On March 26, 1816,
Garey
Hitch was appointed guardian to Sally C. Ross, age 13, orphan daughter
of ______ Ross – she accepted the appointment. Note that this was
Garey’s
eventual second wife and places her birth at between April 1802 and March
1803.
(Caroline County Orphan’s
Court Proceedings, entitiled the “1815 Book”, unpaged)
On May 23, 1816, a letter
granted to Gary and William Hitch on the estate of Daniel Adams
deceased in Caroline County. On the same date, letters were granted
to “Garry” and William Hitch on the estate of Lovey Adams
with Edward Pritchett, Roger Wright Jr., James Houston and Fred Holbrook
as
appraisers. Finally, on this date, it states
Gary
Hitch to
search? for Sally C. Ross guardian.
(Caroline County, MD Orphan’s
Court Minutes (rough) MSA-9988, Loc. 1/3/1/1)
On May 28, 1816, order was
granted to
Gary Hitch and William Hitch to sell the estate of Lovey
Adams (NOTE: Lovey Adams was Gary and William Hitch’s sister-in-law,
nee
Lovey Ross). At the same time,
Gary Hitch was appointed
guardian to Anthony Adams, age 8 years and William Adams, age 6
years, orphans of Daniel C. Adams. WilliamHitch was appointed
guardian to Edward Adams, age 1 year and Margaret Adams age
3 years also orphans of Daniel C. Adams.
(Caroline County, MD Orphan’s
Court Minutes (rough) MSA-9988, Loc. 1/3/1/1; also Orphan’s Court Proceedings,
“1815 Book”, unpaged)
On August 29, 1816,
Garey
Hitch "of Sussex County, Delaware" brought a Deed of Mortgage with
two endowments to have enrolled in the records of Caroline County.
They concerned a mortgage bond dated January 11, 1816 that bound William
Meares of Caroline County to Garey Hitch for $311. Meares used
for collateral 129 acres of land in Caroline County that adjoined Sovern
Dawson, heirs of Jacob Wright and Minous Connaway et al.
(Caroline County Land Records,
TR-S-552)
On September 3, 1816, Garey
Hitch "of Sussex County, Delaware" bought 69½ acres of
land from James Wright of Caroline County for $261. The land
is a tract called "Peters Epithable Lott" and "Walker’s Addition"
standing on the Maryland/Delaware border.
(Caroline County Land Records,
TR-S-554)
On October 17, 1816,
Gary
Hitch is listed in the records of the Orphan’s Court as “Gary Hitch
for 4 ____________ for Sally C. Ross guardian.
(Caroline County, MD Orphan’s
Court Minutes (rough) MSA-9988, Loc. 1/3/1/1)
On March 31, 1818, the orphan
account of Sally C. Ross was presented by Garey Hitch to
the Orphan’s Court, examined and approved.
(Caroline County Orphan’s
Court Proceedings, Book Commencing 8 May 1817, unpaged)
On May 11, 1819, the orphan
account of
Sally C. Ross was presented by Garey Hitch to
the Orphan’s Court, examined and approved.
(Caroline County Orphan’s
Court Proceedings, Book Commencing 27 Oct 1818, unpaged)
In the 1820 Federal
Census for Caroline County, Maryland, Garey Hitch is listed on page
114 with a household consisting of two males under age 10, one male age
26-45, two females under age 10, two females age 10-16, and two females
age 16-26.
On May 12, 1820,
Garey
Hitch of Caroline County sold 160 acres of land for $1,500 to Hugh
Valliant of same. Tracts were "Lockermans" and part of "Milly
Hope".
(Caroline County Land Records,
JR-N-48)
On October 14, 1822,
Garey
and Sarah Hitch sold 160 acres of land for $2,532 to William Potter,
all of Caroline County. The land was where Richard Andrews
was living as a tenant and was encumbered by a mortgage with Isaac and
Jacob Cannon of Sussex County, Delaware.
(Caroline County Land Records,
JR-N-507)
On August 26, 1823,
Garey
Hitch, Tilghman Davis, Robert Medford, and Daniel Williams were appointed
commissions to sell the land of Morgan Williams.
(Caroline County Land Records,
JR-O-149)
On June 29, 1824, the orphan
accounts of William and Anthony Adams were presented by Garey
Hitch to the Orphan’s Court, examined and approved.
(Caroline County Orphan’s
Court Proceedings, 1821-1827, unpaged)
On September 25, 1827, the
orphan accounts of William and Anthony R. Adams were presented by
Garey
Hitch to the Orphan’s Court, examined and approved.
(Caroline County Orphan’s
Court Proceedings, 1821-1827, unpaged)
On January 12, 1830,
Garey
Hitch sold 167½ acres of land for $670 to William Potter,
both of Caroline County. This land included tracts called "Back Hare",
"Addition to Rauley", "Addition to Lisks Prospect", "Addition to Miles
Swamp", and "Blackwell." The record refers to a deed of
Abraham
Ross and wife to Clement Ross on April 30, 1820. (Caroline County
Land Records, JR-Q-323)
In the 1830 Federal Census
for Caroline County, Garey Hitch is indicated on page 325 in the
Lower District with a household consisting of one male under age 5, one
male age 20-30, one male age 40-50, one female age 10-15, three females
age 20-30, one female age 30-40, and no slaves.
On May 7, 1830,
Garey
Hitch and William Potter, Gentleman, both of Caroline County sold land
for $2,215 to
Joseph Vickers and Charles Davis, both of Sussex County,
Delaware. The land included 443½ acres of tracts "Richards
Farm", "Rosses Cross", and "Out Range."
(Caroline County Land Records,
JR-Q-387).
In the 1846 Tax List for
Caroline County,
Gary Hitch is listed in the Middle District assessed
with $1,084 and taxed $6.50. (Caroline County, MD Tax List – 1846,
MSA)
A sale of land was conducted
in Greensborough, Caroline County, on November, 27, 1847 where
Garey
Hitch was highest bidder. It was part of the case Thomas A.
Turner, executor of William Turner versus William and Sarah
Weeks et al. The case resulted in an auction that was announced
in the newspaper “Stewart’s Familae(?)” and hand bills placed throughout
Caroline County. The sale was conducted at Sherwood’s Hotel in Greensborough
at 2:00 p.m. on the said date. Garey Hitch bought land described
as all that farm or percel called “Jackson’s Hardship,” 165 acres
plus two 5 acre plots adjoining for $905. Garey paid $400 down and
received surety of William A. Tatem for the balance. Other
land sold as two lots on Old Tam Branch, a total of 20 acres, to William
Sapp for $80. James L. Bartol was the trustee for the sale.
(Chancery Records, Liber
B-171, Folio 602; MSA microfilm SR-5172)
GAREY HITCH
WILL ABSTRACT
The will of Garey Hitch was
written on January 3, 1855 and probated January 23, 1855 as being "sick
and weak in body, sound and disposing mind":
· Give wife Ann R.
Hitch, farm and premises I now reside
· Give son Ezra M.
Hitch farm he resides containing 120 acres
· Give eldest
daughter Ann Emily Hitch land called "Ennals Entrance" and "Addition
to Venture" containing 153¾ acres and 18 acres purchased of
Thomas Numbers
· Give son Samuel
S. Hitch and daughter Miriam Hitch $3,675 - $80 per year to their guardian
until they are of age
· Give step daughter
William Catherine Gray large mahogany frame clock
· Give grandson Peter
Everngan $62.50 when he is of age
· Give, after death
of wife Ann R. Hitch, sell farm to highest bidder and give $600 to son
Ezra M. Hitch with residue to go to other three children Ann Emily, Samuel
S. and Miriam Hitch.
Son Ezra M. Hitch, executor.
Witnesses: A.P. Saden, James
R. Manship, A.A. Griffith.
(Caroline County Wills,
Liber WGN, Folio 11)
