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  Our daughter, Anne, was a prolific artist when she was young. Our refrigerator door was full of her drawings, paintings, and school artwork. She liked to create little books, too, as she was also a natural storyteller. One Christmas when she was about eight years old, Anne wrote and illustrated a Christmas story for her little brother, James. If memory serves, she drew her inspiration from a book she had recently gotten from the library by illustrator Ed Emberley. He wrote and illustrated The Great Thumbprint Drawing Book . In it, Emberley showed how to make a variety of animals and people using a thumbprint as a starting point. The creations are simple and charming. It's amazing what you can do with a blog of ink and a few black lines. It's art that's accessible to anyone. Anne's story is called "The Thumb's Christmas," and is based on our family. There is a thumb with glasses (Anne), a thumb with little hair (toddler James), a thumb with a mustache (Ji...
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Tax List Treasures in Fayette, Georgia

Detail of 1823 map of Fayette County, Georgia shows its proximity to Creek Indian land.
 

After hearing a terrific lecture by Gail Jackson Miller on “Finding Identity Through Tax Lists,” I was inspired to delve into records of taxpayers in Fayette County, Georgia with the Kite surname. This group includes my husband’s 3x great grandfather Caswell Kite, and his 4x great grandfather David Kite. Many extended Kite family members and others with the Kite surname lived in Fayette County in the early-mid-1800s. What could the tax records reveal?

In her lecture, Ms. Miller advised researchers to record the details of all individuals with the same surname the first time you look at a record set, to save future time and effort. Capturing all the information at once helps a researcher avoid having to come back to the same records later to look at a related individual. This method also allows a researcher to see a bigger picture of a particular extended family in an area. 

In all, there were eighteen Kite/Kight surname individuals recorded in the Fayette tax digests dated 1823-1872.

The following are the individuals named in the digests; possible relationships to each other are noted in parentheses:

  • David Kite (d. 1857, Butler, Alabama)
  • Likely children of David Kite:
    • Mahulda “Huldy” Kite
    • Josiah Kite
    • Bankston Kite
    • Calvin Kite
    • Leroy Kite
    • Silas Kite
    • David Kite, Junr.
  • Noah Kite (brother of David Kite)
  • Caswell Kite (husband of Harriett Kite, the daughter of David Kite)
  • Shadrack Kite (possibly Caswell’s brother)
  • Samuel Kite (possibly David or Caswell’s brother)
  • Churchwell Kite (first husband of Huldy Kite)
  • Major Kite (second husband of Huldy Kite)
  • Benjamin Kite (possibly Benjamin Sutton Kite, son of Josiah Kite)
  • A.J. Kite (possibly Andrew Jackson Kite, son of Major and Huldy Kite)
  • Mary and Liddy Kite (relationships to other Kites unknown)
  • Burton Kite (relationship to other Kites unknown)

Tax digests offer direct evidence of a person’s taxes paid, their residence, their land location and quality, whether they paid a poll tax (indicating age between 21-60), held slaves, or were acting as agents or guardians, among other facts.

Over time as tax laws changed, more and more information on an individual taxpayer was recorded. Early Fayette tax digests usually only recorded polls, slaves, and land—categorized as 1st, 2nd or 3rd quality—and were written in crude, unlined digests. Though Georgia tax laws included many tax categories, within a particular jurisdiction the tax register may have only included those categories which applied to the local taxpayers, while others were left out. For example, if there were no doctors, lawyers, etc., in the county, the register may have left out the column for “professions.”

During the 1850s, pre-printed digests were introduced in Fayette, standardizing the information sought—whether they applied to the local taxpayers or not. By the 1860s these digests included potential census substitute information such as a taxpayer’s age, the number of children of certain ages in a particular year, occupational information, etc. Carriages, stallions, household, and kitchen furniture, and other personal property were noted for tax purposes. Taxpayers reported the value of stocks and bonds, cotton manufactories, capital invested in mining, etc. All these details help to form a more complete taxpayer profile in any given year.

Each detail in a tax digest may suggest further research; other sources can confirm or help to interpret what is listed. The digests should not be used in isolation as proof of any fact or event.

Here’s what I learned about seven Kite taxpayers in Fayette County, Georgia during this period:

 

David Kite's 1833 taxes were recorded in a hand-lined digest.

David Kite (4x great grandfather of husband Jim) 

  • In 1823, David Kite paid only a poll tax in Fayette. Presumably born about 1792 and over 21, it appears that he was not yet a landowner in the county.1
  • He held land primarily located in districts 9 and 13. The 1831 tax digest indicates his land was on the waters of Flat Creek in district 13.2
  • In 1836, David Kite served as agent for his daughter Mahulda “Huldy” Kite for taxes paid on lot 186 in district 13. Agents represented a taxable person, often a family member, though no specific relationship was implied. When women appeared as taxable persons, a male agent usually represented them.3
  • In 1839, David Kite paid taxes on lot 32 in District 7. In 1840 he served as agent to pay taxes for “Liddy and Mary Kite” for the same lot, and in 1841 and 1843 digests he was noted, “…ant as gar for Liddy & Mary Kite,” suggesting he was both agent and guardian for the minor women. Future research could establish David Kite’s exact relationship to Liddy and Mary Kite.4
  • David Kite amassed more and more Fayette land in the 1830s-1840s. At the height of his Fayette land ownership in 1845, he was taxed on 860+ acres, as well as a carriage.5
  • Between 1854 and 1855 David Kite went from being taxed on 150 acres to only 1 poll, hinting that he was selling off his land, perhaps as he aged or in preparation for a move.6
  • David Kite was listed for the last time in 1855 in Fayette’s Jonesboro district. He was not in registers dated 1856 forward, indicating he aged out of being taxed (over 60), moved, or died.7
  • Prior research revealed that David Kite died in Butler, Alabama in late November 1857, which correlates with his disappearance from the Fayette tax rolls.8


Caswell Kite (3x great grandfather of husband Jim) 

  • Caswell Kite consistently paid Fayette County taxes between 1832-1851.
  • In 1832 he paid a poll tax only, indicating he was over 21 years old, but not yet a Fayette landowner.9
  • Between 1845-1851, Caswell paid taxes in District 9 on various lots.10
  • Caswell Kite fell off the Fayette tax rolls after 1851 and was not taxed there again.
  • Prior research conducted before this tax study showed that Caswell Kite began acquiring land in Randolph County, Alabama in 1851, which correlates with his departure from Fayette, Georgia.11
Various tax categories listed in an 1857 pre-printed digest.

Major Kite 

  • Major Kite paid taxes in Fayette from 1839-1863.
  • He first appeared on Fayette tax rolls in 1839, after he had married David Kite’s daughter Mahulda “Huldy” Kite.12
  • In 1856, his record lists 2 children between the ages of 8 and 16.13
  • By 1863, Major reported four of “your own children between 6 & 18.” He was also noted as “guardian for” four “children between 6 & 18.” The children’s identities are not known, though research in censuses or probate records might identify them.14
  • In 1863, Kite also had one “hand employed by you between 12 and 15” and one “hand employed by you between 15 and 55.” This alludes to the fact that Major Kite paid his farm hands rather than rely on slave labor as others in Fayette did.15
  • 1863 was the last year Major Kite paid Fayette taxes. He did not appear in digests from 1864 forward, suggesting he sold his land, moved, or died.

Churchwell Kite  
  • Churchwell Kite—whose parents are unknown—appeared twice in Fayette tax digests.
  • In 1831, he paid a .31-1/2-cent poll tax, indicating he was at least 21 years old. His calculated birth year would be 1810.16
  • In 1832, he paid a 25-cent tax, most likely for a poll since he paid that tax in 1831 and no land ownership was noted.17
  • Churchwell Kite married David Kite’s daughter Mahuldah “Huldy” Kite on 24 May 1835 in Fayette, Georgia.18
  • Churchwell Kite disappears from the Fayette tax lists after 1832. He is not listed in the 1833 or 1834 lists; the 1835 list is missing.19
  • Churchwell Kite served in the Creek Wars in 1836 and perhaps perished in conflict. If proven, it would correlate with his Fayette taxpaying history.20


Huldy Kite  

  • Mahulda “Huldy” Kite was one of a few Kite women taxpayers on the reviewed lists.
  • As noted earlier, in 1836, Huldy Kite’s father David served as her agent for taxes.
  • Huldy Kite was married to two different Kite-surname men whose relationship to the other Kites is at present unknown: Huldy married Churchwell Kite in 1835.21
  • On 19 October 1837, Huldy married Major Kite, indicating that Churchwell died sometime after 1835.22 
  • In 1840, Major Kite was the taxpayer for lot #186, the same lot his then-wife Huldy was taxed on in 1836.23
  • After her marriage to Major Kite, Huldy Kite does not appear in any other Fayette tax digest.
 
Mary and Liddy Kite

  • In 1840 David Kite served as agent to pay taxes for “Liddy and Mary Kite” on lot 32 in District 7, a parcel he paid taxes on in 1839. The women’s identities are unknown.24
  • The 1841 and 1843 digests noted David Kite “ant as gar for Liddy & Mary Kite,” suggesting that David Kite was serving as both agent and guardian for the minor women.25
  • In 1846, Jesse Jones was listed as the women’s agent, the last time the two appear in the Fayette tax digests. The women could have moved, married, died, or a combination of these.26

Reviewing tax lists opened my eyes to how many details can be found in this often-overlooked record set. Though tax records might vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the information they include could be an asset to any researcher.

Until next time...

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This post was chosen as a Friday Family History Find by blogger Linda Stufflebean. Thank you, Linda!

 

IMAGES

Map: Georgia. B.T. Welch Sc. Drawn & Published by F. Lucas Jr. Baltimore (Baltimore: Fielding Lucas Jr., 1823); image, David Rumsey Map Collection (https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~64~10126:Georgia- : 25 July 2023).

1833 Tax Digest: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1833, p. 16, Capt. Robinson's District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8Q-Z : accessed 9 February 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 16; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

1857 Tax Digest:  Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1857, p. 46, Jonesboro part of 13th District, NIL for David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L98F-K : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 600; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

 

NOTES

1 Ancestors Unlimited, abstracters, First tax digests of Fayette County, Georgia, 1823-1834 (Jonesboro, Ga.: Ancestors Unlimited, Inc., 1988), 3, David Kight; page images provided by Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

2 Ibid, p. 63.

3 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1836, Capt. Eason's District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZJ-Y : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 140; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Georgia Archives (https://www.georgiaarchives.org/research/tax_records_faq : accessed 24 February 2023), "Georgia Tax Records FAQ-What are agents?"

4 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1839, p. 53, Captain Landram's District, David Kight; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZQ-4 : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 266; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1840, p. 37, Captain Landram's District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSCR-6 : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 312; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1841, p. 43, Captain Landram's District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8R-M : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 408; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1843, p. 49, Captain Landrum's District, David Kite ant as gar for Liddy & Mary Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8G-M : 7 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 461; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

5 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1845, p. 21, Captain Eason's District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8X-2 : 8 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 495; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1845, np, Shakerag District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8C-M : 8 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 542; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

6 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1854, p. 55, Jonesboro or Lower 13th District, David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L9DM-L : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 394; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1855, np, 9th District Georgia Militia, David Kight; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L9ZX-9 : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 477; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

7 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1856, p. 46, Jonesboro part of 13th District, NIL for David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L9ZR-L : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 541; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1857, p. 46, Jonesboro part of 13th District, NIL for David Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L98F-K : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 600; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

8 Court of Probate, Butler County, Alabama, Probate Minutes, Vol. 3, p. 247, Estate of David Kite, Letters of Administration granted to Caswell Kite, 15 December 1857; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C957-HS8P-2 : accessed 2 February 2023); citing County Courthouse, Greenville.

9 Ancestors Unlimited, abstracters, First tax digests of Fayette County, Georgia, 1823-1834 (Jonesboro, Ga.: Ancestors Unlimited, Inc., 1988), 130, 1832, Captain Compton's District, Caswell Kite; page images provided by Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

10 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1845, p. 63, 9th District, Caswell Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8X-4 : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 517; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1846, np, 9th District, Caswell Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS87-D : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 565; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1849, np, 9th District, Caswell Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L98R-S : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 32; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1850, np, 9th District, Caswell Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L9XW-P : 9 June 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 127; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1851, np, 9th District, Caswell Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L9DJ-K : 10 June 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 229; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

11 Bureau of Land Management "Land Patent Search," images, General Land Office Records (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx : accessed 28 January 2023), Caswell Kite (Randolph County, Alabama), cash entry sale, patent 13467, 1 December 1851.

12 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1839, p. 79, 13th District, Major Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZH-P : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 234; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: "Georgia County Marriages, 1735-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPPD-DXV : 25 July 2023), Major Kite and Huldah Kite, 19 October 1837, Fayette, Georgia; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

13 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1856, p. 37, 13th District Georgia Militia, Magor Kight; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-L9ZX-9 : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 532; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

14 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1863, np, 9th District Georgia Militia, Major Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-XSGK-W : 5 July 2023); FHL film 008582944, image 261; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

15 Ibid.

16 Ancestors Unlimited, abstracters, First tax digests of Fayette County, Georgia, 1823-1834 (Jonesboro, Ga.: Ancestors Unlimited, Inc., 1988), 101, 1831, Captain Ginn's District, Churchwell Kite; page images provided by Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

17 Ancestors Unlimited, abstracters, First tax digests of Fayette County, Georgia, 1823-1834 (Jonesboro, Ga.: Ancestors Unlimited, Inc., 1988), 130, 1832. Captain Compton's District, Churchwell Kite; page images provided by Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

18 "Georgia County Marriages, 1735-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KS8Z-F : 25 July 2023), Churchwell Kite and Huldah Kite, 24 May 1835, Fayette, Georgia; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

19 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1835 digest missing; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZH-9 : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 119; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

20 "U.S. Army Indian Campaign Service Record Index, 1815-1858," Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61592/images/miusa1836a_103125-01829?pId=110897 : 13 April 2023), general index card for Churchwell Kite, Stells Co., Wood's Batt's, 3 Brigade, Georgia Militia Infantry (Creek War); citing National Archives, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, Record Group 94, Indexed to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the Cherokee Removal in Organizations From the State of Alabama, Series Number: M243, Roll: M629_21, Washington, D.C.

21 "Georgia County Marriages, 1735-1950," database with images, FamilySearch, Churchwell Kite and Huldah Kite, 24 May 1835, Fayette, Georgia.

22 "Georgia County Marriages, 1735-1950," database with images, FamilySearch, Major Kite and Huldah Kite, 19 October 1837, Fayette, Georgia.

23 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1840, p. 75, Captain Landram's District, Major Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZM-5 : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 318; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville. Also: Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1836, Capt. Eason's District, Huldy Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZJ-Y : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 140; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

24 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1840, p. 75, Captain Landram's District, David Kite for Liddy and Mary Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSCR-2 : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 364; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.

25 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1843, p. 49, David Kite ant as gar for Liddy & Mary Kite.

26 Inferior Court, Fayette County, Georgia, tax digest, 1846, np, Shakerag District, Jesse Jones for Liddy and Mary Kite; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-KSZB-Y : 6 June 2023); FHL film 008192126, image 557; citing County Courthouse, Fayetteville.





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