227 N Main Street
|
Last updated on July, 3. 2025
|
Directions from Jeremiah Gibson's Workshop to site 4:
- From the intersection, continue down W Wolfe St
- At next intersection, turn left onto N Main St
- Site 4 is on the left at Glen’s Fair Price Store parking lot
Prior to the Civil War, the Hite family lived in the established Jail Hill community on North Main Street. The Hite house stood on the now Glen’s Fair Price store parking lot. Lear Hite was emancipated and lived in Harrisonburg as a free woman. Lear acquired the Hite property in 1828. Samuel Chandler dictated in his will that upon his death, the North Main Street property shall go to Lear; however, their relationship is unclear. As a free woman, Lear purchased her husband, John Hite. John. Lear likely chose to keep ownership over her husband so John could stay close to his family and not be forced to leave Virginia or petition for an exemption to stay due to state legislation concerning free persons. There was no guarded exemption due to the growing sentiments of white residents in Harrisonburg regarding the rising numbers of freedmen. John remained under his wife’s ownership until Lear emancipated him upon her death in 1829.
John was born into slavery in 1767 in Virginia and was an enslaved preacher. After Lear died in 1829, John Hite inherited the property. James and William Hite were freed a year later and joined their father on the Hite property. In 1830, James and William purchased the lot from their father. James Hite was the only adult male living in the home in the 1830 US Census. It is unknown what happened to John Hite and William. James continued to live on the property for 20 years with his family. In 1833, James deeded the property to attorney David Steele. James was listed as the owner of a property from 1858 to 1860. James was born in 1795 and was “bound out,” in which young children were placed with a family or tradesperson to learn a trade when their parents could not support them. This emancipation agreement may have been arranged by his mother, Lear. The Hite family no longer owned the property after James Hite’s passing.
John was born into slavery in 1767 in Virginia and was an enslaved preacher. After Lear died in 1829, John Hite inherited the property. James and William Hite were freed a year later and joined their father on the Hite property. In 1830, James and William purchased the lot from their father. James Hite was the only adult male living in the home in the 1830 US Census. It is unknown what happened to John Hite and William. James continued to live on the property for 20 years with his family. In 1833, James deeded the property to attorney David Steele. James was listed as the owner of a property from 1858 to 1860. James was born in 1795 and was “bound out,” in which young children were placed with a family or tradesperson to learn a trade when their parents could not support them. This emancipation agreement may have been arranged by his mother, Lear. The Hite family no longer owned the property after James Hite’s passing.
