Individual Details

Records are confused concerning William Whitsitt of Amherst C, VA, whose son William lived in Logan Co KY, and William Whitside who died in North Carolina in 1777.

Most records identify the man in North Carolina as "Whiteside" and continue to do so down through the years. Since both had wives named Elizabeth and may have both been in the Amherst Co area for a brief time, it is easy to see why they were confused. However, since only one son, William, has ever been identified for the William Whitsitt whose wife was Elizabeth Dawson, it seems most probable that Elizabeth died quite early.


From: Whiteside and Whitsett Pioneers and The Whitsett Family of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
http://www.whitsett-wall.com/Whitsett/whitsett_pennsylvania_william_1.htm:

Dr. William Heth Whitsitt in his family history cites some Albemarle County, Virginia deeds and church records dated between 1754 and 1770 as evidence of the existence of Elizabeth Dawson Whitsitt, some of which contain her given name. One document in particular that Dr. Whitsitt references is dated in 1770. It tells of Elizabeth, wife of William Whiteside of Amherst County, being examined about her dower rights in the sale of land in Albemarle County by her husband William. This seemed to be good evidence that Elizabeth was alive as late as 1770. However, we can now show that these documents are in fact associated with Elizabeth Stockton and her husband William Whiteside later of Rutherford County, North Carolina. Significantly, 1770 is about the time this couple and their large family removed from Virginia to North Carolina. The Albemarle County records dated in the 1750’s would contradict our assertions that both William Sr. and William Jr. were in Pennsylvania during that decade. However, a careful analysis of these records show that almost without exception they refer to William and Elizabeth Stockton Whiteside, not William and Elizabeth Dawson Whitsitt. The records document the settlement on Ivy Creek and Mechum’s River by the Whiteside and the Stockton families. The Stockton name almost always shows up somehow with the Whitesides in these documents.

The Stockton relatives and in-laws of Elizabeth and William Whiteside witnessed several of the deeds involving William Whiteside of Albemarle County. A look at historical maps of Virginia, taking in account the changes in county boundaries does little to help us distinguish the William of Ivy Creek on Mechum’s River from either of the William Whitsitts who came to Amherst County from Pennsylvania during the 1760’s. Both of these families were in Amherst County at one time or another. However, the Amherst County records pertaining to the Pennsylvania family usually use the name “Whitsitt” rather than “Whiteside.” We had one advantage over Dr. Whitsitt when we were doing our research. We knew about William and Elizabeth Stockton Whiteside. I feel certain that Dr. Whitsitt did not, or he probably would have noticed some of the discrepancies that indicate these were two separate families. I believe that we need a more thorough examination of Virginia Colonial records to help us clarify who was who, and who was where during the Amherst period of their lives.



The first known record is apparently a Virginia land patent; Vol XX, p.162, to William Whiteside, 15 Mar 1741, 400 acres, Goochland Co. Both sides South fork of Mechums River; cross the South fork.
This 400 acres is said to have been sold to Adam Dean, 7 Jul 1767.

Other early patents:
Thomas Whiteside, 1 Dec 1748, 400 acres. PB 26, p.50. This land also in Goochland on both sides Stocktons Branch of Mechums River
William Whiteside, 4 Apr 1753, 300 acres, Vol 32, p.55 Land now in Albemarle, but described as being both sides Stockton's Fork of the Mechum River.
William Whiteside, 25 Jul 1768, 181 acres. Vol 37, p.272. Land in Albemarle Co, both sides Stockdon's Mill Creek; Moses Ayers line, his own line; John Campbell's line. The Whitsett book states that the Surveyor's Book of Albemarle Co, Vol. 1, p.340 has the survey for this patent, by John Staples, 19 Nov 1755.


William Whiteside, 6 Apr 1769, 160 acres, Vol 38, p.517. County of Augusta on the South Mountain.
See later that this is man that died in North Carolina in 1777, and left this tract to a son.
There is also a William Whitesides on the tithables list of William Bowyer, Augusta Co, 1767


No relationship to Thomas Whiteside is known. However a church record also exists, linking the two men.
Ivy Creek, 29 Mar 1747. The inhabitants of Ivy Creek and the Mountain Plain Congregation joined with the Congregation of Rockfish to call the Rev. Samuel Black to administer to them, according to the rules & practice of the Orthodox Reformed Presbyterian Church. Among the names that signed are William Whiteside, and Thomas Whiteside, as well as Davis and Richard Stockton. In 1747, Richard is surely the Richard Stockton who died in Albemarle Co in 1775 - his sons David & Richard not old enough to be signing.

This certainly indicates early relationships between this Whitside and Haden families. Richard Stockton who lived on Stockton's Creek of the Mechum River had among his children, Rev. Robert Stockton who married Catherine Blakey, daughter of Thomas and Ann Haden Blakey, and granddaughter of Anthony Haden; and David Stockton who married Margaret "Peggy" Haden, daughter of William and Unity Haden, and another granddaughter of Anthony Haden. Strangely enough, a great-granddaughter of Anthony Haden - Emily "Milly" Haden would marry William Whitsitt, grandson of William Whitsitt & Elizabeth Dawson, in 1799 in Logan Co, KY.

Hening's Statutes, VII, 203, lists the Albemarle Militia, "lately in service for the defence and protection of the frontier against the Indians, Sept, 1758"
Names include: Sgt. Samuel Stockton, William Stockton, William Whiteside


A William Whiteside, died 24 Oct 1777 in Tryon Co, NC, and left a will. His children were Davis, Robert, James, Margaret, William, Thomas, Samuel & Adam, and a son Francis not yet of age. And daughters Ann, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Son James was to receive his land on the South Mountain in Augusta Co - effectively proving this is certainly the same William who received a patent in that location in 1769, see above. His wife's name was Elizabeth, believed to be Elizabeth Stockton, daughter of Davis Stockton [Davis was also said to be the father of Richard Stockton cited earlier]. He signed the will with his mark; Davis & James Whiteside were witnesses. Various databases online cite a birthdate for the son William as 20 Aug 1731, in Ireland. William was one of the Executors - but the William born in 1731 is also believed to be living in Amherst Co VA, signing deeds with his wife Ellen/Eleanor about the same year as this will was written in North Carolina.
One database cites the death of the same William Whiteside as in 1798 in Tryon, which would have made him an old man indeed. Some give 1 Dec 1777 date for his death - probably the probate of the above will written in October of that year.
Some cite the wife to have been Elizabeth Dawson, not Stockton. Some cite the son William as the same William Whitsitt who married Ellen Menees, eventually moving to Tennessee and Logan Co, KY. This William died in Nashville while visiting at the home of his son, Rev. James Whitsitt in 1811.

Many, probably most, of the databases that have Elizabeth Stockton as the wife, show that the son William was b. 1747, married a Mary Booth and died 1815 in Monroe Co, Illinois. Several of this younger William's siblings also moved to Illinois. This man continued to call himself "Whiteside", not Whitsitt or Whitsett - it is spelled as Whitsett in the application. He is possibly the Capt William Whitsett named as one of the commanding officers in the pension application of Adam Sharp of Rockingham Co NC. Sharp had served for three months in Capt. Whitsett's company under Maj. Richard Singleton - Sharp lived in Rutherford Co NC at the time of the war and fought at King's Mountain. Davis Whiteside, brother of William, born abt 1741, is said to have died from wounds he received at King's Mountain. But what adds to the confusion is that the William Whitsitt, who married Ellen Menees and eventually settled in Logan Co KY is this: Ellen's brother James did fight in the Revolution in the Continental Line of North Carolina - service for which he received a land grant in Davidson Co, TN where William & Ellen Whitsitt would also move.

Death	24 Oct 1777	Tryon County, North Carolina
Marriage		Elizabeth Stockton

Spouse

Elizabeth Stockton (1715 - 1791)