Marriage Scenario

"There are two traditions extant regarding the meeting of Johannes with Catharine, whom he married upon the arrival of their ship Ann at Philadelphia; one is to the effect that Johannes was a portrait painter, and while painting the portrait of Catharine, a young lady of noble birth, they fell in love and eloped to this country, knowing they would not gain consent to their union. The other tradition, and the one to which most credence is given by their descendants is that Johannes and Catharine met on the boat coming over, and their attachment being mutual, they were married on their arrival in Philadelphia. Which one of these traditions is correct is not known; but it is certain that Johannes and Catharine were not married until they reached this country."
— Elizabeth Mitchel Stephenson Fite ⁽¹⁾

New Jersey Volunteer

Leonard Fite enlisted in the New Jersey troops of the Revolutionary Army when very young; he was a member of Capt. Hazlett's "Minute Men," and saw thirteen months' actual service as follows: Two Months under Capt. John Hazlett, four months under Capt. James Anderson, two months under Capt. Joseph Mackey, five months – the captain not stated; the entire thirteen months he was in Col. McKinney's command, as a private. Leonard applied for his pension at the age of 72, November 27, 1832; said pension was granted and the record is in the pension office at Washington, D.C. ⁽¹⁾

After Leonard's marriage, his move Across the state line into Pennsylvania

Leonard had a warrant for one hundred acres of land in Allen Township, Northampton County; they lived there six years. In 1785 Leonard's Federal tax was on one hundred acres of land and some cattle; a year later he had an additional ten acres upon which he paid taxes. The tax collector spelled his name variously Feight and Fight (Pa. Archives, Vol 19, 3d Series). ⁽¹⁾

After the birth of three sons in Pennsylvania, Leonard's move to North Carolina

Leonard moved his family, along with the families of his brothers and sisters to Lincoln County, North Carolina. Leonard and his wife took with them a certificate of church membership, wirtten in both English and German, signed by their pastor, Rev. John Frederick Ernst, and dated September 21, 1787. Several children were born to Leonard and Margareth in the nine years they lived in Lincoln County. The Federal Census of North Carolina for 1790 shows that Leonard lived in the Eleventh Company and had in his household, besides himself, four white males under the age of sixteen, and two white females, one of whom was his wife. ⁽¹⁾

On to Tennessee in 1796

Moving with some of his brothers and sisters, Leonard entered land near Nash's Lick (Nashville), but upon learning that some one else held an older title to the land, he gave up possession and moved into Smith County, where he located permanently, at what is now known as Alexandria, De Kalb County. He cleared the land and build the home in which his five youngest children were born... Leonard prospered in his new home; he owned many acres, some slaves, and was a man of much importance in his neighborhood. The remains of the large house, still standing in 1890, bore testimony to the lavish scale on which the estate was was run, even in the days when the Indians were still a menace to the settlers. ⁽¹⁾

"Death of a Remarkable Woman" as recorded in an 1864 issue of The Nashville Dispatch, Nashville, Tennessee

"We mentioned in Tuesday's Dispatch that Mrs. Peggy Fite, who died a few days ago in Wilson County, was one hundred and three years old. She was born on the 12th of April, 1761, and was consequently, one hundred and three years old on the 12th of April last. Her husband, Leonard Fite, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and fought through that struggle as a private. Mr. and Mrs. Fite emigrated to Tennessee from North Carolina, and settled here when this place was known as Nash's Lick. In those days Mrs. Fite often assisted in moulding bullets while her husband and others belonging to the "settlement" were defending themselves against the attacks of the Indians. Mrs. Fite had has lived with her third child, Jacob Fite, in Wilson County, for a number of years, her husband having died many years since, in Smith County.

"On the twelfth of April, 1861, a large number of her descendants met at the house of Jacob Fite and celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of her birthday. At that time she had eleven children living – her oldest (a son) being eighty years old, and her youngest (a daughter) fifty-nine; seventy-six grandchildren, three hundred and five great-grand-children, seventy-one great-great-grandchildren, and two great-great-great-grandchildren; in all, four hundred and fifty-four living descendants. At the time of her death her grandchildren of the fifth generation had increased to twenty-one.

"Mrs. Fite was a remarkable woman, and actively participated in the exciting struggles incident to the early settlement of this State. She retained a vivid recollection of the revolutionary struggles, as well as those which resulted in the establishment of the white settlements in Tennessee. Her memory was clear, and her health good almost to the hour of her death. Indeed, it may be truthfully said that she lived until 'the delicate machine' was entirely worn out, and 'the wheels of weary life at lost stood still.'

"At the celebration of her one hundredth birthday the tables were run the length of the dining room, out across the porch and down on the lawn under the trees. "Granny FIte" was seated at the head of the table in the dining-room, and her descendants were placed according to descent, the small children being seated at the far end of the table under the trees. Soon after this reunion Margareth fell and broke her hip; but in spite of this accident, she lived nearly four years longer. At the time of her death she had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church fifty years; she lies buried near Lebanon, in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the burying ground of her son Facob Fite, in whose home she died." ⁽¹⁾

From a newspaper in Leesville, Texas, written by L. G. Watkins ⁽¹⁾

"Margaret Avant (nee Fite) was born in DeKalb County, Tenn., June 15, 1805; professed religion and joined the Methodist Church in 1821, in her sixteenth year, and lived a faithful and consistent member until the day of her death, which occurred August 14, 1891, having lived eighty-six years and three months. She was happily united in marriage to Benjamin Avant Juanuary 27, 1823. Her husband died a faithful member of the M. E. Church, South, and went home to Heaven January 15, 1875. This noble pair emigrated to Texas in 1856, and located on the Sandies, Gonzales County, in 1857. Eleven children were born to them, and she lived to see them all members of the church. She died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. S. M. Elder, near Cheapside, Texas. Her last words were: 'Farewell, vain world, I'm going home; my Saviour smiles and bids me come.' She had forth-six grandchildren, one-hundrend and five great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandhchildren.

"Her house was a home for Methodist preachers. Her hospitalities were alike bestowed on all preachers who came to her door. The sick, the suffering, and the poor were beneficiaries and objects of her charity. It was the privilege and the pleasure of the writer to visit her house often. She was a devoted Christian, and ever ready to talk about religion and the goodness of her Saviour. For several years she was unable to regularly attend the worship of God, but said her heart was there. A more consistent CHristian I never knew. For a long time she had been very feeble, and had gone to her daughter's on a visit. In an effort to move her chair and get up she fell and broke her thigh bone from which she suffered four weeks amid the most intense pain. She asked God if it could be his will, to let her die, and in great peace this Mother in Israel passed into rest, rejoicing in hope of everlasting life. She leaves a large train of relatives and many friends to mourn their loss. She was laid away to rest in the cemetery at Wrightsboro, Texas, to await the Resurrection. Blessed are the dead who die in the the Lord; they rest from labor and their works do follow them."