Notes for John Saunders Sr WHITLEY

VanGundy Family Tree


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Notes for John Saunders Sr WHITLEY

Residences & events:

Virginia

1790s North Carolina.

Abt 1800 Holston River Valley, TN.

White Co, TN, where the family stayed for only 3-4 years.

Livingston Co, KY, was the next destination by following the WhiteRiver northward. The family split before coming to Illinois withbrother, Sharp, returning to Tennessee.

1811 Bond Co, IL. There were about 35 people in the party, includingJohn, his wife, 6 sons, 2-3 daughters, and 17 grandchildren. Familytradition says the women walked the whole trip. A walnut dresserbrought from Tennessee was in the Coles County branch until a fewyears ago and John's Bible is still in existence in Missouri with theJohn S. Whitley, Jr, branch.

1812 He fought in the War of 1812.

4/1813 He was on the muster roll of the volunteer infantry as aSargeant.

4/19/1816 Fayette Co, IL. His was the first land entry of thecounty. The property was located at NE 1/4 S35 T4N R4W.

5/18/1818 He was appointed Ensign.

5/4/1818 Bond Co, IL. Although he had land in Fayette Co, apparentlythe family had not moved yet as they were counted in the state's firstcensus in Bond.

1820 He was listed in the census with 3 males under 21, himself, over21, and 2 females. Sons, John Jr, "Mills", Elisha, and "Randle" werelisted as neighbors along with the families of in-laws, Bateman,Duncan, and Little.

1821-1826 Fayette Co, IL. He served as County Commissioner, beingmentioned several times in the minutes of their meetings.

He served on the first Grand Jury of the county.

3/5/1822 He was also on the list of petit jurors.

12/20/1826 Fayette Co, IL. His residence there was recorded in aland transfer when he purchased 80 acres in Shelby Co, IL, for $1.25at a Federal sale. The property was located at S33 T12N R03E.

12/20/1826 He was still a resident of the same county when hepurchased another 80 acres at S33 T12N R04E for $1.25/acre fromanother Federal sale.

1/23/1827 Whitley Point, Shelby Co, IL. The family probably nevermoved but rather a new county was formed out of the old and they foundthemselves in it. County lines would later shift again to put them inMoultrie Co.

The History of Shelby & Moultrie Counties spoke of the Whitleys:

"The first to grapple with these hardships (of pioneer life), wereJohn Whitley and family, and his son-in-law, Samuel Lindley. Theycame in the fall of 1826 (the date was actually later) and settled atthe head of Whitley creek timber, now Whitley's Point, on section 12,where J.M. Edmond's farm now lies. Mr. Whitley was a native ofMaryland, and when he moved here, brought with him his wife and alarge family of children viz: John, Sharp, Mills, Randall, William,Josiah, and two or three daughters. All the sons, except Josiah, weremarried, and had families when they came. They with their familiesand Samuel Lindley all settled in the same neighborhood with the oldgentleman. Here they built their cabins, and broke the first groundin the county. A rude horse mill was constructed by the elderWhitley, which of course was the first mill of any kind built in thetownship. He as well as his boys were very fond of the sports of theday, such as wrestling, horse-racing, etc. They remained here only ayear or two, when they scattered in various directions; some went toTexas, and others to Missouri. The old gentleman moved up the Okawinto Coles county about 1838 where he died a few years afterward. Thetownship was named in honor of its oldest settler, John Whitley.William Price, also a pioneer, but a single man, came a year or twoafter the Whitleys and squatted near them, and married one of the oldman's daughters. but soon afterward left the country."

In the list of Early Settlers of Whitley Township are:

John Whitley and family
Samuel Lindley (son-in-law of Whitley)
Hal McDaniel (arrived with Whitleys)
William Price (son-in-law of Whitley)

"The Whitleys were among the 1st settlers of the county, Johnconstructed a rude horse mill, the first mill of any kind in thetownship.

They were a large athletic family who kept thoroughbred race horseswith gambling as their chief occupation as well as racing andfighting."

Also recorded:

"The Whitleys were followers of horse racing and hunting almost to theexclusion of all else. The story was told that the elder Whitleyjourneyed to Kentucky and purchased a racing filly from a breedernamed Dodge and returned here to win almost all the races he enteredhe in. Thinking to make some easy money, he entered her in a claimingrace in which all entrants have a price set before the race and may beclaimed afterwards at the price. John set a low price on her thinkingto win an easy race and none would claim her. To his dismay she wasclaimed and to avoid losing her at a give away price, he slipped herout and hid her in a grove of trees north of Mattoon until the searchdied down. (The grove then became know as the Dodge Grove because theDodge filly had been hidden there. It is now the Dodge GroveCemetery.)

From the Geological and Historical Tour of Moultrie County, Illinois,is an article on the family:

"Moultrie County was settled later than most areas around us, probablydue to the fact that our rivers were not easily navigable. Macon andShelby Counties both had settlers in them by 1818. However,Moultrie's first settler (John Whitley) didn't arrive until the fall
of 1826. He and his family did not stay here permanently and movedout when the county became more crowded."

"John Whitley and his family of six grown sons arrived in the fall of1826 and settled south of Whitley Creek on section 12 of what is nowWhitley Township. The original survey of Moultrie County shows aspring near this location. Whitley probably chose this spot becauseof the spring. The small creek that crosses the east-west road herewas probably begun by this spring. His cabin was somewhere betweenthe Whitley Creek to the north and this east-west road. Whitley andhis sons were gamblers, horse racers and able fighters; however,Whitley seems to have been trustworthy because he was chosen as one ofthree of Shelby County's first county commissioners. He also servedas Justice of the Peace. (At this time Whitley Township was a part ofShelby County.)

Also in 1826 two other 'squatters' settled near Whitley, staying onlya few years. Most of Whitley's sons moved West, and Whitley moved toColes County in the 1830s."

Continuing again:

"The Methodists get credit for bringing the first church services tothe county, a sermon being preached in Samuel Linley's cabin by Rev.Miles Hart in 1828. (Linley was one of Whitley's sons-in-law.)"

In Whitley Whittlings is an article which states:

"John Whitley was the first to settle in Whitley Township, near thehead of Whitley Creek. Then, in order to file on a piece of land, itwas necessary to go to the land office in Vandalia. That seemed toomuch of a trip for him so he did not file but just built his cabin and'squatted'. As more settlers came and began to fill the availablespace; some of his neighbors convinced him he should file, for anyoneelse who wished could file on the land he was occupying and legallymake him move away. So, he made the trip to the Land Office inVandalia and filed on October 1, 1833 and of the Independence of the'United States of American the fifty eighth.'

His claim was 'the East half of the Northeast quarter of Sectiontwelve in the Township twelve North and Range six of lands subject tosales at the Vandalia Land Office, containing eighty acres.'

Another article said John owned hundreds of acres of land, claimingsome of the first land of Shelby Co.

From "The Whitley Point Record Book" is the following: "The placeselected by John Whitley had many advantages. Wood and water were athand, and the game was plentiful--including deer and turkey. Bears,wolves, panthers, and wild cats were also encountered. Because of thegood hunting, Indians frequented the area. Indeed in the winter of1826-27, after the Whitleys first arrived, Indians maintained a largecamp consisting of about 90 lodges a few miles south of the Whitleysettlement in what is now Shelby County. These Indians wereconsidered to be friendly by the settlers, with whom they maintained alively social intercourse--including occasional contests ofhorse-racing, shooting, and athletic events."

And again: "The field notes of the first surveyors of Section 12 inTownship 12N, Range 6E, where the Whitleys settled five years later,refer to 'gently rolling' prairie, with 'first rate' soil, and walnut,oak, elm, and mulberry trees.....The Whitley family settled near apoint where the timber adjacent to the creek extended into theprairie. Hence the name of the settlement--Whitley Point."

He was one of three members of the 1st Co Board of Commissioners andwas the first Justice of the Peace of the new county, for which hereceived $1.50/day for court duties. As Justice of the Peace hemarried several couples over the years and once as CountyCommissioner.

5/3/1827 Shelby Co, IL. As Co Commissioner, he officiated at thewedding of his wife's relatives, Sally Bateman and John Cochran.

2/25/1830 John was still a resident of Shelby Co when he purchased 2plots of land in Moultrie Co on this date from a Federal sale for$1.25/acre. The two plots of 80 acres each were located at S12 T12NR06E.

1830 Shelby Co, IL. At census time, sons, John Jr and William, wereneighbors while Mills and Sharp were just down the road. John Sr andhis wife were 50-60 years old and had living with them 1 male 15-20and 1 female 10-15.

In the History of Moultrie Co in an article on Jonathan's CreekTownship, it states:

"It had previously been told and written by others, 'that one JonathanWhitley was lost while out hunting, and from him the creek was named;'but this is a mistake; for there never was a Whitley by that name thatlived in this county."

Another history says: "The Whitleys have not received as muchattention as they have deserved, mainly because the family moved awayafter a few years' residence. However, they were real men, energeticand enterprising, even if they were not impressed with the value ofthe land."

From the History of Coles Co:

"The fact that a settlement was in the township as early as 1833,seems to be pretty fully established and John Whitley and his sonJohn, Elisha, William and Randall, are recorded as among the first, ifnot the first, to settle and make improvements in its limits. Theirimprovements were made along the Okaw, near the southwestern limits ofthe township. Elisa and John were on the west side, while William andRandall located east of the stream. The Whitleys came from Tennessee,and must have come to the State at an early day; from statements madeby the elder Whitley, they seem to have passed up the Kaskaskia,making settlements at various points; so soon as neighbors began tosettle in around them, they would desert their places, and moving upthe stream, would again locate, only a few years later to move stillhigher up the stream."

1831 His name appears in the Circuit Court Case Files as thedefendant against a Brazel Losey for damages, specifics unknown.

5/29/1832 John performed the marriage ceremony for greatgranddaughter, Clarissa Price, and John Grice.

7/20/1836 Still living in Shelby Co, he purchased 80 acres in DouglasCo at S3 T15N R07E for $1.25/acre at a Federal sale.

Gilbert Waggoner said of the Whitleys: "The Whitleys were a roughset--a bad lot." A history said "their ways of life were different,and the two families didn't understand each other. The Whitleys,doubtless, were brave, strong, active, and restless. Some of themwent to Missouri and others to texas, where they probably fought forthe independence of the Lone Star."

"They were 'rough and ready' but I believe Uncle Gilbert was toosevere in pronouncing them a 'bad lot.' They were the typicalpioneers--the advance guard of civilization, and their kind made thefrontiers safer for those who came later."

1838 Cooks Mill, Coles Co, IL. When the rest of the family movedwest, John sold his land to William Hayden and moved nearer otherfamily members.

Some sources say he was a native of Maryland but since the familylived in VA for generations before him, it is unlikely.

Son, Elisha, was administrator of his estate and, as such, initiatedsuits to collect payment of notes owed the estate. From the partiesat law:

Elisha Whitley Adm of John Whitley Decd. vs John G Purvis action onnote for $140.47 due 295h April 1837
cr $50.00 the 11th April 1836
also cr $25.50 this 2nd Feby 1839
Summons Issued 2nd Feby 1839
Subpoena for John Bracken
2/16/1839 Summons Returned Executed by reading to defendant
parties met and hearing
the Judgment against
J Purvis for $95.72
and cost--Justice $1.12 1/2
Constable 2.43 3/4
3/9/1839 Execution Issued WG Haydon JP
12/14/1839 Execution returned Amos Waggoner JP
12/14/1839 Renewed

Amos Guinn for the use of Elisha Whitley Adm of John Whitley Deceasedvs John G Purvis & Peter Warren action on note for $11.00 due 15thAugust 1835
2/2/1839 Sums Issued to I Walker
2/16/1839 Returned executed on John G Purvis by Reading the same
Warren not found
Cr by order of Pl $7.00
this 16th Feby 1839
And stayed by plaintiff
Justice cost .50 cts
Const 56 1/4 cts

Elisha Whitley Admr. of John Whitley Deceased vs John G Purvis & JohnWhitley Junior
action on note $125.75
2/2/2839 Sums Issued to I Walker
Credited 10th June 1839 $5.25
also $53.55 same date
2/16/1839 Returned Executed on John G Purvis by Reading the same
John Whitley not found
Judgment against JG Purvis for $84.70
and cost J Cost $00.68 3/4
Constable .56 1/4
3/9/1839 Execution Issued to I Walker
12/14/1839 Execution Renewed Amos Waggoner JP
Renewed
3/4/1844 Execution returned with a cr
$60.00 & the balance Stayed by order of Plaintiff

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