William White Died at the Residence of His Father

 William White, a wagon maker from Mt. Sidney, Virginia died a young man leaving a widow and three young children who would become Defendants in Augusta County, Virginia chancery cause 1858-071 Nicholas K. Trout vs. Heirs of William White. You can read about the suit here.

It is odd but William White’s date of death was not included in the court papers. I knew that he had died by October 25,1855 because this is when the chancery cause was initiated.

Recently I located a death notice published in the June 30, 1852 edition of the Staunton Spectator stating William passed June 14, 1852:

                                        RECORD OF DEATHS.

                             DIED, at the residence of his father, in Mt. Sidney,

                          on the 14^th inst., Mr. WILLIAM WHITE, aged 34 years.

I have always suspected his father was Clement White, a wagon maker, living next door to William and his family per the 1850 federal census enumeration.

The 1841 personal property tax lists proved helpful in cementing the father/son relationship. 

Commissioner James Nelson’s List of Taxable Property for the 2^nd District of Augusta Co., VA included William White and Clemens White (at the bottom of page 41). When a commissioner encountered two men in his district with the same name, he usually tried to distinguish the men in some manner. This is why you see “(of C.” after William’s entry. It means Wm. White was a son of Clemens White. 

       

Golden Wedding and the Golden Coins

The Evening Leader, Staunton, Virginia

Wednesday, November 15, 1922

   Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home near Mt. Solon on Nov. 14, with their children and many other relatives present. The occasion was a delightful one, and a real old Virginia dinner was served to the large company assembled to greet Mr. and Mrs. White. Yellow chrysanthemums were used in profusion for house and table decorations. Many beautiful presents were received.

   Mr. and Mrs. White have six children, 40 grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.

   Present at the golden wedding were Mrs. Clara Brown and two sons, White Throne, Va.; Mr. and Mrs. A. S. White and four children, White Throne; Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Clemmer and nine children, of near Staunton; Mr. and Mrs. B. B. White and daughter, Staunton; Mr. Ernest White, at home; Mr. Walter Sandy, a son-in-law, and two children, Mt. Solon; Mrs. I. S. Brown, Abilene, Texas; Miss Leila Brown, Waynesboro; Mrs. G. C McClain, Greenville; Mr. and Mrs. John Props, Mt. Solon; Mr. and Mrs. James Props, Mt. Solon; and the Rev. Mr. Harris.

The honorees, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White, were my 2^nd Great Grandparents Mary (aka Mollie) Agnes Brown and John William White. I introduced my readers to Great Grandfather in post JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, GreatGrandfather – 52 Ancestors. It’s Good to See you, Grandma Mollie features Great Grandmother.

Mollie Agnes Brown married John William White near Waynesboro, Virginia Nov. 14, 1872. They lived in the Middle River District, Augusta County, VA with their children—Clara Louise, James William, Arthur Stuart, Ella Virginia, Olive Leora, Bernard Brown and Ernest Boyd White.

So who are these folks that spent an enjoyable Sunday at the Great Grandparents’ place?

The first five guests listed above were the White siblings who celebrated their parents’ golden wedding anniversary along with children and spouses. Olive Leora (White) Sandy died in 1919 but widower Walter Sandy attended the party.

                                                                                                                        

Mrs. I. S. Brown from Abilene, Texas was Lou Brown--the wife of Great Grandmother’s brother, Isaac Stuart Brown. The family called him Uncle Ike and they traveled from Abilene to be at the golden wedding. Uncle Ike left Augusta County for Texas years before. His Virginia family called him their millionaire uncle because he became wealthy in the sheep and cattle business. While remembering Uncle Ike in the Clemmer History, Uncle Casper Garber wrote “On the occasion of Grandfather and Grandmother White’s 50^th anniversary, he and his wife came back, and the family remembers that he left them some gold coins for the occasion.”

Miss Leila Brown and Mrs. G. C. McClain were sisters and nieces of Grandma Mollie. Leila and Alma’s father, Henry Weed Brown, passed a few months earlier leaving Uncle Ike and Grandma Mollie the surviving Brown siblings.

I don’t know of any connection to Mr. and Mrs. John Props nor Mr. and Mrs. James Props. Perhaps they were neighbors.

Clergyman Rev. Mr. Harris completed the Evening Leader’s guest list.

Ignace Henri Jean Fantin-Latour

Grandmother Mary Ann White and Kids Sued in Chancery Cause, Augusta County VA Circuit Court

I’ve written before about Grandmother’s chancery lawsuit. Today I’m adding a few more details to the family story.

Mary Ann White, 30 years of age, found herself a widow and mother of three young children by Nov. 24, 1856.

3^rd Great Grandmother was the daughter of John Shelly and Elizabeth Stover born in Augusta County, Virginia.  A Methodist minister married William White and Mary Ann Shelly Jan. 30, 1845. William was a wagon maker who owned a house and small ¼ acre lot in Mount Sidney. He needed money and borrowed $77.62 from Jacob K. Stribling in a deed of trust October 29, 1846.

  

William White’s Indenture to Jacob K. Stribling

William died before paying off the debt. Jacob K. Stribling didn’t fare much better dying Sept. 10, 1854.

Oct. 25, 1855 Nicholas K. Trout, acting as Mr. Stribling’s administrator, appeared in Circuit Court before Judge Lucas P. Thompson naming William White’s widow along with her infant children, John William, Jane Maria and Margaret, as defendants to recover the debt. He wanted to sell William White’s property but couldn’t until Mary Ann got her 1/3 dower share.

Chancery causes required the defendant to respond to the plaintiff’s bill of complaint but Mary Ann hadn’t answered Trout’s bill by July 2, 1856. Since minor children were involved, the Commissioner appointed Nicholas C. Kenney as a guardian to John W., Jane Maria and Margaret.

The Court was of the opinion that the dower estate could not be assigned to Mary Ann White because she wasn’t in possession of it. The Commissioners decided to rent out the property for twelve months while Mary Ann White received one-third of the rent and Nicholas K. Trout the remaining two-thirds. After twelve months, the property would be sold to the highest bidder.

Great Grandmother consented to the sale of her husband’s land Nov. 24, 1856. In January 1857, Wm. Shumake became the new owner of William White’s property.

Mary Ann White’s Answer to Bill of Complaint

Mary Ann remained close with her husband’s family. She was living with a sister-in-law in Mt. Sidney when the 1860 federal census was enumerated. William Shumake, who bought William White’s property, was their neighbor. Great Grandfather’s brother, John White, and his family were close by too.

After the Civil War ended, Grandmother married George Huffman in Rockingham County, Virginia August 27, 1865. They became parents April 1868 when Ella Susan Huffman was born.

Grandmother died March 7, 1891 and is buried in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ladd, Virginia near her son, John William White.

You can view Chancery Cause 1858-071 at the Library of Virginia website here.

Source: Chancery Suit Nicholas K. Trout vs. William White heirs

Index No. 1858-071, Library of Virginia, Virginia Memory,

Chancery Records digital image collection

Greetings Mary Ann White, You and Your Children are Summoned to Appear at Augusta County, VA Circuit Court

Today’s post was previously published Jan. 9, 2014 on Barb’s Family Stories. I’ve reworked it and hope it will attract new readers.

3^rd Great Grandmother was born Mary Ann Shelly the daughter of John Shelly and Elizabeth Stover. Methodist minister G.W. Israel married Mary Ann Shelly and William White Jan. 30, 1845 in Augusta County. William worked as a wagon maker and he owned a house and small ¼ acre lot in Mount Sidney. 3^rd Great Grandfather needed money and borrowed $77.62 from Jacob K. Stribling October 29, 1846.

Image from Chancery Suit Nicholas K. Trout vs. William White heirs
Index No. 1858-071, Library of Virginia, Virginia Memory,
Chancery Records digital image collection

William White died before he could pay his debt to Jacob K. Stribling and Jacob K. Stribling passed Sept. 10, 1854.  Nicholas K. Trout was acting as Jacob K. Stribling’s administrator when he filed a bill against Mary Ann White and her children. I don’t have a date of death for Great Grandfather William White but he must have passed prior to Oct. 25, 1855 when court proceedings began. Mr. Trout wanted to sell William White’s property but couldn’t until Great Grandmother Mary Ann got her dower share.

On Oct. 25, 1855, Nicholas K. Trout appeared in Augusta County, VA Circuit Court naming William White’s widow, Mary Ann White, along with her infant children--John William, Jane Maria and Margaret--as defendants to obtain the debt.

Image from Chancery Suit Nicholas K. Trout vs. William White heirs
Index No. 1858-071, Library of Virginia, Virginia Memory,
Chancery Records digital image collection

N. C. Kenney was appointed guardian to the White children by Augusta County Court. It was declared that the dower estate could not be assigned to Mary Ann White by laying off one third of the lot and house because she was not in possession of it. The commissioners decided to rent out the property for twelve months with Great Grandmother receiving one third of the rent and Nicholas K. Trout the remaining two thirds. After twelve months’ time, the property would be sold with Mary Ann receiving her dower. Wm. Shumake was the highest bidder and became the new owner Jan. 27, 1857.

See my Grandmother Lucy Leora Clemmer’s pedigree chart for birth and death dates.

You might enjoy these articles published about 2^nd Great Grandfather John William White:

      JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather

      TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY: John Will White’s Death Certificate

 

      TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: 2nd Great Grandparents John Wm. and Mary Ann White

MATRILINEAL MONDAY The Brown’s Welcomed a July Baby 1854 Augusta Co., VA

James Alexander Brown and Mary A. Zimmerman (aka Carpenter) welcomed a summer baby July 27, 1854. Mary Agnes Brown was born in Augusta County, Virginia at Lyndhurst (south of Waynesboro).

2^nd Great Grandmother Mary Agnes was nicknamed ‘Mollie’.  She was raised in the South River District in a home that had originally belonged to her Zimmerman Grandfather. During the Civil War Mollie’s father died Sept. 27, 1864 when she was just 10 years old. I don’t believe her father served with the Union or Confederate Army. After the father died, Mollie’s mother and two younger brothers remained on the Zimmerman place.

Mollie married John William White near Waynesboro, Virginia Nov. 14, 1872. By June 25, 1880, Mollie and John William were living in the Middle River District along with three children—Clara Louise, James William and Arthur Stuart White. My Great Grandmother, Ella Virginia, was their fourth child born Oct. 10, 1881 followed by Olive Leora, Bernard Brown and Ernest Boyd White.

The White family was back in the South River District by 1900. Clara Louise had married Adolphus Marion Brown by this date. James William married Sally Wilkes Dec. 21, 1898 in Bedford County.  Although Arthur Stuart hadn’t yet married he wasn’t living with his parents. Only the younger children remained at home.

Ella Virginia married James Clyde Clemmer June 7, 1905. Jan. 2, 1908 Arthur Stuart married Nettie Florence Sheltman in Buena Vista City, Virginia. Bernard Brown married a lady named Grace Alexander in 1911. Olive Leora was the next child to wed marrying Walter W. Sandy January 8, 1914. Ernest Boyd didn’t marry until after his parents’ death. His first wife was Mable Mahler. When Mable passed, he married her sister, Margaret.

In their later years John William and Mollie White made their home in Staunton. Mollie died Nov. 24, 1932. The Staunton News-Leader published her obituary Saturday morning, November 26, 1932.

Transcript of obituary:

   Mrs. Mary Agnes White died early Thursday morning at her home on Straith street, after an illness of one day.

   She was born July 27, 1854, near Lyndhurst, a daughter of James and Mary Carpenter Brown, and spent practically all of her life in Augusta county.  Five years ago she moved to Staunton.

   Mrs. White is survived by her husband, J. W. White; four sons, J. W., Jr., Princeton, W. Va.; A. S., Whitehorn, Va.; B. B. and E. D., Staunton; two daughters, Mrs. Clara L. Brown, Princeton, W. Va.; Mrs. Ella V. Clemmer, Middletown, N.Y.; a brother, I. S. Brown, Abilene Tex.; forty-one grandchildren, and twenty-four great grandchildren.

   When a girl she joined Bethlehem Lutheran church, near Stuarts Draft.

   The funeral will be held from the home of Hamrick & Co. at eleven o 'clock this morning, conducted by the Rev. Dr. C.M. Teufel, of Christ Lutheran church.

   Burial will be in Bethlehem cemetery.

You might like these posts. Just click on the title below.

Matrilineal Monday: MARY ANN BROWN and Others, Plaintiffs Vs. MARY A. WHITE and Others, Defendants, Chancery Cause, Augusta Co., VA

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: 2nd Great Grandparents John Wm. and Mary Ann White

 

JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather

 

TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY: John Will White's Death Certificate

 

P. S. Dear Family and Friends,

I would love to see a photo of Mollie. Please share photos and stories!

Thanks for stopping by.

   Barb