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{35213} William Fortune WHITTINGTON
ANCESTORS
DESCENDENTS
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SURNAME LEGACY
UNCLES & AUNTS
Photos: P35213.jpg P35213a.jpg
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Children: |
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| 1 |
{35215}
Mary Almyra Whittington
b11/05/1878 [Robertson Co., TX],
d11/30/1963 [Franklin, TX]
( 85.0)
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| 2 |
{35216}
Moses Clifton Whittington
b03/02/1880 [Robertson, TX],
d07/27/1960 [Titus, TX]
( 80.3)
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| 3 |
{35212}
Hugh Franklin Whittington
b06/20/1883 [Robertson Co., TX],
m01/01/1911 [Robertson Co., TX],
d12/08/1968 [Robertson Co., TX]
( 85.4)
{ 17209 } Lela Mae (FRAZIER) Whittington b08/19/1889 [Robertson Co., TX], d12/30/1938 [Robertson Co., TX] ( 49.3) | ||||||||
| 4 |
{35217}
Maud Ethel Whittington
b08/31/1886 [Robertson, TX],
d07/08/1964 [Robertson, TX]
( 77.8)
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| 5 |
{35218}
Samuel Luther Whittington
b03/23/1888 [Robertson, TX],
d01/01/1971 [Robertson, TX]
( 82.8)
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| 6 |
{35219}
Joseph Andrew Whittington
b12/07/1890 [Robertson, TX],
d03/10/1981 [Abilene, TX]
( 90.3)
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| 7 |
{35220}
Robert Emmett Whittington
b06/25/1893 [Robertson, TX],
d03/01/1965 [n/a]
( 71.7)
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| 8 |
{35221}
John Bunyan Whittington
b06/10/1897 [Robertson, TX],
d12/06/1928 [Robertson, TX]
( 31.4)
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| 9 |
{35222}
Ruby Olivia Whittington
b08/22/1899 [Robertson, TX],
d08/01/1991 [Robertson, TX]
( 91.9)
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| End of Children List | |||||||||
Mr. W. F. Whittington, retired farmer, 88, died in Houston at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Maud Blackmon early Friday morning. The funeral was held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday from the West Boone Church of Christ. Interment followed immediately in the West Boone Cemetery. Rev. H.E.Kelley of the Church of Christ at Centerville in a most beautiful and appropriate manner performed the last solemn religious rites.
Mr. Whittington was well known and was one of the early settlers in this section. He was born in Leake County, Mississippi, February 16, 1851. At the age of 21 in 1872, he came to Texas and settled in Boone Prairie community in Robertson County. He was married January 16, 1878 to Miss Julia Rebecca Crane also a member of one of the oldest and well known pioneer famillies of this section. Mrs. Whittington preceded her husband in death some 30 years ago. Nine children were born to the union as follows: Mrs. Myra Stegall, Moses, Hugh, Luther, Joe and Mrs. Ollie Browning all of Franklin and Mrs. Maude Blackmon of Houston, Emmett Whittington of Columbia, Louisiana. One son, John died some 10 years ago. Mr. Whittington is also survived by two half brothers, Jim and Frank Whittington of Carthage, Mississippi. 27 grand children and 15 great grandchildren.
Mr.Whittington was converted to the Christian faith in 1890 and was baptized into the Church of Christ and was a life long member and strong supporter of his church.
Mr. Whittington was an outstanding citizen of this section always active and aggressive in furthering whatever was to the bes interest of the community. He was a good man, reared a large family and is one of the last of those sturdy pioneers to pass on. The active pallbears, all grandsons were as follows: Jack, Raymond, Harwood, Hubert and Kenneth Whittington and Hollis Blackman.
An Interesting Story
[An 85 year old man is our distinguished author of this article which he related to his granddaughter, Mrs. Julia O'Rear of Franklin. It is a story of a boy - of two boys - he knew and one boy he lived to know]
On a chill November day in 1868, a stalwart youth of seventeen set out to seek new lands and possible fortune and to thrill to the wonders of adventure. That day was November 15. The youth was W.F.Whittington, better know to his close friends now as "Uncle Fortune". The city and state was Carthage, Mississippi.
Once gone from his home this lad who had known a warm hearthstone at Thanksgiving, a host of friends and relations, a table laden with much food, faced a strange and indifferent world. This Thanksgiving would be different. No loved ones by his side, none of the security offered by a home, nothing save that of his own efforts and struggles. But he liked it. He liked traveling by wagon as was the only means of a cross-country journey. Day and night he drove with a companion, stopping now and then for sleep and food, carrying with them such provisions as could be bought in those days and preparing much of their own eats along the weary road. Two teams of mules tugged their load over the rough way. There were no real roads in those days. Mere paths beat out along the countryside through the state of Mississippi and on into the delta with munk and mud composing the greater part. Thus he traveled for thirty-five days meeting such dangers as were common in an unsettled land. Upon reaching the Mississippi River, he crossed by means of a steamboat still holding to all his possessions he had taken from home. Helem, then the river-dock on the Arkansas line, still stands, magnificent in beauty and prosperous in wealth. This young and enthusiastic traveler went on his way until he came to Darnell, Arkansas, where he decided to live for awhile. His livelihood came from horse trading and farming as in previous years. Prices were low and commodities few. In those hard years of toll he thought of the home he had left; of a dear little brother of five. Whatever his plans for the future, he always recalled the happy days behind him.
Late in the year 1873, this young man, now twenty-one years of age, heard of the wonderful land called Texas and dreamed of a home so again he started out to make his dreams come true, so taking his wagon and teams and provisions, he crossed the country and came to the border of Texas, the Red River. Here he crossed at Mill Creek, which was then the Indian Choctaw Territory. A boy of his years had much to encounter during those early years of development. Open saloons prevailed much drunkenness was both seen and heard. A boy had to be a man to get along.
Overcoming such obstacles by October of that year, he reached a little community five miles west of our present city. A few residences probably a blacksmith shop and a store composed the businesses.
News was spreading fast of the yellow fever epidemic which had taken its toll in Franklin and Calvert. The young man left immediately for Bald Prairie to live until the cold winter brought about the halt of the yellow fever terror. Following this, he made for himself a fair living for those days and moved to Limestone County, but returning to Robertson County where he had established friendship and love. This was some nine or ten years since the mere lad of seventeen had left home in Mississippi. He was a man. During this time, he had received news from home that another baby, a boy had been born.
Yearning for a home of his own, he fell in love and married Miss Julia Crane on January 16, 1878. At the time of his marriage, he was the only known person in those parts who bore the name of Whittington. Today, he has sons, grandsons and great-grandsons who bear his name.
He is enjoying a quiet and peaceful life in the home of one of his daughters, Mrs. Sid Browning. On last July 22, in the night, someone knocked on his door. Upon answering the door, he found that the little baby brother of five years, whom he had left at home in Mississippi sixty-five years ago had come to visit him, bringing one of his youngest children, a young lady of twenty-three. This brother was Frank and in the same party making the trip from Mississippi was Jim, the baby born after "Uncle Fortune" left home. Jim is now sixty-three years of age. Uncle Fortune is eighty-five.
After happy greetings of this eventful meeting of three brothers almost the remainder of the night was spent in recalling old memories, family histories and stories of real life. Traveling by automobile, the trip was made in one day with plenty of time spent along the way for sightseeing, rest and food.
We were happy to have them with us for a visit and hope that we all meet out our old age as courageously and as happy as these three brothers. On Sunday, July 26, 1936. a family reunion was held at the home of H.F.Whittington at Boone Prairie where the family enjoyed a delighful dinner and a day of tales of the by gone days...
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