edited by Thomas Gregg, 1880 [paragraph breaks added] William K. Gittings - The ancestors of this worthy citizen of our county were from England, and settled in Baltimore county, Maryland, prior to the Revolutionary was; the first we know of them by this name was Kinsey Gittings,who married Mary Clemmons, and who moved to Washington county, Kentucky, in an early day, and followed farming; he died in that county about 1830, aged 65 years, leaving a widow and 6 children; the former died at the same place about 1840.
William K. Gittings, the third child of the former, was born November 5, 1822, and was on his father's farm until 26 years of age, when he was married January 9, 1849, at the Church of St. Peter, Nauvoo, Illinois, by Father Griffin, to Amelia E. Hardy, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Ivo H. and Mary (Riley) Hardy, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Kentucky, and of English descent. Ivo Hardy and wife moved to this county in 1835; he is now dead, and his widow is now living with Mr. W. K. Gittings. On Mr. G.'s marriage he immediately moved upon a farm on sec. 1, Durham tp., consisting of about 80 acres, which he had bought some time previous to his marriage. The first house he built was a small log cabin 14 by 16; in this he lived one year, when he built a small frame; in 1860 he erected a large two-story and L, which he has since occupied. In politics Mr. G. is a Democrat, and he has been Supervisor four terms, and was one of the first Road Commissioners after the organization of the county. He and his wife are members of the Catholic Church. He has since added to the home farm until it now consists of 720 acres, and he has given to two of his children who are married 320 acres besides; his children are: Mary Ellen, now the wife of Wm. L. Dean, of this tp.; Julia A., now Mrs Wm. Yager, also of this tp.; Cory I., now Mrs. John Arnold, and living in Henderson county, near Burlington; Ivo James, Henry Marcellus and Catharine Matilda, at home. Wm. Berry, Rose Ellen [Rozelle R. is the name on her tombstone] and Sarah May are deceased. |
Their eldest son, William H. Gittings, was raised on his father's farm in Kentucky,where he remained until he was 28 years old; he followed farming and boating to New Orleans, etc. In October, 1818, he married Miss Ellen Mudd, a native of Maryland, and a daughter of Richard and Mary (Berry) Mudd, all of Maryland and English ancestry; Richard Mudd was an officer in the Revolutionary was under Washington; at an early day he removed with his family to Kentucky. After his marriage Mr. William Henson Gittings lived in Union county, Kentucky, where 8 children were born to him; in 1834 he moved to Illinois, stopping a short time in Morgan county, and in 1835 came to this county, with his family, and settled in Fountain Green tp., on sec. 7, where he afterward bought of the Government 180 of partly improved land. In politics he was a decided Whig, and in 1848 was a nominee of his party for the State Senate. In this county he had nothing to commence with, but in time came to be one of the wealthiest men in this section. He was a man of the strictest integrity, whose word was as good as his bond. In his habits he was very temperate, and in all respects he was honored and respected by the community. He was a member of the Catholic Church. He died November 7, 1869, aged nearly 79 years, leaving 10 children, who were all married at the time, and are all living at present. He had a family of 15 children, but 5 are deceased.
Ivo Hardy & Mary Riley