USA > Virginia > Frederick County > Frederick County > Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia. > Part 45
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successful search after his two young sisters, who were taken captives at the time of the mur- der of his father. . He had traversed a great part of the southern country among the various tribes of Indians, but could never hear anything of them. Capt. Hite, a short time after the war of the Revolution, recovered part of his father's slaves who had been taken off by the Indians, and states that one of these slaves was owned by Maj. Issac Hite of Frederick County. This woman brought home an Indian son. Kercheval adds that he frequently saw this son, who had all the features of an Indian; and that part of Hite's slaves remained with the Indians and were kept in rigorous slavery; and that in the winter of 1815-16 he fell in with Col. Wm. Triplett of Wil- kes County, Georgia, who informed him that in the Autumn of the year 1809 he was traveling through the Creek country, and saw an old negro man who told him he was one of Jacob Hite's slaves, taken when his master and family were murdered in S. C. He further informed Col. Triplett that there were then 60 negroes in pos- session of the Indians, descended from slaves taken from Hite, the greater number of whom were claimed by the little Tallapoosa King." It is a well known fact that when the Creek, Chero- kees, Chicasaws, Choctaws and other tribes were colonized in their reservation of what has since been known as "Indian Territory," beyond the Mississippi River, they carried with them a large number of negroes and half-breeds, that no per- suasion or force on the part of the Government could induce them to leave behind them in the States, so this accounts for a large number of negro slaves owned by these tribes at the out- break of the Civil War; and why the tribes were so intensely Southern in their sentiments; many of whom were gallant private soldiers and even officers in the Confederate army. The writer while U. S. Marshall in Texas prior to the war, had occasion to visit the territory, and was astonished to see the great number of negro slaves held by the Indian planters, and upon in- quiry learned that the original stock had been captured from the whites in S. C., Miss., Fla., etc., before the tribes were removed to their reservations. Doubtless many of those seen by him were descendants from the slaves of the Hite family. They could speak no language but the tribe's, with whom they lived.
The writer has additional traditionary history relating to the capture of the Hite daughters and slaves, which may be regarded as authentic, considering the source; and as it presents a pathetic coloring to the sad picture drawn by the old historian Kercheval, the writer will give it here as well as he can recall from memory the incident as related to him in the long ago. After
the capture of the two young girls, the chief of the Creek tribe chose Eleanor for his squaw wife, and guarded her with great care and concern while the marauders were retreating from the scene of the massacre. At that time the Indians were allies with the British, and the retreat was towards the nearest British Army post. It was during this retreat that Eleanor and a negro girl made their escape. Eleanor was recaptured, but the negro girl, who succeeded in securing a fleet pony, was not overtaken. After the Indians reached the British Army, one of the officers saw the young captive Eleanor, and succeeded in buying her from the chief. He took her to the Florida sea-coast, and there wooed and won the affections of the young Eleanor; but owing to her broken health, as a result of her hardships of her capture and imprisonment with the band of sav- ages, she died at Pensacola upon her arrival there. George Hite, the son, who had been placed at William & Mary College by his father, hearing of the awful calamity that had overtaken the family, immediately started upon a search for his sisters. He found some of the old slaves who enabled him to trace his sister Eleanor to Pen- sacola. He learned enough to satisfy him that his sister had experienced severe hardship, but no maltreatment, and that she had been cared for by a British officer named Johnson; and in after years he learned of the attachment between him and his sister. George Hite found the negro girl who had escaped and brought her back to Vir- ginia. She soon after gave birth to an Indian boy. In after years, this boy became the father of a notable negro woman, who became the property of Maj. Isaac Hite, of Belle Grove, and was a faithful servant to his family through several generations, always known as aunt Nellie, and was certainly about 100 years old at her death. Jacob Hite, Sr., was Sheriff of Frederick County during his residence in that part of Frederick, afterwards Berkeley County. This office in that day, required the Sheriff to collect the taxes and disburse the same; so this explains the order of Court, Nov. 10, 1749, when Jacob Hite, Sheriff, executed his bond to Court, with James Wood as his surety in penalty of 48,610 pounds of tobacco-"the said, Jacob the Sheriff being required to collect the assessments in kind." He again, Nov. 1750, executed bond as Sheriff, with John Hite as his surety, in penalty of 78,- 452 pounds of tobacco under such conditions as the Court imposed. The first land upon which Jacob settled, was one of the Minor Grants that Jost Hite made to him for 2,668 acres on what he describes "as known as Hopewell Run, in the Northeastern part of Frederick County." From this tract Jacob conveyed to this brother Joseph in 1751, 1,168 acres lying along Hopewell run.
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It was on the original tract, that the Hopewell residence was created as the homestead for some member of Jacob's family for many generations.
Isaac Hite, the third son of Joist Hite, was born May 12, 1721 (One family record gives it as 1728), married Eleanor Eltinge, sister to Col. John Hite's wife. He was evidently regarded by his father with much favor. One of the first selections made by the elder Hite as homesteads for his immediate family, was designated by him as Long Meadows, consisting of 900 acres of al- luvial soil and beautiful landscape. This he had surveyed, and in his report to the Council at Williamsburg he recites "that it shall become the Homestead of my son Isaac Hite," but he Joist to hold the survey in his name until his said son was seated thereon. This was done in 1737, while Isaac was a minor. The father sold and conveyed from this original tract several small tracts, and in each case he recites that the land so conveyed is part of his son, Isaac's, tract. Isaac spent his entire life upon this fine estate and enjoyed the rural life of a country gentle- man. His skill as a planter; his close applica- tion to the development and improvement of this celebrated homestead, resulted in comfort and elegance to the owner and his large family, and from his caste of intellect and well disciplined life, his offspring imbibed the principles and traits of character that distinguished many of his descendants as prominent in social and public life, whose influence was felt throughout Vir- ginia and even beyond her borders. The author has had intimate acquaintance with this numerous line; and is inclined to give much space in fol- lowing up the various lines from their ancestor of Long Meadows; but must confine this sketch to brief mention. Isaac and many of the Hite family and connection. as they ceased from their earthly life, were interred in old Long Meadows Graveyard. Some graves are marked; many were allowed to rest under the sod near their kith and kin, with no distinguishing marks as to who or what they were. But tradition gives pathetic stories concerning some who have slept the years away. Isaac, the subject of this chapter, was married April 12. 1745, died September 28, 1795. His wife Eleanor died November 10, 1792.
The old Long Meadows family graveyard just alluded to, was not far away from the mansion house, and in the Meadow near the yard fence. Here Mrs. Buchanan (Ann Hite), the parents of Isaac and Eleanor, and most of their descend- ants with a few close friends of the family, were buried up to the time of the Civil War. Federal troops were frequently in camp on and around the beautiful grounds of the old homestead, and con- sequently as was their custom, destroyed nearly every grave mark, leaving only three old granite
slabs to mark the spot where Isaac and wife and daughter, Mrs. Buchanan, had peacefully rested, until this horror swept over the hallowed spot. Long Meadows passed into `the hands of Col. George Bowman, a descendant of Joist Hite. In 1845, Col. Bowman pulled down the old house, and erected on the site the modern brick build- ing that has passed into the hands of strangers. The Long Meadows tract, embracing at one time several thousand acres, has long since been sub- divided, leaving at this writing the brick house and several hundred acres well cared for by its present owner, Mr. Andrew Brumback, a native of Frederick County. It may be interesting to this line of the Hite family to have a carefully and well formed list of the children of Isaac and Eleanor Eltinge Hite appear at this point for preservation, also of their descendants, all of which in its condensed form has been reduced to accuracy, requiring much time and research. Nothing but reliable authorities have been ac- cepted. (The author has a list of dates of births and deaths).
I. Ann Hite, born Jan. 8, 1746, died Aug. 9, 1816, married James Buchanan of Falmouth, Va. No issue.
2. Mary Hite (Aug. 25, 1748-Jan. 2, 1798). 3. Eleanor Hite (Oct. 27, 1750-Oct.24, 1781). Married Maj. John Williams.
4. Rebecca Hite (Jan. 19, 1754, married Gen. Wm. Aylett Boothe).
5. Isaac Hite, Jr., (Feb. 7, 1758-Nov. 24, 1836). Married (first) Jan. 2, 1783, to Nellie Conway Madison, daughter of James Madison, Sr., married (2) Dec. 1, 1803 to Ann Tunstall Maury, daughter of Rev. Walker Maury and Mollie Grimes. Issue of Isaac Hite, Jr., by his first wife. Ist. Nellie Conway Hite (Married Dr. Cornelius Baldwin. 2nd. James Madison Hite, married Caroline M. Irvine. Issue of Isaac Hite, Jr., by his second wife Ann Tunstall Maury, Ist, Ann Maury Hite, married Philip Williams. 2nd. Isaac Fontaine Hite, married Maria Louise Davison, daughter of Maj. William Davison and Maria Smith. 3rd Mary Eltinge Hite, married John S. Bull Davison, son of Maj. William Da- vison. 4th. Rebecca Grymes Hite, married Rev. John Lodor. 5th. Walker Maury Hite, married Mary Eleanor Williams, daughter of Isaac Hite Williams and Lucy Coleman Slaughter. 6th. Sarah Clarke Hite, married Judge Mark Byrd, son of George Byrd and Hannah Allen. 7th. Penelope E. Hite, married Raleigh Brooks Green. 8th. Hugh Holmes Hite, married Anne Randolph Meade. 9th. Cornelius Baldwin Hite, married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Col. Augustine Charles Smith and Elizabeth Dangerfield Magill. 10th. Matilda Madison Hite, married Dr. Alex- ander McDonald Davison, son of Maj. William
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Davison. Issue of James Madison Hite and Caroline M. Irvine, (1) Isaac Irvine Hite, mar- ried Susan Burwell Meade, daughter of Col. Kid- der Meade of Lucky Hit, Clarke County, and Rebecca Green of Fredericksburg; his second wife was Mrs. Ann Maria Cutler, only child of Dr. Arthur Hopkins; no children by the second marriage, and of the six children by the first, but three lived to maturity, William Meade was listed in the Confederate Army at the age of 16 and was killed in his first battle, Mary Meade Hite and Susan Randolph Hite, who married brothers, Messrs. Baker, and moved to Florida. 2. Caroline Matilda Hite, married Maj. Alexander Baker of Clarke County, son of James Baker of Stone Bridge, son of Samuel Baker, agent and private secretary of Col. Nathaniel Burrell, who donated the land for Old Chapel; The issue of Alexander Baker and Caroline M. Hite, (1) Maria Ingram, married Dr. Thomas Lewis, had one child-George-mother and son long since deceased. 2. Nannie Hite, married Dr. Cockey, now of Texas. 3. Caroline M. died in the bloom of her beautiful life when about 28 years of age. 4. Alexander, Jr., died as he attained his early manhood. 5. Lelia Hite. 6. J. Madison Hite Baker, both unmarried and reside near Old Chapel. 3. James Madison Hite, Jr., married Harriett Green Meade, daughter of Col. Meade of Lucky Hit-they left one child, Drayton M. Hite who lives unmarried in Baltimore. 4. Ann Eliza Hite, married Julian Skinker of Staf- ford County. Issue, I. Thomas J. Skinker, mar- ried Nannie B. Rose, daughter of Fontaine Rose and Bettie Maury. 2. Margaretta Skinker. 3. John Calhoun Skinker. 4. James H. Skinker. 5. Mary J. Skinker. 6. John H. Skinker. 7. Cornelius Hite Skinker and 8. Hugh G. Skinker. Issue of Thomas Julian Skinker, I. George M. 2. Bessie Rose. 3. Irvine Hite. 4. Anne Eliza. 5. John. 6. Thomas. 7. Howard. 8. May Scott. James H. Skinker married Ist Maria Carr, daugh- ter of Judge Carr of Roanoke, no issue; he mar- ried second 1886 Annie May Kennerly, daughter of Capt. Joseph McC. Kennerly and Josepha Beale of Greenway Court, Clarke County, Va. Issue, (1) May Clotilde, (2) Dorothy Ann. Cor- nelius Hite Skinker married Minnie L. Grany of Missouri. Issue, I. Howard G. (2) Cornelius H. (3) Lois E. Hugh G. Skinker married Ann Lee Rucker. Issue, I. Hugh Garland. 2. Julian Hamp- son. 3. Susan Hite. Dr. Cornelius Baldwin married Nellie Conway Hite, issue I. Eleanor Conway, married Edward J. Davison, Issue I. Cornelia. 2. William Smith, 3. Edmonia Louise Davison was left an orphan at the age of two years, was adopted by her aunt Mrs. Hay, at whose house in Athens, Greece she died at the age of seven. 2. Mary Briscoe Baldwin went as a
missionary of the Episcopal Church to Athens, Greece, and Jaffa, Syria; at the latter place she died and is buried there in the English cemetery. 3. Dr. Isaac Hite Baldwin was a Surgeon in the U. S. Navy. 4. James Baldwin, 5. Ann Maury Baldwin married Isaac Hay, U. S. Consul at Jaffa, had one child, John Baldwin Hay, U. S. Consul Gen. at Constantinople.
Issue of Philip Williams and his first wife, Ann Maury Hite, I. Philip C. Williams married Mary C. Whitridge, he was for many years a prominent physician in Baltimore, they had four children, 1. John Whitridge married Margaritta S. Brown, he is a physician of Baltimore, issue, I. Margaretta W. Mary Cushing, Ann W., Mary Cushing Williams married Wm. T. Howard of Richmond, Va., issue, Mary C., Philip W., Wil- liam W. Williams, Dudley Williams and he mar- ried Mary I. Jones, Ann Hite Williams married Thomas T. Fauntleroy, Issue, Philip Williams Fauntleroy, married Miss Battle of Mobile, Ala., is now rector of Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church, St. Louis, Mo., and has six children, Madeline, Frank Battle, Thomas Turner, Philip Williams, Nettie Battle, Zadie Faunteroy. Issue of Thomas Turner Fauntleroy and his second wife Elizabeth Hite, Thomas T., Cornelius, Robert R., Dr. Jo- seph F., Ann, her sister married Edward J. Willis. Griffin Fauntleroy, Mary, Catherine. Issue of Isaac Fontaine Hite and Maria Louis Davis, Anna J. Hite, married John W. Wright, issue, Maria Louise Wright, married W. S. Cooley, issue, Anna M., Jaquelin S., Louise F., William A., Jane Hite, Davis H.
George Butler Wright married Eltie Canter, daughter of Rev. John Canter, issue Nora, Edgar, Charles E., Maude, Leonore, Howard B., Mattie S.
Isaac Fontaine Hite enlisted in the Confederate Army at the age of 17 under Col. William Mor- gan, killed at Beverly, W. Va.
Issue of John Bull Davison and Mary Eltinge Hite, Anna M., married Robert H. Turner, and had six children, Lucy E., who married Charles C. Marshall, son of Capt. James Marshall, Anna Davison married Dr. Geo. Wm. Carter, Smith Davison Turner married Julia Cook, Henry A. Turner married Lelia N. Orison, Cornelia Hite Turner married Geo. W. Adams, Philip W. Tur- ner married Mary L. Daniel, Sarah Jaquelin Davison unmarried, she was born in 1829, Vir- ginia A. Davison unmarried, John Smith Davison married Mary E. Bowman, daughter of Isaac S. Bowman and Eleanor Briscoe Hite, daughter of Col. James Hite (Grandson of Jacob, the son of Joist Hite) ; Issue by this marriage, John S. Davison, unmarried, Mary Jaquelin, Francis A., married Henry H. Olmstead, a great-grand- daughter of Col. James Hite, Maury W., Raleigh
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B., Walker M., Louise Fontaine, married Rev. Robt. Baker of Winchester, Va., issue, J. Chris- tian Baker, Mary E., Robert Magill, Maury D., Edward S., Catherine S., married Charles A. Stewart, Louise Fontaine, Henry Ball.
Bessie Byrd Davison, seventh child, unmar- ried, Cornelia Hite Davison, William Davison, married Sallie R. Watson, daughter of William Howard Watson of Greenville, S. C., graduated in medicine at the University of Maryland and practiced in Middletown, Va., now dead, Issue, William W., Jessie B., Nannie D., Mary Eltinge Davison, Alexander J. Davison married Hester M. Marshall, daughter of Capt. James Marshall of Happy Creek, issue, James M., married Mary A. Streepy, Fontaine Hite Davison, William, Cary Ambler, Ludwell B., Charles M. and Alex- ander J.
Issue of Rebecca Grimes Hite, (daughter of Isaac Hite, Jr.), married Rev. John Lodor, issue, Louise Ann Lodor, married Benjamin Brinker, issue, George Eltinge Brinker, married Olin Brinker, her cousin, Madison Brinker.
Eltinge Lodor married George Hinkley, Rebec- ca Hite Lodor married Dr. Joseph Lacy, John Shepherd Lodor.
Dr. Walker M. Hite graduated at the University of Virginia in 1832, married Mary E. Williams, daughter of Isaac Hite Williams, issue, Isaac Williams, Camilla Thornton, issue Mary Louise Hite, Isaac T. Hite.
Fontaine M. Hite, George Smith Hite enlisted at the outbreak of the Civil War in Pickett's brigade, wounded near Richmond June 27, 1862, died ten days later in Chimborazo Hospital. Mary Walker Hite married Frederick S. Long- field. Walker Hite married Betty F. Coleman, issue. James Floyd, Lucy Williams, George Smith, Eliza Williams, married Geo. S. French, issue Eleanor Williams, Richard Gibson, Mary E., David Milton, George McComas.
John J. Williams Hite.
Issue of Judge Mark Bird and Sarah C. Hite, Mark Bird and Elizabeth Green Bird who married Judge K. B. Stephenson of Parkersburg, issue, Lucy L. who married Judge Frank S. Tavener, Woodstock, Va., issue, Mary E., Walter S., Chas. Wade, Mark Bird Stephenson married Alice Bolts of Rappahannock County.
Ann Hite Bird, Mary Louise Bird, married Hon. Smith S. Turner, son of Col. Robert Turner, issue, Sallie Bird, Robert Henry, Lucy Green, she married Dr. Edward Browning, issue, Smith Turner Browning.
Mark Bird Turner, Isaac Hite Bird married Lelia Zirkle, issue, Catherine C. and Warren Hite.
William Maury Bird married Miss Culver of Iowa, where he resides.
George H. Bird, Eltinge F. Bird, Sarah Madi- son Bird married William Twyman Williams, son of Samuel C. Williams, Grandson of Philip Wil- liams and Sarah Croudson, issue, William Twy- man Williams, Anna Hite, Philip, and Clayton E., Cornelia Walker Bird.
Issue of Hugh Holmes Hite and Anna Ran- dolph Meade, Hugh S. Hite, he enlisted in the 17th Virginia regiment under Gen. A. P. Hill, and was mortally wounded near Williamsburg, May 5, 1862, and died three days later.
Kidder Meade Hite married Susan Fitzhugh Voss.
Lucy Meade Hite married Charles Shirley Carter, issue, Nannie Carter married Robert Du- laney, issue, Shirley Carter, Marian, John Hite and Virginia L.
Cornelius Randolph Hite married Elizabeth Catherine Stark.
William Fowler Hite married Isabella F. Love. Henry Bird Hite married Caroline Rose Bird, issue, Henry Bird, Mary Bird, Randolph M., and Preston Bird.
Lewis F. Hite married Abbie James, he is a minister in Boston, Mass. Ludwell Bolton Hite, Haden DuBois Hite, and Maury Grymes Hite.
Issue of Cornelius Baldwin Hite and Elizabeth E. Smith, Cornelius B. Hite married Lewis Marshall, Elizabeth S. Hite married Judge Thomas T. Fauntleroy, fully recorded in sketch of T. T. Fauntleroy.
Matilda Madison Hite married Dr. Alexander Davidson, issue, Annie Maury Davidson and she married Dr. M. Powell, son of Capt. Thomas Powell; McDonald Davidson, John Smith David- son, Cornelia Hite, Wm. Armstrong married Anna M. Kinbrough, Louise Fontaine Davidson married Col. Mark J. Leaming. Dr. Davidson's second wife was Mary C. Powell, they had six children.
Abraham Hite.
This son of Joist Hite was born May 10th, 1729, married Rebecca Van Meter, Dec. 3rd, 1751; Abraham died Jan. 17, 1790. The Hites and Van Meters were kindred through the first wife of Joist Hite, whose maiden name as fully shown in the foregoing was Dubois, one of the Huguenot families driven out of France; and as will be shown elsewhere, the Van Meters settled on the South Branch of the Potomac River. It was natural for Abraham Hite to visit the Van Meter relatives, and there became acquainted with Rebecca, a daughter of Isaac Van Meter, whom he married in 1751, this is proven in several ways, one of which is interesting and re- liable; thus showing the value of County records. Isaac Van Meter in his will, dated Feb. 15, 1754, probated in '57, recorded in the old County Clerk's Office at Romney, W. Va., devises certain lands
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to Abraham Hite, "husband of my daughter Re- becca." Abraham was a man of much prominence in his day, as will be shown later on. He lived in Hampshire County, and at one time was a large land-holder; represented the County in the Virginia House of Burgesses. The children of Abraham and Rebecca: I. Isaac Hite, born 1753, baptized by Rev. Zable. 2. Abraham, Jr., born 1755 and baptized by the Rev. Andrews, died in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1832. 3. Joseph, born 1757, baptized by the Rev. Meldren. In the old Orange Court there is of record a deed from Joseph Hite (brother) to Abraham for a tract of land in Frederick County; this tract Abraham subsequently conveyed to Richard and Fielding Lewis (1755). The Hampshire County records of 1763 show conveyances of land to Abraham Hite, and later on show that he was a member from Hampshire County in the House of Bur- gesses 1769-1771, also 1772-1774; his residence was near Moorefield, on South Branch, and when Hardy County was formed, taking part from Hampshire on the North and Augusta on the South. In 1776 he was a member of the Virginia Convention and chosen by a resolution July 4th, one of a commission to take evidence in regard to claims for lands purchased from Indian tribes. In 1776 he and James Wood (son of the Clerk afterwards Gov. Wood) became sureties for Maj. Charles Seymour for $14,800.00 County money, with which to raise a battalion of soldiers for the Revolutionary War. His military career is interesting and will be briefly given here. He was commissioned Lieutenant of the 8th Virginia Regiment by John Jay, President of the Congress at Philadelphia; May 20th, 1779, he was com- missioned Captain in the same regiment; Nov. 23, 1779, he was Paymaster of same Regiment to May 12, 1780, when he was made a prisoner at Charleston, S. C. No one was appointed in his place, and his services were accredited to him until peace was declared. It is well to state here that some confusion has occurred in the family traditions in relation to the incident just related. Some descendants claim that the Pay- master was Abraham, Jr., while others claim that the father while prisoner endured such hardships that his death which occurred Jan. 19, 1790, was the result of his prison life. The writer con- cludes however that in as much as the father was in active service and always in line of pro- motion, it was natural that he is the Abraham mentioned in the War records of that period; and had it been the son, his name would appear as Abraham Hite, Jr. Doubtless the son saw service in the war, but it nowhere appears; he and his brother were in Kentucky in 1773, only 18 years old, shows his disposition for adventures, and army life might have had its allurements, as
it has for so many young men. But it is likely those brothers saw border warfares in Kentucky; they were in Kentucky in 1775, and settled finally in Louisville after the war, "forming a part of the Bowman and Hite company," who about that period purchased large tracts of land and for years conducted a large business, resulting in great profit to all parties concerned. During the period referred to, Kentucky was treated as Ma- jesterial District of Old Frederick County; and this continued in part until 1778, when it was set off and designated as the County of Kentucky in the State of Virginia. But in the Colonial period, many legal questions were adjudicated in the Justice's Court of Frederick County (See Court Minutes, 1763-68). In 1781, the County of Ken- tucky was divided into three counties and known as Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln Counties. Abraham Hite and his wife Rebecca in their old age left Hampshire County, following their chil- dren to Kentucky, and died there. The Hites, Bowmans and Clarkes had at that time become very prominent. A brother of George Rogers Clarke, Jonathan, had married a Hite, daughter of Isaac Hite of Long Meadows, and removed to the Falls of the Ohio, afterwards Louisville. No record of the marriage of Isaac, son of Abra- ham Sr. Abraham Hite, son of Abraham Sr. per- manently settled in Kentucky and married Miss Wynkoop, issue Catherine, born June 20, 1793, James, born June 1, 1794, George, born March 18, 1795, Hannah, born July 3, 1796, Rebecca, born Dec. 18, 1797, Abraham Isaac, born Nov. 18, 1799.
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