Martin Emory Hitt, born April 27, 1836, in Urbana, Ohio, was a prominent figure in Bon Homme County, South Dakota. The son of Rev. Thomas Hitt and Emily John, he hailed from a distinguished family with deep roots in American history. After receiving his education in Illinois, Hitt moved to Bon Homme County in 1874, where he established a successful 640-acre farm. Known for his intellectual pursuits and political involvement, Hitt was a dedicated supporter of the Populist Party. Though unmarried, he shared his home with his sister and was widely respected as a community leader and a man of integrity.
Martin E. Hitt.—The subject of this review is an honorable representative of an old and highly respected American family, which has been closely identified with the history of several states and it is also well known that certain of its members have risen to distinguished position in the public affairs of the nation. Martin Emory Hitt is a native of Ohio and the son of Rev. Thomas and Emily Hitt, the father born in Kentucky, the mother in the state of Pennsylvania. Thomas Hitt was reared in his native commonwealth and when a young man entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which capacity he traveled extensively throughout Ohio, Indiana and other states, preaching at various points and becoming widely and favorably known as an able and faithful minister of the gospel. After spending a number of years in the itinerancy he located at Urbana, Ohio, but three years later removed to Mt. Morris, Ogle County, Illinois, where he subsequently closed a long and useful career by retiring from active life on account of failing health. Later he took up his residence on a farm near the above city and spent the remainder of his days in the enjoyment of the quiet and content which he had so nobly earned, dying about the year 1851.
Rev. Hitt, in 1830, was united in marriage with Miss Emily John, of Pennsylvania, who bore him eight children and departed this life in 1881. The oldest of the children, a son by the name of John, lives in Chicago, where for the last thirty-seven years he has been serving as first deputy collector of internal revenue. Hon. Robert R. Hitt, the second of the family, was one of the distinguished public men of Illinois and for over twenty years represented the old thirteenth district in the United States congress. He was first assistant secretary of state under James G. Blaine, also served as first secretary to the American legation to Paris, France, and accompanied General Grant on his tour of the world, having been a warm friend and personal confidant of the famous soldier and distinguished ex-President. His name has not only added luster to his native state, but his services to the government in different capacities have won for him a conspicuous place among the leading statesmen of the Union. Martin Emory Hitt, whose name introduces this sketch, is the third in order of birth, the fourth being Elizabeth, widow of Captain Benjamin R. Wagner, of Washington County, Maryland. Captain Wagner entered the army at the beginning of the Civil war as first lieutenant of Company H, Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry, was wounded at the battle of Shiloh and after his recovery rose to the rank of captain, in which capacity he served until the downfall of the rebellion. His military career embraced a period of nearly five years, during the greater part of which time he was on duty at Rock Island. Subsequently he was honored with various public positions, including among others that of deputy United States marshal, sheriff, representative and senator, in all of which he rendered distinguished service and made himself popular with the people. In 1874 he came to Bon Homme County, South Dakota, and purchased a large tract of land to which he moved his family four years later and from 1878 to his death he was prominently identified with the public affairs of his adopted state. He represented Bon Homme County in the general assembly from 1882 to 1885 inclusive, served for several years as trustee and commissioner of the board of education and was also president of the state board of education, in which capacity he did much to promote the efficiency of the schools and bring the system up to its present high standard of excellence. Captain Wagner possessed a broad, well-balanced mind, a keen intellect and ripe judgment, and he honored every station in the public service to which he was called. He was as deeply interested in local matters as in state affairs and during his residence in Bon Homme County encouraged every laudable enterprise for the material development of the country and used his influence in behalf of all progressive measures for the social, educational and moral welfare of his fellow men. He was popular with all classes and conditions of people, stood especially high in the esteem of the large circle of personal friends who learned to value him for his sterling worth and his death, which occurred in February, 1898, was deeply lamented by all who knew him. Since the latter year his widow has lived with her brother, Martin E., over whose home she presides and after whose interests she looks with more than sisterly regard. She bore her husband two children, the older of whom, Howard H., ex-sheriff of Bon Homme County, is now a prominent resident of the County of Charles Mix, where he is quite extensively engaged in farming and stock raising. He married Miss Lydia Peck and at this time has a family of five children, whose names are Mary E., Benjamin H., Nina M., Howard W. and Harold. Walter, the second of Captain Wagner’s sons, farms the old Wagner homestead and is one of the rising young men of the County of Bon Homme. He took up one of the first claims in the Yankton reservation, was postmaster at Wagner for some years and also conducted a mercantile establishment in that city, of which place he was founder and the name of which was given in his honor. Walter Wagner married Miss Clara James, of Bon Homme County, and is the father of two children, Morris and Francis.
Thomas M. Hitt, the fifth of the children of Rev. Thomas and Emily Hitt, is a retired farmer and stock raiser, living at this time in Tyndall, South Dakota. He served four years in the army as a member of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, participated in a number of battles and earned an honorable record as a brave, gallant and, under all circumstances, faithful and trustworthy soldier.
Henry P. Hitt, the next in succession, was also a farmer and stock raiser, but, like his older brother, is now living a life of retirement in the enjoyment of the fruits of his many years of labor and thrift. Margaret, the seventh in order of birth, married A. W. Newcomer and lives at Mt. Morris, Illinois, where her husband is engaged in business pursuits. Sarah, the youngest of the family, whose home is also in Mt. Morris, is the wife of Charles Newcomer, a well-known and popular resident of that city.
Reverting to Martin Emory Hitt, the direct subject of this sketch, it is learned that his birth occurred in Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio, on April 27, 1836. With his brothers and sisters, he received his preliminary education in the schools of Mt. Morris and later entered the Rock River Seminary, of Illinois, where he pursued his studies until finishing the prescribed course. He remained on the old home place in Mt. Morris until the year 1874, when he came to Bon Homme County, South Dakota, and, entering three hundred and twenty acres of land in Hancock Township, began the task of its improvement, in which enterprise his labors were in due time crowned with the most encouraging success. By persevering industry, he soon succeeded in reclaiming his land from a wild state and converting it into one of the best and most desirable farms in the above township, the meantime adding to its area until he now owns six hundred and forty acres, the greater part of which is leased to other parties, the portion reserved for his own use being largely devoted to pasturage.
Mr. Hitt has been a model farmer, but having accumulated an ample competence he is no longer under the necessity of laboring for a livelihood, consequently he spends the most of his time looking after his live-stock interests and managing his other business affairs. Few men in the community are as well known and certainly no one individual has taken a more active part or exercised greater influence in forwarding the development of this section of the state and developing its various resources. He encourages and supports every enterprise having for its object the material growth of his township and county and the interest he has ever manifested in public affairs has given him prestige second to that of few of his contemporaries, his generosity, unswerving integrity and pronounced ability having gained him a distinctive position as an intelligent, broad-minded citizen and progressive man of affairs.
As already indicated, Mr. Hitt is a man of fine intellectuality and, being a wide and discriminating reader, he keeps in close touch with the trend of modern thought and with current events, having well grounded opinions on the leading questions and issues of the times concerning which men and parties are divided. His study of political economy and kindred subjects has made him an independent thinker; nevertheless he is a politician in the broad sense of the term and believes that every good citizen should manifest an abiding interest in the elective franchise. Of recent years he has given his allegiance to the Populist party as more nearly representing his ideas than any other and, while zealous in maintaining the soundness of his convictions and active in supporting his favorite candidates, he has never been an office seeker in this regard, preferring to labor in behalf of others rather than press his own claims to public recognition.
Mr. Hitt has never assumed the responsibility of family ties, being an unmarried man, and, as already stated, his home at this time is presided over by his sister who spares no pains in making the domestic circle mutually pleasant and happy. A great lover of home, he has done much to beautify the same and add to its comfort and his free-handed hospitality has attracted to him a large circle of warm friends and admirers, who find beneath his roof a welcome characteristic of the typical gentleman of the old school. Mr. Hitt’s career has been eminently honorable and crowned with usefulness and sustained by genuine, popular approval, he is destined long to be remembered as one of the leading men and representative citizens of his day and generation in the county of Bon Homme.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.