William Thomas Hiteshew (1868-1938)

William Thomas Hiteshew was born on 27.Feb.1868. His parents were James M. Hiteshew and Virginia Louise Grey. [1] It is likely that he was born in Cumberland, Allegany, Maryland, since that is where Federal Census records show his family to be living both in 1860 and 1870. Federal census records list William Thomas as “Thomas” in 1870, “William” in 1880, “Thomas” in 1900, and “William” in 1910. The 1920 and 1930 census records have “William T,” as do various other documents from 1900 on.

William Thomas (WT) was born just three years after the Civil War. The first known record for him is the 1870 Federal Census, which shows him to be 1 year old and the youngest of four children in the household. The occupation of his father, then 28, is listed as “boating.” This probably means he was involved in the building and maintenance of canal boats. By 1870, Cumberland was an important transportation hub, linking the East Coast and the Midwest via railway, canal and roads. It was the second largest city in Maryland and an important manufacturing center. The household had real estate valued at $1,000 and personal property valued at $100. WT's family appears to be a bit better off financially than many of their neighbors, who were for the most part employed in some kind of skilled trade.

In 1873, when WT was 5 years old, a financial crisis triggered a world-wide economic depression during which approximately 18,000 USA businesses, including 89 railroads, went bankrupt, as did ten states and hundreds of banks.[3] Wages fell and unemployment rose, leading to widespread hardship. Although some sectors of the economy began to improve in 1879, times were still hard for many people. The 1880 Federal Census record shows that WT, now 11, has attended school during the past year, but his older sister Laura Virginia (age 14) and older brother Daniel Conrad (age 17) havre not. WT and his family are living on Maryland Avenue in 1880, perhaps in a house that WT's father owns WT's father is listed as a laborer who has been employed for only 6 months of the past year, which is more than many of his neighbors, but less than ideal. WT's older brother Daniel Conrad also is listed as a laborer.[4] The fourth child in the household is WT's younger brother Wardlaw (age 5). WT's older sister, Mary Ellen (age 19), is staying with an aunt and uncle in Williamsport (Maryland) and is listed as unemployed.

Most of the records for the 1890 Federal Census were destroyed in a fire, so we don't have information about employment or household composition between 1880 and 1900, but economic conditions did improve. At some point between 1880 and 1900, WT's father joined the police force. Meanwhile, in 1890, WT married Anna Emilie Himmler.

Records from Wood County, Ohio show that William T. Hiteshew applied for a marriage license for himself and Anna E. Heimler on 31.May.1890, and that the couple were married on 4.Jun.1890 with Rev. A. A. Thomas officiating. Anna may have gone to Ohio with her brother, John B. Himmler, after the death of their father in 1889. (Anna's mother had died in 1884). However, it's also possible that Anna's brother came to Ohio after Anna's marriage to WT. In any case, Anna grew up in Cumberland, and that is no doubt where she and WT became acquainted[5] Various records indicate that WT and Anna had 10 children, with 8 surviving to adulthood; these are shown in the family tree below.

The Federal Census records for 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1940 list WT's occupation as glass worker. I recall being told that he was a skilled glass blower, and he may have begun learning this trade as a young man in Cumberland, which had a significant glass industry.[6]. Perhaps new opportunities for employment in this trade accounts for the movement of WT and his family. Birth records for WT's children indicate that the family was in West Virginia in 1893, Ohio in 1895 and 1896 and West Virgina in 1898. Federal Census records show residence in Morgan, Monongalia, WV in 1900, Huntington, Cabell, WV in 1910, and Lumberport, Harrison, WV in 1920. In 1930, after the death of wife Anna in 1929, WT was living in the household of his son James William Raymond Hiteshew in Weston, Lewis WV and was still working as a glass blower.

—(Probably complete for all children who survived to adulthood)—

• Catherine Ruth Hiteshew (b. 1893) —m. Turley Marshall
• Anna May Hiteshew (b. 1895) —m. Alfred Thomas Conley
• Nellie M Hiteshew (b. 1896) —m. William Ellsworth Bean
• James William Raymond Hiteshew (b. 1898) —m. Chesna Ratcliff
• John Thomas Hiteshew (b. 1901) —m. Olive Gladys Ashcraft
• Midred Emelia Hiteshew (b. 1903) —m. Charles Wayne Shreve
• Bessie Marguerite Hiteshew (b. 1906) —m. Leroy Gallaway
• Theodore Hiteshew (b. 1910) —m. Geneva Emma Douglass

[1] Death Certificate for William T. Hiteshew, State of Ohio, Department of Health.

[2] Savilla Elizabeth Hiteshew, sister of James M. Hiteshew, married Archibald Ervin Ensminger. These were the aunt and uncle in whose household we find Mary Ellen in 1880. The household also included Alfred Ardinger. The connection here is more complicated and not genetic. Alfred was the brother of Edna M. Ardinger. Edna and Alfred had an aunt, Mary McDonald (sister of their mother) who married William H Hagar, and the 1880 Federal Census lists Edna in their household. William Hagar had a brother, James Marshall Hagar. James had a son, Charles D Hagar, who would later marry WT's sister Mary Ellen and another son William C. Hagar who would later marry Edna. So Mary Ellen Hiteshew and Edna M. Ardinger end up being sisters in law.

[3] For further information, see Wikipedia articles Panic of 1873 and Long Depression.

[4] The “census year” was the 12-month period ending on the official day of the census. For the 1880 census, that period was May 31, 1879 to June 1, 1880.

[5] Perhaps one of their descendants will someday provide more details about how WT and Anna met. The 1880 Federal Census shows Anna (age 8) as having attended school during the past year, so it's possible that WT and Anna were schoolmates, even though Anna was three years younger than WT.

[6] See Wikipedia article History of Cumberland, Maryland and National Depression Glass Industry article on Glass Factories in or near Cumberland, Maryland.