Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Nancy of Stillwater Creek


Nancy Whitley did not appear in the 1850 census of Stanly County, but we can rest assured that she was there. Above is just one of a number of documents that name her as living along Stillwater Creek in the western part of Stanly County, in the 1850's.
My quest is to figure out who Nancy Whitley was, aside from the mother of the four children we know she was the mother of Hardin, Mary, William Pinkney and Taylor Whitley. Two of her sons died in the Civil War. Only one of them left children, and her daughter is a complete mystery, as there were so many Mary Whitelys. 





The location of Stillwater Creek does me no favors in the search to discover who she may have been the widow of among the Stanly County area Whitleys. It runs from east ofLocust, south to the Rocky River,  between Stanfield and Oakboro. Shown above, it's the blue line between the two red ones. Covering a great deal of territory and territory common to the Whitley family. 




Nancy appears to have been on her own, and a landowner, soon after the inception of the county of Stanly. I found her in a tax list, with her son, Hardy, also seen as Hardin, listed above her, in 1863. They owned 50 acres each. They were next to Hezekiah Whitley. Make a note of that.



May Session of Court, 1855
"Ordered by the Court that Hardy Whitley be appointed overseer of the road from Hezekiah Whitley's to Charles Dry's Ford and that John T Griffin, John Yow, JH Griffin, Calvin J Austin, David M Harkey, Ezekiel M Brooks, Hezekiah Whitley, Temperance Austin's hands, Ezekiel Brooks hands, William Hinson and Charles Cagle work as hands and that the overseer Mile Mark the road from the County line to Albemarle.
Again, we see the names of Nancy or her family in conjunction with Hezekiah.

On September 26, 1851, Nancy Whitley bought a tract of land for $50 from Daniel Freeman, merchant and businessman. It was located on Austin Road and met Hezekiah Whitley's corner, Henry Baker's line, back to Baker's corner, Caswell Smith's line and back to the Austin Road. 
Jess Morton was a witness, and it was processed on March 26th, 1852.


The above deed 169 is from Nancy Whitley to Hardy Whitley, both of Stanly County, dated the 28th day of November 1857. For $150 in hand, Nancy sold to Hardy beginning at a stake in the Austin Road containing 52 acres, ' more or less ', "both of love and equity of the said Nancy Whitley to be the said Hardy Whitley's at the death of his mother the said lands and tenements Hardy Whitley his heirs and assigns against the said Nancy Whitley and his (sic) heirs and assigns. Signed by Nancy Whitley. Witnessed by S.S. Crisco and Executed on September 3, 1863.

Hardy Whitley had fought in the Civil War and died on April 25, 1864, in Wilmington. So, this deed was proven after his death. It may have been his widow, Bathsheba, or an unknown administrator, who submitted the deed.

The above is the Grant of A. H. Nance for 10O acres in Stanly County North Carolina dated May 21st, 1856.  "Pursuant to a warrant No 728 Surveyor for Alfred H Nance one hundred acres of land on the waters of Rocky River adjoining the lands of Joseph Hatley and others Bounded as follows. Beginning at a stake by a white oak and? oak at Jesse P Nance's corner and runs with his line to Nancy Whitley's corner...stake in the Austin Road... Hezekiah Whitley's line.... George H. Huneycutt's ...Hatley's corner.
Chain carriers were Jesse P Nance and James L Russell.

We're seeing a pattern. Nancy Whitley lived a long the Austin Road, as it existed in that era, on property adjoining that of Hezekiah Whitley.

There was one more. 

John Hinson Sr.  April 24, 1854.
"Take notice that I have this day levied sundry executions at the instance of A C Freeman's and others on one hundred acres of land, on the waters of Stillwater Creek adjoining the lands of Nancy Whitley and others as your property and shall return thereof to the next Court of pleas and quarters sessions to be held for the County of Stanly at the courthouse in Albemarle and applied to sell same, subject to a deed of trust made to Lee Lowder for the benefit of JP Nantz.
J Marshall, sheff.
by J F Stowe DG" 

And these are all the mentions I can find of Nancy Whitley, the mother of Hardy, William Pinkney, Mary and Taylor.

The family, as a lot, appears in but one census, 1860. Hardy, with his wife, Bathsheba, and infant son, James, live next door to Nancy, born in 1798, and her younger children, Mary, Pinkney and Taylor. Both Hardy and Taylor were Civil War casualties. William Pinkney Whitley survived the War, married Civil War widow, Margaret Melinda Springer, maiden name unknown. 
The small grouping had an obvious connection to Hezekiah Whitley, if only as neighbors. Perhaps a look at him will offer up some clues.
Hezekiah Whitley, also seen as Hezekiah Isaac Whitley, was born about 1813, and lived in the Big Lick area. He married, Elizabeth ,supposedly a Cagle.



In these early land entries in Stanly County from 1844, we see that Isham Whitley enter 100 acres on the Austin Road that included his own improvements. Hezekiah Whitley entered 100 acres adjoining Isham Whitleys 100 acres. And then, Alfred Ledbetter enters 100 acres on the new road leading to Charles Dry's Ford, also adjoining Isham Whitley's 100 acres.

This is pretty significant. Keep those names and locations in mind.



The above document shows that Hezikiah was also in debt in 1852, to Daniel Freeman, like Nancy was at that time.




This one shows a lawsuit wherein Andrew Huneycutt, who was one of the largest land owners around Big Lick at that time, sues Daniel Freeman, who in turn supoenas Levi Eudy, Hezekiah Whitley, Jesse Morton, Alfred Ledbetter, and James M McCorkle. Most of them being neighbors in that particular area.


1847 Tax List 


The 1847 Taxlist shows the taxable Whitleys in Stanly County. On Stillwater Creek, we have Nancy Whitley with 100 acres and Hezekiah Whitley with 149 acres.  The other Whitleys were: Green Deberry Whitley with 470 acres on Little Running Creek, Benjamin Lindsey Whitley with 538 acres on Stony Run Creek, Temple Whitley with 250 acres on Bear Creek, William Whitley with 291 acres on Bear Creek and on Rocky River, his son Edmund with 70 acres on Bear Creek, and Adam Whitley, no land, but himself as a Poll.

No mention of Isham, who was there in 1844, but Nancy pops up.








On January 4,1850, there was an Indenture between Alfred Ledbetter, ( 'Member him?), and Daniel Freeman. The land Alfred Ledbetter was using as collateral met a corner post oak in Hezekiah Whitley's line. Then after meeting a blackjack in Hezekiah's line, it ran with Nancy Whitley's line, showing that their property all met. 



Back in the November 1843 session of court, it was ordered that George Caleb appointmented overseer to clear out the new road leading from Charles Dry's Ford on Rocky River, to the signboard opposite George Whitleys. Remember the mention of Charles Dry's Ford in the land entries?

He was to work from the river to the Austin Road and summon the following: Goerge W. Chrisco, John W. Austin, Michael Cagle, Ishmael Eudy, John Hinson, Lindsey Cagle, Hezekiah Whitley, Axiom Whitley, Hampton White, Harrel Hinson, Andrew Huneycutt's hands, Archibald Stancil, John Stancil, Hnery Brooks,A. Ledbetter, Tempy Austin's hands, Charles Cagle, and Bryant Griffin. These were for the most part, young men. They were by no means old men. The term "hands" meant empolyee's of, as Tempy Austin was a woman, and not a young one, but her employees were required, as she probably lived on or near Austin Road.

A few names listed were not familar, possible sons of men who planted here, that would ride the wind west like dandelion froth. Axiom, or Axom Whitley was one of those. There are a few mentions of him in the 1840's Stanly County records. In the 1842 November Sessions of the P's and Q's Court, 'Axim" Whitey is mentioned as having 100 acres on Haw Branch, that was to be sold for back taxes of $1.39. Can you imagine? Haw Branch is in the vicinity of Aquadale, not particularly close to Stlilwater Creek.. I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, but the other Whitley who lived on Haw Branch was Lewis, another Whitley most people have never heard of, not in that time frame, at least. After Lewis, who passed away around 1838, came Mary, much in the same way that after Isham, came Nancy. See where I am going? Anyway, Axom Whitley was probably a young man, and maybe even moved in with Hezekiah for a brief while. He could have died, because he not to be found in the county by 1850, bur more likely he became one of those who went west or south or find thie greener pasture.  If I had to guess at a relationship, my bet would be that he was a nephew to Hezekiah, because I believe he was most likely a son of Lewis, but of course, we really can't kniw. Much of genealogy is a hypothesis based on gut feelings, that one can not prove, but may believe there is a possible relationship. It's just as possible that Axom was a Whitley from an entirely different place that stopped in for a minute, of no relation at all, but I doubt it.


In 1848, the taxable Whitley's were spread across two pages. They really hadn't changed much since 1847. Green had 470 acres on Running Creek; Ben, 538 acres on Stony Run. Temple Whitley was on Bear Creek, still with 250 acres. Hezekiah still showed 149 acres in StillwaterCree, and William"s lot has decreased to163 aces on Bear Creek alone.






On the next page, Edmund Whitley, Williams's son, is still showing 70 acres on Bear Creek. After him, Nancy Whitley again makes the list, but her former 100 acres do not. Instead, B. L. Lindsey is showing 19 acres on Stillwater. Jesse Whitley, another son of William's, has now become taxable, but without land.Creek It makes me wonder if BenWhitley bought Nancy's small alotment, so that she and her childdren could live there. Green D. Whitley also adds on to his quanity, now with 300 acres on Bear Creek. I don't know whtat the  '/re' means.



When Daniel Freeman and son, A.C. Freeman, placed a levy on the property of George H. Huneycutt and George W. Russell, it is noted as being on Fox Branch, one I am not familiar with, and adjoining the property of Hastings (Hastin) Hatley and Hezekiah Whitley. Dated March 11th, 1848, Alfred Ledbetter was the constable. Knowing the general location of both Hezekiah and Hastings, it was probably in the Oakboro area.


And now we come to the very first tax list of Stanly County, February 1841.

George Whitley was the premier Whitley at this time. He had nearly 2000 acres of property, spread out from Bear Creek to Lick Branch to Cabin Branch. Needham Whitley the elder, claimed 100 acres on Bear Creek. Under Cami (McCamey) Willis, Benjamin Lindsey Whitley had become taxable, but had no property to declare yet. That would soon change. There were several of the Whitleys coming of age at this time.



On page two, Isham Whitley is taxable, but like Ben, with no property yet. He would make the claim on Stillwater Creek soon. There's Green on Stony Run, another Needham, just taxable, no land.

There's Axiom Whitley again, with his 100 acres on Haw Branch and Needham Whitley Jr, listed as just a taxable. There appears to have been three Needhams. Hezekiah Whitley does not show up yet. 

Hezekiah's first census was the 1850. In 1840, the list in West Pee Dee, Montgomery County, the year before Stanly County was created, included only Green D. Whitley, George, Needham, Isham, Allison, Edmund, William and Mary. 


He is shown as Isaac, his middle name, and 25 years old, with wife, Elizabeth, of the same age. Three small children have arrived quickly, Mary, 2, Caroline, one year old, and an 11 month old 'Linda', who very well may be Lindsey, as he was born about the same time. They live near George L Huneycutt, mentioned above, a Hinson, and a large group of Hatleys, including Hastings. 


In 1860, Hezekiah's family had increased exponentially. 


Living next to one of the younger Hardy Hatleys, Hezekiah and Elizabeth now have nine children. Portrayed as 47 and 40, having skipped their thirties altogether, they have Mary 12, Caroline 11, and Lindsey, 10, which corresponds perfectly with two year old Mary, one year old Caroline and the infant Linda, ten years earlier. I don't believe their was a Linda. The census taker may have misunderstood what was told him about the baby. They dressed them all the same in those days. The first child born in the 1850's has been transcribed as "Ursra". I don't believe there was an Ursra, however, at the time this child was born, there was a Bathsheba, who most definitely was a child of this couple. I believe 'Ursra' was Bathsheba. She was followed by second son, Hardy, 8, then Martha, 6, Adaline, 4, Elizabeth, 3, and Sarah, the youngest, at one. There would be no more, that I know of.

Several of Hezekiah's daughters are unaccounted for.

In the 1870 census, Hezekiah is a widower. The only children remaining in the home were twenty-year-old Lindsey, and the two younger girls, Elizabeth and Sarah. It seems the others were bound out. Mary was in her early twenties and could have married. 

 Bathsheba didn't marry until 1880, but is nowhere to be found. The same with Hardy. Martha is seen no more, only in the 1860 census. Adaline, 14, is found across the river in New Salem, working as a domestic servant for the Henry Morgan family. 

Caroline was the oddity. She was 21 and on her own, and seemed to be living in a house between the notorious J C (Jordan) Kennedy and Sarah Kennedy and her family. Sarah was a freed slave, even though she is shown as white here. She was probably of mixed race. Her children most definitely were, their father was Jordan Kennedy. They would have more after this census. 

Sarah had been in the home of Jordan's sister, also named Sarah, who owned the Kennedy Mill. A road is still named for it. The enslaved Sarah had been sold to Edward Winfield Davis prior to emmancipation. Afterwards, she continued as the mistress of Jordan Kennedy. Her son Robert would marry my second Great Aunt, Matilda Aldridge, who was of Indigenous heritage. Was Caroline also a 'kept' woman of JC Kennedy?


1880

By 1880, Hezekiah was 59, and had three adult daughters living with him, Caroline, 27, Adaline, 23 and Sarah, 18. 


Where Martha and Elizabeth were, I haven't a clue. 

While we don't know the exact year of death of Hezekiah Whitley, a court case could narrow the time frame down a bit. 

In the Fall 1885 term of Court for Stanly County, a case came up of State vs Hezekiah Whitley and Ellen Safely. They were charged with F C & A, or Fornication, Cohabitation and Adultery. Now, Hezekiah was a widower of about 64 years old. His wife Elizabeth died before 1870. Ellen Safely is shown in the 1880 as a widow.
Ellen, 23, and her mother, Frances Safely, 39, are boarding with a Hatley family.


The only other early record I find for her is her 1877 marriage certificate to a John Hinson.


Her husband, John Hinson, a Civil War Veteran, must have died before 1880. Multiple people have him hooked up to other Hinsons that were not him, curious about where her children came from. 

Later, in the court records, Hezekiah and Ellen were called and failed. The next session of court, they were called again. Hezekiah was there, Ellen was not. Hezekiah and Caroline, his daughter were recognized in the amount of $200 for his appearance at the next session of court. Caroline owned her own property.

The final call of the court was a year later, in the fall of 1886. This time the case had changed to State vs Ellen Safely and Caroline Whitley. Hezekiah was no more.
I tried and failed to find a deed for Caroline Whitley. But one existed. So many records were just lost to time.




What I did find was the above document. This was from the case of J. C. Gilbert vs Hezekiah Whitley. It was an affidavit from Caroline. She stated that she was not ready "for a trial of this case at this time." 
The reason given was that a material witness, Jordan V. Kennedy, was not present and that she had heard and believed it true, that he was out of the county, at that time. It continued, "That she claims that the lands where she now lives as her own property under a deed from Conrad Crisco."

It was dated December 16, 1882 and signed with a mark as Caroline Crisco.

I looked for a deed from Conrad Crisco to Caroline, while I found one between Conrad Crisco and Ephraim Irenus Whitley, there was not one for Caroline. Conrad Crisco lived in Big Lick in 1880 and later on in New Salem,  Union County NC.

Caroline Whitley died in 1913 at the age of 64. She was buried at Hatleys Grove Primitive Baptist Church in Oakboro. The ties to the Hatleys were pretty strong. 


Caroline left a small estate and in her probate file, her heirs were named. They included her siblings, brothers Lindsey and Hardy Whitley, and sister, Bashy (Bathsheba) Whitley Hathcock. The fourth heir had me baffled at first,  Rebecca Thomas. 

As Caroline was unmarried and childless, her living siblings were her heirs. Her other sisters must have died before 1913. I thought maybe Rebecca was one of the five missing sisters, having married a Thomas and going by a middle name. Try as I could, I couldn't find a Rebecca Whitley who married a Thomas in this area, in that year of birth range. Then I dug a little deeper into Ellen Safely, curious about a few things in the court records. Ellen Safely was the mother of four children two, daughters and two sons. One daughter, Sarah, was born before she was a 23 year old widow, living with her mother. The second daughter, Rebecca 'Hinson', married a Jacob Thomas. She was born during the time Hezekiah and the young Ellen Safely Hinson were cohabitating. Rebecca was also Caroline's sister. 

Ellen's children all went by Hinson, claiming a man dead before they were born as their father. That's why descendants are giving him a middle name he didn't have, trying to find a man living at the time their ancestor was born that had to be him. What links these old time folks went to trying to cover up the truth of their parents indiscretions. 

The family of Hezekiah Whitley and his wife Elizabeth were: 
1848 - Mary - shows up in the 1850 & 1860 census. Fate unknown.

1849- Caroline. Unmarried, died in 1913. Buried at Hatleys Grove Primitive Baptist Church in Oakboro NC.

1850- Lindsey - married twice. First, in 1871 to Sarah Morgan, daughter of Goin and Nancy Morgan. Second, in 1898 to Mary Francis Page, daughter of Simon Sion and Nancy Dove Page. No children. Lindsey outlived both wives, passing on January 31, 1917 at the age of 67. He had moved to Cabarrus County, but came back to Stanly during illness, and having no children, ended up in the County Home in Albemarle, where he is buried.

1851- June 8th - Bathsheba- married James Hathcock on September 5, 1880. Six children. Lived in Big Lick until 1900, Moved to Salisbury, Rowan County by 1910. Settled finally in Jerusalem, Davie County, NC where she passed away on June 13, 1928. Buried at Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Salisbury.
- William Fairly Hathcock (1882-1918)
- Adam Mel Hathcock (1890-1946)
- Eva Belle Hathcock (1890-1901)
-Green A. Hathcock (1891-1918)
- Maggie Hathcock Hinkle (1893-1956)
-Ritty Roseanne Hathcock Marlow (1896-1960).

1852- December 29- Hardy Married November 14, 1880 to Nancy Isabella Arey, daughter of Daniel Wilson and Delilah Hodge Arey.  Seven children. He started home making in Big Lick, then moved to Morgan Township in Rowan County, where he passed away on June 29, 1935. Buried at Corinth Cemetery in Rowan County. 

- Alice Martha Jane Whitley Stokes Garner (1881-1965)
-James William Whitley (1884-1972)
-Joyce Avaline Whitley (1886-1965)
-Chalmers Levi Whitley (1888-1952)
- Polly Lillianna Whitley (1890-1968)
- Hardy Eugene Whitley (1893-1933)
-John Oscar Whitley (1899-1968)

1844 Martha Whitley. Only appears in the 1860 census. Probably died as a child.

1857 Adaline Whitley. Appears in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census records. Possibly married, deceased before 1913.

1858 Elizabeth Whitley. Appears in the 1860 and 1870 census records. Possibly married, deceased before 1913.

1859 - Sarah Whitley. Appears in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census. Possibly married, deceased before 1913. 

With Ellen Safely Hinson-
- Rebecca 'Becky' Hinson born November 28, 1880. Married Jacob C. Thomas, 5 children:
-William Wesley Thomas (1901-1969)
-Anna Myrtle Thomas (1906-1978)
-Claude Houston Thomas (1910-1994)
-Benjamin Harvey Thomas (1916-1996)
-Alfred Thomas (1918-2007)






Before I completed this post, I decided to take a closer view at the neighbors of Nancy Whitley of Stillwater Creek. Recalling that Isham Whitley, and Nancy, lived on land that bordered that of Alfred Ledbetter, I decided to give his family a closer look. 
Taking advantage of my collection of Stanly County census books for the 19th century. The books provide a more thorough search and for me, it's easier to compare one thing in relation to another, especially neighbors and distances. Seeing things from a different view. 
AND THERE SHE WAS!


Nancy, followed by her daughter, Mary her son Hardy and William Pinkney as William P., as I had first met him, and little Taylor, I now discovered was fully named Zachary Taylor, for the President who had been elected the year he was born: 1849. They were right beside Allen Ledbetter this whole time.

There was one difference, however, this was a family of Hatleys, not Whitleys. It was them alright, the place and parallels were too keen. Whitley was the correct surname, the one the children went forth with, and it wasn't a transcription error. It was clearly written as 'Hatley'. Something had happened, when asked her name, Nancy must have been mistaken and gave the man her maiden name and the children all fell under that roof. It made perfect sense.

Hardy Hatley is an ancestor of mine. There were more than one of them, the name ran like a mountain brook through the generations. Nancy named her oldest son Hardy. They lived near a grove of Hatleys it seems, Hezekiahs daughter was buried with Hatleys. 

And what about Hezekiah? He also had a son named Hardy. What was his wife's maiden name? In every tree, her name is given as Millie Elizabeth Cagle, daughter of Charles. But that can't be right. His daughter Millie Elizabeth married Lewis Brown over in Tyson Township. She had a child with my relative, James Pinkney Aldridge. She couldn't have been two places at once. She also lived well into the 20th century. Elizabeth Whitley appears to have passed before 1870. 

What if Hezekiah's wife was also a Hatley? Two brothers marrying two sisters was not uncommon. It's a theory. It will take a swim into the Hatley ocean to discover its possibilities. 

But back to the beginning, Nancy.

Isham Whitley entered 100 acres of land on Stillwater Creek in 1845 next to Alfred Ledbetter and Hezekiah Whitley. A few years later, in 1847, it was Nancy Whitley in this spot, on Stillwater Creek adjoining Alfred Ledbetter and Hezekiah Whitley. 

Could we go a decade back and look at the family dynamics? 

"Joam" is the transcription error for Isham.

NameJoam Whitley
Residence Date1840
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 52 Hardy and William
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 191
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 491 Isham 
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 141 Mary
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 491 Nancy 
Persons Employed in Agriculture2
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write2
Free White Persons - Under 204
Free White Persons - 20 thru 492
Total Free White Persons6
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves6

The dynamics fit perfectly, with the exception of an older teenage boy in the home. I thought it may have been Hezekiah, as he doesn't appear in the 1840 census, but he was a decade too old. Perhaps it was Axiom. There's no way to know. There were mysterious Whitleys in the early records. In the early court records of Stanly County, there is a Zeb, short for Zebulon. Every one is a piece of the puzzle.

To sum things up, it's my belief that Nancy Whitley was the widow of Isham Whitley, and could have been a Hatley before marriage, likewise with Hezekiah's with, Elizabeth. 

It also appears to me that Zachary Taylor Whitley was more likely to have been the son of Mary, than Nancy, due to their ages. This fact was cogent and amplified when I went one decade further. 

I knew Taylor and Hardy died in the Civil War, but I haven't found William P in 1870 yet, or Mary and Nancy. So another look at the Allen Ledbetter family.



The only Whitley next to them, well actually living with them was Telitha Whitley, born in 1856, who I was fairly certain was the Telitha Jane Whitley who had married John Alexander Springer in 1882 in Iredell County, the son of Israel Springer and Margaret Malinda who married Nancy's son, William Pinkney Whitley. That is when 2 plus 2 equaled 4.

Talitha Jane Whitley was living in Iredell County in 1880 with her mother, Mary and little brother, William Alexander Whitley, who was born in Stanly County in 1868. 
All this time, I had been trying to find out who Mary was the widow of, looking at every Whitley who had been in the War!

Mary wasn't a widow, but she was a mother. Talitha Jane Whitley was living with who had been her next door neighbor. Perhaps as a fatherless child, she had been bound to the family. Mary had followed her brother to Iredell County and her daughter had married her brothers stepson. Her son had married two sisters from Union County, and perhaps Zachary Taylor Whitley was also her son. 

I still have two mysteries to solve.

A) Where were Mary, her little son, William A Whitley and her brother William P. and Margaret Malinda Whitley in 1870?

B) What was Margaret Malinda's maiden name? Was she in Stanly County as a child, or just across the river? 

I'm not so curious as to who were the fathers or father of Mary's children. Perhaps a court record or a bastardy bond exists, or perhaps not. The only one of her children to have children was Alexander, and that would be a DNA challenge for them.

'People didn't do that back then '. Please! They did it quite often, in fact. The base of a number of brick walls was a fatherless child. 

Alfred Ledbetter and his family lived along what is now called Ledbetter Ford Road, just above the Rocky River. Remnants exist. A cemetery is there.



The family of Nancy Whitley lived nearby. Nancy is not found in 1870, but neither are those we know were living, Mary and William Pinkney Whitley. She may have made it to 1870, but I don't believe she made it to Iredell. Perhaps she rests near the Ledbetters. 

The descendants of Nancy (perhaps Hatley) Whitley and Isham (probably) Whitley were:

A) Mary Whitley born about 1824. Unmarried. Two children.

1) Talitha Jane Whitley, born about 1856. Married John Alexander Springer, son of Israel Springer and Margaret Malinda Springer Whitley on December 121882, in Iredell County. Died February 28, 1920 in Mount Ulla, Rowan County. 

2) William Alexander Whitley, born April 8, 1868 in Stanly County. Married 1st Rebecca Louisa Helms, on April 6, 1887, in Iredell County, daughter of Austin H. Helms and wife, Melinda Williams Helms of New Salem, Union County NC. Nine children.

A)  Mary Melinda Whitley, born June 26, 1888. Unmarried. Lived for a few decades with her Aunt Telitha Jane Whitley Springer and her husband, John Alexander Springer, until their deaths. Died on May 28th, 1965 in Concord.

B) Delitha Jane Whitley born March 14, 1890. Married Walter Sanford Avery Livengood. Five children. Died August 29, 1969 in Kannapolis.

C) Carl Quitt Whitley born July 19, 1892. Married Alma McDaniel. Died June 10, 1972. 

D) John Adam Whitley born January 27, 1894. Died November 25, 1967  Unmarried.

E) Julia Estelle Whitley born March 9, 1986. Married Otho Stanhope Westmoreland. Died January 20, 1981.

F) Maggie Ann Whitley born on December 11, 1896. Died on June 19, 1961.

G) Arie Whitley born August 31, 1897. Married Dewey Hobson Meadows. Three children. Died December 9, 1961, in Morganton.

H) Lee Roy Whitley born October 11, 1900. Married Lottie Mae McDaniel. Two children.

I) Bertha Estelle Whitley born November 14, 1902. Married Ralph E. Rogers. Five children. Died May 4, 1896 Mooresville.

J) Louise Rebecca Whitley born February 19, 1905. Her mother died February 22, 1905, three days after her birth. Louise was given to John Alexander Springer and Talitha Jane Whitley Springer, her Aunt and Uncle, to raise. They were still her guardians upon her marriage. She married Clarence Thomas Wensil. Fifteen children. She died April 19, 1976.

Married second Caroline Helms Smith, the sister of his first wife. Two children.

K) James William Whitley born December 8, 1908. Married Viola May Walker. One son. He died on April 27, 1966.

L) Victor Mott Whitley born April 27, 1966. Married Evelyn Marshall. One daughter. Was raised by his brother Carl. Died on July 19, 2002.

B) Hardin W. 'Hardy' Whitley. Born about 1835. Married Bathsheba Whitley, daughter of Wylie Hatley and wife, Maza Billie Harwood. Two children: 

1) James Whitley, born about 1857. Died young, sometime after his mother in 1877.
2) Eva Ann Whitley, born September 17, 1861. Married John Wesley Austin. Eight children: Lula, Rufus, Thomas, Mollie, Henry, Jonah, Lucy, Mary.
Hardy died April 25, 1864, in Wilmington,NC, a Civil War Casualty.


C) William Pinkney Whitley was born about 1836. He married Margaret Malinda Springer, widow of Civil War Casualty, Israel Springer. No children for the couple, but he helped raise her son, John Alexander Springer. William P Whitley died on January 8, 1923, in Iredell County, NC. He is buried at the old Iredell County Home for the Sick and Aged. 

D) Zachary Taylor Whitley was born about 1849. He may have been the son of Mary, who was 21 when he was born, instead of Nancy, who was 52 when he was born, especially since Isham Whitley, whom I believe was his grandfather, died before 1847. Taylor died on April 12, 1865, in New Bern, NC at the Cedar Grove Cemetery, a Civil War Casualty. 

Every life has a story and every piece of the puzzle is important. Nancy Whitley was one piece. 

Addendum: I've discovered another piece of the puzzle. I now know the father of Telitha Jane Whitley. But that's another story for another day.