Samuel Hitch (abt. 1741 - 1825)

Born about 1741 in Somerset, Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 12 Mar 1825 at about age 84 in Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Daisy Hitch Davies, compiler of A Hitch Orchard in 1931 writes:

Samuel Hitch was in the American Revolution. Corporal in Capt. Thos. Crandon County, enlisted Jul 17 1775. Service 5 months 17 days in defense of the sea coast. In the list of men who marched from Dartmouth camp under the command of Capt. Benj. Dillingham and arrived there Feb 15 1776. Private in Lieut. Pope's County, later commanded by Lieut. Joseph Damon, Col. Hathaway's (2 Bristol) Reg't. Enlisted Aug 3 1780. Discharged Aug 9 1780. Service 6 days at Rhode Island on an alarm.

We have no other incident in the life of Capt. (Corp.?) Samuel Hitch except this record which shows his readiness to protect his home and homeland. He had tender memories of his "Maryland" as shown by the names he gave to his children - for instance; Joshua and Hardy Elgate and Hardy Hitch Jr., family names in Maryland.

The compiler, Daisy Hitch Davies, a descendant of Samuel Hitch has a glass locket with a gold band which was give her in 1900, at the time she was visiting her grandfather, Obed Freeman Hitch, on Cape Cod. It was given her by an old lady named, as she remembers, Perkins who was an old friend of the Massachusetts branch of the Hitch family. Mrs. Perkins stated that she had it for about fifty years. That it was given her by a friend who was a Miss Hitch. This Miss Hitch she stated was always asking her father for money. One day he told he would not give her money but something of greater value. He then gave her the locket and told her it had been in the family about 200 years. This made the locket at the time Daisy Bell Hitch Davies received it about 250 years old. and at present writing (Oct 1931) 281 years old. My records suggest that Samuel Hitch moved to Massachusetts about 1762/63 with brother Elgate and cousin George.

On Jul 13 1764, Samuel Hitch and Lydia Allen filed their intent to marry in Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Samuel Hitch was a Corporal in Captain Thomas Crandon's Company in the Revolutionary War. He enlisted on Jul 17 1775 and his term of service was 5 months and 17 days "in defense of the seacoast." (Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, pg 956). He was also on a list of men who marched from Dartmouth to camp under command of Captain Benjamin Dillingham, arriving there on Feb 15 1776. (Ibid.) He was again listed for service as a Private and then Lieutenant in Nathaniel Pope's Company (which was later commanded by Lieutenant Joseph Damon), Colonel John Hathaway's (2d Bristol County) regiment. He enlisted on Aug 3 1780 and was discharged Aug 9 1780, for a brief service of six days, at Rhode Island on an alarm. (Ibid.)

In the Federal Census of 1790, Samuel Hitch is listed in New Bedford Town, Bristol County, Massachusetts, in a household comprised of two males age 16 or more, four males under age 16, and four females. In the Federal Census of 1800, Samuel Hitch is listed in Bristol County, Massachusetts (pg 425) in a household comprised of three males age 16-26, one male age 45+, one female age 10-16, one female age 16-26 and one female age 45+. In the Federal Census of 1810, Samuel Hitch is listed in Bristol County, Massachusetts (pge 291) in a household comprised of one male age 16-26, one male age 26-45, one male age 45+, one female age 16-26 and one female age 45+. In the Federal Census of 1820, Samuel Hitch is listed in Fairhaven, Bristol County, Massachusetts in a household comprised of one male under age 10, one male age 26-45, one male age 45+, one female age 16-26 and one female age 45+. The record indicates one person in agriculture and one person in commerce.

The Apr 2 1825 edition of the Columbian Centinel, a Bristol County, Massachusetts newspaper, reported that Captain Samuel Hitch of Fairhaven died at age 84. (Index of Deaths in the Massachusetts Centinel and Columbian Centinel 1784-1840)

Sources

• Death published in the New Bedford Mercury 3-25-1825
• Marriage in the New Bedford Marriages page 272
• Marriage: "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001"
  citing Marriage, Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004279436.
  FamilySearch Record: FHNF-N3D (accessed 22 September 2022)
  FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-997M-7SHB Image number 00234
  Samuel Hitch marriage to Lydia Allen on 13 Jul 1764 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony.