KITTS Family

KITTS, PERKINS, MARSHALL, FORD, GRIFFITHS, ROSS, REID

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/4/2015 at 15:19:24

The Reverend Thomas Jefferson Kitts and Hanna Perkins

8 July 2012 by Susan (Torrey) Kitts
The Reverend Thomas Jefferson Kitts and Hanna Perkins

Family folklore tells us that Thomas Jefferson Kitts was illiterate and uneducated at the age of 21 and by the age of 29 was a biblical scholar, orator much in demand, and could read and write English, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This folklore has been unverified until recently when an article titled, "The Baptist Church in the Great Valley," was found on the internet titled, "History of the Baptist Church," it states (on pages 35 & 36) the following: "He had few early advantages, but by steady and earnest application, he became tolerably versed in Latin, Greek and Hebrew. This passage indicates there is at least some truth in the stories handed down through the ages.

In 1812, Thomas was baptized in the river Brandywine and became a member of the 1st Baptist church in Wilmington, Delaware. In April of that year he married Hannah Perkins, the daughter of William and Sarah (Marshall) Perkins and granddaughter of Thomas and Hannah (Ford) Perkins. Thomas Perkins served as a Captain in the Navy in the American Revolution and is found in DAR records. In 1813, a daughter, Mary Perkins Kitts, was born to Thomas and Hannah. Mary married Dr. Amos W. Griffiths of Philadelphia but died on December 11, 1849 without having any children. She is buried in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1818, Thomas was ordained by the Wilmington Baptist church, became pastor of the Baptist Church in Canon, New Jersey, and was clerk of the Delaware Baptist Association. While in New Jersey during his second year of pastoring, he was paid one dollar for each sermon he gave as his salary. In 1823, he became pastor of the 2nd Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was pastor until his death in 1838.

On November 9th, 1825, a son, Thomas Jefferson Kitts Jr., was born in Philadelphia City, Pennsylvania to the Reverend and Hanna Kitts. The Reverend Thomas J. Kitts Sr. is noted for preaching a sermon before the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1826 and was clerk of the Association in 1827, moderator in 1828, and wrote the Circular Letter for 1833.

Thomas' grandson, Alexander Ross Kitts, wrote a book listing the marriages performed by the Rev. Thomas J. Kitts titled, "Marriages by Rev. Thomas J. Kitts, Pastor, Canton Baptist Church, Salem County, New Jersey, 1818-1820; Later of Northern Liberties, Philadelphia." This book was published in 1934 and has been a great source of information in the genealogical world of research.
From all accounts Thomas Jefferson Kitts was a very highly thought of man. Some of the statements made concerning Thomas are as follows: "In character and preaching ability he was second to none." "He was a man of prayer; he was thoroughly conversant with the Word of God; he lived near the Eternal, where love lifted his heart above the world and gave him the warm regards of all the friends of Jesus with whom he came in contact." and "He was a profound student of the word of God, possessing every qualification to fit him for extensive usefulness in any section of the Master's vineyard. For nearly sixteen years Mr. Kitts toiled for souls, and was then taken to the heavenly rest."

Thomas died on January 26, 1838 and is buried in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania. He was 49 years of age. Hannah administrated her husband's estate. Thomas Jr., was only 12 years of age at the time of his father's death. Because he was a minor, Dr. Amos W. Griffiths, Thomas Sr.'s son-in-law was appointed guardian of Thomas Jr.; In 1844 the estate of the Rev. Thomas J. Kitts was settled.; Apparently there was quite a bit of property associated with this family at that time. Hannah and her son, remained living in their home at their residence 182 Coates in Philadelphia for some years.

In 1847 Thomas Jr. appears to have acquired a mortgage in Upper Dublin Township, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He also acquired property as a farmer in Northern Liberties, in Philadelphia County. In the 1850 US Federal Census Hannah and Thomas Jr. are noted as living in the Upper Dublin property in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Thomas Jr. is listed as a farmer with a real estate value of $8,500 which is quite a large some in that day and age. On January 26th, 1851 Thomas Jr. married Margaret Jane Ross, the daughter of Henry Ross and Margaret F. Reid, Irish immigrants that lived in Lower Dublin Township, in Pennsylvania County, Pennsylvania. Sometime in the year 1851 after they were wed, Thomas Jr. sold his two properties and sometime before 1854, he and Margaret moved to the town of Chillicothe in Peoria County, Illinois. It is assumed Hanna moved back to Philadelphia, where she is found living at 425 Coates in the 1867 City Directory for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Thomas Jr. moved from Peoria County, Illinois to Davenport, Scott County, Iowa sometime in 1866. Thomas, Margaret, their children; Henry, Thomas, Mary, Hannah, & Alexander along with Thomas' mother Hannah are found living in Davenport, Ward 6, in the 1870 US Federal Census. Hannah is noted as being 84 years of age. Since the Philadelphia City Directory still shows Hanna listed as living at 425 Coates in Philadelphia through the 1872 issue. It is possible Hanna kept her residence in Philadelphia while living with her son in Iowa. In 1872 the family moved once again, this time from Davenport, Iowa to Wright County, Iowa. Family folklore says that Hanna was making the move with Thomas and his family. Margaret, Hannah, and the youngest child, Alexander Ross Kitts, were making the trek by train, while Thomas Jr. and the older children made the trek overland with the farm equipment, wagons, and livestock. At that time, train tracks were not all of steel. Sometimes, especially out in the Wild West such as Iowa, the train tracks were made of wood that was covered with thin sheets of metal. While Hannah, Margaret, and Alexander were traveling on the train one of those straps popped off the rail, slashed through the floor of the train car, through a passenger seat, and into the upper leg of Margaret. At some point, Margaret was taken off the train and taken to a boarding house where she was nursed for a week until she died. A message was sent to Thomas Jr. and the children but it was not known where they were on their trek to Wright County. Margaret died before Thomas Jr. arrived.

This story was handed down from the youngest child, Alexander that was on the train with his mother and grandmother. He related it to his daughter and she in turn told the story to Maggie Kitts a well-known Kitts family researcher. Maggie tried to find a Wright County newspaper article to verify this account but was not able to do so. There is no mention of where the actual incident took place so it is very hard to know where to look.

Hanna died one year later on September 8th, 1973 in Luni, Wright County, Iowa.

Sources:
Maggie Kitts, Kitts Family Research, of Portland, Oregon. Information given to Susan Kitts
Maggie Kitts, Kitts Family Research, of Portland, Oregon. Information given to David H. Kitts
David Kitts, Kitts Family Researcher, of Puyallup, Washington. Information given to Susan Kitts

A Brief History of Wilmington Primitive Baptist Church. The First Hundred Years from 1785 to 1885.
Under Clerks, "Thomas J. Kitts 1815 - 1818"
http://www.wilmingtonpbc.org/history.html

Religious History of Camden, Chapter V. The First Baptist church of Camden.
Register of Pastors: Thomas J. Kitts, December, 1819. to March, 1822.
http://www.us-roots.org/njcamden/history/part2chapter5.html

Editor; D.J. Jones, The Cambrian, Vol. IV., February 1884 issue, page 35 & 36
Internet source: http://books.google.com/books?id=NnAlAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2- PA36&lpg=RA2- PA36&dq=%22but+by+steady+and+earnest+application%22&source=bl&ots=cc- nT5Bl0H&sig=glSF04lPqXCR8q6KsJBeaKxjdno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xEYwT8DxA6qPigKqprGSAw&sqi =2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22but%20by%20steady%20and%20earnest%20application%22&f=f alse
Note: this is also found on pages 16 and 17 in History of the Baptist Church, PA.

Editor; D.J. Jones, The Cambrian, Vol. IV., February 1884 issue, page 35 & 36
Internet source: http://books.google.com/books?id=NnAlAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2- PA36&lpg=RA2- PA36&dq=%22but+by+steady+and+earnest+application%22&source=bl&ots=cc- nT5Bl0H&sig=glSF04lPqXCR8q6KsJBeaKxjdno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xEYwT8DxA6qPigKqprGSAw&sqi =2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22but%20by%20steady%20and%20earnest%20application%22&f=f alse
Note: this is also found on pages 16 and 17 in History of the Baptist Church, PA.
"The Baptist Church in the Great Valley Page 35 & 36, Biographical Sketches by Horatio Gates Jones, D.C.L".　
　　　 "The eighth Pastor, Thomas J. Kitts, was born in 1789, and in 1818, he appears as a licentiate of the First Church of Wilmington, Delaware.　 The same year he was chosen Clerk of the Delaware Baptist Association.　 He began his pastoral labors at Canton, N.J. and also preached at Camden, N.J.　 In 1822 he became Pastor of the Valley and in 1823, was called to the Second Church of Philadelphia, which he served for fifteen years.　 He had few early advantages, but by steady and earnest application, he became tolerably versed in Latin, Greek and Hebrew.　 He was Clerk of the Association in 1827 and Moderator in 1828, and wrote the Circular Letter for 1833.　 He died at Philadelphia, January 24, 1838, aged 49 years."

By Richard B. Cook, 1880, Baptist History Homepage, "Distinguished Men Among Early Delaware Baptists" p. 61　 Rev. Thomas J. Kitts; Internet source: http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/delaware.early.baptst.men.html　;
　　　　　 "Rev. Thomas J. Kitts was ordained at the Wilmington Church in 1818, during the pastorate of Rev. Daniel Dodge. He was born in Pennsylvania, September 13, 1789. In 1818, he was Clerk of the Delaware Association. He was Pastor at the Great Valley in 1822, and became Pastor in 1823 of the Second Church, Philadelphia, which church he served until his death, January, 1838. He preached the sermon before the Philadelphia Association in 1826, and was Clerk in 1827 and Moderator in 1828. In character and preaching ability he was second to none."

By Robert Warner, "The Baptist Church in the Great Valley" Page 71, (Pg. 12 of 15 in Document)　
Internet source:　 http://www.tehistory.org/hqda/pdf/v07/Volume07_N4_071.pdf
　　　 "The next three pastors, Thomas J. Kitts, John Chive Jenkins, and Thomas Brown, were all active in the Philadelphia Baptist Association.　 Rev. Kitts was licensed in 1818 at the First Baptist Church of Wilmington, Del.　 He came to Great Valley from a pastorate at Canton, N.J. in 1822, and left a year later to accept a call to the Second Baptist Church of Philadelphia, where he served for fifteen years.　 He was a clerk of the Delaware Baptist Association during his work in Wilmington and a clerk and moderator of the Philadelphia Association after he left Great Valley."

The Baptist Encyclopedia, On openlibrary.org. 1881.Page 662　
　　　 "Kitts, Rev. Thomas J., was born in 1789, and was licensed to preach by the First Baptist church of Wilmington, Delaware.　 He was ordained to the pastorate of the Church of Canton, New Jersey.　 In 1823 he took charge of the Second Baptist church of Philadelphia.　 This office he held for nearly sixteen years, till death summoned him to the skies.
　　　 His preaching was able and his ministry successful.　 He was a man of prayer; he was thoroughly conversant with the Word of God; he lived near the Eternal, where love lifted his heart above the world and gave him the warm regards of all the friends of Jesus with whom he came in contact.　 He died Jan. 26, 1838, in the forty-ninth year of his age."
Internet source: http://www.archive.org/stream/baptistencyclop01cath#page/1321/mode/1up

By John B. Filson. 1886 "History of Second Baptist Church,(Microform) Seventh Street Below Girard Avenue, Philadelphia."　 Page 5, Internet Source: http://www.archive.org/stream/baptistencyclop01cath#page/1321/mode/1up
"On December 30, 1822, Rev. Thomas J. Kitts, was elected third pastor." "He was a profound student of the word of God, possessing every qualification to fit him for extensive usefulness in any section of the Master's vineyard. For nearly sixteen years Mr. Kitts toiled for souls, and was then taken to the heavenly rest. He died January 26, 1838."
1850, US Federal Census, PA, Montgomery County, Upper Dublin Twp., Enumerated Aug. 25th, Lines 5 thru 8 (Ancestry.com page 32 of 32)
1860, US Federal Census, IL, Peoria Co., Chillicothe, Enum: June 19th, Lines 17 through 24, (Ancestry.com page 16 of 30)
1870, US Federal Census, IA, Scott Co., Davenport Ward 6, (Ancestry.com page 5 of 27)

A.R. Kitts. 1934. "Marriages by Rev. Thomas J. Kitts, Pastor, Canton Baptist Church, Salem County, New Jersey, 1818-1820; Later of Northern Liberties, Philadelphia."　
1867, 1868, 1870, & 1872 City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Ancestry.com.　 Kitts, Hanna, Wid of Thomas J., h 425 Coates

New Jersey, Deaths and Burials Index, 1798-1971 on Ancestry.com; Name: Thos J Kitts; Death Date: 26 Jan 1838; Death Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Occupation: Reverend
Comments: Pastor of the Second Baptist Church; Newark Daily Adv., Newark Public Library, 31 Jan 1838
FHL Film Number: 543520

New York Genealogical Records, 1675-1920 on Ancestry.com; Name: Rev. Thomas J. Kitts; Event: Died Year: 01/31/1838
Place: New York City region; Province: New York
Source: The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly-1932) - Extracts
Publisher: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
Publication info: New York, NY.
Additional Info: Also available on microfilm at Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

A history of Baptists in New Jersey By Thomas Sharp Griffiths, Page 359
"Rev. T.J. Kitts was pastor for two years and supplied the church for months after resigning.　　 The second year of his engagement, his salary was one dollar for each sermon."　 This is talking about the First Camden Church that was erected in 1818.　 T.J. Kitts was pastor there from Jan. 1820 through the end of 1822.
http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/thomas-sharp-griffiths/a-history-of- baptists-in-new-jersey-ala/page-38-a-history-of-baptists-in-new-jersey-ala.shtml

Source:
https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/9685593