Advertisement

Samuel Brown Wheatley

Advertisement

Samuel Brown Wheatley

Birth
Tennessee, USA
Death
23 Dec 1882 (aged 49)
Jacks Creek, Chester County, Tennessee, USA
Burial
Chester County, Tennessee, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Son of Milly Frances Johnson and Thomas George Wheatley, who were originally from the Carolinas but settled at Jacks Creek, TN.
Husband of Rebecca Frances Stone. They had nine children, but only eight names are known: Emma Elizabeth Pierce-Nail (abt. 1853-1928), John Robert (1854-1915), Thomas A. (abt. 1857-?), Florence B. (1860-1929), Rebecca F. (1863-1869), Cora L. (1866-1869), Eddie R. (1871-1932) and Neil B. (1876-1877).
In 1850 Sam Brown Whitley (16) was living with his parents, Thomas and Milly, and four siblings, George, Frances, James and Pierce in Henderson County, TN. Spelling of their last name as Whitley seems to be intermittent, depending on census taker, and may have started in North Carolina where Wheatley/Whitley appeared in earlier censuses. By 1860, Samuel B. Whitley (27) was working as a tenant farmer in Lauderdale Co., TN, and was married to Rebecca (24). They had four children: Emma (7), John (5), Thomas (3) and Florabell (3 months), all born in TN.
Three children (Rebecca F., Cora L. and Neil B.) never appeared on a cenus because their short lives occurred between census-taking years.
The Memphis Daily Appeal, a newspaper, published on Monday, December 20, 1869, included an article that described how Samuel Whitley killed two of his own children, Rebecca and Cora. This article was copied from microfilm at the Tennessee State Library Archives (TSLA) by Linda Stockdale in June 2008 and transcribed by Mary L. Miller on July 2, 2008.
"On Wednesday last, says the Jackson Tribune, Samuel Whitley, a citizen of the southern part of Henderson County,committed a most hellish and atrocious deed. He deliberately seized and threw into a well his two youngest children and then leaped in after them. The children, in their fall, uttered the most heart-rending shrieks – enough to have moved a heart of stone. They were drowned before assistance could reach them. Whitley was rescued by his neighbors, but he now lies in a critical condition, and it is supposed, will die from the injuries received from his plunge into the well. Whitley is a farmer by occupation, and insanity is hereditary in his family. Heretofore he has been regarded as more rational than the majority of his kin. Mr. Whitley is a brother-in-law of Col. John M. Stone, of Iuka, Mississippi, well known as one of the bravest men that did service for the ‘lost cause.'"
By 1870, Sam'l. B. (37) and Rebecca F. (34) Wheatley were still in Henderson County and owned property near Jacks Creek where Samuel and two sons John R. (16) and Thomas A. (13) worked as farmers while Rebecca kept house and took care of Flora B. (9). In 1880, Samuel Wheathley (sic)(46) and Rebecca (46) continued living in Henderson Co., TN with only one son present, Eddie R. (10). On Jan. 20, 1882, S.B. Wheatley was given a settlement of $44.14 as an heir (among 15 heirs) to the estate of Thomas and Milly Wheatley, which could only be settled after the death of the widow Milly.
In 1882, a large tract of Henderson County was given to the newly formed Chester County, and at that time, Jacks Creek and Henderson City became located in Chester County.
(Note: Lewis Jones' 1982 book "Cemeteries in Chester County" includes S.B. Wheatley, along with daughters Rebecca and Cora and son Neil, in Wheatley Cemetery.)
Also, website http://genealogytrails.com/
tenn/chester/cemwheatley.html includes a transcription of the headstones and information available from local people regarding the meaning of various markers, such as tree stumps, in the Wheatley Family Cemetery in Chester County, TN, as follows:
"This cemetery is located on the John Hall Seeley farm behind Doctor Harrison's. If you'll take the Miflin Road from Henderson, cross all bridges in Forked Deer River bottom, then take the 1st road to the right for several miles. It is rather diffucult to read. Through joint efforts this cemetery now has a four foot chain link fence around it. There are many more graves marked only by sand stone and large cedar stumps. Thomas L. G. and Milly Frances Johnson Wheatley and their son George Washington Wheatley and his wife Nannie Caroline Hardcastle Wheatley graves have cedar stumps marking their graves. The trees were cut and lumber sold in the form of cedar chets made by Elmer Hodges to purchase a fence. This present fence is at least the third fence. Hayse D. Wheatley cared for the cemetery as long as he was able. Elmer Hodges is the son of Demarius & W. J. Hodges. Source: "Family Findings"; Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society, Volume XIII, July, 1981, Number 3, by Lucille Wheatley Haynes, page 7), transcribed by, Peggy Thompson."
Graves that are transcribed include:
S. B. Wheatley, born Jan. 28, 1833, died Dec. 23, 1882; Masonic Emblem is noted.
Cora L. Wheatley born Nov. 16, 1866, died Dec. 15, 1869, Daughter of S. B. & Rebecca F., drowned in a dug well.
Rebecca E. Wheatley born Sep. 19, 1863, died Dec. 15, 1869, Daughter of S. B. & Rebecca F.,drowned in a dug well.

In May 2009 FindAGrave contributor C.C. went to Henderson TN and located this cemetery. She wrote, "The Wheatley Cemetery is located about 7 miles from Henderson on Rabbit Ranch Road. It is located on land-locked property with no public access. We had actually driven by the area earlier in the day and could not see it from the road. It is about a 1/4 mile back on the Seeley property. It is grown up (and) just looks like another wooded area with a few of the trees blown down into the fenced area. The tombstones were actually in fairly good shape considering their age. It is just a shame there are no Wheatleys in the area to see to the cemetery." She photographed the headstones and posted them.
Son of Milly Frances Johnson and Thomas George Wheatley, who were originally from the Carolinas but settled at Jacks Creek, TN.
Husband of Rebecca Frances Stone. They had nine children, but only eight names are known: Emma Elizabeth Pierce-Nail (abt. 1853-1928), John Robert (1854-1915), Thomas A. (abt. 1857-?), Florence B. (1860-1929), Rebecca F. (1863-1869), Cora L. (1866-1869), Eddie R. (1871-1932) and Neil B. (1876-1877).
In 1850 Sam Brown Whitley (16) was living with his parents, Thomas and Milly, and four siblings, George, Frances, James and Pierce in Henderson County, TN. Spelling of their last name as Whitley seems to be intermittent, depending on census taker, and may have started in North Carolina where Wheatley/Whitley appeared in earlier censuses. By 1860, Samuel B. Whitley (27) was working as a tenant farmer in Lauderdale Co., TN, and was married to Rebecca (24). They had four children: Emma (7), John (5), Thomas (3) and Florabell (3 months), all born in TN.
Three children (Rebecca F., Cora L. and Neil B.) never appeared on a cenus because their short lives occurred between census-taking years.
The Memphis Daily Appeal, a newspaper, published on Monday, December 20, 1869, included an article that described how Samuel Whitley killed two of his own children, Rebecca and Cora. This article was copied from microfilm at the Tennessee State Library Archives (TSLA) by Linda Stockdale in June 2008 and transcribed by Mary L. Miller on July 2, 2008.
"On Wednesday last, says the Jackson Tribune, Samuel Whitley, a citizen of the southern part of Henderson County,committed a most hellish and atrocious deed. He deliberately seized and threw into a well his two youngest children and then leaped in after them. The children, in their fall, uttered the most heart-rending shrieks – enough to have moved a heart of stone. They were drowned before assistance could reach them. Whitley was rescued by his neighbors, but he now lies in a critical condition, and it is supposed, will die from the injuries received from his plunge into the well. Whitley is a farmer by occupation, and insanity is hereditary in his family. Heretofore he has been regarded as more rational than the majority of his kin. Mr. Whitley is a brother-in-law of Col. John M. Stone, of Iuka, Mississippi, well known as one of the bravest men that did service for the ‘lost cause.'"
By 1870, Sam'l. B. (37) and Rebecca F. (34) Wheatley were still in Henderson County and owned property near Jacks Creek where Samuel and two sons John R. (16) and Thomas A. (13) worked as farmers while Rebecca kept house and took care of Flora B. (9). In 1880, Samuel Wheathley (sic)(46) and Rebecca (46) continued living in Henderson Co., TN with only one son present, Eddie R. (10). On Jan. 20, 1882, S.B. Wheatley was given a settlement of $44.14 as an heir (among 15 heirs) to the estate of Thomas and Milly Wheatley, which could only be settled after the death of the widow Milly.
In 1882, a large tract of Henderson County was given to the newly formed Chester County, and at that time, Jacks Creek and Henderson City became located in Chester County.
(Note: Lewis Jones' 1982 book "Cemeteries in Chester County" includes S.B. Wheatley, along with daughters Rebecca and Cora and son Neil, in Wheatley Cemetery.)
Also, website http://genealogytrails.com/
tenn/chester/cemwheatley.html includes a transcription of the headstones and information available from local people regarding the meaning of various markers, such as tree stumps, in the Wheatley Family Cemetery in Chester County, TN, as follows:
"This cemetery is located on the John Hall Seeley farm behind Doctor Harrison's. If you'll take the Miflin Road from Henderson, cross all bridges in Forked Deer River bottom, then take the 1st road to the right for several miles. It is rather diffucult to read. Through joint efforts this cemetery now has a four foot chain link fence around it. There are many more graves marked only by sand stone and large cedar stumps. Thomas L. G. and Milly Frances Johnson Wheatley and their son George Washington Wheatley and his wife Nannie Caroline Hardcastle Wheatley graves have cedar stumps marking their graves. The trees were cut and lumber sold in the form of cedar chets made by Elmer Hodges to purchase a fence. This present fence is at least the third fence. Hayse D. Wheatley cared for the cemetery as long as he was able. Elmer Hodges is the son of Demarius & W. J. Hodges. Source: "Family Findings"; Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society, Volume XIII, July, 1981, Number 3, by Lucille Wheatley Haynes, page 7), transcribed by, Peggy Thompson."
Graves that are transcribed include:
S. B. Wheatley, born Jan. 28, 1833, died Dec. 23, 1882; Masonic Emblem is noted.
Cora L. Wheatley born Nov. 16, 1866, died Dec. 15, 1869, Daughter of S. B. & Rebecca F., drowned in a dug well.
Rebecca E. Wheatley born Sep. 19, 1863, died Dec. 15, 1869, Daughter of S. B. & Rebecca F.,drowned in a dug well.

In May 2009 FindAGrave contributor C.C. went to Henderson TN and located this cemetery. She wrote, "The Wheatley Cemetery is located about 7 miles from Henderson on Rabbit Ranch Road. It is located on land-locked property with no public access. We had actually driven by the area earlier in the day and could not see it from the road. It is about a 1/4 mile back on the Seeley property. It is grown up (and) just looks like another wooded area with a few of the trees blown down into the fenced area. The tombstones were actually in fairly good shape considering their age. It is just a shame there are no Wheatleys in the area to see to the cemetery." She photographed the headstones and posted them.


Advertisement