Harry Hite (1875 - 1948)

Born 8 Feb 1875 in Arkansas, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Tommie (Wells) Hite — married 7 Nov 1895 in Reyno, AR

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Biography

Sources

• Hite family, AR

HISTORY of RANDOLPH COUNTY ARKANSAS

by Lawrence Dalton Published 1946 - 1947

Part Four

THE HITE FAMILY

Harry Hite is a grandson of B. J. R. Hite, who came to Randolph county from Lee county, Arkansas, in 1859.

This being a new county and so near the Mason-Dixon Line the family returned to the old home when the War Between the States broke out in 1861. Being Southerners, they feared for their safety. After the close of the war the family came back to Randolph county in 1867. The father of Harry Hite was Henry C. Hite, who married Laura McGuire. They became the parents of two children, Harry and Johnnie. The latter died at an early age.

Stephen C. McCrary, who married Harriet Susan Hite, came to this community at the same time the Hite family came back. The McCrary and Hite families were early residents of Lee county. Hugh McCrary, the father of Stephen, was a soldier of the War of 1812. His wife was Elizabeth Wilson. Hugh McCrary made the second cotton scraper ever used in Phillips county. Lee county was a part of Phillips county at this time.

After locating in Cherokee Bay the Hite and McCrary families, together with other settlers in that section, cleared the land and built homes. A log church was built at this time, which is still standing. It is located on the two-acre plot which is not the Hite cemetery. B. J. R. Hite gave the land for use as a cemetery and site for a church. He was a Methodist minister but other denominations were allowed free use of the building. This building was also used as a school for many years. It was here that Harry Hite received most of his education.

Some of the first neighbors of these families were the Luttrells, Reynolds, Shavers, Herrens, Bowdens, Duckworths, Fords, Watson, Winninghams, Slavens and Drew families.

Page 289 Harry Hite married Miss Tommie Wells, November 7, 1894. Mrs. Hite is a great-granddaughter of Thomas H. and Barbra Mabrey Wells, who came to Randolph county from South Carolina and Virginia by way of Washington county, Missouri, in 1821. His son, the grandfather of Mrs. Hite, came with his parents to the county, as stated above, in 1821, the year he was born. His name was John Wells and he married Harriet Alcorn, July 13, 1848. A son of this union, William Wells, was the father of Mrs. Hite. He married Martha Ann Reynolds, a daughter of James M. Reynolds. She was a sister of Capt. Dennis W. Reynolds for whom the town of Reyno was named. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hite have spent their entire lives in Randolph county, within a few miles of their parents home.

In November, 1944, they celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary. They are the parents of four children, as follows: Gordon Hite, Mrs. Tola Cox, Mrs. Etalka Tyler and Mrs. Mabel Wickersham. They have seven grandchildren. They are: Clement and Don Cox; Tommie Lee, Betty and Harold Tyler: Ben Hite and Charles Wickersham.