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Based on my decades of Whitsett research, I question the accuracy William Thornton Whitsett's family history of his earliest ancestors. However, I do not question what he knew of his immediate family. A few years ago I received a note from Bob
Ingle, a native of Whitsett, N. C. that questioned Whitsett's PhD. The last thing I want to do is become
embroiled in a controversy that detracts from the purpose of this
website.
Some time ago, I received
a note from Bonnie Whitsett of Burlington,
N. C. She is the wife of William Daniel
Whitsett, grandson of William Thornton Whitsett.
She had visited my site and was concerned
about the questions raised about Dr. Whitsett's
credentials. Her comments (dated 04/07/2008)
to me were:
"There
was also some question about whether Dr.
Whitsett received his PhD from UNC, but
I am certain that he did. Possibly one
of my husband's cousins has that diploma.
Dr. Whitsett's oldest daughter, Lucille
Holt, had most of his important papers
that were not donated to UNC, and I am
sure her son has possession of most of
those items. I suspect that Lucille is
the one that entered the handwritten notes
on some of the information you have. She
was the self appointed family historian,
and unfortunately passed away about 4-5
years ago.
I
do know that Dr. Whitsett traveled all
over the to obtain family history. We
have personally had Whitsett family from
Pennsylvania come by to visit Whitsett,
NC, because they were linked to this family.
Our
church, Friedens Lutheran Church, has
an extensive genealogy, including birth
and death dates and cemetery records.
You may find some of your answers there.
Dr.
Whitsett was a much respected educator
in Whitsett and the Guilford County Schools.
I am proud to be a part of his family.
I hope you understand how proud we are
of him and how it bothers us that his
credentials are questioned. I would like
for you to reconsider your wording on
his accuracy and education. It seems that
he did lots of research and did it when
he had sources alive that we do not have
today."
I must caution anyone researching
Whitsett family history about accepting Dr. Whitsett's papers as a
primary source, as some have done. By all means use his notes
as clues to where you should search, and if you are interested in
a family mentioned in his papers, verify the information yourself.
It is unwise to accept at face value the conclusions of any Whitsett
family historian, including myself. The difficulty with
Dr. Whitsett's material is the lack of source notations. Two people using
the same source may come away with two different opinions about
what it means, but it important to read the source material for yourself and draw your own conclusions. |
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WHO’S WHO IN
AMERICA editions carried a sketch of the life
and work of Dr. Whitsett for twenty years
from 1918 to 1929. He was born in Guilford
County, North Carolina on August 5, 1866 and
died there on March 22, 1934.
William Thornton
Whitsett, A.M., PhD was an Author, educator
and lecturer. He was born at Whitsett, North
Carolina; son of Joseph Bason Whitsett and
Mary (Foust) Whitsett. Dr. Whitsett was a
descendant of Samuel
Whitsett of Orange County, North Carolina.
He was educated at Oakdale Academy, North
Carolina College, and University of North
Carolina. He married Carrie F. Brewer of Salem
College, Winston-Salem, N. C., on June 30,
1906. They had four children.
Dr. Whitsett was
the founder, 1888, and president until 1918
of Whitsett Institute, a leading boarding
school in North Carolina. He was a member
of the Guilford county Board of Education
1897-1918 (Chairman 1906-1918). Dr. Whitsett
was a trustee of the University of North Carolina
1897-1919. He was also the organizer of North
Carolina Association of Academies and Secretary
and Treasurer North Carolina Teachers’
Assembly and president from 1905-1906. He
was a member of the Poetry Society of America,
the Poetry Society of London, Phi Gamma Delta
and the National Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution. He was a historian for
Guilford County, N. C.
William
Thornton Whitsett was a poet and author of numerous
books and monographs including: Saber and Song;
Outlooks on Books; Founders of Church and State;
Landmarks and Pioneers; Prophets of the Presbyterian
Church; Pioneer Teachers; Life of Captain Peter
Summers, Revolutionary Hero; Whitsett Historical
Monographs, - Brick Church and the Clapp Family
History; Historic Churches of Guilford County;
Early Churches of North Carolina; Alamance County,
and the Whitesell-Huffman Family History; and
various addresses and magazine articles. He also
wrote more than a score of histories and sketches
of early American families including the Whitsett
family which apparently was never published.
His papers, including his Whitsett family history, should be available through the library of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. |
William Thornton Whitsett , 1866-1934
This picture was probably taken about 1900
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