Mildred (Whitehead) White (abt. 1760 - 1807)

Born about 1760 in Orange, North Carolina

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 30 Nov 1807 at about age 47 in Cross Keys, Union, South Carolina, United States

Biography

This profile is part of the Whitehead Name Study.

Mildred 'Milly' Whitehead was the oldest child & daughter of William & Francis "Fanny" (Pope) Whitehead of Laurens County, South Carolina, just West and South of Cross Keys, Union County, South Carolina. We can only estimate Milly's birth years 1758-1763, that goes for the same on all of her siblings.

Most of William Whitehead's children are shown to have been born in Caswell County, North Carolina; however, I dispute that. The children born before 1778 had to have been born elsewhere in North Carolina, possibly in Granville. Those born after 1778 were born in Caswell County, which leaves the three oldest children in question. There are tax records showing a William Whitehead in Granville County, North Carolina from 1769 to 1778. Milly's siblings from the original will (only) of William Whitehead were:

1. Lusa [Louisa] (Whitehead) Adkins (Atkins)
2. Benjamin Whitehead
3. Thomas Whitehead
4. Daniel Whitehead
5. Jane (Whitehead) Alberson (Alverson)
6. Stephen Whitehead
7. Sarah (Whitehead) Strain
8. William Whitehead
9. John Whitehead
10. Nancy Whitehead

The first nine mothered by Francis Pope, last two by mothered by Margaret Nickles (Nichols).

Milly's family came from Granville to Caswell County, North Carolina in 1778, when her father made his first purchase of land on Moon's creek in Caswell District of Caswell County, North Carolina, (William Adkins was witness, important later) the upper left quadrant of the county, just south of the Dan River portion the tipped into Caswell County, North Carolina, before working its way back into Virginia. There was a William Whitehead in the Goshen District of Granville County, North Carolina in 1778 near the Tar River. Granville was formed from old Edgecombe County, North Carolina. There are records of a William Whitehead in Granville from about 1768 to 1778. The 1778 Caswell deed of our William Whitehead, states "...William Whitehead of Granville...", this was on the purchase of land on Moon's Creek in Caswell. Other deeds show that when he sold land in Caswell, and he was now living in Laurens County, South Carolina. The deed trail is clear.

This whole area where the family moved was once old 96th District when the families of Robert White and William Whitehead arrived 1787 and 1788. The 96th District was split in 1791to form Union District where Milly and Robert lived and Laurens County, South Carolina, and where her father also lived. Both families owned land on Cane Creek, now in Laurens County, South Carolina. Robert's land may have come from Milly's inheritance, as her father died in 1805 and Milly in 1807, and records show that Robert White sold the Cane creek lands 1814.

If Milly married Robert White about 1775, then it is logical they possibly married in Granville County, North Carolina, just east of pre-1791, Caswell County. There was a William Whitehead living in the Goshen District of Granville in 1778, near the Tar River, and near the border with Caswell County. An 1871 letter from Robert's grandson, Isaac Murphy, says, "...grandfather White, was born near the Roanoke River, Virginia, and lived a time on the Tar River, North Carolina..." Robert White was in the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1781 (per his obituary, he served six years). In 1781, he joined William Whitehead's family, now living on Hogan's Creek, also just south of the Dan River. William Whitehead bought lands on Hogan's Creek, while still owning land on Moons Creek, and deed transactions verify this. William and Robert are living two households from each other on the 1786 census. The land may have been given to Robert by William Whitehead, as there are no deed/grant records of Robert buying or selling land in Caswell County. He had 342 acres of land on Hogan's Creek and William over 1150 acres. Robert's land is unrecorded. Both William and Robert are listed in 1781 to 1788 Tax Records together, William from 1780, with the land acreage noted, but varying in size.

It was common for men to marry women 15 to 20 years younger than themselves, in the 1700's, this was done mainly to raise a large family. Robert White, Sr. married Milly about 1775 and their first child was born 1776.

The 1880 Census^[1] shows Robert White and his family living in Union District, South Carolina. The Census shows the following:

Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 3

Free White Persons - Males - 16-25: 3

Free White Persons - Males - 45 and Over: 1

Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 2

Free White Persons - Females - 10-15: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 26-44: 1

Number of Slaves: 1

Number of Household Members Under 16: 6

Number of Household Members Over 25: 2

Number of Household Members: 12

The original Will of William Whitehead, Sr. clearly shows, Milly as "Milla White", as her sisters were also named by their husbands' surnames. All of the transcripts are in error, and show Milly as Milla Whitehead, an honest mistake, as well as White vs Whitehead. The 1825 estate papers of William Whitehead have the original Will attached, not the 1805 bundle.

The estate administrator was Charles Nickles (Nichols), both Margaret and Charles (Charter) were from Ireland, and they may have been related. A Nickles family lived near the Whitehead's on Cane Creek, as did the Alverson's, from Caswell County, North Carolina. James Alverson, Sr. died 1784 in Laurens. His son, James Jr., lived a couple of households from William Whitehead, also on Cane Creek. William's daughter, Jane, married a Alberson (Alverson).

Charles (Charter) Nickles (Nichols) handled the estate of William Whitehead. He also purchased Robert White, Sr.'s Cane Creek land (195 acres), in 1814, (Milly died in 1807), in Laurens County, South Carolina. Robert's son, William White, and his son-in-law, Lewis Rhodes, were witnesses. The death of Milly would have left Robert White as her heir.

The Will of William Whitehead stipulated that once his second wife Margaret remarried or died, that the estate, would then be divided equally amongst all of the children. Margaret must have remarried or died between about 1813-1814. No Whiteheads were on the 1810 or 1820 Laurens County, South Carolina Census.

• Deed Book C 686(165)

West Pope to his son-in-law William Whitehead of Edgecombe Co. 14 Apr 1764. Deed of Gift Negro boys Ned, Jeffry & Robin Wit: Wm Haywood, Sarah(X) Evins. Apr Ct. 1764. James Hall CC"

"William Whitehead would have been in his early 20's in 1764".

"Granville County, North Carolina was created from old Edgecombe County, North Carolina in 1746. The Pope's, & Whitehead's were in this county at this time period, Edgecombe now split into many smaller counties". The Pope's of Edgecombe have early ties to Pope families that lived in the Isle Wight County, Virginia.

The above 'Deed of Gift' is inspiring. Living in Newberry County, South Carolina next to Laurens County, and also in Edgefield County, South Carolina, were Pope families from Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The Pope's and Whitehead's of Edgecombe County, North Carolina are on numerous deeds and other documents together, from Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Building roads together, etc.

If we can prove this 'Deed of Gift' as fact, that would mean Mildred "Milly" Whitehead White's maternal grandparents may have been West Pope and his wife Mary Whitehead. Mary was said to be the daughter of Tobias and Susannah Whitehead of Edgecombe/Halifax Counties, North Carolina, a promising prospect. West Pope died without a Will in 1784. His wife Mary quickly remarried to Christopher Ing, (West still had under aged children living at home, that became orphans). I have found some older children via deeds and the estate records, but have yet to locate a single mention that a Frances Pope was his daughter, the search continues... It appears at this time, proving that the William Whitehead on the Deed of Gift is Milly's father, may be the best course to pursue.

Worthy to note here, at least by 1778, Milly's father William Whitehead owned 'No Slaves', according to Tax and Census records from 1778 to 1805. in 1780 he had over 3100 acres Caswell County, North Carolina; however, he was providing provisions/food for the Revolutionary War soldiers, per pay vouchers.

We do not know where Milly is buried for sure, we suspect where a field stone lies, at the Padgett's Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, in Cross Keys, Union County, South Carolina, where her husband Robert White was also buried in 1843.^[2]

Research Notes

On the subject of Milly's mother Frances Pope Whitehead. What evidence is there that her surname was Pope? Descendants claim this without proof... I have found one "deed of gift in Edgecombe County, North Carolina that I am pursuing, I list that below:

Sources

1. ↑ "1880 United States Federal Census", Census Place: Union District, South Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 50; Page: 217; Image: 427; Family History Library Film: 181425. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA, 2010.
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73459704/mildred-white : accessed 01 December 2021), memorial page for Mildred “Milly” Whitehead White (unknown–30 Nov 1807), Find a Grave Memorial ID 73459704, citing Padgett's Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Cross Keys, Union County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Mike White (contributor 47543185) .

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Kenyon Tribble for creating WikiTree profile Whitehead-1268 through the import of F. Kenyon Tribble Jr. Family Tree.ged on Oct 2, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Kenyon and others.