Valentine Hiss (abt. 1729 - bef. 1789)

Born about 1729 in Germany [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 4 Dec 1789 before about age 60 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

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Biography

Valentine Hiss was a Maryland colonist.

Origin

Valentine Hiss and his brother left their homeland of Germany in order to avoid the draft connected with the Seven Years War. This is a family legend passed down by one of Valentine Hiss’s granddaughters, Hestor Ann, who died in 1908 at the age of 95 years. ^[1] The Seven Years War, which was known in America as the French & Indian War, began in 1756, so if this legend is true, Valentine would have arrived in America sometime after 1756. The Hiss brothers supposedly boarded a boat sailing from Holland and on this trip Valentine met his future wife, Christiana Arnault, who was the daughter of the French ship’s captain. There is a record of a Valentin Hess sailing on the Minerva from Rotterdam via Cowes to Pennsylvania in 1770. This Valentin Hess took the oath of allegiance in Pennsylvania. ^[2] A check of Pennsylvania records reveals there was still a Valentin Hess still living in Pennsylvania during the time period that Valentine Hiss first appears in Maryland, so they are likely two different men. The spelling of the name Hiss appears in several different ways in Maryland records. Spellings include: Huys, Hess, and Van Hyses. Valentine’s son, Jacob spelled his name Hiss so I will continue to use that spelling throughout this history. The first evidence I have found of a Valentine in Maryland was a naturalization record of 1763. At this time the name Valentine Hush, was registered as swearing an oath to the church of England at St. Paul’s Parish. I followed this lead thinking this might be Valentine Hiss, but it proved to be another person. This Valentine had a brother named Peter and a son named John and died four years before Valentine Hiss died. ^[3]

In the mid 1700s Baltimore County took up a very large part of northern Maryland. It covered the modern counties of Harford, Carroll and parts of Cecil and Frederick. The county seat was located in a small town along the Philadelphia Road called Joppatown. When the county was settled most travel was done by small boat and this location was convenient to the widespread residents of the county. However, in the later half of the 18th century the population began to concentrate in the Baltimore area. In 1768 a petition was posted on the doors of the county churches and the court house to promote the removal of the county seat to Baltimore Town. These petitions give a good picture of the residents of Baltimore. Some men signed a petition in more than one location and their names are thus recorded more than once. The original peititions are unavailable, but the names are recorded in the Archives of Maryland Vol. 61. The way the names are listed in the transcription it looks like a man named Valentine signed his own name on the petition and someone else interpreted the spelling as Valentine Hurd and it states “in English” next to it. Many of the signers of this petition made their official mark and someone else wrote their name for them as they thought it should be spelled. I checked many sources for the name of Valentine Hurd elsewhere and found no other mention of a man by this name. I have a strong feeling this is the first proof of Valentine Hiss in the Baltimore area.^[4]|^[5]

Valentine Hiss can definitely be placed in the Baltimore area by 1773. In that year he leased two lots in Baltimore Town from John Stover for a term of 99 years. The lots were located at Hanover and Conway Streets. The rent of £2 a year was to be paid in the currently prevailing money, Spanish dollars or pieces of eight at 7 shillings, sixpence.^[6]. After the death of Valentine Hiss these two lots were featured in a property swap between his two surviving children.

Homestead

Valentine likely rented land in the Baltimore area when he arrived. His name is listed in the 1783 tax assessment for the Back River Lower Hundred. The tax assessment lists 3 horses and 12 black cattle valued at £15 and £28 of other taxables. The tax of £0.19.9 due by Valentine Hiss included three white inhabitants and a total property value of £79 (I don’t understand the math). By 1 MAR 1785, Valentine Hiss, yeoman of Baltimore County, was the owner of his farm. Fifty acres of the tract named Smith’s Chance was purchased from Joshua and David Parlett for £100. The deed specifically mentions a house, orchards, trees and fences on the property, and I believe he built the log cabin that still exists inside the larger house that has been built around it over the years. This home is located today near the intersection of Harford Road and Willoughby Road in Parkville, MD, parallel to Hiss Avenue. ^[7]

Probate

According to records that have passed down in the family, Valentine Hiss died on 4 DEC 1789. He was buried on his farm in a plot that would become the family burying ground for many of his descendants. Valentine did not leave a will and there is very little of the usual probate records available for him. No inventory was taken at the time of his death, but a very brief accounting listing 1 bed & furniture, some pewter plates, iron pots and a spinning wheel was taken 3 SEP 1801. One additonal item of value on this short list is one house in Baltimore City valued at £700, which leaves a total inventory value of £715.7.6 or $574.33. Was the family hiding the 3 horses and the 12 black cattle, or had he lost this livestock during hard times? Christiana Hiss, executrix, swore to the inventory.^[8] It is extremely unusual for an inventory to be entered in the record books twelve years after the date of death. The administration of the estate took even longer. That record is dated 17 MAY 1806. The final accounting of Christiana Hiss, administrator, shows a total value of the inventory of $574.33. This was divided equally among three people, the widow, Valentine Hiss and Nicholas Gatch.^[9] The Valentine Hiss listed must be the real name of his son who has always gone by the name Jacob. Nicholas Gatch married, Elizabeth Hiss, Jacob’s sister.

sources

1. ↑ Marani, Patricia, Parkville Centennial Reporter, May 1974, pg. 3B
2. ↑ Filby’s Immigration Lists & Egle, William Henry, Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance in Pennsylvania 1727-75, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967.
3. ↑ Baltimore County Inventories lists next of kin for Valentine Hush as John Hush and Conrad Hush with the administrator, Peter Hush & 1773 List of Taxables for Patapsco Upper Hundred.
4. ↑ http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/000001/000061/pdf/am61--527.pdf
5. ↑ http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000061/html/am61--443.html
6. ↑ Balt. Co. Land Records AL H/42
7. ↑ WG V/584 & 589
8. ↑ Balt. Co. Inventories 21/609
9. ↑ Balt. Co. Administration Accounts Book 16/568.

© Seely Kenny Foley Kenny-549 09:52, 27 January 2015 (EST)