Generation No. 2

N3. DAVID FLEMING⁴ WHICHARD (Nancy³ Fleming, David², John¹) was born on March 1, 1829 in Pitt County, North Carolina; and died in 1877.  According to John David Bridgers’ biography of Walter Linden Whichard, “Crick,” David Fleming Whichard was buried “in the yard of the old Memorial Baptist Church, since removed to Wilkerson’s (Pinewood?) Memorial Park, when the church disposed of its property ...”

ccording to Sketches of Pitt County: A Brief History of the County, 1704-1910, by Henry T. King, Edwards & Broughton Printing, Raleigh, 1911, p. 235, David Fleming Whichard enlisted in the Confederate States Army (CSA), Company C, 44th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry.  On February 28, 1855, he married Violetta Hearne Jordan, daughter of Amelius Gray Jordan and Mary Baldwin.  She was born on February 20, 1835; died on September 16, 1911, in Greenville, North Carolina; and was buried at Cherry Hill Cemetery, off Pitt Street in Greenville.

Biographical Notes on David Fleming Whichard

From North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865, compiled by Weymouth T. Jordan, Jr., v. 10, 38th-39th and 42nd-44th Regiments, Raleigh, North Carolina, Division of Archives and History, 1985, p. 426:

WHICHARD, DAVID F., SERGEANT

Born in Pitt County where he resided prior to enlisting at age 32, May 12, 1862, for the war.  Mustered in as Private.  Promoted to Sergeant prior to September 1, 1862.  Detailed as Commissary Sergeant prior to March 1, 1863, and transferred to temporary duty with the Field and Staff of this regiment.  Promoted to the permanent rank of Commissary Sergeant and assigned to permanent duty with the Field and Staff of this regiment in May-October, 1864.

According to The Chronicles of Pitt County, North Carolina, published by the Pitt County Historical Society, Greenville, North Carolina, 1982, p. 710:

Violetta’s father owned “...  a large plantation near Pactolus in Pitt County called Jordan Plains.  This was first settled by Amelius’s father, James Jordan, who had come from England when he refused to conform to the English church.  Amelius Jordan was a teacher as well as a plantation owner.  His daughter Violetta, Miss Lett as she was called, followed in his footsteps and became a school teacher and later a teacher of art.  During the Civil War and many years after, she taught school in the old Masonic Building in Greenville and later in a one room building on Second Street.”

Obituary of Violetta Hearne Jordan

The Daily Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Saturday, September 16, 1911, p. 1:

MRS. V. H. WHICHARD DEAD.

Aged Mother of Editor Passes Away.

Mrs. Violetta H. Whichard died at 11:15 o’clock this morning at her home on Third street.  For nearly a year she had been in feeble health, and last Sunday suffered a stroke of apoplexy.  From this she never revived, but continued gradually to grow weaker until the end came peacefully almost without a struggle.  Truly a good woman has passed from earth to enjoy that reward inherited by the righteous in the world beyond.

Excerpt from The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, January 12, 1887: New Officers. At the last meeting of the W.C.T.U. (Women’s Christian Temperance Union), the following officers were elected: Pres. –– Mrs. J. G. James 1st VP –– Mrs. V. H. Whichard ...

Mrs. Whichard was in her 77th year, being born February 20th, 1835.  She was a daughter of A. G. and Mary Jordan.  She was highly educated, taking her collegiate course at Murfreesboro Female College.  On her twentieth birthday she was married to Mr. D. F. Whichard, who died in 1877.  During the Civil war and for many years following she taught school in the old Masonic building, then on Second street.  She was recognized as one of the best teachers in this section, and had a large school as long as she taught.  Early in life she united with the Missionary Baptist church, and was ever true to her belief.  Few women led a more active and industrious life than she, nothing giving her more pleasure in life than in doing something for others.

She is survived by four children, Messrs. J. R. Whichard of Atlanta; D. J. and C. B. Whichard, of Greenville; and Mrs. A. F. Kennedy, of Littleton.

The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at 5 o’clock.

Issue:

N8–––i.––– Julian Robert Whichard, of whom below, born in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina; died either June 4 or 24, 1934 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

N9–––ii.––– David Jordan⁵ Whichard, of whom below, born August 8, 1862 in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina; died July 25, 1922 in Greenville, North Carolina.

N10–––iii.––– Clarence Brown Whichard, of whom below, born September 10, 1872 in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina; died January 3, 1928 in Greenville, North Carolina.

N11–––iv.––– Ora Violetta Whichard, of whom below, born June 2, 1875 in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina; died October 21, 1934 in Bertie County, North Carolina.

N4. LYDIA⁴ WHICHARD (Nancy³ Fleming, David², John¹) was born in 1830 in North Carolina, according to The Chronicles of Pitt County, North Carolina, published by the Pitt County Historical Society, Greenville, North Carolina, 1982, p. 710.  The 1850 federal census of Pitt County, North Carolina, however, gives her age as 23, suggesting that she was born in 1827.  Lydia died in 1892, according to Whichard (Wichard-Wishard-Wishart), 1654-1954, A Genealogical History by Rogers Dey Whichard, A.M., Ph.D., Norfolk, Virginia, 1954, as typed and provided to me by Obie Guilford Whichard of Falls Church, Virginia on July 29, 1999.  Lydia married Eliphalet Whichard, son of Hardy Whichard.  He was born 1824 (he appears in the 1850 federal census of Pitt County, North Carolina, age 26).

Is Lydia Whichard, wife of Eliphalet Whichard, the same as Mrs. Lydia Whichard named in the story below from The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, October 3, 1883?

MARRIED –– On Sunday, September 30th, 1883, at the residence of Mr. Henry (?) of Martin Co., Mr. W. A. James, of Pitt, to Mrs. Lydia Whichard, Baldy Cofield, Esq., officiating.

Issue:

N12–––i.––– Isabella⁵ Whichard, born in 1849; she appears in the 1850 federal census of Pitt County, North Carolina, age 1.

N5. WILLIS R.⁴ WHICHARD (Nancy³ Fleming, David², John¹) was born on March 16, 1833 (the full date is from cousin Obie Guilford Whichard).  Willis Whichard appears in the 1850 federal census of Pitt County, North Carolina, age 17.  He died on September 10, 1900 in Carolina Township, near Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina; and was buried in the Whichard Family Cemetery, near Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina.

He married first Martha J. Congleton, who was born on June 16, 1842; and died on July 7, 1863.  The Chronicles of Pitt County, North Carolina, published by the Pitt County Historical Society, Greenville, North Carolina, 1982, p. 236 states that James R. Congleton and his second wife, Temperance Gurganus, had four daughters, among them Francis who married W. R. Whichard.  Perhaps Frances is the same individual as Martha J. Congleton?

Willis Whichard enlisted in what became Company E of the North Carolina 55th Regiment Infantry, C.S.A.

On October 21, 1866 in Pitt County, North Carolina, W. R. Whichard married second Mary Ann Amanda Gurganus, who was born on December 15, 1845, in Pitt County, North Carolina; died on July 29, 1931 near Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina; and was buried in the Whichard Family Cemetery.  Amanda was a daughter of Harry Gurganus and Lucinda Rogers.

Biographical Notes on Willis R. Whichard

From North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865, compiled by Weymouth T. Jordan, Jr., v. 13, 53rd-56th Regiments, Raleigh, North Carolina, Division of Archives and History, 1993, p. 483:

WHICHARD, WILLIE R., PRIVATE

Resided in Pitt County and was by occupation a farmer prior to enlisting in Pitt County at age 29, May 5, 1862, for the war.  Discharged prior to July 1, 1862, by reason of being a magistrate.

Company E was raised primarily in Pitt County in March, April and May of 1862.  It was mustered into state service at Camp Mangum, near Raleigh, on May 30, 1862, and assigned to the 55th Regiment North Carolina Troops.

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, January 12, 1887:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS.

The Clerk of the Superior Court of Pitt County having issued Letters of administration to me, the undersigned on the 23rd day of December, 1876, on the estate of John M. Fleming, deceased, notice is hereby given to all persons indebted to the estate to make immediate payment to the undersigned, and to all creditors of said estate, to present their claims properly authenticated to the undersigned within twelve months after the date of this notice, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery.  This 23rd day of December, 1896.

W. R. Whichard
Administrator

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, December 8, 1896:

GIN HOUSE BURNED.

Excerpt from The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, June 3, 1891: Among The Farmers They Talk About Crops, But Do Not Give A Favorable Report –– Good Weather Will Bring A Change for the Better Encouraging news from the crops was hard to run up with any of the farmers who were in town Monday. Mr. W. R. Whichard, living on the line of Pactolus and Carolina, was the first we asked and said that along the road from his home to Greenville he had not in years seen worse prospects ...

Mr. W. R. Whichard, of Pactolus township, sends us a letter in reference to the burning of his gin, which we are sorry want of space prevents our publishing in full.  He said exaggerated statements had been made concerning the fire, and the object of his letter was to correct them.  We condense and quote some of the facts he gives.

“On Thursday morning I had about 3,065 pounds seed cotton in my gin house, and commenced ginning intending to finish for the season on that day.  About 1,650 pounds were ginned before dinner.

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, October 6, 1886: Mr. W. H. Whichard of Pactolus township tells us of a large wild cat which he killed on Monday morning.  It weighed 22 pounds.  He says there are reports of others being killed in his neighborhood recently.

After dinner we were packing and had about half of it in the press, when Mr. H. S. Congleton cried out, ‘Look here!’  I turned and saw fire around his feet in the lint, he (was) fighting it with his hat and calling for water.

I told all to get out as soon as they could.  We all got out and began moving everything from under the house.  The flames were through the roof in five minutes.  All the cotton in the house, 300 or 400 bushels of cotton seed, all my cotton baskets but one, and a few farming tools were burned.

Jacob Moore had a little over 1,400 pounds of seed cotton in the house, and nearly a third of the lint that was lost belonged to H. S. Congleton.  He also had about 100 bushels of seed burned.  T. J. Daniel and Wm. Warren were both slight losers.

Mr. Congleton says he heard the match pop under his feet, and thinks it worked out of his own pocket while he was stooping to pick up cotton.

All burned was a total loss; there being no insurance.  I do not consider my loss more than $500 or $600.

The fire was entirely accidental and no one is blamed for it at all.”

Obituary of Mary Ann Amanda Gurganus

The Daily Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Thursday, July 30, 1931:

FUNERAL FOR MRS. WHICHARD IS HELD TODAY

Beloved Woman Died
Last Night Following
Illness of Several Weeks

Mrs. Mary Amanda Whichard, 85, widow of the late Willis R. Whichard, died at 9:30 o’clock last night at the home of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ernest B. Whichard, near Stokes.  Funeral services were conducted at three o’clock this afternoon by Elder S. B. Denny, of Wilson, followed by interment at the family burying ground near the home place at Whichard’s.

Born in this county December 15, 1845, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Mrs. Lucinda Rogers Gurganus, and in 1866, she was married to Willis R. Whichard.  For more than fifty years she has been a member of Briery Swamp Primitive Baptist church and at the time of her death was probably its oldest and most beloved member.  She was a devout Christian, a devoted mother and a true friend and enjoyed hundreds of friends throughout the county and section, being affectionately called Cousin Mandy by most of those closest to her.

Unusually active for one of her age, she has for the past several years divided her time between her children in this county and in Norfolk and has frequently visited relatives in this city making many friends wherever she went.  Despite the loss of three of her children within the past few years, she never wavered in her Christian faith and never complained of her loss, accepting it as the work of the Supreme Being in whom she had utmost faith.  Even as the shadows of death crept close about her there was never a murmur of complaint and as she greeted those friends who called a few hours before the end, that same bright and lovable disposition shone through the thickening shadows.  The end was peaceful and marked the passing of a most lovable character.

In addition to three sons, W. R. and H. W. Whichard, of Norfolk, and L. R. Whichard, of Whichard, she is survived by eighteen grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and a large number of other relatives.

Pall bearers for the funeral were J. P. Davenport, J. H. Roberson, J. W. Martin, R. O. Congleton, B. D. Moore and C. L. James.

Obituary of Willis R. Whichard

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Friday, September 14, 1900:

MR. W. R. WHICHARD DEAD.

A Father in Israel Called to His Reward

Mr. Willis R. Whichard died at 11 o’clock Monday night at his home in Carolina township.  The funeral took place at the family burial ground Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock and was attended by a large number of relatives and friends.

Deceased was 67 years old last March, and to say that there never lived in Pitt county a better man or better citizen than he is but to express the sentiment of every one who knew him.  For many years he had been a member of the Primitive Baptist church, and his life was that of an earnest consecrated Christian.  He was a diligent student of the Bible, making the study of its sacred pages his daily delight and shaping his life by its teachings.  His faith was unwavering, his trust in the Savior was simple and child-like, and his dying application was “Lord Jesus receive my spirit, I humbly pray.”

For the last ten years of his life, Mr. Whichard was an invalid.  During these years he suffered as almost never man suffered, and it seemed next to impossible for a human being to endure all that he was called to pass through.  Yet he bore it all with Christian fortitude and resignation, often exclaiming, “These light afflictions worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”  It was truly an inspiration to sit by his bedside and hear one so afflicted to talk of Christ’s love and goodness to His children.

hrough his years of suffering his devoted wife, children and sister were unceasing in their attentions for his comfort, and in his dying moments, with his family gathered about him, he said loving hands had done all possible for him but they could not stay the hand of death.  He was ready for the summons when it came.

Mr. Whichard was truly a good man, a useful citizen, and wherever known, was held in highest esteem.  He loved his home and loved farm life, and was one of the few men who made a real success tilling the soil.  He was one of whom it could be truly said that “he lived at home,” and his home was noted far and wide for its hospitality.  He had a business capacity seldom surpassed, and could have worn political honors had he desired them, but he had such love for his home and the quiet and companionship of the family circle that he allowed nothing to separate him from them.

He leaves a wife, six sons, one daughter and a sister, who have a priceless heritage in the life he lived and the good name he bore.  His relations are many, his friends legion, and all will sadly miss him.  “Peace to his ashes, and may his memory ever be blessed.”

The writer feels that he cannot justly close this tribute without brief mention of his own personal loss in the death of this good man.  Being deprived by the wisdom of God of our own father when but a mere boy, he took a father’s place to us.  He was ever ready to give words of counsel and extend a helping hand when needed.  After helping us start upon a business life, he manifested an interest and pride in our making a success of life as if we had been one of his own sons.  And since reaching manhood, it was always a joy to sit, as it were, at his feet and receive words of counsel.

Issue:
Of Willis R. Whichard and Martha J. Congleton

N13–––i.––– Frances Gertrude⁵ Whichard, of whom below, born November 22, 1861 in Pitt County, North Carolina; died January 16, 1930 in Bethel, Pitt County, North Carolina.

Issue:
Of Willis R. Whichard and Mary Ann Amanda Gurganus

N14–––i.––– Claude Linden⁵ Whichard, of whom below, born September 1, 1867 in Whichard’s Station, Pitt County, North Carolina; died January 13, 1931 in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia.

N15–––ii.––– James A. Whichard, born May 4, 1869; died November 15, 1888 in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina.

Obituaries of James A. Whichard

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, October 31, 1888, p. 3:

OUR CALAMITIES.

he Reflector office has labored under very serious disadvantages for the last few weeks, and troubles seemed by no means to come singly upon us.  About three weeks ago, Master Clarence Whichard, a younger brother of the editor and one of our typos, was taken with typhoid fever.  A week ago just as he was getting in a fair way to convalescence, Mr. James Whichard, a cousin and another one of our typos, was stricken down with the same disease.  Seeing that they had proper attention and keeping working going on at the same time required the hardest of efforts, which of course was more taxing because of the anxiety that must be endured.  Had it not been for the coming of our aunts, Miss Frances Whichard and Mrs. W. R. Whichard, to help nurse the sick ones, we hardly know how all could have been done.  It causes us to remember that “in some way or other the Lord will provide.”

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, November 21, 1888:

hursday evening a few minutes past seven o’clock, Mr. James A. Whichard, of Pactolus township, died at the residence of Mrs. V. H. Whichard in this town.

He was 19 years old and was a young man of brightest promise.  He was honest, manly and upright in all things and his life was pure and above reproach.  To his parents, he was ever faithful and submissive, to his brothers and sister, he was kind and affectionate, and to his friends true and sincere.  His manliness and integrity of character won for him the esteem and admiration of all our people.  To the writer he was doubly dear, for apart from the ties of relationship that bound us he had been with us at the Reflector office for several months and stood faithfully by us under all circumstances, it matter not how trying.  For us he manifested truest devotion and his death is indeed painful.  His memory will ever be blessed.

The remains were taken to the family graveyard at the home of his parents and interred on Friday afternoon.  His coffin and grave were covered with floral tributes from Greenville Institute, of which he was last session a pupil, and from numerous friends in Greenville.

The Eastern Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday, November 21, 1888:

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Whichard request that we return their sincere thanks to the people of Greenville for kindness and attention during the recent sickness and death of their son, James A. Whichard.  If there is any earthly power that can lessen grief when parents hearts are torn asunder and their loved ones taken away in the icy clutches of death, it is in the ministry of kind, sympathetic friends.

N16–––iii.––– Willis R. Whichard, Jr., of whom below, born July 9, 1872; died in 1933.

N17–––iv.––– Henry Walter Whichard, of whom below, born March 23, 1875 in Whichard’s Station, near Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina; died March 20, 1960 in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia.

N18–––v.––– David Edgar Whichard, born March 3, 1877; died February 17, 1919.

N19–––vi.––– Lee Roy Whichard, of whom below, born April 30, 1880 in Whichard’s Station, near Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina; died November 15, 1961 in Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville, North Carolina.

N20–––vii.––– Ernest Bryant Whichard, of whom below, born July 2, 1884 in Pitt County, North Carolina; died October 21, 1929 in Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina.

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