Peter Hitt
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth Date: Abt 1756 - (Fauquier Co., Virginia) Christening: Death: 31 Aug 1802 - Fauquier Co., Virginia Burial: Cause of Death:
Parents
Father: John Hitt (Abt 1715-1782) Mother: Mary (Abt 1736-After 1802)
Spouses and Children
1. *Hannah (Abt 1763 - 26 Aug 1847) Marriage: Apr 1783 - Fauquier Co., Virginia Children: 1. Presley R. Hitt (1784-1866) 2. Harrison C. Hitt (1785-1863) 3. Alexander Hitt (1787-1856) 4. Mary Hitt (1789- ) 5. Susannah P. Hitt (1792-1872) 6. Thaddeus N. Hitt (1793-1877) 7. Nancy Hitt (1796-After 1880) 8. Frances D. "Fanny" Hitt (1798- ) 9. Elizabeth Hitt (1800-1850/1860) 10. Hannah Hitt (1802-After 1870)
Notes
General:
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX LISTS:
There is an overabundance of Peter Hitts. Each of the 5 sons of the immigrant Peter named one of his sons Peter. The Fauquier Co. Personal Property Tax Lists allow us to correlate 1) "Peter on the river", 2) wife Hannah, 3) sons Presley and Harrison and 4) death in 1802. Peter III (son of Peter II, who in turn is a son of the immigrant Peter I) appears in the Personal Property Tax List for the first time in 1797 and is always close to his father. He is thus easily identifiable. Peter, son of Joseph, and Peter, son of Henry, left Fauquier Co. with their fathers. Peter on the river is thus the son of John or of Harman. Since Harman appointed two attorneys in 1797 to distribute his property among his children and referred to "Peter or his heirs" in the document, we can deduce that Harman's son Peter had previously left Fauquier Co. and that his father did not know whether he was alive or not. Since Peter on the river died in 1802, he must be John's son.
The following entries in the Personal Property Tax List refer to some Peter Hitt. They are in addition to the entries of Peter II and his son Peter III.
1782 is the first year that a list of men required to pay a tax on personal property is available for Fauquier Co., Virginia. The columns are 1) white males >21 (1783-1787) or white male tithables >16 (1788--), 2) white males 16-21, 3) Negroes (1782) or Negroes >16 (1783--), 4) Negroes <16 (1783-1787) or Negroes <16 and >12 (1788--), 5) horses/mares/colts/mules, 6) cattle, 7) amount of tax, 8) names of tithables >16 in the household other than the person chargeable with the tax. "1TN" means the district of commissioner Travers Nash, arbitrarily assigned the number '1'. "2CP" is the district of commissioner Charles Pickett, arbitrarily assigned the number '2'. Commissioners come and go; the districts are stable.
<pre>
1782
1783 Peter Hitt 1 0 0 2 1 (J)
1784 Peter Hitt 1 0 1 1 4 (J)
1783 Peter Hitt 1 0 0 2 0 (H)
1784 Peter Hitt 1 0 0 2 0 (H)
1785 Peter Hitt 1 0 0 2 0 (H)
1786 Peter Hitt 1 0 1 2 3
1787 1TN Peter Hitt 1 0 0 1 2 5
1788 1TN Peter Hitt 2 0 0 3 6s Deane Richards
1789 1TN Peter Hitt 1 0 0 3 6s
1790 1GR Peter Hitt 1 0 0 4 8s
1791 1GR Peter Hitt 1 1 0 3 16s
1792 1GR Peter Hitt 1 0 1 3 16s
1793 1TD Peter Hitt 1 0 1 3 16s
1794 1JF Peter Hitt, Junr 1 0 1 3 16s
1795 1JF Peter Hitt, Junr 1 0 1 4 18s
1796 1IO Peter Hitt 1 1 0 4 18s
1797 1EE Peter Hitt, Junr 1 1 1 5 £1 10s
1798 1EE Peter Hitt 1 1 1 4 1.06
2JW Peter Hitt T. Run 1 1 1 2 .92
1799 1EE Peter Hitt 1 1 1 5 1.48
1800 2CP Peter Hitt on the river 2 1 0 4 .92 Presly
1801 2CP Peter Hitt on the river 2 1 0 4 .92 Presley
1802 2-- Peter Hitt on the river 3 1 0 4 .92 Presley, Harrison
1803 2CP Hannah Hitt 2 1 0 3 .80 Presley, Harrison
1804 2SB Hannah Hitt 3 0 0 5 .60 Alex., Presley, H.
1805
1806 2TR Hannah Hitt 3 1 0 5 1.04 Alexander, Presley, Harrison
1807 2TR Presley, Harrison, Alex 3 1 0 7 1.28
1808
1809 2TR Hannah 2 1 0 7 1.28 Harrison, Alexander
1810 2TR Hannah 2 0 0 5 .60 Hareson, Olli
1811 2JE Hannah 1 1 0 4 .92 Thadeus
1812 2SC Hanah 3 0 1 4
1813 2SC Hanah 3 0 1 4
1814 2SC Hannah 1 0 1 3
1815 2SC Hannah 0 1 0 2 1.525
1816 2SC Hannah 1 0 1 2 1.06
1817 2SC Hannah 1 0 1 2 1.06
1818 2SC Hanah 1 0 1 2 1.06
1819 2SC Hanah 0 0 1 2 1.06
</pre>
How do we interpret this sequence of entries? Clearly the latter entries correspond to John's son Peter. Are all of the earlier entries his or do some correspond to Harman's son Peter? Since John's son is a landowner in Fauquier Co. from 1788 onwards, it seems unlikely that he would be absent from the Personal Property Tax List. Moreover, after 1783 he is married. In 1783 and in 1784 there are 2 Peter Hitts in the list. It is instructive to look at a facsimile copy of the original list. The entries marked 'H' in parentheses are positioned in such a way as to suggest that they corresponds to Harman's son and those marked 'J' in parentheses are close to John's widow and sons.
It may be that both Harman's son Peter and John's son Peter were in Fauquier Co. in 1783 and in 1784 and that in about 1786 Harman's son left Fauquier Co. He may have gone with his uncles and cousins to South Carolina. It is also possible that the second Peter Hitt in 1783 and in 1784 is Joseph's son Peter.
In 1798 there are 2 similar entries for Peter Hitt. One is designated "T. Run", which might mean "Turkey Run" or "Thumb Run". Both are associated with this Peter Hitt. I conjecture that he was living close to the boundary between the 2 districts and that he was counted in both. Presumably he did not have to pay the tax twice.
LAND in FAUQUIER CO.:
John Hitt, Peter's father, owned 216 acres. He died in 1782 and in the Fauquier Co. Land Tax List for 1783 John Hitt with 50 acres, Mary Hitt with 141 acres and Elias Hitt with 25 acres are contiguous in the list. 50 + 141 + 25 = 216, and it seems very likely that Mary, John and Elias inherited their land from John Hitt, dec'd. They remain in the list as contiguous entries until 1787, and then in 1788 Mary and Elias vanish and John with 144 acre and Peter with 72 acres are contiguous. 144 + 72 = 216. We assume that Mary is the widow of John Hitt who died in 1782 and that John, Elias and Peter are his sons. Peter continues to be in the list until 1800 as the owner of 72 acres, and John is in the list as the owner of 144 acres until 1810. Peter is always in the same district as his brother John.
In 1809 and in 1810 Hannah is the owner of 100 acres said to be "of Fairfax"; in 1811 and in 1812 (the last year for which I have seen the list) she owns 228 acres said to be "of Marshall".
WAR of INDEPENDENCE:
In 1841 Hannah Hitt, widow of Peter Hitt, applied for and received a pension based on the military service of her husband in the War of Independence. Earl J. Hitt points out that several DAR records incorrectly attribute this service to Peter Hitt II. He lists 7 of them.
Pension Application W7732, Hannah Hitt, widow of Peter Hitt:
On September 7, 1841 Hannah Hitt made the following declaration under oath before J. A. Marshall, a Justice of the Peace for Fauquier Co., for the purpose of obtaining a pension based on the Revolutionary War service of her deceased husband. 'Camden' refers to Camden, South Carolina. Search in Google for 'Camden' + 'Baron de Kalb' for background information.
"that she is a resident of Leeds Manor in the County and State aforesaid; that she is as near as she can state aged about seventy-eight years; that she is the widow of Peter Hitt, who was a private soldier in the army during the revolutionary war; that he, the said Peter Hitt, enlisted for seven years under Captain Elias Edmonds; that his enlistment took place in the year seventeen hundred and seventy-seven; and that he remained either in the army or as a prisoner of war until its close, when he was released by an exchange of prisoners; that at the time of his entering the service he resided in the County of Fauquier; that he was engaged in the battle at Camden in the month of August 1780, where he was taken prisoner, after being badly wounded, and detained as a prisoner until the exchange aforesaid; that she has often heard her husband, in his lifetime, say, that if General Gates had taken Baron De Kalb's advice, and retreated the evening before the battle of Camden to Rugglee's Mills, that he would not have been defeated; that he, Peter Hitt and his comrades fought over Baron De Kalb until the cavalry came on them, when they were compelled to leave the dead body of their commander; that he, the said Hitt, owed his life to the chance of getting under a bending tree when the cavalry charged on them, in which posture he was slashed by sword cuts on each of his arms and sides, when he fell, and was afterwards carried, faint and sick, to the enemy's prison-ship, where it was a long time before he was able to do any thing for himself, but as soon as he got able to do any thing, they set him to picking ropes. And the said Hannah Hitt saith, that she has no documentary evidence in her possession in support of this declaration.
"The said Hannah Hitt further declares, that she was married to the said Peter Hitt, on the day of April, in the year seventeen hundred and eighty three; that her husband, the aforesaid Peter Hitt died on the 31st day of August 1802; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but shortly thereafter; and that the marriage took place previous to the 1st day of January seventeen hundred and ninety-four, viz, at the time above stated; that she was married in Turkey Run Church, in the county of Fauquier, by old Parson Craig, and hath lived in the said County ever since."
Hannah (her X cross) Hitt
On October 26, 1841 Charles Kemper, Sr. of Fauquier Co. made the following declaration under oath:
"that he and Peter Hitt enlisted on the same day in August in the year 1777, at the town of Warrenton, then and now the seat of justice of said County of Fauquier, for the term of three years, under Captain Elias Edmonds, and marched under the said Captain Edmonds to Yorktown, in the same mess, until sometime in the year 1778, when this affiant was discharged by furnishing a substitute, and returned home, leaving Peter Hitt in service, who went with his Regiment to North Carolina, and has no doubt he the said Peter Hitt remained in service the whole term for which he enlisted."
On July 7, 1843 Hannah wrote a letter stating that her husband had served in Col. Marshall's regiment of state artillery rather than in the infantry and on that basis asked that her pension be increased from $80 per year to $100 per year. However, the matter of artillery versus infantry and whether there had been 2 Peter Hitts, one in infantry and another in artillery, had been discussed much earlier. On November 22, 1841 Jas. E. Heath, an auditor in the Auditor's Office in Richmond, issued the following statement:
"This is to Certify That it appears from a List in this Office of such Officers and Soldiers of the Virginia State Line during the Revolutionary War, as settled their Accounts, and received Certificates for the balance of their Full Pay, according to an Act of Assembly, passed the November Session, 1781, that a Certificate issued on the 9th day of July 1783, in the name of Peter Hitt as a Soldier of Infantry for £59.4.0, which Certificate appears to have been delivered to Geo. Pickett and was given for services prior to the 1st January, 1782."
On December 2, 1841 the clerk of the Fauquier County Clerk made the following statement concerning whether or not Hannah Hitt was the wife of Peter Hitt:
"I, Alexander J. Marshall, clerk of Fauquier County Court, in the State of Virginia, hereby certify that I have searched diligently for the marriage bond of Peter Hitt, and cannot find it, and that it is probable from the size of the bundle of marriage bonds for the year 1783, and from the deranged condition of paper in the Office prior to 1804, that a part of the marriage bonds for the year 1783, is lost."
A neighbor stated under oath that he had known Peter and Hannah Hitt for many years and that they were in fact married.
Hannah Hitt, widow of Peter Hitt deceased, who died August 31, 1802 in Fauquier Co., Virginia and who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Edmonds of the regiment commanded by De Kalb in the Virginia line for 2 years, was inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of $80 per annum to commence March 4, 1836. A Certificate of Pension was issued July 5, 1842. Arrears to March 1841 amounted to $400.
WILL:
Fauquier Co., Virginia Will Book 3, pg 440:
In the name of God Amen I Peter Hitt of the County of Fauquier being sick and weak in body but of sound mind and disposing memory (for which I thank god) and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous to dispose of all such worldy Estate as it hath pleased god to bless me with
1st Item I lend unto my beloved wife Hannah Hitt all my Estate both real and personal during her widowhood but if she should marry it is my desire so soon as she does that my Estate shall then be divided and one third part of it lent to her during her natural life.
2d Item It is my desire that if my beloved wife should marry that so soon as she does that the remaining two thirds of my Estate (yet undivided) should be Equally divided amongst my Children, viz, Presly Hitt, Harrison Hitt, Alexander Hitt, Mary Hitt, Susannah Hitt, Thaddeus Hitt, Nancy Hitt, Fanny Hitt, Elizabeth Hitt also the Child my beloved wife is now great with.
3d Item It is my desire that the one third part of my Estate which I lent to my beloved wife Hannah Hitt during her life provided she marrys again should be Equally divided amongst the above named Children at her death. 4th Item it [is] my desire that if my beloved wife Hannah Hitt should not marry again my Estate is not to be divided untill her deah [sic] and then to be divided as above directed And lastly I do hereby constitute my beloved wife Hannah Hitt Executrix with my son Presly Hitt and Gabriel Green of the County of Culpore [sic] Executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this Seventeenth day of August in the year of our lord one thousand Eight hundred and two.
Signed Sealed Published and declared as
and for the last will and testament of the
above named Peter Hitt In presence of us
Sarah Ann Green
Arther (his X mark) Gladston
Mary (her X mark) Shaw
Peter Hitt (LS)
At a Court held for Fauquier County the 25th day of October 1802
This Will was proved by the oath of Arthur Gladston a witness thereto and ordered to be certified. And at a Court held for the said County the 25th day of July 1803 The Same was further proved by the oath of Mary Shaw another witness thereto and ordered to be Recorded. and on the motion of Hannah Hitt and Presly Hitt two of the Executors therein named who made oath and together with John Hitt and John Kemper their security entered into and acknowledged bond in the penalty of two thousand dollars. Conditioned as the law directs Certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste F. Brooks CC
PROBATE:
On page 478 of Will Book 3 is an inventory and appraisement of the estate of Peter Hitt which was returned and ordered to be recorded October 24, 1803. It was signed by William Miller, Arthur Gladston, Thomas Porter and Zachariah Grimsley. The total value is £319 14s. There are 39 items, including
one Negro girl Jude £70
one bay mare £30
one bay horse £18
one dun mare £18
one gray horse £12
15 head of male cattle £47
15 head of sheep £9
4 calves £1 4s
44 head of hogs £17
one wagon and gears £21
one still and tubs £16
EARL J. HITT:
The following was copied from the database of Earl J. Hitt in WorldConnect (no longer existent):
Birth: AFT 23 AUG 1756 in Fauquier County, Virginia
Death: 31 AUG 1802 in Fauquier County, Virginia
Burial: Peter Hitt Cemetery, Fauquier County, Virginia
The cemetery where both Peter Hitt and his wife Hannah are buried is located on a knoll on this property. A head stone is visible in this cemetery which is inscribed with: "PH AG. 31 1802." Next to Peter's grave is the grave of Hannah which is marked with a headstone inscribed with: "H. Hitt AG. 1846". These graves were discovered in 1993 using information found in the Chancery suit contesting the will of Hannah Hitt, wife of Peter.
On 15 July 1994, the Culpeper Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution placed a Revolutionary War Soldier Marker on the grave of Peter Hitt. In July 1998, a group of Hitt descendants met to install a U.S. Government tombstone at Peter's grave in the small family plot on land where Peter raised his family. The new stone was placed next to the original grave stone which still has an incription on it. The farm, on which the family plot is located, is located on the north side of the Rappahanock River where it is crossed by Route 645.
Southwest of the Peter Hitt cemetery, in the direction of the River, is a dilapidated log cabin. Because of its proximity to the cemetery, it is believed that this was the home of Peter and Hannah Hitt. Two professionals examined the cabin and they stated that it is their opinion that the building pre-dates 1850 and could possibly have been build as early as 1800 (Report on the Peter Hitt cabin; Tom Thorpe and Edward Ashby; filed at the Fauquier Heritage Society, P.O. Box 548, Marshall, Virginia 22115)
Peter's will bequeathed to his wife certain leased land on which both he and Hannah lived and died [not overtly]. The lease was originally issued to John Hopper (and later Peter Hitt) by Lord Fairfax in 1757. The location of the property is described as being at the mouth of Thumb Run and running northwest up the meanders of the Rappahannock River. Thumb Run enters the Rappahannock River in the northwestern section of Fauquier County south of the area of Crest Hill. The property consists of 200 acres of land situated in the flood plain in Rappahannock County.
Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List
This website was created 3 Oct 2022 with Legacy 9.0, a division of MyHeritage.com; content copyrighted and maintained by nparker41@att.net