#52Ancestors: Joseph WHITEHEAD, 1716-1781, Virginia/NC, USA

Another in the year-long challenge, #52Ancestors by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. I am a little behind, but every post is another post! This week I am writing about the little I have found on my ex-husband's 5th Great-Grandfather, Joseph WHITEHEAD; 6th great-grandfather to my children, 7th to my grandchildren

Much of my information on this family came mainly from an online genealogy/descendancy site on Sumner County Tennessee settlers on Rootsweb, following Whitehead settlers from Virginia and North Carolina. A number of Whitehead men show up on Virginia Land Records indexes in the late 1600s and into the 1700s, including Richard, Thomas, John, Arthur, and William. However I am unable to access the actual record images at this point, which might assist in finding any possible relationships between the individuals, and to place Joseph and his parents more specifically in Isle of Wight county, Virginia. .

Born in [est] 1714 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA, apparently Joseph [and parents?] moved to settle in Edgecombe County, North Carolina when he was a young child. Joseph apparently married Faith LANE in North Carolina, likely about 1735 when he would have been 21 years of age, Faith 20 years. Her father is sometimes listed as Benjamin Lane [not verified as yet]. Some genealogies/trees state that Faith died much later, marrying a second time to William Bynum. Confusion reigns. 

Three children were born in Edgecombe county, North Carolina:

   1.  Benjamin, b. abt 1736

   2.  Mary, ancestor, b. 1 July 1738, d. abt 1773; m. abt 1762 to Matthew
            JOYNER, 4 children

   3.  Joseph jr., b. abt 1740

Four other possible children have been connected to Joseph sr: Tobias, John, Martha, and Elizabeth.  However I do not feel confident here, as it also appears that trees and histories mix the two Josephs' details, marriages, other children. On the other hand, they may indeed be Joseph & Faith's children. 

Joseph's wife, Faith, died in May 1752, in Edgecombe co., North Carolina. He married a second time, to Pheribe Applewhaite [a fascinating name], in 1771, in Halifax North Carolina. Apparently no children were born to them. Pheribe would have been over 40 yrs. His children by Faith,were adults by the time he married Pheribe. 

Joseph died 17 Feb 1781 in Halifax, Halifax Co., North Carolina. His will names his wife Pheriby, and the 4 children mentioned above. There is no mention of the first two male children Benjamin & Joseph jr.  This confusion might indicate that the will is actually for his son, Joseph Jr.  At this point, I am assuming that Joseph WHITEHEAD sr, and Faith LANE his first wife, may NOT be valid, and/or may have been confused with others of the same name. The daughter [listed above] - Mary, who married Matthew JOYNER - has additional records on her marriage and children so support that her father was Joseph. Their first child's name was Benjamin Joyner.  

As can be seen, Joseph's history is scant and poorly substantiated.  More research on the websites of the Library of Virginia, as well as in the Virginia Historical Society, is necessary. My to-do list is long on this Whitehead family line. 

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If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.

Blogger - or my computer - is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day!!

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, #9 : Whitehead JOYNER

Following the challenge of writing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, issued by Amy Johnson Crow, here is my 9th installment, for Whitehead JOYNER, my children's 4th great-grandfather, on their father's mother's line.

Although I haven't done much research on Whitehead, I'm including him in this challenge, to remind myself of the many details I need to search for.  Plus, I simply love his name.  When I found his first name listed as the father on a daughter's marriage, I had to smile and say "Yeah - another surname to search for!"  

Whitehead was born 17 Jun 1765, in Sumner county, Tennessee, the second child/second son of Matthew JOYNER and Mary WHITEHEAD. His parents married about 1762 in Edgecumbe NC.  However, it could be that he and all the children were born in North Carolina where both parents are said to be born - in Edgecumbe [Edgecomb?] or Wake county or Northampton county.  There are confusing stories about the places where the first Joyner families lived.  Mary Whitehead died about 1773, leaving 3 boys and a daughter; Matthew married before 1777 to Lydia Griffis/Griffiths and had 9 more children [2 boys, 7 girls]. 

On 27 Jun 1793, in Sumner county Tennessee, Whitehead married Lucy TAYLOR, daughter of Robert TAYLOR and Nancy HERRING, from North Carolina. The Taylor family had moved to Sumner county Tennessee from North Carollina.  

Whitehead & Lucy had 7 living children that I've been able to find, all born apparently in Sumner county, TN:
 - Elizabeth*[direct ancestor], b. 1 Jun 1795, m. abt 1815 to Anderson WALTERS, 7 children
 - Benjamin, b. 16 Oct 1798
 - Thomas, b. 12 Dec 1802, m. bef 1832 to Lucy , 8 children
 - Margaret, b. abt 1804
 - Lucy, b. abt 1806
 - Martha, b. 7 Apr 1807
 - Nancy, b. abt 1808

These first names are common in both the Taylor and Joyner families. I have not done research on the girls as yet.  And, I have not been able to go back further from Whitehead's father, Matthew, in North Carolina.

It is possible these families all knew each other, and I need to dig through more Censuses and documents to see if there's a prior connection in North Carolina: family, associates, neighbours, land records, bonds, military and other records. I've scarcely scratched the surface.

I have just realized that Sumner county was originally in North Carolina and was ceded to the new state of Tennessee when that state was created in 1796.  This makes much more sense to me, now.  Oh, what a little research will do, eh?!  

If you have other information or questions about Whitehead JOYNER/Joiner and his family, you can contact me via calewis at telus dot net, and/or by comments below.  I always love to read your comments!