Jesse Stith, Amey Williams line from Velma Graham Finley

Detail of the line
Will of William R. Stith
History by William R. Stith

John STITH & Elizabeth ANDERSON
John STITH & Rebecca COCKE
Jesse STITH & Amey WILLIAMS
Jesse STITH & Mary (Polly) GRAHAM
William R. STITH, b 17 Aug 1835 Oh., d 4 Jun 1918 Oh. & Martha THOMAS, b 1836 Oh., d 1890 Tn.
William Elwood STITH, b 15 Apr 1858 Oh., d 21 Oct 1941 Ok. & Anna Lou MOWERY, b 1867 Tn., d 1956 Tx.
Noveita Ruth STITH, b 6 Nov 1907 I.T., d 8 Aug 1981 Tx. & Harvey W. GRAHAM, b 31 Oct 1906 Al., d
22 Jan 1986 Tx.

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

          I, William R. Stith of the village of Pleasantville, Fairfield County, Ohio, being in good health, sound mind and disposing memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills and codicils by me made.

         I give and devise lots numbered two(2) and seven(7) with improvements in the village of Pleasantville, Ohio, to my wife Mary S. Stith and my daughter Elma J. Stith, during the life of my said wife Mary S. Stith and so long as she remains my widow, with the remainder in fee simple to my said daughter Elma J. Stith.  In the event of the remarriage of my said wife, my said daughter is to be seized in fee simple title to said lots.

       I give and bequeath to my wife Mary S. Stith One Thousand Dollars ($1000.), providing she accepts under this will, and give and bequeath the 1/3 of my moneys and credits to my daughter Elma J. Stith, and the 1/3 to my son William E. Stith, and the 1/3 to the children of the first wife of my son Alonzo A. Stith.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Elma J. Stith my piano.

I give and bequeath all my household and kitchen furniture to my wife Mary S. Stith and my daughter Elma J. Stith jointly.

The devises and bequests herein made to my wife Mary S. Stith are in lieu of her dower in my estate.

I give and bequeath to my grandson William R. Stith, my namesake, my watch and chain.

I desire to be buried in the Hampson Grave Yard, south of Pleasantville, and I direct my executor hereinafter named to have a monument erected at my grave to cost One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars, and I want a square, compass and three links engraved on the monument.

I do hereby nominate and appoint my nephew, Charles A. Thomas executor of this my last will and testament, hereby authorizing and empowering him to compromise, adjust, release and discharge, in such manner as he may deem proper, the debts and claims due me.

I desire that no appraisement of my property be made.

In testimony hereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of June, in the year 1917.  (Signed) William R. Stith.

Signed and acknowledged by said William R. Stith as his last will and testament, in our presence; and signed by us in his presence.

(Signed)    Helen J. Ryan
                Hope Capell

Note from Velma Finley -- This is a "family history" that Wm. R. wrote.  It was probably written for someone at a family reunion that our STITHS had in Ohio. Everything he put in it may not be correct. For instance, it is not clear who he means was born in Holland. However it will help to prove that he was William R., not William B.

History of the Stith Family

By W. Stith (1835 - 1918)

Father, Jesse, was born in the hills of North Carolina in 1795. His parents were very poor. Mother was born in Kentucky in 1793.

Grandfather Stith died when my father was 16 years old.

At the age of 17, he with his mother and two sisters and one brother immigrated through Tennessee to some place in Kentucky. Father married my mother at the age of 18 years. Mother was two years his elder. They were very poor and had no cooking utensils. They had to borrow pots off their landlords to cook with after the landlords were through cooking. To this union there were born 11 children - 5 boys and 6 girls. Four of the girls died in infancy.

Being the youngest, I was born in Pleasantville, Ohio, in the year 1835. My parents moved to Ohio sometime after their marriage and located near Pleasant Run Baptist Church, Fairfield County. Sometime after they located there, Father bought 113 acre farm with very little improvements on it.

In Pleasantville, to my best recollections he had 3 brothers and 4 sisters. 2 of his sisters married in Virginia. Also, one brother married there. James Stith, his brother, the oldest, married there, moved to Ohio, and lived near Datin (Dayton?). His brother, Osborne, youngest brother, married in Ohio. Grandfather was born in Holland. Grandparents were born in Ireland. Mother’s name was Mary Graham.

You see, we are Irish and Dutch. Quite a mixture of blood. We as a people will forgive a wrong but we will never forget it. None of the Stiths ever became millionaires, but that would be termed "good times". One characteristic of the Stith family is honesty and their word is as good as their bond. While all of us have our imperfections and faults, I have never known any of the family name being hung or sent to the Penitentiary, although some might have deserved it.

Mother Stith died Sept. 17, 1873, aged 80 years and five months. Father died Feb. 24, 1875, aged 79 years, 10 months and 9 days. Father was in the ministry for 44 years as a primitive Baptist. Both are buried at Pleasant Run Cemetery, Fairfield Co.

I am the only one living of the family. It will soon be said that the last one of the old generation is gone.

Your uncle, W.R. Stith