Individual Details

Blakey book says he died in Pennsylvania; other references give Virginia. Some researchers cite North Carolina, see later. After the family left Pennsylvania, the spelling became Whitsitt more often than not. Traditionally William is the son of a previous William, son of a Samuel Whiteside of Antrim, Ireland. No proof has been found.

Old FamilySearch databases show parents variously as a Thomas Whitsitt/Whiteside who married Margaret Culp and a John Whitsett/Whiteside who married Margaret Culp, and a William Whiteside with no wife.

He is said to have come over the sea with his wife Elizabeth and son William, sometime soon after the birth of William, probably soon after 1731. Elizabeth may not have lived long. Only the one child has ever been identified. Records previously thought to have been hers, have shown to be those of the Elizabeth Stockton, wife of the William Whiteside who died in North Carolina in 1777 - this appears to have been a different family altogether.

24 April 1750 Land Warrant in Allen Township, Cumberland Co PA. Quantity was originally 100 acres, but later surveys show more than 200 acres of this warrant were patented by four different men between 1804 and 1817. "The Draught of a tract of land situate in Allen Twp, Cumberland Co containing 245 acres, 143 perches. Resurveyed 29 Dec 1803 on a warrant granted to William Whiteside, dated 24 Apr 1750."
Surveys 1681-1912, Book A14, p.4

I found on Fold3.com, Pennsylvania Archives, a Warrant for land for Wm. Whiteside, 200 acres, dated 13 Apr 1744, in Lancaster Co. I also found the survey for 100 acres, Cumberland, on 24 Apr 1750. Checking county formation, it is evident that Cumberland was formed from Lancaster in 1750 - it's quite possible this land was in the same location, which could explain the discrepancy in acreage.

Also in Land Warrants for Lancaster Co, I found
John Whitesides Jr, 200 acres, 31 Oct 1738
James Meneice, 50 acres, 4 Oct 1739
Ralph Whiteside, 125 acres, 23 Apr 1742
James Whiteside, 100 acres, 15 Aug 1746
another for William Whiteside, 30 acres, 28 Mar 1747

1751 Tax List, Middleton Twp, Cumberland shows two William Whitesides, likely father and son. [Given that no records have been found in Virginia of the elder William, it is possible he died sometime in the next few years still in Pennsylvania]

1762 Tax List, Carlisle Twp, Cumberland, one William Whiteside listed

There is a survey in Albemarle Co, Vol.1, p.258, dated 29 Mar 1754. Assistant Surveyor William Cabell, Jr. surveyed 60 acres on the South Branch of the North Fork of Davis Creek. No patent has been found for the 60 acres. This is thought to be the young William Whitsitt, as in 1763, this area now in Amherst Co, he purchased 200 acres from John & Elizabeth Wade. The area is today in Nelson Co.

Perhaps young William was relocating in anticipation of his marriage. If he went to Virginia as early in 1763, he returned to Pennsylvania. The records of the Rev. Stover have the marriage of William Whitsitt to Eleanor McNees/Meness, daughter of James in Bethal Township, Lancaster Co, PA.

Tradition has it that William Sr. moved to Virginia with his son - no records have been found. Eleanor's father James Meness did move to Amherst Co.


This much is certain.
Multiple men of the name William Whiteside/Whitsett/Whitsitt have been confused.
There was a William Whiteside, who came to Goochland, later Albemarle Co VA quite early, bef 1741, and lived near the Stocktons, both families members of the Presbyterian Church and likely Scotch-Irish. He probably had a relative named Thomas Whiteside.
There was a William Whiteside, who died in Tryon Co NC in 1777, naming in his will a number of adult children, to include a Davis [quite likely from Davis Stockton of Albemarle], a son Thomas, and a son named William. This William is most often reported to have married a daughter of Davis Stockton, Elizabeth.
It is not possible that William Whitsitt, born 1731, who married Elleanor Menees and moved to Tennessee and then Logan Co KY, is the same man as the young William Whiteside in Rutherford Co NC, born ca 1747, who died in Illinois, and is most likely the son named in the will of 1777.
The William Whitsitt, born 1731, did live in Amherst Co, VA as early as 1763 as evidenced by land records, and a request for his wife's dower release on a deed made in Amherst was sent to Henry Co in 1783, proving they also lived there. They were in Logan Co KY by 1795. Given names among the children of William and Eleanor do not include a Thomas anywhere. This family line continues to use the given name "Dawson", believed to be the surname of William's mother. The Manees family did live in Amherst Co, but are not known to have been earlier in Albemarle.

Here are the important questions....

Is the William Whiteside of Goochland/Albemarle the same man as the William Whiteside who died in North Carolina in 1777? If so, he would not seem to be the father of William, born 1731, of Amherst and later Kentucky. But it does make sense he is the man in North Carolina given the ties to the Stockton family.

Was William Whitsitt who appears in Amherst on the North fork of Davis Creek, having had a survey there in 1754 when it was still Albemarle, even belong in the family of the William Whiteside? Or was he a new arrival in Virginia and has been placed in error in this family. The area around Stockton Branch where the older William lived remained in Albemarle when Amherst was established. Davis Creek of the Rockfish is further south and west.

Birth	1709	Ireland
Death	1798
Marriage		Ireland - Elizabeth Dawson

Spouse	Elizabeth Dawson ( - )
Child	William Whitsitt III (1731 - 1811)

Father	William Whiteside ( - )
Sibling	John Whiteside (1712 - 1788)
Sibling	Ralph Whitsett (1713 - 1765)
Sibling	James Whiteside (1715 - 1761)
Sibling	Elizabeth Whiteside (1717 - 1742)