Vol 1; 2006 Vol 2, Vol 1, pg 186. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.

6 Beatrice Myers & Vada Phillips, "Benjamin Hitt and Nancy Curnal, their Antecedents and Descendants," 1987, pg 157. Repository: Orange Public Library, Orange, Texas.

7 Lois Tessmer Strebeck, "Newton County, Mississippi Cemeteries," 1993, Vol II, pg 6. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.

8 http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/j/o/Johnny-L-Bjorndahl-LA/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0159.html.

9 Beatrice Myers & Vada Phillips, "Benjamin Hitt and Nancy Curnal, their Antecedents and Descendants," 1987, pg 166. Repository: Orange Public Library, Orange, Texas.

10 Pauline Jones Gandrud, "Marriage Records of Greene County, Alabama 1823--1860," 1969, pg 68. Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.

11 "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.

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