Saturday, September 28, 2013

Surname Saturday: HEWITT



My children's surname, HEWITT, has a variety of origins. In the British Isles, it is a spelling variant of the medieval personal name, Huet. It is a long-established surname in Ireland. Finally, it was a topographic name for someone who lived in a newly-made clearing in a wood; from the Middle English hewett and the Old English hiewet, derivatives of heawan, meaning to "to chop or hew."


Stories and History:

Ahnentafel #62 - Thomas HEWITT (c. 1793 - bet. 1850-1860) - little is known about this individual, other than he was born and married in Pennsylvania. His wife, Hannah MILLER (c. 1803 - bet. 1860-1870), was also born in that state. They had five known children. Their middle daughter was married in Dane Co., Wisconsin; it's not clear if her parents lived there or remained in Pennsylvania.

Ahnentafel #32 - Rebecca HEWITT (1836 - 1911) - family records state she was born in Lead, Pennsylvania, but that location has not been found on any map, atlas, or gazetteer. In 1851, she married Isaac LUKE (1831 - 1920) in Sun Prairie, Dane Co., Wisconsin. They had 14 children; their first child was born in Sauk Co., Wisconsin, but they removed to Juneau Co., Wisconsin, where they lived for over 20 years. Isaac served as a private in Company U, 16th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War. They eventually settled in Avon, Bon Homme Co., South Dakota while it was still Dakota Territory. Rebecca died in Brookings Co., South Dakota, probably while on a visit. She is buried in the Hitt Cemetery in Avon.

Ahnentafel #15 - Angelia Rebecca LUKE (1866 - 1941) - born in Summit Twp., Juneau Co., Wisconsin, she married John Franklin MARTIN in 1883 in Avon, Bon Homme Co., South Dakota: 12 children. John worked for the railroad for much of his life, which may have been the reason why they lived all over the Northern Plains and Pacific Northwest. After John's death in 1928, Angelia apparently moved to California to live with one of her two daughters that lived in the area. She died in Berkeley, Alameda Co., California and is buried with John in Forest View Cemetery, Forest Grove, Washington County, Oregon.

Ahnentafel #7 - Leona Mary MARTIN (1906 - 1993) - youngest of 12 children and a twin, she was my husband's maternal grandmother. Her fantastic cooking provided for her family during the Depression through a diner she and her husband, Forrest Lyton CHAPLIN, owned.

Ahnentafel #3 - my mother-in-law, living

Ahnentafel #1 - my children's father, living


More About the HEWITT Family:

1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): HEWITT ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)

2. Posts about HEWITT ancestors and relatives on this blog


The HEWITT Immigration Trail:

Pennsylvania > Dane Co., WI > Sauk Co., WI > Juneau Co., WI > Bon Homme Co., DT (now SD) > Ransom Co., ND > LaMoure Co., ND > Kootenai (now Boundary) Co., ID > Franklin Co., WA > Multnomah Co., OR > Washington Co., OR > Clark Co., WA > Yakima Co., WA > Pierce Co., WA > Clark Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA


Pin It

No comments: