Samuel Whatley (1762 - 1826)

Born 2 Mar 1762 in Bute County, North Carolina, Colonial America

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 3 Oct 1826 at age 64 in Greene County, Georgia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joe Willis Jones [send private message]

Biography

Samuel Whatley is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P317197
Rank: Patriotic Service

https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/317197

Samuel Whatley was born on Mar 2 1762 in Bute County, North Carolina. He died on Oct 3 1826 in Greene County, Georgia and is buried one and one half miles east of Sandy Cross Road on Silas Mercer Road NE near Crawfordville, Taliaferro County on private property. GPS N333757.53 and W824802.64.

It is thought his first resting place was at Bethesda Baptist Church, a marker was placed prior to 1936 at Bethesda Baptist Church formally know as Whatley's Mill Church where Samuel was a supply pastor. Land for Whatley's Mill church was given to the Church by Ornan Whatley kinsman to Samuel Whatley.

Book "History Of Greene County, Georgia" page 344 "Samuel Whatley, a Revolutionary soldier whose father and Uncle were killed by Indians and Tories Twice hanged and twice shot but managed to live to a ripe old age and his grave has a Federal Marker."

Book "Genealogical Abstracts Of Revolutionary War Pension Files"

Volume III: N-Z Page 3764

"Whatley, Samuel, GA Line, Catharine, W6492, BLW #40901-160-55, sol was eldest of his parents children & when sol was a lad of 14 his father was killed by Cherokee Indians at "Cherokee Corner" in NC, sol lived in Bute Co NC prior to moving to Wikes Co GA where he lived when he enlisted into the Rev Army & he was wounded in service & rec'd a disability pension under act of 29 Sep 1789, sol d 1st Monday in Oct 1826 (3 Oct) at his home in Wilkes Co GA (this date of death was given by sol's widow Catharine Whatley however various witnesses gave 1827, 1830, 1831 & 1832 ???, at sol's death he had lived in Wilkes Co GA some 50 years, sol m Catharine daughter of James Anglin a Native of Ireland who moved with 7 son's & 1 daughter (Catharine) from NC to GA & settled in Wilkes Co GA near where Washington GA later stood (having left NC about the time the Rev started), sol's wife's mother had died prior to their moving from NC, sol & Catharine Anglin were m in 1871 or 1782 in Wilkes Co GA, wid appl 4 jul 1842 in Pike Co GA at which time she had been living with her son James Whatley some 10 yrs & she appl there for BLW in 1856 sol & wife raised a large family of children in Wilkes Co GA, in 1842 wid stated 5 of her sons were still living & all were living in GA but the son James Whatley was the only child in the claim, in 1844 one Henry Anglin, Sr. made aff'dt in Jackson Co GA but no kinship was given, in 1842 John Shaw & his wife Mary (she was wids cousin) were living in Greene Co GA"

Book "SHIRLEY WHATLEY, SR. AND HIS DESCENDANTS"

Chapter V. Interesting Information Georgia Baptist -(Biographical) by J. H. Campbell Published 1847 and 1874 Pages 119 -123

Samuel Whatley

About the year 1776, William Whatley, the father of the subject of these brief memoirs, removed from North Carolina, and settled in Wilkes County, Georgia, having a wife and four children, of whom Samuel was the oldest. Soon after their arrival in this State, his father and his uncle, Wilson Whatley, were killed by Indians at the Cherokee Corner, whilst engaged in surveying land. The care of his widowed mother and her orphan children devolved upon Samuel, who, at the tender age of fourteen, had to act the fourfold part of father, brother, son and soldier. He was well grown for one of his years, and the death of his father and uncle roused a spirit within him which prompted him at once to volunteer in his country's service, against the combined forces of the British and Indians. He accordingly served successfully under Clark, Dooly, Williamson and other revolutionary patriots. Did it comport with the design of this work, we might entertain the reader with many thrilling incidents of his history as a youthful soldier. We must confine ourselves, however, to only one or two.

On one occasion, while connected with a company of mounted infantry, he was required to march in silence about twenty-five miles, during a freezing winter night. Being thinly clad, he was quite overcome by the cold, and at the end of the trip, was taken from his horse in a speechless state. It was with much difficulty, and after he had suffered unspeakable anguish, that he was restored to consciousness He was in the battle at the seige of Augusta, when the Whigs were defeated, and with others made his escape by swimming the Savannah river, opposite the city. He was barely able to reach the bank, and must have perished but that he was pulled out by his fellow soldiers. Almost destitute of clothing, he became separated from his companions, and spent the night in a tree-top alone. Next morning he fell in with a herd of swine, which he followed to the main road. To his great joy, his own captain soon came along, took him up on his horse, and carried him safely to camp. Some few months afterwards, he was wounded and taken prisoner in the battle of Long-Cane, South Carolina, while under the command of Colonel Williamson. His left arm was broken by a musket ball. In this situation, he was taken by the Tories, who made one or two attempts to hang him; but failing, for want of a suitable rope, they delivered him to the British at Ninety-Six. His wound was not dressed until the third day after it was inflicted. From the effects of this wound, he never entirely recovered, and was a pensioner of the government on account of it. He amused the British officers by singing "Liberty Songs" for them, which he was very fond of doing, and of which he knew a great many. The night before he was taken by the Tories, he lay out in the woods, and while suffering excruciating pain from his broken arm, he was attacked by three wolves, from which he narrowly escaped with his life. The next morning, driven by hunger to the residence of a widow, he was discovered and taken by the tories, as above stated.

How long this imprisonment continued is not known. But soon after his release, he returned to his mother in Wilkes County, where he went to school a few months. During the remainder of the war, he was frequently engaged in short excursions against the enemy; but was no more connected with the regular army.

He finally married Miss Catherine Anglin, and settled in Wilkes County on a tract of land which he took up on head rights, and where he raised a large family, having cultivated it upwards of forty years. His wife is no more, and though she never made a public profession of religion, is believed by her friends to have been a lover of Jesus Christ. Soon after his marriage and settlement, many of his relatives from North Carolina and Virginia removed and located in his immediate neighborhood, and as they were all agreed in politics and kind in their feelings towards each other, Mr. whatley considered himself a happy man. This happiness, however, was of short duration, for Silas Mercer, that faithful servant of the Lord, was his nearest neighbor, and did not cease to warn him of his guilt and danger as a sinner against God. These warnings were not in vain, for his eyes being opened to a discovery of his lost condition be betook himself to repentance and prayer day and night. His convictions and troubles continued many days. When, at length, the Lord was pleased to meet with him in mercy in a forest, where he was accustomed to retire for prayer, his joy such as to prompt him to arise and repair to his wife, to whom he communicated the glad tidings, Next, he went to Silas Mercer, and informed him "what great things the lord had done for his soul." Within a few months after his conversion, he was baptized by the said Mercer, and joined Phillips's Mill Church, of which he continued and exemplary member the remainder of his life, a period of about fourty years.

He soon became an active and prominent member of the church. But how long he enjoyed this relation, before he commenced his public ministration of the Word, is not known. Owing to his limited circumstance, his labors were mostly confined to the regions contiguous to him. Though given to many eccentricities, he was a man of good natural parts, and of a noble and generous nature. His person was tall and commanding, being six feet and nearly four inches in height, and weighing upwards of two hundred pounds.

Upon the decease of Silas Mercer, the friendship of Mr. Whatley was transferred to Jesse Mercer, his son. This distinguished man ever entertained much respect and sincere regard for Mr. Whatley. In like manner was he held in high esteem even by men who did not fear God. At the house of an unbeliever, he was invited and accustomed to hold religious meetings. Another wicked man declared his intention to make a present of a negro, "because" as he said, "Mr. Whatley was the best man in Wilkes County." Having died without fulfilling his design, his widow subsequently made him a deed to a likely negro boy.

His decease took place in October, 1820, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, in the early part of the session of the Georgia Association, of which he had been so long a member. A funeral discourse was preached before that body by his intimate friend and brother, Jesse Mercer. The same individual continued to preach similar discourses, in memory of Mr. Whatley, for several weeks in the churches most acquainted with his character, and which had mainly enjoyed the advantages of his labors as an evangelist. After having been once almost drowned, twice frozen, twice shot, and hung once, he survived to enjoy the blessings of liberty to good old age, and then to die in peace and hope upon his own bed, at home, and in the midst of kindred and friends.

Book "GEORGIA CITIZENS AND SOLDIERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION" by Robert S. Davis Jr.

Page 209

POST-REVOLUTIONARY WAR DOCUMENTS THAT RELATE TO REVOLUTIONARY SERVICE

The following are taken from the "Georgia Military Records Book," Georgia Department of Archives and History, an attempt by B.B. de Graffenried in 1857-1858 to compile a book of state military records for the period 1779 to 1839. Revolutionary War period documents that were included in the "Georgia Military Records Book," are reproduced elsewhere in this work from original documents. Among the documents included here is an incomplete list of men who received Georgia state Revolutionary pensions and the dates that they were wounded in the war. Prvt. Samuel Whatley 2nd Reg. Commencement of pay Dec. 10, 1781 Expiration of pay Dec. 13, 1786.

Book "CHRONICLES OF WILKES COUNTY, GEORGIA" from Washington's Newspapers 1889 -1898

Articles of Eliza A. Bowen, Rev. F. T. Simpson, S. A. Wooten, and others.

Transcribed and edited by Mary Bondurant Warren

Page 202 - 203

WASHINGTON CHRONICLE, February 26, 1890

REV. MR. WHATLEY AND THE TORY

I was very much interested in Miss Eliza Bowen's history of old Phillips church. I remember going there with my mother who sometimes walked, as we lived near. On one occasion after crossing the bridge over Little River, she sent me with a pitcher to the spring which was but a few rods from the road. I shall never forget my surprise at seeing the water rushing from the big hill through a wooden spout. I remember Mr. Stokes, but have no recollection of Mr. Mercer, both of whom preached there.

Then there was Mr. Whatley who exhorted, and sometimes preached when there was no other minister present. He was not educated, but was a good man and had the confidence of his neighbors, who helped him at times with their gifts, as he was poor. He was very patriotic during the revolution and his zeal sometimes led him to say and do things which brought upon the displeasure of the tories, who seized and carried him to the Indian nation and threatened to kill him if he returned. For months he wandered about hiding from the Indians, and finally made his way home where he secreted himself till the war ended. After peace was declared, during a revival at Phillips, one of the tories became very much concerned and asked Whatley who was exhorting down the aisle to pray for him. He told him he could not do it. "Why," said the tory? "I have not forgotten the time you drove me into the Indian country where I came near dying from hunger and cold." "But," said the tory, "you ought to forgive, I want you to pray for me." Whatley relented a little and said, "hold on, maybe I can do something for you. "Going to Mr. Mercer, who was in the pulpit, he told him there was a tory there who wanted him to pray for him, but under the circumstances he did not feel willing to undertake it, "and now," said he, "Brother Mercer, can you do anything for him?" "Yes," said Mr. Mercer, "bring him here and I will pray for him." It was possible for a tory to be saved, but some of those who suffered at their hands did not think so.

REVOLUTIONARY PENSION APPLICATION #W6492

National Archives, Washington, D. C. See also BOUNTY LAND WARRANT 40901-160-55.

Samuel Whatley was first pensioned for wounds by the State of Georgia and was paid by then until transferred to the federal pension rolls under the act of 1816. Whatley was wounded in battle at Long Cane, S.C. December 10, 1781 and loss the use of his left arm. He was first pensioned in 1786 and was examined then by James Lander, Inspector of Invalids for Georgia. Whatley was serving under Capt. Macajah Williamson in a company of Mounted Militia under Col. Elijah Clarke, and had lived in Wilkes County the past 47 years, and earlier in Bute County, North Carolina according to deposition signed March 10, 1824 The widow Mrs. Catherine Whatley obtained a pension, and later bounty land in right of her late husband's service.

Her letter to R.W. Habersham, Georgia's Senator disclosed: about the time of the revolution her father James Anglin moved from North Carolina to Georgia and settled near Washington, Ga., bringing with him 7 sons and Catherine "a motherless daughter about 13 years old." Her brothers were all older than she. Her father was a native of Ireland. The Anglins had lived in Wilkes County for five or six years when she married Samuel Whatley, a boy about her age, whose father had been killed by Indians at the Cherokee Corner [now corner of Clarke and Oglethorpe Cos.] when Samuel was only 14, the eldest of a family of children.

During the Revolution young Samuel Whatley served as needed under Elijah Clarke, and was in the seige of Augusta. He was serving under Clarke when he was shot in the left arm. Catherine and Samuel were betrothed before he left on the South Carolina campaign, and when he returned home with his wounds still fresh and "all over" they were married before "Old squire Biddle of Wilkes on his return. [Absalom Beddell]

She had lived for 45 years after her marriage in Wilkes County, and moved to Pike County, Georgia after Samuel's death to the plantation of her son James Whatley, where she had resided for the past 9 or 10 years.

She had five sons in 1842 "still alive and Georgia citizens." She married to Samuel whatley in Wilkes County in 1781 or 1782 but records will be hard to obtain "all witness dead except one, alive 15 years ago, and have not heard from since," she added.

In 1842 she was 80 years old, having lived in Georgia 67 years, in Wilkes County 55 and in Pike County 9 years. Samuel whatley died "the first Monday in October 1826. See Sherwoods gazetteer or his tombstone in Wilkes County." She tells of Whatley's loyalty to the "Whig" cause. "Before he reached maturity he was twice frozen, once perished & drowned, once hung and twice shot for his unflinching zeal in the defense of Liberty and American Independence." Catherine Whatley could be reached by mail through her son, who lived at Midway Post Office, Jones County, Georgia.

Henry Anglin, senior, who served with Whatley under Micajah Williamson, testified that Whatley was wounded at the Long Canes in South Carolina, and was taken prisoner by the British. He was by them kept in prison for four or five months and came home with wounds all over. A. Beddell, Justice of the Peace, performed the marriage ceremony for Catharine and Samuel Whatley he testified. His deposition was sworn Feb. 13, 1844 in Jackson County, Ga.

Catherine Whatley lived to be more than 96 years of age.

Book "Georgia Bible Records" Compiled by Jennette Holland Austin

Pages 99-100

JONES SEABORN WHATLEY BIBLE Owner:Frederick S. Mulder 1482 York Ave., N.Y., N.Y. 10021

Jones Seaborn Whatley b. 5/7/1813 Deaths Sarah Hill Whatley b. 1/5/1826 Dan. twin 4/25/1858 William Jesse 9/23/1842 Seaborn J. 10/8/1860 Tabitha Elizabeth ---/22/1844 William Jesse, killed with a Mary Jane 8/17/184- shell at Suffolk 5/3/1863 Sarah Frances 12/19/1848 Etta? Caroline 1/4/1844 Thomas A. 2/11/1851 Ida Antonet 6/4/1868 Susan Catharine--- Lola? Jones 3/24/1871 Lydia Ann 71--/1855 Jingree 4/27/1857 dau. , twin, --/27/1857 Seaborn 4/20/1860 Louisa Bonner 12/27/--

SAMUEL WHATLEY BIBLE

Samuel Whatley b. 3/2/1762, d. 10/3/1826 Catherine Whatley b. 5/2/1762, d. 8/7/1857 Children: James Whatley d. 7/31/1856 Wilson Whatley d. 2/20/1875 William Whatley d. 2/22/1876

Births Seaborn J. Whatley, b. Wilkes CO. , Ga. 10/18/1798, son of Samuel and Catherine Whatley. Martha E. Whatley, dau. of John and Elizabeth Livingston, b. in Edgefield Dist., S.C. 7/17/1808 And their children in following order: William Henry b. 2/2/1833 Wilkes Co., Ga. Samuel John b. 10/31/1834 Harris Co., Ga. Elizabeth Anna b. 3/4/1836 Harris Co., Ga. Katherine Savannah b. 11/28/1837 Harris Co., Ga. Sarah Jane b. 7/12/1839 Barns Co., Ga."I. Nary Frances b.2/28/1841 Harris Co., Ga. Susan Wilson b.12/23/1842 Harris Co., Ga. James Lewis b. 11/2/1844 Harris Co., Ga. Martha Hilford b. 9/10/1849 Harris Co., Ca. Laura Cassandrab. 10/25/1849 Harris Co., Ga.tY

Marriages Seaborn J. Whatley of Wilkes Co. to Martha Elizabeth Livingston of Harris Co., Ga. 1/15/1832 William H. Whatley to Ann C. Sutton 12/20/1855 Sarah Jane Whatley to John A. Partridge 3/20/1856 Elizabeth A. Whatley to James H. young 8/25/1857 Katherine S. Whatley to Warren A. Clark 1/14/1868 Laura C. Whatley to William Hoses Jones 1/13/1869 James L. Whatley to Mary E. Keyes 4/30/1879

Deaths Martha E. Whatley, wife of S. J. Whatley and mother of all these children d. 7/18/1868, aged 60 yrs. Seaborn J. Whatley d. 2/9/1886, aged 87 yrs., 3 mos., 21 days. Samuel John Whatley d. 9/12/1843 Martha Milford Whatley d. 11/11/1862 Susan Wilson Whatley d. 10/1/1879 Mary Frances Whatley d. 5/7/1881 Katherine Savanna Clark d. 10/l/1881

William Alford, son of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 6/28/1858 James Wilson, son of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 12/7/1859 Samuel Willis, son of S.J. and I.T. Whatley b. 4/17/1861 Thomas Columbus, son of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 9/18/1862 Henry Taylor, son of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 5/9/1864 Lucy Cena, dau. of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 3/13/1866 Sarah Catherine, dau. of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 4/6/1867 Emily Albino, dau. of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 8/6/1868 Lilly Lee, dau. of S.J. and I. T. Whatley b. 5/1/1873 Melissa Ann dau. of S.J. and I. T. Whatley b.5/31/1874 Pearly Abscilla of S.J. and I. T. Whatley b. 7/16/1876 Alma Mater, dau. of S. J. and I. I. Whatley b. 2/2/1878 Anna Miles, dau. of S. J. and I. T. Whatley b. 2/5/1880.

Deaths Samuel Willis, son of S. J.and I. T. Whatley d. 11/12/1862 Anna Miles, dau. of S. J. and I. T. Whatley d. 7/26/1880 Billie d. 11/4/1894 Mother d. 10/23/1910 Father a. 11/24/1911 Sallie d. 5/27/1913 Lucy d. 12/12/1921 L. W. P. b. 11/9/1860, d. 10/6/1907 W. J. S. b.1/--/---, d.--/1914 Samuel J. Whatley, son of Willis and Lucy Whatley b. 6/22/1831 Washington, Wilkes Co., Ga. Isabella T. Harp, dau. of Wm. & Cena Harp b. 6/16/1841 Pike Co. Samuel J. Whatley m. Isabella Harp 10/27/1857

Lucy Whatley, mother of S. J. Whatisy and four of their children d. at home of her dau., Jane Collier 6/21st, age 70.

Cena Harp, mother of I. T. Harp and ten other children d. 3/21st. aged 46. Wilson Whatley, son of Samuel and Catherine Whatley d.at res. of his nephew, Samuel J.Whatley 2/21/1875. aged 84 yrs.

Zacbariah T. Harp, son of William and Cena Harp, d. 1/19/1864 aged 18 yrs.

Samuel married Catherine ANGLIN in 1782 in Wilkes County, Georgia. Catherine was born 1 on May 2 1762 in North Carolina. She died 2 on Aug 7 1857. Catherine was baptized 3 in 1850 in Pike County, Georgia.

1850 census list birth place as North Carolina

1850 Pike County, Georgia census age 89

They had the following children:

• Seaborn Jones WHATLEY was born on Oct 18 1798 and died on Feb 9 1886.
• William WHATLEY was born in 1787 and died on Feb 22 1876.
• Wilson WHATLEY was born about 1790. He died 1 on Feb 20 1875.
• James WHATLEY was born in 1789 and died on Jul 31 1836.
• David WHATLEY was born about 1790.
• Susan WHATLEY was born about 1790.
• Willis WHATLEY was born in 1790 and died on Nov 4 1894.

Sources

Acknowledgments

Joe Willis Jones, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Joe Willis and others.