according to the record of his Will, he became a very rich man. One of
the most interesting records was his ownership of Old Congress Hall in
Baltimore where Congress met after leaving Philadelphia in 1776*. The
records giving the description of this building, which was the home of
Henry Fite, and later of his son, Jacob, state that it was "A
three-story and attic brick house, of about 92 feet front on Market
Street, by about 50 to 55 foot depth on the side streets, with cellar
under the whole; having 14 rooms, exclusive of kitchen, wash-house and
other out-buildings, including a stable for 30 horses". It was in this
hall, built in 1770, that the Continental Congress met Dec. 27, 1776,
and conferred upon General Washington extraordinary powers for the
conduct of the Revolutionary War. "
Leonard FiteSon of Johannes and Catharine, was born Feb. 1, 1760, in Greenwich Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, on his father's farm. His age was recorded in the church book of St. James Lutheran Church, better known as the "Old Greenwich Church" or "Old Straw Church". Leonard enlisted in the New Jersey troops of the Revolutionary Army when very young; he was a member of Capt. Hazlett's "Minute Men," and saw thirteen months actual service as follows: Two months under Capt. John Hazlett, four months under Capt. James Anderson, two months under Capt. Joseph Mackey, five months-the Captain not stated; the entire thirteen months he was in Col. McKinney's command. Leonard applied for his pension at the age of 72, November 27, 1832; said pension was granted and the record is in the pension office at Washington, D. C.
At the close of the war, at the age of 21, Leonard married Margareth Cross, of Oxford, N. J., Apr. 12, 1781. They moved to Pennsylvania, thence to North Carolina and finally to Tennessee at what is now known as Alexandria, De Kalb Co., where he located permanently. He cleared the land and built the home in which his five youngest children were born, making a total of twelve children; the youngest died in infancy. The records state that Leonard prospered in his new home; owned many acres of land, some slaves and was a man of much importance in his neighborhood. The large house, still standing in 1890, bore testimony of the lavish scale on which the estate was run. Leonard Fite died March 22,1842 at the age of 82 years , leaving a widow and eleven children and many great-grandchildren.
"The Fite Records" gave as much space to Leonards wife as it did to Leonard . This booklet would be incomplete if it failed to give some of the more fascinating highlights of the unusual life of Margaret Cross Fite, wife of Leonard Fite ( a great great-grandmother of the writers ) , previously referred to as Granny, who handed down , through her grandson , more valuable information about our early ancestors as recorded in "The Fite Records" in his "Annals of Baltimore", published in 1824. Margareth Cross Fite
Known as Peggy, was born at Oxford New Jersey, Apr. 12, 1761. She lived to an unusual age, being nearly one hundred and four years old at her death Nov. 1, 1864. The newspaper account of her death, headed "Death of A Remarkable Woman," gave the highlights of her life. It mentions her molding bullet's for her husband and others to defend themselves and the "Settlement" against the attacks of Indians. On Apr. 12, 1861, a large number of descendants met at the home of her son, Jacob, with whom she lived, and celebrated her one hundredth birthday. At that time she had eleven children living - her oldest, (a son), being 80 years old and the youngest, fifty-nine; 76 grandchildren, 305 great-grandchildren, 71 great-great grandchildren, and two great-great-great grandchildren; in all, 465 living descendants. At the time of her death, her grandchildren of the fifth generation had increased to twenty-one. At the celebration of her one hundredth birthday the tables were run the length of the dining room, out across the porch, and down the lawn under the trees. was seated at the head of the table and her descendants according to descent, the small children being seated on the lawn, under the trees. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for fifty years. She died Nov. 1, 1864.
Children ofLeonard Fite andMargareth Cross were:
- John Fite
- Elizabeth Fite
- Jacob Fite
- Leonard Fite
- Joseph Fite
- Catherine Fite
- David (OUR DIRECT ANCESTOR)
- Moses Fite
- William Fite
- Sarah Fite
- Margareth Fite
- An infanthat died un-named.
- Joseph Washington
- Leonard
- La Fayette
- Nancy
- Judith
- Margareth
- Angelina
- Philip
- Logan
- Walter Ramsey
- Joseph
- Charles
- Mary
- Thomas
- Margaret
- Leonard Beard
- Dorcas Rowena
- Samuel Mc Clary
- Margaret Melissa
- Eliza Ann
- Sarah Salina
- Albert Beard
- Jacob Cross
- John Amenas
- James Leonidas
- Edwin Campbell
- James W. Lee
- Leonard Beard Jr.
- Florence Martha
- Martha Campbell
- Virginia Alice