John Hitt
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth Date: Abt 1759 Christening: Death: 2 Nov 1839 - Cape Girardeau Co., Missouri Burial: Cause of Death:
Parents
Father: Henry Hitt (Abt 1719- ) Mother: Alice Katherine Holtzclaw ( - )
Spouses and Children
1. *Frances "Franky" Banks (8 Sep 1763 - 17 May 1852) Marriage:
Notes
General:
CENSUS:
<pre>1790 Edgefield Co., South Carolina
John Hitt 245; no slaves
males >= 16 2
males < 16 4
females 5 </pre>
There are 2 John Hitts in Edgefield Co. in 1790 -- this one and the eldest son of Harman Hitt. There are 2 census entries -- this one and "John Hit 122; 8 slaves". "122" is reasonable for both cases and in particular is a good match for the children of this John Hitt as listed in Earl J. Hitt's database 'hitthaynie'. "245" is not a good match in either case. It is not obvious which census entry corresponds to which John Hitt. The large number of people respresented by "245" suggests that two families may have been occupying one dwelling and were amalgamated into one census entry.
ONWARD:
A 1791 deed in Washington Co., Georgia indicates that John Hitt was there by 1791. In about 1806 he moved to Cape Girardeau Co., Missouri, where he died in 1839. For more information see 'hitthaynie'.
EARL J. HITT:
The following was copied from the database of Earl J. Hitt in WorldConnect (no longer existent):
John Hitt was a revolutionary soldier and it is believed that he served in Capt. James Webb's Company, Col. Henry Sherburne's Regiment of the Continental Trooops. A company payroll for this Regiment lists John as recieving pay for the months of August and September 1779. A company muster for the regiment for October 19, 1779 states that John enlisted on 9 September 1779 for a period of 3 years, but that he deserted September 29, 1779. (Records at National Archives, Sherburne's Regiment, Continental Troops, Revolutionary War)
On 15 Oct 1791, John Hitt and wife Frances of Washington Co., GA sold Richard Banks of Wilkes Co., GA for 50 pounds, 100 acres in Wilkes Co., both sides of south fork of Indian Creek, adjacent to Richard Banks and Philips Moss. John and Franky signed with their mark. (Wilkes County, Georgia Deed Book GG, p. 499).
On or about 28 March 1833 John made application for a pension (Cape Girardeau County, Book D, page 332). John also served in the South Carolina Militia under Col. Anderson.
It is believed that John and Frances moved to South Carolina about 1785 before the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth. The 1790 Census for South Carolina shows a John Hitt in the 96th District with 2 males over 16, 4 males under 16 and five females. They moved to Washington County, Georgia, where John and his son, William, entered the Georgia Land Lottery in 1805, but neither was awarded any land. To be eligible for the lottery, they were required to have lived in Georgia for at least a year. John was a Baptist and there are several notes in the Bethlehem Church minutes concerning John and Franky in 1803 and 1804. (Bethlehem Church at Warthen, Washington County, Georgia). Then, in about 1806, John and Franky sold their land in Georgia to John Banks, Franky's brother, and moved on to Cape Girardeau which was in the Louisiana Territory. (The Hitts traveled with a group to Missouri; that group including: William and Charity Matthews, John and Nancy Sheppard, Thomas and Jane English, and Catherine Anderson; See Bock Book) (Note: Cape Girardeau was a part of the Louisiana Territory when it was purchased in 1803. It opened up a vast area of land for new settlers. Cape Girardeau County was not formed until about 1812, after the John Hitt family settled in the area).
On 19 July 1806, John and Frances Hitt joined with Rev. David Green, George Lawrence and Henry Codkerham, deacons, and with a group of other Baptist residents to organize a Baptist church called "Bethel." (First permanent Protestant Church to be established west of the Mississippi River) The church ceased to function in about 1868. (History of Old Bethel Church, Mrs. Edgar Bock). Many of John and Frances' children were also members of the Bethel Church. On 24 October 1906, the Missouri Baptist General Association erected a monument at the Old Bethel Cemetery. The inscription on the monument reads:
"Old Bethel Baptist Church, the first permanent non-Catholic church west of the Mississippi River. Constituted July 19, 1906 with these members: Thomas English, Leaunde Green, Jane English, Agnes Ballou, Thomas Bull, Edward Spears, Anderson Rodgers, John Hitt, Clara Abernathy, Catherine Anderson, Rebecca Randol, Francis Hitt, William Mathews. The Missouri Baptist General Association commemorated with a celebration and the erection of this monument Oct. 24, 1906."
The Old Bethel Cemetery is located in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri; 3 miles south, slightly east of Jackson, and a mile west of Hwy. 25, on the farm of William A. Lowes.
John appears in the 1829 Tax List for Cape Girardeau as the present claimant on 225 acres of land (original Patentee, Daniel Doigin); and as present claiment on 200 acres of land for which James Cox was the original claimant.
Before John died he deeded his land to his sons. On 5 October 1819, he deeded to his son John Hitt, Jr. 255 acres of land, "in consideration of the natural love and affection for my son John Hitt, Jr.".(Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, Land Records, Jackson, Missouri, Deed Book E, pp 113/14). On 17 August 1827, "in consideration of the nartural affection I have to my beloved son Henry Hitt of Cape Girardeau County, I give all the plantation I now live on containing two hundred and seventeen acres, to revert and descend to him at my death". (Deed Book G, p. 162). On 29 June 1819, John and Frances Hitt deeded five acres to their son-in-law, James Cox, Jr., for the sum of twenty-five cents. (Deed Book E, pp 59/60). On 14 June 1833, John conveyed all his personal property to his son John Hitt, Jr. (Deed Book H, pp. 129-130). John evidently felt that a will was not required of him since he had deeded all his land and personal property to his sons during his lifetime.
John Hitt's obituary can be found on page 53 in the Old Bethel Baptist Church minutes. Franky's obituary can be found on page 65 of the minutes. On 9 November 1839 the following note appears in the minutes of the Bethel Baptist Church near Jackson, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri:
"Church conference opened by prayer and proceeded to business. Resolved that a biographical sketch of the life of Bros. Jno. Hitt, deceased be placed in the Church Book. The Bethel Church unanimously agreed in a resolution that a biographical sketch of the life and conversation of their Decd. Bros. John Hitt be placed in the Church Book and a memorial of departed worth." That sketch is as follows:
"John Hitt from the best information we can obtain, has been a member of the Baptist Church near 50 years all of which time we have reason to believe has never once swerved from his profession, but has been a very orderly and an exemplary christian, showing the reality of his profession although confined to his home for a long time. Yet he was extremely patient under all his affection. He departed this life Nov. 2, 1839. Firmly fixed in the faith he had lived in. In the 80th year of his useful life."
Birth: 08 JAN 1759 in Fauquier County, Virginia
Death: 02 NOV 1839 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Burial: John Hitt Cemetery, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
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