Hope this helps someone, this was sent to me from a cousin. Edie Dr. Willis Washington Hitt was born on his father's farm in Bourbon County, KY., February 11, 1801. Dr. Hitt's father, the Rev. Martin Hitt, was a great grandson of Peter Hill, who came from Nassau-Siegen, Germany and settled in Fauquier Co., Va., in 1721. Martin Hitt was widely known as an abolitionist; from his father, Harmon Hitt, he inherited ninety-three slaves, whom he educated, and in 1815, with his wife and nine children, slaves, and live stock, moved North to his farm(now part of the City of Urbana, Ohio where gave his slaves their freedom.) When Dr. Hitt was about eighteen years old he took a severe cold, which resulted in the loss of his left lung, and this loss was the cause of his choosing the profession of medicine and surgery. He commenced the study of medicine in 1822, under Dr. Hichman of Sharpeburg, Ohio and the following year went to Baltimore to attend the University of Maryland, from which he was graduated with honors at the age of twenty-four. Dr. Hitt then made an extended trip West on horseback going as far as Vincennes and Terre Haute, Indiana, on the Wabash River. Returning, he settled in Boonsboro, Md., and commenced the practice of medicine. Here he received an appointment as surgeon in the U. S. Navy, but Marine life not being congenial he soon resigned his position and returned to private life to carry on his chosen profession. A few years later, he moved to Hagerstown, Md., and in 1830 moved to Vincennes, Ind., where he lived until the time of his death, August 18th, 1876. Dr. Hitt was married in 1827 to Mary, daughter of Isaac Reynolds, of Baltimore, by whom he had four children, Isaac R., Dr. Willis M., Mary (widow of General Moses R. Walker) and John W. Mrs. Hitt died in 1836, and in 1840 the Doctor married Miss Ellen Shotwell of Rahway, NJ, by whom he had three children; Ellen, Milton and Edwin. Mrs Ellen Hitt died in 1897. In early years Dr Hitt's professional duties covered a large territory in Indiana, Kentucky and Southern Illinois. He was frequently called as far as Terre Haute, making the trips on horseback until the rail road was built. We find an account of his early surgical operations in the Western Journal of medical and Physical Science (1832, page 350) entitled "History of a Sarcomatus Tumor, - It's Extirpations." It was published by request of the Medical Bureau of the 1st Med. Dist. of Ind. (Note-the patient was 24 years of age, tumor 32 inches in diameter, patient living at time of Dr. Hitt's death). The Medical profession in general, as well as Dr. Hitt being greatly hampered for want of medicine, he was prompted to go into the drug business. As it was before the days of Ranks or R. R. he sent $1250 by messenger to Baltimore and Philadelphia for a supply and on its arrival opened the first drug store in Southern Indiana. The stock was soon greatly enlarged, and he carried on successfully both a wholesale and retail business. He celebrated his 50th anniversary of the study of medicine by retiring from active practice in 1872. Dr. Hitt was greatly interested in educational matters and in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was one of the founders of Asbury Universally, in 1837 located at Greencastle, Indiana, was a member of the first board of Trustees and remained a member for 18 years and was president of the Joint Board in 1861 and 1862. In early days he went to the meetings on horseback. He also took an active interest in the Vicennes University, being a trustee for over thirty years, and for seventeen years president of the Board. Indicative of the Doctor's general popularity in his district, it might be mentioned that, in 1850 he was elected a member of the State Constitutional Convention for Knox County, Indiana by an overwhelming majority. He always took an interest in the financial matters of his home town. He was one of the directors of the old "State Bank", and for many years, and until his death, a director in the Vincennes National Bank, which he helped to organize in 1862. Sour se of this history came from "A History of Washington County Maryland" >From the Earliest Settlements To The Present Time. Including A History of Hagerstown By Thomas J. C. Williams 1968