The Lex Whatley Sr. Family

‘Our Great-Grandfather’ PART 3 OF 4

Miles Jefferson Whatley was born on November 5, 1847 in Clay County, Alabama. His parents were Martin Whatley, who died about 1875 in Clay County, Alabama, and Sophia Smith Whatley.

Miles Jefferson married Sally Linton and had two sons, George Washington and Martin Edward. Sally Linton Whatley died October 24, 1871 and family stories are that the Linton family tried to get custody of Martin Edward and his brother, George Washington.

On September 4, 1876, Miles Jefferson Whatley went to court in Clay County, Alabama and was given legal custody of Martin Edward and George Washington. Martin Edward was required to be bonded, and his bond was signed by William D. Fason and Allen Rainwater. William D. Fason was the husband of Emily Elizabeth Stokes, daughter of Elizabeth Stokes Rainwater.

Elizabeth was a sister of Miles Jeffeson and Allen Rainwater was her 2” husband. Sometimes, thereafter, Miles Jefferson, his 2nd wife, Savannah Gaither Whatley, his children, his mother, 8ophia left Alabama and moved to Marion County, Texas.

Family story is that the Linton family continuing trying to get custody of the two boys to get control of the property they had inherited from their mother and that is why they came to Texas. Miles Jeffeson, his wife, children, and his mother left Clay County, Alabama in 2 wagons and drove to Tuscaloosa, Alabama and boarded a train for Texas. George Washington, the oldest son, said the hardest part of leaving Alabama was when they got on the train, they were not allowed to take their dog, and he hung out the window and watched the dog run after the train until they were out of sight.

They changed trains in Texarkana, Texas to get to Kildare, Texas. They arrived in November 1883 and were met by Cousin Dave and Jim Smith at Kildare. They loaded their belongings in 2 wagons and went to Cousin Dave and Jim Smith’s and spent the night. The next morning Miles Jefferson gave the Smith cousins $400.00 for a house and 100 acres of land that they had bought for them in Marion County, Texas. Miles Jefferson was given a handwritten deed to the land. He did not file this deed until 1887. Miles Jefferson lived in that house until his death on January 16, 1926.

His brothers, James Darling and Francis Marion had already came to this area of Texas in the 1870’s and owned land. According to Marion County Land Deed Book M, page 124, dated November 1, 1872, James Darling bought land.

Francis Marion bought land on December 23, 1874 (Deed Book J, page 592) James Darling’s son, Seaborn Jesse, also bought land on December 8, 1873, according to Deed Book J, page 307. The first land transaction for the other brothers was Martin W. on January 8, 1882 (Deed Book P, page 522), George Washington on March 18, 1889 (Deed Book X, 525), Henry Jackson on September 23, 1896 (Deed Book Y, page 122) and James Taylor, son of James Darling, on February 11, 1888 (Deed Book S, page 505).

Miles Jefferson’s land was in Marion County, about 3 miles across the county line from Cass County on what is now Highway 43. He farmed and raised his children which consisted of George Washington and Martin Edward by his 1st wife, Sally Linton and John H., Julia “Judy” Ida, Emma Jane “Janie B.”, Mary Frances “Mollie”, Arrie Belle, Olia Victoria, William Jefferson, Mattie Lee, and Edgar Leon, by his 2nd wife, Savannah Gaither Whatley.

The Whatley family was instrumental in starting the Savannah Cemetery, for which the family gave the land and Savannah Baptist Church, which was named for Savannah Gaither Whatley. Miles Jeffeson’s mother Sophia lived with him until her death on September 15, 1889 and is buried in Savannah Cemetery.

Miles Jefferson died on January 16, 1926 in Marion County, Texas and is buried in the Savannah Cemetery, Marion County, Texas. Savannah lived with her daughter, Olia Victoria Whatley until her death on January 1,1947. She died in Marion County and is buried beside her husband in the Savannah Cemetery.

Miles Jefferson’s eldest son George Washington, born October 1, 1869 in Clay County, Alabama, married Mary Ophelia Hartzo and their children were Erby Ophelia, Infant Whatley, Mary Ada, Curtis Miles, Henry Floyd, George Gray, Jessie Irene, William Marvin, Thelma Louise, and J.D. George Washington died November 19, 1950 and his wife Mary Ophelia, died March 6, 1956, and they are buried in the Kildare Cemetery, Kildare, Cass, Texas. Martin Edward was born on April 11, 1871 in Clay County, Alabama, married Nancy Ellafair Ivey on January 3, 1893 in Marion County, Texas. Their children were Lex Sr., Lottie, Elmer, Pearl, Clyde, Cora, Hardy Horace, and Agnes Marie. Martin Edward died on September 20, 1956 in Texas and his wife, Nancy E., died on March 23, 1962 in Cass County, Texas, and they are buried in the Kildare Cemetery.

John H. was born May 12, 1873 in Clay County, Alabama, married Leola Whatley, and their children were Minnie Lee, Effie Savannah, Bessie Alene, John Delbert, James Travis, Arietta, and Alton Durwood. John H. died on May 30, 1954 in Hopkins Co., Texas.

Julia “Judy” Ida, born June 27, 1874 in Clay County, Alabama, married 1st George B. Whatley, and their children were Dora Lee, Ila Ellie, Rube Martin, and Herman. Julia married 2nd Sylvester Swope Whatley, and they had two children, Bessie and John D. Judy died on May 2, 1932 in Texas and Sylvester Swope, died on January 29, 1921 and they are buried in Savannah Cemetery, Marion County, Texas.

Emma Jane (Janie B), born April 7, 1877 in Clay County, Alabama married Lolo McDonald and their children were Annie, Clara, Robert Lolo, Earlton, Myrtle Mae, Jewel Savannah, Miles Thomas, and John Earl. Janie B. died on February 18, 1962 in Texas and Lolo, died on June 23, 1946 in Bivins, Cass, Texas, and they are buried in Kildare Cemetery, Kildare, Cass, Texas.

Mary Frances “Mollie” was born February 4, 1881, in Clay County, Alabama, married Nathaniel Webster Miles. Mary Frances died on February 24, 1925 in Texas.

Arrie Belle, born on December 21, 1882 in Clay County, Alabama, married Gus McDonald in April 1902 and their children were Ethel Pearl, Jesse Leon, Wilford Hamilton, Floye Velvie, Irby Lucille, Milford Monroe, Raymond Wayland, Elsie Muriel, and Wilma Maurine. Arrie Belle died September 19, 1974 in Marion County, Texas and Gus Mc-Donald, died January 5, 1943 and they are buried in the Kildare Cemetery.

Olia Victoria was born July 20, 1885, in Marion County, Texas married Charles Edward (Chase) Whatley, and their children were Infant Boy, Alta Lorine, Jessie Vernon, Furtell, Roscoe Hansel, and Russell Talmadge. Olia Victoria died on September 27, 1986 in Marion County, Texas, and Charles Edward, died November 20, 1956 in Marion County, and they are buried in Savannah Cemetery, Marion County, Texas. Olia Victoria was 101 years old at the time of her death.

William Jefferson born June 17, 1887 in Texas married Leta Whitten. William Jefferson died August 17, 1971 in Louisiana.

Mattie Lee was born February 14, 1890 in Marion County, Texas and died on September 1, 1913 in Marion County, Texas. She is buried in Savannah Cemetery and has a homemade marker.

Edgar Leon was born June 13, 1893 in Marion County, Texas. He married Virgie Hartzo, and their children are Minnie Ida, Morris, Horace L, and Emma Jane. Edgar Leon died October 25, 1943 in Marion County and Virgie, died in 1975 and they are buried in Savannah Cemetery.

Other Whatley family members that came to Texas were Martin W., Henry Jackson, and George Washington Whatley, brothers of Miles Jefferson Whatley and Nancy Jane Whatley and her husband J. Addison Colley. Also, Emily Elizabeth Stokes, daughter of Elizabeth C. Whatley and Benjamin F. Stokes, and her husband, William D. Fason came during this time. Elizabeth C. Whatley was the daughter of Martin and Sophia Whatley and the sister of Miles Jefferson Miles Jefferson had six siblings that stayed in Clay County, Alabama when the family came to Texas. They were William Taylor, born December 13, 1827 in Georgia, Elizabeth C., born in May 1830 in Fayette County, Georgia, Emily, born 1831 in Georgia, Greenberry, born 1833 in Georgia, Caroline, born 1835 in Georgia, and Lucinda, born 1839 in Georgia.

A large number of Miles Jefferson Whatley’s descendants still make their home in this area.

Submitted by Frances Russell Whatley