Descendants of William Wirt Whitsett And His Son Ralph Crawford Whitsett of Pennsylvania

William Wirt Whitsett of Fayette County, Pennsylvania

15. William⁴ Wirt Whitsett of Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Resided at various times at Connellsville, Layton, Pittsburgh and Jacks Run, Pennsylvania. Buried at Perryopolis, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Parent of thirteen children, one boy and twelve girls.

Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. XXII, pg. 393;
Transcript of Property in Westmoreland County, 1783
Whiteside, Joseph - 100 acres, 5 inhabitants
Whitesides, Samuel - 200 acres (nr. Inhabitants not listed)
Whitesides, William - 100 acres, 3 inhabitants

Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. XXII, Tax Lists
William Whiteside, Menallen Twp., Fayette County, PA, 1786, (pg 618)

1790 Census, Man allen Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, pg. 51
Whitesides, Wm 1-1-1 " "

Brevard, North Carolina  November 11th, 1929
Mr. J. E. Whitsett, Weatherford Tex.

Dear Sir:
       I enclose you clipping from the Ashville, N. C. Citizen.
       I am the youngest son of Ralph Crawford Whitsett and Rachel Dunn Whitsett of Va. My grandfather, Wm. Whitsett, fought in the Revolution, was under Col. Crawford and married Col. Crawford's niece, Hadessa.
      I am of Scotch-Irish descent and all my forebears came from Va. Grandfather was born in 1752, Father in 1801, and self in 1852.
      If you can figure out any relation I would be pleased to hear from you.
      I have my winter home at Eustis, Fla. And leave for there last of this week. I would have been there but have been laid up for over a month with an infected right hand.

Yours truly,  H. G. Whitsett

P. S. My oldest Brother's name was James Estel Whitsett. I have one Brother, A. H. living at Mt. Ida and sister, M. H. Whitsett Hindron living in Dayto [sic] Wash. She is past 90.
__________________________________________________________

Eustis Fla. Nov 1929
Mr. J. E. Whitsett  Weatherford Tex.

      Your letter of Nov. 24 received here. Owing to bad weather in mountains we did not get started here till the 19th and got here the 21st and it takes some time too get tying [sic] cleaned up after six months absence.
      I am confident that we are some kind of kinfolks. I will give you our family tradition as I remember it. We are of Scotch Irish decent and are from Virginia. James - John and William Whitsett left Va. To go south and my Grandfather William stopped in Pa. And his two brothers went on south and grandfather never heard from either of them while he lived.
     My grandfather William was born in 1752 and married Hadessa Crawford a niece of Col. William Crawford of Revolutionary fame.
        Grandfather fought under Col. Crawford. Col. Crawford and grandfather lived at Connellsville Pa and the City have recently erected a monument to his memory. Grandfather William also lived at Layton Pa and Pittsburgh and Jacks Run Pa. Grandmother died and was buried at Layton Pa.
        Grandfather and Grandmother had thirteen children. Twelve girles and one boy who was the youngest and my father born in 1801 and died at my house in 1892. My father and mother had thirteen children of which I am the youngest born May 31 1852. My mother was Rachel Estep a Daughter of Dr. James Estep a practiceing physitien [sic] and baptist preacher all his life. My grandmother was Rachel Dunn an F.F.V. of Va.
        I have one brother A.H.Whitsett living at Mt. Ida Ark and a sister R Hadessa Whitsett Hendron living at Dayton Washington. She is past 90 and spry as a crickit.
        My daughter Gertrude Whitsett Kipp is applying to get into the Daughters of the Revolution. Grandfathers service record under William Crawford in the state records at Philadelphia Pa. Are the same as our traditions. An old history of Fayette Co. Pa. By Nelson speaks of my grandfather as being a great indian fighter and scout and a friend of George Washington.
           I was born in Fayette Co. Pa. Was in Ky. Six years and came to Fla. In 1890. Bought a summer home at Brevard N. C. six years ago. It is up in the mountains on the head of French Bread River.
           Mountains around us run from 3000 to 6000 ft. The river is 2300.
          I have tried to give you the high points of our familey and if you can connect up I will be much pleased.
         If interested I can go into more detail. I do not think that there are very many living whose grandfather fought for our independence.
           I have had some correspondence with William Thornton Whitsett of Whitsett N. C. but have not gone to see him yet. He lives over 200 miles from Brevard. If you should get near here do not fail to come to see me. Hoping that we may get better acquainted I remain

Very Truly Yours
H. G. Whitsett [actual signature]

Children of William Wirt Whitsett and Hadessa (Ester) Crawford.  William and Ester had thirteen children, most dying before reaching adulthood.  The surviving children were:

2. i. Amanda Whitsett. She was born Abt. 1785 [11].

3. ii. Hadessa Nancy Elizabeth Whitsett [1, 9, 12, 13, 14]. She was born 1794 in Allegheny, Pa [1]. She married Benjamin Means About 1817 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co. Pa.

4. iii. Sarah Whitsett [2], born Before 1800 [11]; married Rev. Walter Scott on 04 January 1823 in Pittsburgh, PA [15]; died on 28 April 1849 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA [16] and buried in Uniondale Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA.

5. iv. Ralph Crawford Whitsett [ 2] was born on 16 January 1801 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co. Pa.; married Rachel D. Estep on 26 July 1827 in Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., PA.; occupation Merchant between 1830–1880 in Whitsett, Fayette Co., PA; religion Church of Christ 1836 in Perryopolis, Fayette Co., PA; residence 1850 in Perry Township, Fayette County, PA; died on 21 May 1892 in Fayette Co. PA. buried in Mt. Washington Cemetary, Perryopolis, PA [5].

Military Service Revolutionary War. Recorded in PA Archives [5], Series IV, pages 460,760,

Florence Odessa Whitsett Hughes wrote in December 12, 1949: 

      "For many years I had hoped for an opportunity to be able to do a family history. Living so many miles from Pennsylvania where most of the old accounts of our ancestors are recorded, I had doubts as to whether I would ever reach my ambition.
      "However, the opportunity presented itself when last year, while visiting the Ralph Whitsetts in Steubenville, Ohio, the subject came up and to my utter delight Margaret Whitsett gave to me a fairly complete history --- that is, material from which one could be written, which information had been gathered over a period of years by Mame Quillen and Ray Motz. Without them this treatise could never have been written. They supplied most of the information and data; I merely assembled it and put it into finished form. To them go much credit and thanks.
      "Not having had access to court house records, I am only assuming that the accounts related herewith are accurate because, as above stated, the material was gathered by others than myself. Too, I was in doubt concerning some dates and spelling of names. I am fairly certain however that the "ancestral Chart" is complete a far as lineage is concerned.
       "Begriming on page 22 I have set down an incident or two which I found among the papers (and set down word for word). They have no particular bearing but I thought them interesting. Following that is a copy of a letter showing that our ancestor -- the first one in America --- was in Washington's army in the Revolutionary War. William Whitsett must have loved his new Country, for which he bravely fought and pioneered. I hope that the readers of this history find as much interest in reading it as I had in compiling it."

To date I have not seen the family history referred to by Mrs. Hughes.  I would certainly be interested in the part she says, "... page 22 I have set down an incident or two which I found among the papers."  However; I think that some of the account I give on the page "William Wirt Whitsett Family Legends" was probably a part of it.  Please see my comments at the end of that account about some of the assertions made about William Wirt Whitsett. 

Westmoreland Co., PA Deeds
William Whiteside from John Crawford Bk. 4, p. 58 1798.
Deed: Allegheny Co., PA William Whitesides to Ralph Whitsitts
"This indenture made the 26th day of April in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and Twenty-five. Between William Whitesides of Allegheny County and State of Pennsylvania of the One part and his son Ralph Whitesett of the other part. Witnesseth that the said William Whitesides for his natural love and affection as well as for and in consideration of he sum of One Dollar lawful money of the United States to him in hand paid by the said Ralph Whitsetts his own Son at or before the ensealing or delivery hereof the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged have granted, bargained, sold, alienaed, enfeoffed, released and confirmed and by these presents does grant, bargain, sell, alein enfaoff, or lease and confirm unto the said Ralph Whitsett his heirs and assigns all the following described tract of land (except 30 much of the samewhich has already been granted by said William Whitesides unto David Chess of 165 Acres & 31 perches strict measure as by Deed dated the 29th of August 1806 and recorded in Book F, page 289 will fully appear // situate in Pine, now Ross Township in said County on the North-Side of the Ohio River" [By land of Zachiara Black, John Huey, Andrew Jack.......] "It being the same tract which was sold by Gworge Wallace and James Robinson Esquires and their wives unto said William Whitesides as by deed dated 13 Sept 1803 and recorded in Allegheny County in Book 12, page 206 to reference then etc."

William signed his name Wm Whitsitt x 2, no mention of Ester. Deed recorded 27 April 1825

Date of Death from Ken Whitsett, and he says she died in Pittsburgh, and was buried at Payton Station at night, lest the Indians discover her grave. Bob Whitsett, Chart #14 says she died and is buried in Layton, Fayette Co., PA.

FROM BOB WHITSETT, 1999: Hadessa was once captured by Indians, escaped and was able to reach Donegal, PA. where her husband found her.

FROM EDWARD EARL DUNLEVY: Fayette Co., PA Genealogy and History Mailing List. "I am unaware of any cemeteries in Layton, but would be most interested in finding out about any that might be there. I have been through the town of Layton many times and have not visually spotted any stones or markers near the road. The nearest cemetery to Layton would be about 1 mile away on the hill overlooking Perrryopolis....Mt. Washington Cemetery."

1.  means.ftw, Date of Import: 9 Dec 1999. ["ftw" = Family Tree Maker for Windows file]
2.  DAR Records, DAR application of Roxanna Whitsett National Number 391129
3.  Cemetary, Perryopolis, Pa., Mt. Washington.
4.  Ron Wall, http://www.whitsett-wall.com/Whitsett_Pennsylvania.htm, 2008.
5.  Mt Washington Cem., Tombstone, Fayette Co. PA.
6.  William Thornton Whitsett Papers, p.28.
7.  Rev. John Cuthbertson, REGISTER OF MARRIAGES AND BAPTISMS (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983, p. 25 and 26.
8.  One Crawford Family in America, by William D. Crawford, p5.
9.  Ken Whitsett, Calif 1999.
10. Bob Whitsett Chart #14.
11. Teri Crowel GED.
12. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) (Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998).
13. means3.ftw, Date of Import: Dec 6, 1999.
14. means2.ftw, Date of Import: Dec 6, 1999.

Children of Amanda Whitsett and Mr. Baily.  They had two children (DAR application of Roxanna Whitsett National Number 391129).

__  i. Amanda E. Baily, born about 1826, Pennsylvania, died in Houston, Texas; m. William R. Wilson, 01 Sept. 1841 in Galveston, TX, b. about 1811, Maryland.  Amanda and William had at least three sons: William Wilson (b. 1842); John Wilson (b. 1844); George Wilson (b. 1848).

__  ii. Emily Frances Baily, d. Galveston, TX; m. J. Parker Davis, 12 Dec. 1844, Galveston, TX.

Children of Hadessa Whitsett and Benjamin Means:  (seven children)

 __  i. Margaret Means [1, 12]. She was born Abt. 1818 in School Reserve, Ohio(?) [1].

6.  ii. William Means, born 1820 in School Reserve, OH [1], died 1885 [30]; married Mary B. Cotter in 1832 [30]. occupation Wholesale Grocer [31]. Ancestral File Number in 1TXF-G4N [1, 14].

7.  iii. Ralph Whitsett Means [32, 33, 34, 35], born on 21 June 1823 in PA [32, 33, 34, 35]; residence in 1850, Pittsburgh Ward 6, Allegheny County, PA [35]; died on 02 February 1899 [31], buried on 11 February 1899 in Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA [36]; married Eleanor Davitt June 1864 [1].

8.  iv. Hadassah Means [12] born About 1825 in School Reserve, OH [1]; died on 16 December 1877 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA [25]; married William S. Brooks on 06 September 1860 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA [37].

__  v. John T. Means [12, 1]; born About 1827 in School Reserve, OH(?); no children [38].

__  vi. Nancy Means [1, 12]; born About 1829 in School Reserve, OH(?).

__  vii. Emily Means [1, 12] born About 1831 in School Reserve, OH(?); died young [30].

 

Children of Sarah Whitsett and Walter Scott: (six children)

9. i. John Passmore Scott [43, 44]. He was born on 19 Nov 1823 in Allegheny Co., PA [43, 45, 44]. Occupation 1850 Clerk [46]. residence 1870 in Pittsburgh Ward 23, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania (Glass manufacture).

10. ii. Emily Scott [9, 47, 48], born on 24 September 1825 in Pennsylvania [49, 50, 51, 47, 48], died 1910 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA [53], buried in Union Dale Cemetery, 2200 Brighton Rd., Pittsburgh, PA [53]; married William Church on 01 January 1849 in Allegheny Co., PA [52].

11. iii. William Adolphus Scott [54], born on 06 December 1826 in Steubenville, Ohio [54]. Census 1850 in Living in Pittsburgh with sister Emily Church. Occupation in Brick Manufacturer in Pittsburgh [55].

__  iv. Sarah Jane Scott [43] born on 31 December 1828 in Canfield, Ohio [43], died 1831 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA [43].

12. v. Samuel Church Scott [56, 57, 58] born on 20 December 1830 in Stubenville, Jefferson Co., Ohio [59, 60, 43, 56, 57], died on 14 September 1888 in Brickenridge, Cladwell Co., MO [59].; married Mary Elizabeth Duke on 10 October 1855 in Mayslick, Mason Co., KY [59]; residence 1880 in Breckenridge, Caldwell Co., Missouri [57]; occupation in 1850 Lawyer [61].

__  vi. Walter Harden Scott, born 1833 in Carthage, Ohio [62]; Residence in 1850 living with sister Emily and husband William Church [63]; attending School in 1850 [63].

5. Ralph Crawford Whitsett (William Wirt Whitsett¹) [17, 18, 2, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23], born on 16 January 1801 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co. Pa. [19, 20, 21, 22], died on 21 May 1892 in Fayette Co. PA, buried in Mt. Washington Cemetary, Perryopolis, PA . occupation Merchant between 1830–1880 in Whitsett, Fayette Co., PA; religion in 1836 Church of Christ in Perryopolis, Fayette Co., PA [24]; married Rachel D. Estep 26 July 1827 in Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., PA, daughter of James Estep and Drucilla Dunn [64], born on 29 April 1808 in Bentlyville, Washington Co., PA [64], died 22 April 1891 in Fayette Co., PA, buried Mt. Washington Cemetary, Perryopolis, PA [5].

13.   i.   James Estep Whitsett [65, 66, 67, 68], born on 27 April 1828 in Port Royal, Westmoreland Co., PA [69, 66, 67, 68], died on 17 August 1907 in Perryopolis, Fayette Co., PA [68], buried Perryopolis, Mt. Washington Cemetery, Fayette Co., PA [5].; married Clarissa Belle Martin on 05 May 1855 in Perryopolis, Fayette Co., PA; in 1858 graduated from Cleveland Medical University [70]; residence in 1880 Bethany, Brooke Co., West Virginia [66]; Military Service in Civil War - recruited the Washington Cavalry at Beallsville, Washington Co., PA and served as its Captain [71]; religion Desciples of Christ. Event in Burial in MD.

__  ii. Roxanne E. Whitsett [65, 72, 73, 74, 75] born on 10 September 1829 in Fayette CO., PA [65, 72, 73, 74] died on 12 May 1900 in Dayton, WA [9]; married John Rist after 1870; residence 1860 in Perry, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania [74]; Census 1870 in Fayette Co., PA: 40 years old, single, living as head of household, #336, Ralph #329.

15.  Cramer's Pittsburgh Almanack Vol. #3, p. 139.
16.  Walter Scott, American Frontier Evangelist, p. 39.
17.  Orphans Court Records, Fayette Co., PA.
18.  Family Bible of Clara B. Martin Whitsett.