Anna Bittle and Jacob Fifer, Augusta County, Virginia, 1795-1858

At a Court held for Augusta County, Virginia on Monday April the 22^nd 1816:

Anna Bittle orphan of Joseph

Bittle being upwards of 14 years

of age appeared in court & with

the approbation of the court made

choice of Jacob Fifer for her Guar-

dian whereupon the said Fifer

with John Shelly his sec^y entered

into and ack^d bond in the penalty of

$300 conditioned as the law requires

which bond is or^d  

Augusta County, Virginia Order Book 35, page 212

 It was wonderful to finally find Anna Bittle’s father, Joseph Bittle, in an official court record. Joseph Bittle’s origins are another puzzle but that is for another day.

 Anna chose her soon-to-be husband, Jacob Fifer, to be appointed her legal guardian. A Find-A-Grave photo of her tombstone let me know she was born June 6, 1795. A little math calculation revealed Anna’s age was 20 years, 10 months, and 16 days on April 22, 1816. She was just a few months shy of her 21^st birthday when she no longer would be considered a minor.

 When Jacob and Anna wed, Jacob Fifer was not 21 years old either. His father, George Fifer, presented a written consent to the Augusta County, Virginia Court:

 April the 22^nd 1816

Mr Clerk Sir these few lines is to Certify that

I George Fifer Sen’r have Consented that

my Son Jacob is to be lawfully married

To M^’s Anna Bittle given from under my hand

Test 

John Shelly                             George Fifer

Augusta County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, Book 15, 1815-1816

Jacob Fifer had more business in the courthouse that day when he and Samuel Cramer obtained a bond permitting Jacob and Anna to marry:

               KNOW all men by these presents, that we Jacob Fifer and Samuel

Cramer                                                              are held and firmly bound unto Wilson C. Nicholas        Governor of Virginia and his successors, for the use of the Commonwealth, in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 22^nd day of April     A. D. 1816

   The condition of the above obligation is such, that whereas a marriage is shortly intended to be solemnized between the above bound Jacob Fifer bachelor and Anne Bittle spinster of Augusta County, if therefore, there shall be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.

Signed, sealed and delivered}

In the presence of                    }                                     

Vincent Tapp                                                                                         Jacob Fifer

                                                                                                                Samuel Cramer

Augusta County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, Book 15, 1815-1816

 The last time I wrote about Anne Bittle was on March 15, 2014, in my blog post titled Jacob and Anne's Promise. It also included an image of her marriage bond. Today’s post will update this as I have obtained information documenting Anne’s father and the addition of another child, Joseph Fifer.

 Jacob and Anne’s Children:

1.      Eliza Jane born Dec. 2, 1816, Mount Solon, Augusta County, VA, married Henry Harman Jan. 13, 1834, Augusta County, VA, died July 23, 1895, probably Rockingham County, VA

2.      Joshua Fifer born 1817 or 1818, died June 13, 1821, buried Parnasses, Augusta County, VA

3.      Joseph Fifer born 1819, married Louisa A Quisenberry, died March 26, 1879, Leyburn’s Mills, Rockbridge County, VA

4.      Margaret Fifer born Dec. 1821, married Henry Kiracofe April 15, 1841, Augusta County, VA

5.      James M. Fifer born 1831 Augusta County, VA, died Oct. 19, 1856, Stuarts Mill, Augusta County, VA

6.      William Fifer born 1832 Mossy Creek, Augusta County, VA, died May 28, 1853, South River District, Augusta County, VA

7.      Ellis Fifer born 1833

 Anne (Bittle) Fifer died April 18, 1833, at the age of 37 years. Jacob would later marry Frances Dickerson and Rebecca Balsey.

JACOB AND ANNE'S PROMISE

Augusta County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, Book 15, 1815-1816

Jacob Fifer, bachelor, and Anne Bittle, spinster, promised the Governor of Virginia that there were no legal problems with them marrying April 22, 1816. Samuel Cramer (at least I think it says Samuel Cramer) served as a bondsman. Usually the bondsman was a relative or friend of the groom or bride.

In Virginia the age of consent to marry was 21. Jacob wasn't 21 years old so his father, George Fifer, Sr., prepared a note for the Augusta County, VA clerk providing his son with his permission to marry. Jacob signed the note and John Shelly acted as a witness.

Augusta County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, Book 15, 185-1816

 

My 4^th great grandparents, Jacob Fifer and Anne Bittle, did marry and had six children—Eliza J. born Dec. 1816, Joshua born 1817, Margaret born Dec. 1821, Wilhelm born 1823, James M. born 1831 and Ellis born 1833. Eliza J. would marry Henry Harman in 1834 at Augusta County, VA. Their daughter Rodie Maria Harman married James Addison McFall Jan. 23, 1870. Flora Belle McFall, Rodie and James’ daughter, married Daniel Franklin Joseph, the parents of my grandfather James McFall Joseph.

Anne (Bittle) Fifer died on April 18, 1833—37 years old. Jacob would marry again to Frances Dickerson and Rebecca Balsey.