My Genealogy Hound

James Whitsett, a native of Guilford County, N. C, is the eldest of a family of fifteen children, and was born June 10, 1818. His parents John and Alpha (Witty) Whitsett, also natives of Guilford County, N. C, moved to St. Louis County, Mo., in 1836, where they lived and died; the former in 1836, aged sixty-two years, and the latter, in 1886, at the age of eighty-six. John Whitsett was the son of James and Mary (Moore) Whitsett, of English and Irish descent, respectively. William Whitsett, father of James, was born near the northern boundary of England, and was the father of nine children, two girls and seven boys; six of his sons fought in the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Alpha Whitsett was a daughter of Elijah and Trainey (Cummings) Witty, also natives of Guilford County, N. C. Elijah Witty was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was the son of Ezekiel and Nancy Witty, natives of England. Mrs. Whitsett was the youngest of seven children; her oldest brother, Ezekiel Witty, died in Wilson County, Tenn., in July, 1885, aged ninety-four years; his wife died the same day, aged ninety-three years. Mrs. Whitsett’s oldest sister married Elijah Winchester, of Kentucky, and died in August, 1883, at the age of ninety-eight years. When eighteen years old James Whitsett immigrated to St. Louis County, Mo., with his parents, where he remained until 1841, when he moved to a farm near Pacific. In 1845 he located in Gray’s Summit, and, five years later, went to Jefferson County and engaged in merchandising, at a place called “Yerkes Mill,” for one year. He subsequently purchased and moved to a farm six miles south of Catawissa in 1850, and opened a farm, also conducting a general store, in 1854, on his farm. He farmed there until 1864, having, in 1863, purchased a stock of goods of Patrick Ryan, at Catawissa, and engaged in merchandising, at which he continued until 1875 or 1876. He then followed farming until 1880, when he again engaged in merchandising as well as farming. Beside his stock of goods, he owns 600 acres of land around Catawissa, and 320 acres in St. Louis County. February 14, 1840, he married Miss Margaret McCullough, a daughter of Judge Henry McCullough, of St. Louis County, who died September 1, 1840. August 28, 1841, Mr. Whitsett married Miss Mary Keatley, daughter of William Keatley, of Franklin County. Six children have blessed this union, viz.: John C, James M., Samuel B., Altha P. (now Mrs. James Richey), Mary (now Mrs. E. C. Robertson, deceased), Jane B. (now Mrs. Murry Spencer.) Mr. and Mrs. Whitsett are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Whitsett is a Democrat politically and a strong temperance advocate. He has served his county at different times as justice of the peace twenty-seven years. He is a Master Mason and a member of the “Franklin County Protective Association,” of which he was the first president.