CHAPTER 1 John Bittick first shows up in history records in 1779 on the tax rolls of Orange County, North Carolina as “John Bittocks”. This is the earliest reference for John I have been able to find to date (Aug. 19, 2010). It is unknown at this time if it is our John Bittick or someone else. According to Hannah Bittick’s Revolutionary War Pension Application file (R874) she and John Bittick were married on December 30 or 31, 1780 in Orange County, North Carolina according to the custom of the time. This custom being, the old English rule of publication being made at the parish church door. She also states in her pension file that John died on January 9, 1837 and that they were married about the time he left the service, but that the marriage took place previous to January 1, 1794. 1795 Map of North Carolina (Orange, Surry & Stokes Counties) Within a year of their marriage, they had their first child, Sarah, who was born October 25, 1781 in Orange County. The rest of the children followed in quick secession. The other children born in Orange County include; Mary, born December 10, 1783; John, born May 14, 1784; Hannah and Elizabeth, born December 5, 1786; and Jan (e), born February 23, 1788. In the 1790 North Carolina Census there are two John “Biddicks” and one Francis Bitticks listed in the Salisbury District of Surry County. The Francis is believed to be a possible brother of John. He is listed with one male age 16 and over, three males under 16 and three females. Since John’s Francis was not born until 1790 this could not be John’s son. One of the two John’s matches our John perfectly. John is listed with one male age 16 and over (himself), two males under 16 (John and Francis who was born February 27, 1790 in Surry County), and six females (Hannah, Sarah, Mary, Hannah {the daughter}, Elizabeth and Jan). It is unknown who the other John may have been. He is listed with one male 16 and over, one male under 16 and four females. John and Hannah continued to expand their family throughout the 1790’s. Wellmet was born April 7, 1791; Jonathan was born October 26, 1792; Ann was born October 28, 1794; Isaiah was born about 1796 (his section of the family record book is missing); and Rachel was born February 13, 1798. All of these children, like Francis, were born in Surry County. Between 1794 and 1800 a John Bitticks is listed on the tax records for Burke County under Captain Dobson’s Company for 150 acres and one poll. This again falls in line with the John Bitticks that married Hannah. One, it brings him into this area (possibly with a land grant for service in the Revolutionary War) and second, with only one poll listed, it confirms that John was still the only male over the age of 16 within his family (John would have only been 14 in 1800 and Francis would have been 10). Sadly, John and Hannah’s second daughter Mary passed away October 26, 1798 in Surry County. She was 14 years old. In the 1800 North Carolina Census, three Johns appear. Francis disappears, but a Samuel “Biddock” appears. One John continues to carry the Bittick spelling (dropping the “s” from the 1790 census) and the other two Johns have converted to the “Biddix” spelling. With the 1800 census, there was an expansion in the amount of information gathered. Samuel Biddocks, possibly another of John’s brothers, is listed in Randolph County with three males under the age of 10, two males between the ages of 10 and 16, no males between the ages of 16 and 26, one male between the age of 26 and 45 and no males over 45. On the female side, he is listed with two females under 10, one female between 10 and 16, no females between 16 and 26, one female between 26-­‐
45 and no females over 45. He is also listed with no free white persons and no slaves. The unknown John is listed in Rutherford County as John Biddix with one male under the age of 10, no males between the ages of 10 and 16, one male between the ages of 16 and 26, no males between the ages of 26 and 45 and one male over the age of 45. He is also listed with no females under age 10, no females between the ages of 10 and 16, 2 females between the ages of 16 and 26, no females between the ages of 26 and 45 and one female over 45. He is listed with no free white persons and no slaves. The next John continues to follow the information we have for our John. He too is listed in Rutherford County as John Biddix with four males under the age of 10 (Francis, Wellmet, Jonathan and Isaiah), one male between the ages of 10 and 16 (John), no males between the ages of 16 and 26, no males between the ages of 26 and 45 and one male over 45 (himself). On the female side, he is listed with three females under the age of 10 (Ann, Rachel and ?), three females between the ages of 10 and 16 (Hannah, Elizabeth and Jan), one female between the ages of 16 and 26 (Sarah), one female between the ages of 26 and 45 (Hannah) and no females over 45. He is listed with no free white persons and no slaves. It is unknown if the third female child under 10 is an error in the census transcription or if John and Hannah had taken in another child. The last John is listed in Stokes County as John Bittick with one male over 45, one female between the ages of 26 and 45 and three slaves. Again, another unknown John Bittick. In 1802 John and Hannah added another son to bring their total of children to thirteen. Jesse was born January 23 of the said year. In April 1802 John “Biddick” purchased 200 acres for 100 shillings from the State of North Carolina according to a purchase grant from Burke County. The land lay on Grassy Creek adjoining William Gillespie, James Arrowood, and Peter (unknown). It was registered in the Burke County Register of Deeds, book eight page 624, June _8, 1804. In the Burke County marriage bond records, it shows John Bittick (heretofore known as John Jr.) marrying Nancy Ensley on December 9, 1809 with John Ensley (Nancy’s father) as Bondsman and J. Burgin as the witness. (See John Jr.’s story in chapter 2) After this we lose track of John until the 1810 Census where one John Bitticks is listed in Surry County. No other information is available with this listing. Without more information, I am unable to confirm if this is our John. 1812 Map of Western North Carolina. At some point John and Hannah have lost Sarah; to marriage or to death it is uncertain. They also had a daughter who married in Burke County. Elizabeth (who is listed as Patsey in the Marriage bonds) married David Scott on June 18, 1818 with Hiram Kelly as Bondsman and John Burgin as witness. This is the correct daughter for John and Hannah, even though she is listed by another name, because the family day book has listings for Scott children. 1818 Map of Western North Carolina I don’t find mention of a John again until the 1820 census where a John Biddicks shows up in Buncombe County. This cannot be our John though because the information does not correspond with the children’s ages. He is listed with one male ages between 16 and 18, three males between the ages 16 and 26, one male over 45, four females between 16 and 26 and one female over 45. If I can find the Burke County 1820 census, I may find our missing John. The early 1820’s brought several marriages to John and Hannah’s family. On November 25, 1822 Jonathan “Biddicks” married Dicey (Radicia) Bird with John Bittick as the Bondsman and John Burgin as witness. The very next day on November 26, 1822, Hannah “Biddicks” married Samuel Finley. Again, John Bittick was the Bondsman and John Burgin the witness. Because John is the Bondsman for both of these marriages, I am concluding this would be our John as the father of both children. In the same marriage bonds book for Burke County, another (rogue) “Biddox” appears. On March 7, 1823 William “Biddox” married Elizabeth Hill with Richmond Hill as the Bondsman and John Burgin as the witness. Contrary to other accounts, this is NOT a John and Hannah Bittick child, unless this is actually Wellmet and not William, but that isn’t likely. The 1830 North Carolina Census would be the last census that would show John Sr. since he passed away in 1837. But as in 1820 census, the John Biddick listed in Buncombe County doesn’t match numerically with our John. After he died on January 9, 1837 Hannah lived with her youngest son Jesse in Grassy Creek, Yancey County (now Mitchell County). Some time before 1840, Jesse married Mary (Buchanan?) as he is listed with a female of the appropriate age in the 1840 census (and by name in the 1850 census) in Grassy Creek, Yancey County. He is also listed with one male age five to 10, one male age 10 to 15, one male age 30 to 40 (Jesse), two females ages 5 to 10, one female age 10 to 15 and one female age 30 to 40 (Mary). The 1850 census was the last census in which Hannah was listed. She was living with Jesse in Grassy Creek, Yancey County and is listed within his family. Also listed with Jesse (age 48) are Mary (age 46), William (age 18 – a laborer), Sarah M. (age 16) and Hannah (age 96). This was also the year she applied for John’s Revolutionary War pension and was denied. She lived two more years, and in 1852, at the age of 98, Hannah Bittick passed away. 1851 Map of Western North Carolina Counties CHAPTER 2 John Jr. and Nancy Ensley were married in 1809 in Burke County and further than that I have not been able to find out much more about their family. John Jr. was listed on the 1814 Muster Roll for the 7th Regiment 8th Company detached from the 3rd Burke Regiment of the NC Militia in the War of 1812. Lt. Col. Andrew Irwin, 1st Major William Cathey and 2nd Major Nathan A. McDowell were listed as over the 3rd Burke Regiment. Captain John Carson and Lieutenant James Burgen were over his Regiment. He appears on the muster roll as one John “Biddicks”, but beyond that little is known. John and Nancy have ten known children. Margaret born 1810 in Burke County; Hanar Jain (Hannah Jane?) born between 1811-­‐1813 in Burke County; Martha Jane born June 13, 1812; John “Buck” born June 1814; Francis born 1818; Melinda born 1821 in Burke County; unknown girl born about 1824 in Burke County; George McDonald born 1827 Burke County; Nancy Virginia born April 22, 1829; and Merrit “Calvin” born 1831. They don’t show up in any records until the 1850 census in Yancey County. He is listed as John “Biddix” (age 67) and his occupation as a farmer, Nancy (age 60), and Merrit C. (age 19) who was listed as a laborer. The only other time I find them listed is in 1860 Spruce Pine, Yancey County census record. John was listed at 75 years of age and Nancy at 68. It says he was a farmer still and that his real estate property was valued at $40 and personal property at $95. It also stated that John and Nancy couldn’t read or write.