Material provided by Catherine J. Perry, September 2000

1931 - 50th. Avenue
Oakland 1, California.
Jan. 24, 1963.
Dear Cousin Lillian [Hart}:

Just want to thank you for the name of Mr. Arnold Motley, Clerk of Essex County. The next time I go to Sutro Library in San Francisco, I have already placed the question "Essex County, Va." on my list. Swem’s Indexes are in the library and generally all names which will be found in the Courthouse will be listed. I will see if "Stith" is there - however sometimes names associated with THE STITHS become very important and I may have to refer to these to "follow up."

A week or so ago I took the book: WILLIAMSBURG back to Sutro. I had it in my keeping for enough time to type off many interesting items, among them something I had wondered about for years. It may surprise you, then again it may not.

As you may already know your Dr. John Stith was a brother to my Revolutionary ancestor Adjutant and Ensign Joseph Stith. It so happened that your John was too young to fight in the Revolution; while my Joseph made the grade. Joseph was eleven years older than your John. In Joseph’s Declaration of Revolutionary Service he makes the statement that after being duly sworn in, his first assignment was at HOBBE’S HOLES...you can then imagine how I felt in reading a passage in the book WILLIAMSBURG. The subject matter is of little consequence but the sentence follows:

"They remained in Virginia till the following June (1751) playing at various places, Williamsburg, Norfolk, Petersburg, HOBBES’ HOLE (Tappahannock) and Fredericksburg."

So - you can well imagine Tappahannock is almost holy ground to me knowing my ancestor started his military work at that place.

I will not take the time to run through my letters to you in years gone by, but I have no recollection of ever giving you your line of descent on the Stith side, so here it is.

1. Major John Stith md. Jane ____? (Gregory) (Parsons) - maiden name unknown; twice widowed before she married John Stith.
            Among other children had a son
2. Lieut. Col. Drury Stith, md. Susanna Bathurst.
            Among other children had a son
3. Lieut. Col. Drury Stith (the 2nd.) md. Elizabeth Buckner.
            Among other children had a son Richard Stith, Senior.
4. Richard Stith, Senior, md. Lucy Hall.
            Among 12 children born to this union, was a son
5. Dr. John Stith, b. Oct. 7, 1770. Md. Susan Hightower
            Among other children had a daughter
6. Jane Stith, md. Little Henry Haynes, Lawyer and surveyor, June 7, 1836.
            Issue: (7 children):
            I. Nancy Susan Haynes
            II. Mary F. Haynes (F=Franklin) - M. Boyd Withers - 1 daughter
                        Annie md. ?? [ Mary J. Franklin Haynes m. Boyd Withers is gr grandmohter of Catherine J. Perry's husband.]
            III. Caroline M. Haynes (Mahala)
            IV. Narcissa Ellen Haynes b. Meade Co. Ky Aug 16, 1848 - d Brownville, Nebr. Sept. 16 1929
                        m. Richard F. Sturteville Nov. 2 1869 in Grayson Co. Ky
                                b. Nov. 5 1844 d.. April 1930
                                Family moved from Ky to.....
            V. Isabella Haynes
            VI. John Miliner Haynes
            VII. Henry Dixon Haynes.

7. *John Milliner Haynes, md. Mary Smith.
            Issue:
            1. Florence Isabel (Bell) Haynes.
            2. Matthew (Mattie) Jane Haynes.
            3. Caroline Mary (Mary Carrie) Haynes.
            4. Braxton Bragg Haynes. never married
8. Mary Carrie Haynes md. William R. Hart, March 24, 1897.
            Issue:
                1. Lillian Hart * - March 4, 1898
                2. Randall Hart. April 11, 1899
                3. Gladys Hart. Jan. 6, 1901

I have used the genealogy sent me by Cousin Carrie Tarpley preparing the latter half of this line of descent.

I now have a letter en route to Hardinsburg for a certified copy of the Will of Dr. John Stith. I have been told it is in Book 1, page 116. I have tried and tried to trace the parentage of Susan Hightower, but so far have met with no luck at all.

Sincerely,

Estie S. Crabbe

Believe this (see below) was written by Lillian Hart or her brother Randall (per Catherine J. Perry, Sept 2000)

See Section A8 - Eliz. Examiner - Aug. 16, 1976

Milton Stith married Martha Stith his second cousin. Martha was the daughter of William Stith b. 1777 (11th child of Richard and Lucy) and a brother of our ancestor Dr. John Stith b. 1770.

Among other children of Milton & Martha Stith were:
(Mrs. Warstead’s article) Zorada Stith b. Oct. 13, 1833 - d. Sept. 17, 1874
(our records) - Richard Luther Stith (Nov. 23, 1846 - Nov. 30, 1920)  (father of Cousin Ada Blakely & others.) Zorada was Cousin Ada’s Aunt for whom she was most surely named)

Zorada Stith was a 2nd cousin of our gr. grandmother Jane Stith Haynes (Mrs. Henry Haynes).

Milton & Martha Stith are the Stiths for whom Stithton, Ky was named. (I have no record of Milton Stith’s parents.) Do you?
Their graves were in that old cemetery at Bloomington near the Tarpley house.

I would like to know the source of Mrs. Winstead’s Stith data. It may be helpful for us to know it. (over)

The house that was later known as the Will Brown house (not the new house which the Browns built) was old Bloomington owned for many years by Uncle Jess Tarpley. It was a stage coach stop on the old L & N. turnpine. (Mama told me this many times) We, as children, visited with our parents the Tarpley family, in old Bloomington. I remember the house well.

This from you