s ▁population ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁The ▁D und ee ▁Cou rier ▁sent ▁two ▁rep or ters ▁to ▁Pit middle ▁( which ▁had ▁seven ▁families ▁living ▁there ▁at ▁the ▁time ) ▁to ▁investigate ▁its ▁living ▁conditions ▁after ▁reports ▁of ▁" clear ance - style " ▁conditions ▁on ▁the ▁hill . ▁The ▁rep or ters ▁visited ▁Ma id ie ▁Mitchell ▁and ▁her ▁sister , ▁" two ▁very ▁old ▁ladies ," ▁who ▁had ▁spent ▁their ▁entire ▁lives ▁in ▁Pit middle . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁six teen ▁inhabitants , ▁exactly ▁half ▁of ▁what ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁six ▁years ▁earlier . ▁ ▁A ▁saw mill ▁was ▁active ▁from ▁before ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁On ▁an ▁Or dn ance ▁Survey ▁map ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁a ▁" mill ▁dam " ▁is ▁shown ▁sout heast ▁of ▁the ▁settlement , ▁towards ▁today ' s ▁Guard sw ell ▁Farm . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁break up ▁of ▁the ▁In ch mart ine ▁estate ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁Pit middle ▁was ▁eventually ▁bought ▁by ▁the ▁White ▁family ▁and ▁far med ▁from ▁Out field . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁two ▁houses ▁that ▁were ▁occupied . ▁The ▁final ▁resident , ▁James ▁Gill ies ▁Jr ., ▁one ▁of ▁ten ▁children ▁ ▁of ▁st on em ason ▁James ▁Sr . ▁( 1 8 3 2 – 1 9 2 0 ) ▁and ▁Margaret ▁(