MARTIN E. HITT
Martin
E. Hitt is now a resident of Clarke, county, Iowa, where he
owns four hundred acres of valuable land. He was, however,
for many years prominently connected with agricultural
interests of Union township, Lucas county, and his work is
accounted among the factors in the farming development of this
section of the state. He
was born in Madison county, Indiana, June 6, 1838, and is a
son of Alexander and Inca (Curtis) Hitt, natives of Virginia. The father went
overland to Indiana in 1832 and remained there until 1854,
when he settled in Iowa.
He died in Clarke county, this state, in 1882 when he
was seventy-four years of age.
His wife has also passed away, her death having
occurred when she was seventy-eight. The parents were among the earliest
pioneers of Iowa and their name is still honored and respected
by all who knew them. In
their family were three children: Mrs. Sarah McFetridge, who died at
LeRoy, Iowa; Martin E., of this review; and Samuel A., who
died in Wayne county, this state.
Martin E. Hitt spent his childhood and early youth in Madison count, Indiana, and acquired his education in the public schools of that state. He accompanied the family to Iowa in 1854 and in the following year removed to Harrison county, Missouri. He there made his home until 1862 and then moved to Franklin township, Clarke county, Iowa. He subsequently became connected with agricultural interests in Lucas county, turning his attention to the development of his holdings and becoming recognized as a substantial and progressive farmer. He later removed again to Clarke county, Iowa, and has since remained a resident of that locality.
In
Union township, on the 18th of March, 1869, Mr.
Hitt was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Homes, who was
born November 26, 1849.
She is a representative of an honored pioneer family,
her parents having been the first settlers in Union township. She was the first
white child in the township, where she is well known and
widely esteemed. Her
father, Hiram M. Holmes, was born in Kentucky and died at
Great Bend, Kansas, at the age of seventy. Her mother, Sarah
(Ruth) Holmes, was a native of Indiana and passed away in
Barton county, Kansas, when she was seventy years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Hiram
M. Holmes became the parents of eight children: Jacob, who has
passed away; Mrs. Fudge, also deceased; Mrs. Susanna Lowe, of
Union township; two who died in infancy; Nathaniel and Mrs.
Adeline Moore, who have passed away; and Mrs. Hitt, wife of
the subject of this review.
Mr. and Mrs. Hitt became the parents of seven children: Roseanne, who died
in infancy; J. W., who makes his home in Clarke county, Iowa;
Clara B., who passed away when she was still a child; Frank
K., who is residing with his father on the home farm; Alva E.,
who died in 1900; and Elsie and Elza, twins, who died in
infancy. All of
the above children were born in Franklin township, Clarke
county.
Mr. Hitt gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and is a devout member of the Christian church. He is well known in agricultural circles of the section where he resides, owning four hundred acres of choice land in Franklin township, Clarke county. This property is provided with two good sets of improvements and is one of the best managed and most attractive farms in that locality. Mr. Hitt’s name is honored and respected also in Lucas county, where his many excellent qualities of character are known and recognized, and although he no longer makes his home in Union township, he is nevertheless counted among the men whose work has been a force in its upbuilding.