{{Infobox person | name = | image = Agnes Hitt (Journal, 15th Convention, National WRC, 1897).png | alt = 19th-century B&W portrait photo of an old woman wearing a dark, high-collared blouse, her white hair in an up-do. | caption = Hitt in 1897 | birth_name = Agnes Kercheval | birth_date = 1845 | birth_place = Greencastle, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = September 8, 1919 | death_place = Indianapolis, Indiana | occupation = National president of the Woman's Relief Corps | signature = Agnes Hitt signature (The Saint Paul Globe, 1896).png }} '''Agnes Hitt''' ({{nee}} '''Kercheval'''; 1845–1919) was an American charity worker and social leader who served as the fourteenth national president of the Woman's Relief Corps (WRC).<ref name="TheIndianapolisNews1919">{{cite news |title=Funeral of Mrs. Hitt to be Held Wednesday. Was President of National W.R.C. in 1896. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-funeral-of-mrs-hi/194808675/ |access-date=1 May 2026 |work=The Indianapolis News |via=Newspapers.com |date=9 September 1919 |page=4 |edition=Public domain |language=en}} {{open access}}</ref> During her tenure, there were 35 departments and 54 detached corps, with a membership of 140,135.<ref name="TheArena1897">{{cite journal |title=National Council of Women of the United States |journal=The Arena |date=June 1897 |volume=XVII |issue=91 |page=4 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Arena/_ptJAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=president+%22agnes+hitt%22&pg=RA1-PP4&printsec=frontcover |access-date=1 May 2026 |publisher=Arena Publishing Company |language=en |edition=Public domain}}</ref>
==Early life== Agnes Kercheval was born in Greencastle, Indiana, where her parents had removed from Kentucky several years before the Civil War. Her father, Edward Kercheval, of Greencastle was a captain in the Union army.<ref name="TheIndianapolisNews1919" /> One of their oldest friends was Governor Oliver P. Morton of Indiana. Hitt's father and her only brother enlisted as soon as the call came for volunteers.<ref name="Logan1912" />
==Career== Hitt joined the WRC in 1885, and was made Secretary of her corps in 1887.<ref name="TheCourierJ1895" /> The following year, she served on the board of the member of the Board of National WRC Home at Madison, Ohio.<ref name="Journal1899">{{cite book |author1=Woman's Relief Corps (U S. ) National Convention |title=Journal of the ... National Convention of the Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic |date=1899 |publisher=E.B. Stillings |page=233 |edition=Public domain |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Journal_of_the_National_Convention_of_th/1QIQAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=agnes+hitt&pg=PA233 |access-date=1 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref> She was afterward elected President of the same corps, and served in that capacity for three months, when she resigned to accept the Department Presidency of Indiana. In this position she served for thirteen months. Later, she held the position of National Aid for one year and of assistant National Inspector for two years. In 1895, she took over the office of National Inspector.<ref name="TheCourierJ1895">{{cite news |title=In Peace as in War. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-in-peace-as-in-war/196698137/ |access-date=1 May 2026 |work=The Courier-Journal |via=Newspapers.com |date=10 September 1895 |location=Louisville |page=17 |edition=Public domain |language=en}} {{open access}}</ref> In 1896, after being elected national president of the WRC, she visited many parts of the country, and her acquaintance with members of the organization throughout the country was wide. Hitt was considered the mother of the flag service of the WRC. While serving as national president, Hitt conceived the idea of closely associating the Grand Army of veterans of the Civil War with the flag they defended, by making the display of the flag a conspicuous part of the ritualistic work of the WRC. by calling others to her aid to formulate the drills, the flag service with its staff of color-bearers was adopted during her administration.<ref name="TheFortWayneNews1907">{{cite news |title=Old Glory Hoisted at New High School |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fort-wayne-news-and-sentinel-old-glo/196697695/ |access-date=1 May 2026 |work=The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel |via=Newspapers.com |date=22 May 1907 |page=5 |edition=Public domain |language=en}} {{open access}}</ref>
Besides her activity in the WRC, she assisted in the work of the Grand Army of the Republic.<ref name="TheIndianapolisNews1919" /> She was well known for her deeds of charity, and her work for patriotic teaching in the public schools.<ref name="Logan1912" />
==Personal life== Two years after the war, Agnes married Major Wilber F. Hitt, who, when only twenty years of age, was assistant adjutant general of a brigade, and then for meritorious conduct on the field of battle, was brevetted captain and major. The couple lived in Indianapolis, Indiana.<ref name="Logan1912">{{cite book |last1=Logan |first1=Mrs John A. |title=The Part Taken by Women in American History |date=1912 |publisher=Perry-Nalle Publishing Company |via=Wikisource |page=351 |edition=Public domain |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Part_Taken_by_Women_in_American_History/Women_of_the_Woman%27s_Relief_Corps |access-date=1 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref>
She died in Indianapolis, on September 8, 1919.<ref name="Journal1920">{{cite book |author1=Woman's Relief Corps (U S. ) National Convention |title=Journal of the ... National Convention of the Woman's Relief Corps |date=1920 |publisher=National Tribune Company |page=15 |edition=Public domain |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Journal_of_the_National_Convention_of_th/V-MSAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=agnes+hitt&pg=PA263&printsec=frontcover |access-date=1 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref> Survived by her husband, she was the last member of her own family.<ref name="TheIndianapolisNews1919" />
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitt, Agnes}} Category:1845 births Category:1919 deaths Category:People from Putnam County, Indiana Category:Woman's Relief Corps national presidents