Possible Children of John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney

This page is under construction!!

During the mid-1800s, there are several Bitticks, whose parents are not known, living in Jefferson Co, Missouri.  While their parents cannot be proven with the information available today, there are possibilities for their parents.  These "unattached" Bitticks are:

• Mary/Polly Bittick, born c 1810-1813, married William Everett

• Willis Henry Bittick, born 1817, married Lucinda Jane Smith

• Perry Bittick, born 1820-1823, married Malinda Peppers

• Julius Bittick, born c1825

• Francis/Frank Bittick, born 1827-1832, married Sarah Davis

• William Bittick, born 1825-1831, married Jane W. Stevens

• Simeon Sylvester Bittick, born 1829-1832, married Elizabeth Sarah Stephens

• Eliza Jane Bittick, born c1839, married William Clark Davis

• William R. Bittick born c1830, married Elizabeth Ann Shoultz/s

• Thomas Simon? Bittick, born c1837, married Martha Stoker

William R. Bittick and Thomas Simon? Bittick are possible sons of Simeon Bittick, born 1802, and Catherine Null.  We believe the others in this list are possible children of John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney.  

According to the census, John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney had ten children living with them by 1830.  Unless some were other relatives, they had six sons and four daughters at this time.  There doesn't seem to be a 1840 enumeration for John & Hannah [see census enumerations below], but in the 1850 census, four daughters are listed.  John & Hannah had at least 13 children, but only James, Margaret, Salinda, Maranda and Sarah can be positively identified.  James names his parents in Jefferson County biographies.  Margaret, Salinda, Maranda and Sarah are listed with their parents in the 1850 census.  Other possible children of John and Hannah are listed in the table below.  While the parents of Mary, Willis Henry, Perry, William, Francis, Simeon Sylvester, and Eliza Jane [in the table below] are not known, there are factors connecting them with each other and with the known children of John and Hannah.   

• They all lived, at least for a time, in Jefferson County, Missouri, in the vicinity of John and Hannah.
• John's parents were named Francis and Mary, and he had siblings named Mary, Nancy, William, Samuel, Thomas, Simeon and Solomon.  
• Hannah's parents were James and Sarah, and she had siblings named James, Margaret and Mary.
• The names Willis, Perry and Sylvester are used frequently.
• Willis is a somewhat unusual given name.  Willis Hensley married Mary Susannah McCourtney, Hannah's sister.  
• In our databases, "Perry" is only found in the families in the chart below.
• In our databases, "Sylvester" is only found in the families in the chart below.  
• Sarah Bittick, born about 1840, is a known child of John and Hannah.  Sarah is listed with her parents in the 1850 Jefferson County census, but no records of her have been found after 1850.  Eliza Jane Bittick, born about 1839, first appears in Jefferson County when she marries William Clark Davis in 1857.  We have found no records of her before that date.  It is possible that Sarah Bittick and Eliza Jane Bittick are the same person. Sarah Bittick disappears about the same time that Eliza Jane Bittick appears in Jefferson County.  Eliza Jane's husband, William Clark Davis, was the brother of Sarah Davis, who married Francis Bittick in the table below.  [Siblings from one family often married siblings from another family.]  Sarah Davis and Eliza Jane Bittick were sisters-in-law.  If Eliza Jane was named Sarah Eliza, perhaps she stopped using the name Sarah to avoid confusion with her sister-in-law.  Margaret, a known sister of Sarah Bittick born c1839, names a daughter Sarah Eliza.  Eliza Jane Bittick Davis names children Hannah, Margaret, Marion Sylvester, and William, all names associated with possible children of John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney.  Marion is frequently used by descendants of Francis Bittick and Mary Stanfield.  Please note that there is no proof linking Sarah Bittick and Eliza Jane Bittick.  In fact, Eliza Jane's children list her as Eliza or Eliza J. Bittick on their death certificates.  However, there are some hints that Sarah and Eliza could have been the same person.
• In the Bittick families in our databases, the names "Simeon" and "Solomon" are only found in descendants of Francis Bittick and Mary Stanfield and the families in the chart below.
• William [b. c1825-1831] and Simeon Sylvester married sisters. [Siblings from one family often married siblings from another family]
• Francis Bittick [b. c1829] and Eliza Jane Bittick married siblings.
• Perry [b. c1822] and Francis [b. c1829] are living near each other in Jefferson Co 1850. [see census records below]
• In 1880 Thomas W., the son of Willis Henry, is living in Lincoln County with Simeon Sylvester and listed as his nephew.  If he's Simeon's nephew, then Willis Henry and Simeon Sylvester must be brothers. [see census records below]
• Julius Bittick, born c1825, is not included in the table below, but we believe he may have been a son of John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney.  Not much is known about him, in fact, the only known record is the 1870 census.  He was living alone in Jefferson County near Willis Henry Bittick.  Willis Henry named a son "Hiram Julius," possibly after this Julius Bittick. [Note:  Hiram Julius was a very popular name at the time--perhaps after a famous person?]  Willis Henry Bittick also had an uncle, Hiram Smith, who may also be his son's namesake. 

Alternate information:

• John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney are the most likely parents of Mary, Willis Henry, Perry, William, Francis, and Simeon Sylvester.  However, there were were a few other Bitticks in Jefferson Co, Missouri in the early 1800s.  Catherine (Null) Bittick, widow of John's brother Simeon, was there in 1840 living near William Everett and Mary Bittick, a possible daughter of John.  William R. and Thomas Simon? Bittick were also in Jefferson County.  Their parents are unknown but were probably Simeon Bittick and Catherine Null.  It is possible that other Bittick families were in Jefferson County in the early 1800s but left no records.

• While "Willis" is an uncommon first name, there are other possible Willis - Bittick connections:  1.  George W. Willis married Mary Clothilda Charleville, sister of  Michael 'Mike' Charleville.  Michael married Cornelia Bittick, daughter of John's nephew Thomas (only child of William born 1799).  Thomas and Felicite named one of their sons, Willis John L. Bittick.  However, this would be an unlikely connection to Willis Henry Bittick.  2.  John Bittick & Lydia Willis married 26 Sep 1799 Stokes County, North Carolina [North Carolina database].  While unlikely, it is possible that Willis Henry was the son of, or related to, John and Lydia; however, there is no known connection between them.  This is likely the John R. Bittick  [Tennessee database] who married Cynthia Rakestraw 21 Dec 1814 in Williamson Co, Tennessee. 1810 whereabouts unknown. 1820 found in Williamson Co, Tennessee. It was known that John R. was married before Cynthia Rakestraw and had a daughter, Martha Charlotte or Charlotte Martha, who named a daughter, Lydia. However there is no hard evidence connecting the John who married Lydia Willis to the John R. who married Cynthia Rakestraw.   3.  There are also some Willis families associated with descendants of John Bittick/Biddix in North Carolina, but there is no known connection to Willis Henry Bittick.

• John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney are the most likely parents of Willis Henry Bittick, but there is another possible connection to John R. Bittick & Cynthia Rakestraw.  Willis Henry Bittick names a son Hiram (Hiram Julius); John R. and Cynthia also name a son Hiram.  The name "Hiram" was very commonly used during this time, although not in the Bittick families in our databases.  The name "Hiram Julius" was also very popular. However, we see no other connections between these families.  Willis Henry Bittick had an uncle, Hiram Smith, which may be his son's namesake.  There is also a Julius Bittick, born c1825, living in Jefferson County.  Not much is known about this Julius, but he is a possible brother of Willis Henry.  This Julius Bittick is also a possible namesake for Hiram Julius Bittick.  

James, Margaret, Salinda, Maranda and Sarah are known children of John & Hannah

Census Records for John Bittick and Hannah McCourtney

1830 Merrimac Township, Jefferson Co, Missouri, p126, line 2:
John Biddicks - 2220001/110201
2m -5 c1825-30 = Francis c1829
           c1825-30 = Simeon c1825-30
2m 5-10 c1820-25 = Perry c1822
                c1820-25 = William c1825-30
2m 10-15 c1815-20 = Willis Henry b1817
                  c1815-20 = James b1811
1m 40-50 c1780-90 = John b1781 
1f -5 c1825-30 = unknown
1f 5-10 c1820-25 = Margaret
2f 15-20 c1810-15 = unknown
               c1810-15 = Mary c1810-13
1f 30-40 c1790-1800 = Hannah McCourtney c1794
[10 children born before 1830 = 6 sons and 4 daughters unless some of them are his siblings or relatives.]

1840 Jefferson Co, Missouri, p98, line 6:
John Bidix - 0211/none - odd no females?
2m 5-10 c1830-35 =
1m 10-15 c1825-30 =
1m 15-20 c1820-25 =
[this can’t be John Bittick b1781 - unless the enumerator didn't complete this entry]
Note: William Everett - line 5 [married Mary Polly Bittick]
John Bidix - line 6
Catherine Bidix - line 24 [widow of Simeon Bittick, brother of John Bittick]

1850 District 42, Jefferson Co, Missouri 16 September 1850, p446b:
#603/603 John Bittick 55 m w carpenter Mo
Hannah 45 f w Mo
Salinda 15 f w Mo [c1835]
Marinda 12 f w Mo [c1838]
Sarah 10 f w Mo [c1840]
Margaret 18 f w Mo [c1832]

1860 Merrimac Township, Jefferson Co, Missouri 03 July 1860, sheet 68, p616:
#542/542 John Bittick 79 m farmer $-/300 NC
Hannah 61 f Ky
Maranda Maupin 23 f seamstress Mo [c1837]

Other Census Records

1850 District No. 42, Jefferson Co, Missouri 30 August 1850, p431b:
#380/380 Perry Bittick 27 m w farmer Mo - can't read/write
Melinda 21 f w Mo
Mary E 4/12 f w Mo
Michael Dailey 20 m w laborer Unknown
Also on the same census page:
#377/377 Francis Bittick 21 Mo
Sarah 18 Mo
Are Perry and Francis siblings? 

1880 Monroe Township, Lincoln Co, Missouri 5 June 1880, ed92, p297b:
#6/6 Bitticks Simeon S. m w 49 md farmer Mo SC SC
Elizabeth C. w f 44 wife md keeps house Pa Eng Eng
Frank S. w m 27 son single labor Mo Pa Eng
Mary E. w f 18 dau single at home Mo Pa Eng
Hana J. w f 16 dau single at home Mo Pa Eng
Charles S. w m 13 son single Mo Pa Eng
Thomas W. w m 28 nephew single labor Mo Mo Mo
[Note: Thomas W. is the son of Willis Henry and Lucinda Jane Smith. If he's Simeon's nephew - then Willis and Simeon must be brothers.]

Family Names:
Francis = Perry, William [John F.- Francis?], Simeon
John = James, Mary, William, Simeon
Perry = Willis Henry, William, Francis, Mary [John P.- Perry?]
Sylvester = James, Willis Henry, Simeon, Eliza Jane
Willis = James, Willis Henry, Perry
Marion = James, Eliza Jane

Bittick's using the name of Sylvester--all known, or likely, descendents of John & Hannah

        Simeon Sylvester Line
Simeon Sylvester        26 Mar 1832 Mo          likely son of John & Hannah
Charles Sylvester       16 Sep 1866 Lincoln Co Mo       son of Simeon Sylvester b1832
Charles Sylvester Jr    01 Mar 1898 Lincoln Co Mo    son of Chas Sylvester b1866; grandson of Simeon Sylvester
Charles Sylvester III   05 Jul 1933 Ia                  son of Chas Sylvester Jr b1898
Oscar Sylvester 01 Jan 1886 Lincoln Co Mo       son of Thomas Michael, son of Simeon Sylvester b1832

        John Sylvester Line
John Sylvester  c1839 Jeff Co Mo                son of James Bittick; grandson of John & Hannah
John Sylvester Jr       14 Dec 1875 Jeff Co Mo  son of John Sylvester c1839
Charles Sylvester       27 Jun 1906 Jeff Co Mo  son of John Sylvester Jr b1875

        Willis Henry Line
Solomon Sylvester       15 Aug 1855 Jeff Co Mo  son of Willis Henry & Lucinda Jane Smith
Solomon Sylvester Jr    15 Oct 1893 Frank Co Mo   son of Solomon Sylvester b1855

        Eliza Jane Bittick b1838 md William Clark Davis
Marion 'Sylvester' Davis        01 May 1863 Jeff Co Mo  son of Eliza J Bittick likely daughter of John & Hannah