Dr. Robert Marcus Hitch

  Notes:

Morven School

Robert Marcus Hitch 1832-1888, born in Laurens, South Carolina, June 6,1832, settled in Morven in 1864. He was a graduate of the Augusta Medical College in 1858 and was a "country doctor of the old school." He was married to Martha Serena Fall. She died in 1878, and he married her sister, Ann Eliza Fall. During the Civil War, he was a Captain in Company B of the 30th Georgia Regiment. He was in the Battle of Chickamauga and the battle around Atlanta. He was mustered out of the army at the end of the war as a major. When he established his home in Morven, it was a village with only a post office, a store, and a few small establishments. The Morven community had an unusually high state of morality, education, and religion, which is what Dr. Hitch had and that is one of the reasons he chose Morven in which to settle in. Dr. Hitch was a prominent physician with a very large practice. He worked very hard, accumulated thousands of acres of land, and had businesses in farming, merchandise, gins, and sawmilling. He was also a postmaster in Morven. He was a member of the Methodist Church, member of the board of education, and a county commissioner. He was a champion of education. He built Morven Academy and hired superior teachers to work there. He loaned money to people who wanted to go to college but didn't have the money to pay the way. He died at home in Morven on April 15, 1888. According to Mr. Foelcs Huxford in his famous book a History of Brooks County, it is unknown when Morven started their first Academy, but it was mentioned in a report in 1864. On June 21, 1890 the Morven Academy held its closing exercises on June 11th with Mr. Willie T. Gaulden, teacher, being reelected for another term. The following students participated in the exercise: Mattie Hendry, Charles Fletcher, Norman Campbell, Sallie Pike, Hershel Fletcher, Mattie Nixon, Clarence Edmondson, Harry Hendry, Willis Edmondson, Beulah Pike, Henry Reddick, Kate Campbell, Albert Pike, Virginia Reddick, Pierce Closer, and Annie Dixon. In the early days teachers were recruited from area colleges and were offered room and board with nearby families as partial compensation for services. This arrangement served a dual purpose since the respectable family were chaperones for the young, single educators who were expected to reflect the moral values of the community and set a living example for the students. Schools were more than educational institutions. They were also community social and civic Centers. On August 15, 1871, the School Board met and constituted each Military District as a school district and elected Trustees for each district. In 1894, the first county school map was drawn up into the new district. The Morven District was the first district in the county to vote school bonds. On April 27, 1917, Morven District voters authorized the issuance of Ten Thousand Dollars to finance a new school building. In 1919, there were three accredited high schools in Brooks County: Morven, Barwick, and Dixie. During the cooey administration, Morven, Barney, and Dixie all became accredited and all four high schools had Home Economics and Vocational Agriculture courses. On November 19, 1934, Morven Consolidated School District voted a Three Thousand-Dollar Bond Issue to build a new high school building. All three of these maintained good, year round athletic programs. All three had excellent (most of the time) basketball teams. They all played baseball and participated in track and field events. Morven had the State Champion Pole Vaulter one-year in HARRY KENDRICKS. All three schools have been State Champions in Basketball in their class. When Mr. Burney Humphries was coaching basketball, he had State Champions wherever he coached. The Home Economics and Agriculture courses taught at these schools were also excellent. In the case of Morven, teachers like Tom Cordell and John Lindsey were a big help to the farmers in the area. The Home Economics teachers, Allen Chapman and a lady named Poole from Newnan, Georgia were a big help to the mothers in the area. There were many more who took an active part in the community around Morven and made life easier for all concerned.

Excerpts from "Briefly Morven" By: G.T. Ellis


From "A Hitch Orchard" by Daisy Hitch Davies (1932):

"Martha Sirena Fall and Robert M. Hitch were married in Fayette Co., Ga. At the time of his marriage he was residing in Henry Co., Ga. He later moved to Brooks Co., where nearly all his children were born in. His second wife was a younger sister of the first and they were married in Sencia, Coweta Co., Ga. His wives were the daughters of Dr. Calvin Jones Fall.

Robert Marcus Hitch was a doctor, merchant and planter. He was educated at University of Georgia Medical College, Augusta. During the Civil War he was Captain of Company B; 30 Georgia Regiment --- Major C.S.A."

In the Federal Census of 1860, R.M. Hitch is listed in Henry County, Georgia (page 810, White House Township) in a household as follows: - R.M. Hitch, age 26, physician, born in SC - Martha S. Hitch, age 19, born in GA - John W. Houston, age 23, born in GA

Robert Marcus Hitch enlisted as Captain in the 30th Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee (CSA) on September 25, 1861 and resigned service on October 26, 1863. (Roster of Confederate Soldiers of Georgia - DAR). In the National Archives, there is a large file chronicling his service. It shows he was appointed Captain on Sep 4 1861 and enlisted Sep 25 1861 in Company E of the 30th GA Infantry. Muster records show the following:
- May 1862: Absent, on furlough recruiting
- Jun 1862: Present at Camp Hardee
- Jul 1862: Present at Camp Hardee
- Aug 1862: Absent, recruiting since Aug 8 1862
- Sep 1862: Absent, sick in Savannah
- Oct 1862: Present
- Nov 1862: Present
- Jan 1863: He had applied for and finally got a promotion to Major
- Aug 17 1863: He resigned his service
- Oct 26 1863: Retired from service

In the Federal Census of 1870, Robert Hitch is listed in Brooks County, Georgia (page 73, Quitman P.O.) in a household as follows: - Robert Hitch, age 36, born in SC

In the Federal Census of 1880, R.M. Hitch is listed in Brooks County, Georgia in a household as follows: - R.M. Hitch, age 46, born in SC - A.E. Hitch, age 31, born in GA - J.W. Hitch, age 16, born in GA - T.K. Hitch, age 14, born in GA - B.F. Hitch, age 13, born in GA - S.A. Hitch, age 12, born in GA - M.C. Hitch, age 10, born in GA - R.M. Hitch Jr., age 8, born in GA - M.M. Hitch, age 6, born in GA - E.E. Hitch, age 5, born in GA - N.L. Hitch, age 3, born in GA.

Robert married Martha Serena Fall, daughter of Dr. Calvin Jones Fall and Sarah Battle Stroud, on 28 Apr 1859 in Fayette Co., GA.^{1 2} (Martha Serena Fall was born on 31 Aug 1840 in Decatur, Dekalb Co., GA,^{2 7} died on 25 Dec 1878 in Morven, Brooks Co., GA ² and was buried about 28 Dec 1878 in Campground Cemetery, Brooks Co., GA.)

Robert next married Ann Elizabeth Fall, daughter of Dr. Calvin Jones Fall and Sarah Battle Stroud, on 25 Nov 1879 in Senola, Coweta Co., GA.² (Ann Elizabeth Fall was born on 12 Feb 1849 in Henry Co., GA,^{2 8} died on 13 Oct 1896 in Senola, Coweta Co., GA ² and was buried about 16 Oct 1896 in Campground Cemetery, Brooks Co., GA.)