Person Page

     Jesse Hoyt Willhite was born circa 1869 in Worth Co., Missouri.^1,2
     

     Jesse Hoyt Willhite was listed as a son at age 11, born in Missouri, in the household of Simeon Beaufort Willhite in Humboldt, Allen Co., Kansas, in the Census of 1880 enumerated 4 June 1880.²

     Jesse M. Willhite was born circa 1782 in Culpeper Co., Virginia.¹ He married Catherine Stone, daughter of Sebastian Stone and Catherine ?, on 27 March 1803 in Woodford Co., Kentucky.¹

     Jesse Minor Wilhite was born on 14 January 1882 in Greenfield, Illinois.^1,3,4,5,2 He married Jessie Maude Keith on 15 October 1908.^3,4,2
     

     Jesse Minor Wilhite was listed as a son at age 18, occupation as a farm laborer, born in Illinois, in the household of Simeon Franklin Wilhite in Rubicon, Greene Co., Illinois, in the Census of 1900 enumerated 1 June 1900.¹

     Jesse Minor Wilhite was listed as the head of a family on the 1910 Census enumerated 25 April 1910, in Rubicon, Greene Co., Illinois. He was listed at age 28, occupation as a laborer on farm, born in Illinois. Also enumerated in the household: Jessie Maude Wilhite.³

     Jesse Minor Wilhite was listed as the head of a family on the 1920 Census enumerated 13 February 1920, in Roseland, Tripp Co., South Dakota. He was listed at age 38, occupation as a farmer, born in Illinois. Also enumerated in the household: Jessie Maude Wilhite.⁵

     In the Census of 1930, enumerated 25 April 1930, Jesse Minor Wilhite was listed as head of household in Greenfield, Greene Co., Illinois. He was listed at age 48, occupation as a laborer on a farm, born in Illinois. Also enumerated in the household: Jessie Maude Wilhite.⁴

     Jesse Webster Willhite was born on 9 February 1840 in Clay Co., Missouri.^1,2 He married Mary Moretta Vinnedge, daughter of Moore P. Vinnedge and Nancy H. Kirk, on 22 May 1867 in Butler Co., Ohio.¹ Jesse died on 18 March 1903 at age 63.¹
     

     In the Census of 1880, enumerated 29 June 1880, Jesse Webster Willhite was listed as head of household in Cynthiana, Harrison Co., Kentucky. He was listed at age 40, occupation as horse trainer, born in Missouri.. Also enumerated in the household: Mary Moretta Willhite and Henry Moore Willhite.²

     Jessie Carl Willhoit was born on 27 September 1904.¹ He married Ivey Hart.¹ Jessie died in January 1955 at age 50.¹

     Jessie Elizabeth Wilhoit was born on 8 August 1878 in California.^1,2,3 Jessie married first Ira Fisk.⁴ Jessie married second Herbert Collier.⁴ Jessie died on 17 January 1970 in Santa Barbara Co., California, at age 91.¹
     

     Jessie Elizabeth Wilhoit was listed as a daughter at age 1, born in California, in the household of Jesse H. Wilhoit in Monterey Co., California, in the Census of 1880 enumerated 17 June 1880.²

     Jessie Elizabeth Wilhoit was listed as a daughter at age 21, born in California, in the household of Jesse H. Wilhoit in Morro, San Luis Obispo Co., California, in the Census of 1900 enumerated 28 June 1900.³

     Jessie Harriet Wilhite was born on 1 October 1871 in Illinois.^1,2 She married George Mellor on 4 October 1894.² Jessie died after 1940.²
     

     Jessie Harriet Wilhite was listed as a daughter at age 8, born in Illinois, in the household of Samuel Marshall Wilhite in Greenfield, Greene Co., Illinois, in the Census of 1880 enumerated 5 June 1880.¹

     Jewell Pauline Wilhite was born on 27 November 1913 in Bell Co., Texas.¹ She married Buck C. Light.¹

     Jo Ann Willhoite was born on 28 August 1868.¹ She married W. H. Broughton.¹

     Joan Wilhite married Unknown McCay.¹

     Joel Wilhite was born circa 1743 in Culpeper Co., Virginia.¹ He married Mary Wilhoit, daughter of Michael Wilhoit and Mary Ballenger, say 1766 in Culpeper Co., Virginia.¹ Joel died between 1825 and 1830 in Culpeper Co., Virginia.¹

     Joel Wilhoit was born on 28 July 1788 in Guilford Co., North Carolina.¹ He married Fanny Wray circa 1809 in Henry Co., Virginia.¹ Joel died on 14 November 1864 at age 76.¹
     

     Joel made a will on 6 July 1855 in Wayne Co., Kentucky.

     Joel Wilhoite was born on 25 November 1789.¹ He married Elizabeth Elliott on 9 December 1818 in Garrard Co., Kentucky.^1,2

     Joel Adria Willhoyte was born on 26 March 1899 in Illinois.^1,2
     

     Joel Adria Willhoyte was listed as a son at age 1, born in Illinois, in the household of Alpheus Siebert Willhoyte in Bedford Township, Wayne Co., Illinois, in the Census of 1900 enumerated 2 June 1900.²

     Joel B. Wilhoyte was born on 20 July 1854 in Illinois.^1,2,3
     

     Joel B. Wilhoyte was listed at age 5, born in Illinois, as a member of the household of Josiah Horton in Salem, Marion Co., Illinois, in the Census of 1860, enumerated 11 August 1860.²

     Joel B. Wilhoyte was listed at age 16, born in Indiana, as a member of the household of Josiah Horton in Salem, Marion Co., Illinois, in the Census of 1870, enumerated 14 July 1870.³

     Joel Earnest Wilhite was born on 20 April 1896 in Bell Co., Texas.¹ He married Edgie Lee Carpenter.¹
     

     Joel was also known as Preacher.¹

     Joel Erskin Wilhite was born on 23 June 1850.¹

     Johann Christian Willheit was born before 13 December 1715 in Schwaigern, Württemberg. Johann was christened on 13 December 1715 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹
     

     There is no mentioned of Johann Christian after his birth. He could have accompanied the family to Virginia and died before his father's will was written.

     Johann Friedrich Willheit was born before 8 January 1687 in Schwaigern, Württemberg. Johann was christened on 8 January 1687 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹
     

     Johann Friedrich immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1731 with wife and six children and settled in York County. He was a cousin of Michael Wilhoit, the immigrant to Virginia.¹

     Johann Georg Willheit was born before 25 April 1610 in Schwaigern, Württemberg. Johann was christened on 25 April 1610 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹ He married first Barbara Lutz, daughter of Johannes Lutz and Anna Flamm, on 12 July 1640 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹ He married second Anna Maria Ehrens on 3 October 1675 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹ Johann died on 13 November 1685 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹
     

     Johann Georg Willheit's baptismal entry has been annotated and refers to him as "Schwarz-Georg" (Black Georg). This nickname, suggesting that he had a swarthy complexion, may have been used to distinguish him from other Georgs living at that time.

     "Black Georg" was a "Gerichsverwandt" (court official).¹

     Johann Georg Willheit was born before 21 March 1682 in Schwaigern, Württemberg. Johann was christened on 21 March 1682 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹ Johann died unmarried on 22 June 1710 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹

     Johann Michael Willheit was born before 25 January 1671 in Schwaigern, Württemberg. Johann was christened on 25 January 1671 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹ He married first Anna Dorothea Boger, daughter of Hans Phillip Müller, on 29 January 1696 in Schwaigern, Württemberg.¹ He married second Anna Maria Hengsteler, daughter of Matthias Hengsteler and Maria Müller, on 16 February 1706.¹ Johann died before 26 June 1746 in Orange Co., Virginia.²
     

     Johann Michael Willheit went by the name of Michael.

     Johann Michael had a twin, Matthias, who died 8 February 1671, about two weeks after birth.

     Johann Michael is believed to have been a member of the second Germanna Colony. The first Germanna Colony consisted of Germans recruited from the Nassau-Siegen region of Germany by Governor Alexander Spotswood as skilled laborers for his iron works. These immigrants have been throughly researched and documented.

     The members of the second Germanna Colony established in 1717 have been more of a mystery. Much of the mystery surrounding the second colony has been resolved by the examination of the records in Württemberg and Baden and documented in Cerny's and Zimmerman's Before Germanna No. 1, The Ancestry of Johann Michael Willheit and Anna Maria Hengsteler as follows:

     The immigrants of the second colony, comprised of Lutherans, left Germany on 12 July 1717 for Pennsylvania. Their choice of vessel was unfortunate. The vessel made the customary stop in London, but the colonists were detained for several weeks while the captain of the vessel was imprisoned for debt. Food supplies dwindled while the passengers waited for the captain's release. Starvation claimed the lives of several at sea. There is no details of the crossing, but the captain did not land in Pennsylvania. Instead he took the approximately 100 passengers to Virginia where he sold them as indentured servants to Spotswood to pay for their passage and confiscated their belongings.

     Spotswood may have recognized the injustice done these immigrants, but he nonetheless profited from the situation to extract eight years of indentured labor from them. They were not released until 1725, a year longer than the customary seven years for indenture service. Spotswood sued 19 of them in 1723 and 1724 to force them into their extended service. It is now believed that the second colony consisted of more than the 19 being sued by Spotswood. It may be that only those who adamantly refused to continue their indenture were enjoined in the suit. Others may have wanted to avoid conflict with the powerful governor and gave in to his demands.

     Few inter-marriages took place between the first and second colony. The first colony was composed of members of the Reformed faith, while the second colony were strict adherents to the Evangelical Lutheran religion.

     Even though he was not among the 19 colonists being sued by Spotswood, the belief that Johann Michael was part of the second colony is based on the fact that his name disappears from parish records in Schwaigern after 13 December 1715, the birth of his son Johann Cristian; he was granted land at the same time in 1724 and in the same Robinson River area as other recognized members of the second colony; and his family attended the Hebron Church in Orange County where the German Lutherans of the second colony worshipped. Also, most of his descendants married into other second colony families.

     Some genealogists have speculated that Johann Michael's second wife was Mary Blankenbaker whom he married in 1710. There is no record of such a marriage in Schwaigern records. On the contrary, the parish register shows that Anna Maria was alive and having Johann Michael's children in 1710. She had two children after that date. There is no mention of her death in Schwaigern records. It is therefore reasonable to assume that she is the wife who accompanied him to Virginia in 1717 and is the wife Mary mentioned in his will. Johann Michael's name was anglicized to Michael Wilhoit and it is not unlikely that Anna Maria's name was changed to Mary in the same way. Additionally, Evangelical Lutheran parish records in Neuenberg, Baden show that Maria Blanckenbuhler (Mary Blankenbaker) was the wife first of John Thomas 18 November 1711 and second of Michael Kaifer (date unknown) in Virginia.¹

     Johann made a will on 1 January 1742 in Orange Co., Virginia. Will of Michael Willheit:

     In the name of God Amen, I Michael Willheit of the parish of St. Mark and county of Orange being sick and weak in body but of sound mind and perfect memory (thanks be to Almighty God for the same) do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following: First I recommend my soul to God that gave it trusting and surely believing that through the merits of my Blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, to receive full remission and forgiveness of all my sins, my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the direction of my executors hereafter named. I will that after my decease my loving wife Mary Willheit do live and continue upon the plantation where I now live during the term of her natural life and I do herewith most earnestly enjoin and require all my children to love honor and respect her as their dear mother and I do give unto my said loving wife Mary all my personal estate during her natural life and to make sale of either house or cattle so long as the said my wife shall live and after her decease my will and desire is that all my personal estate be equally divided amongst my six children hereafter named. I will that my tract of two hundred and eighty-nine acres of land be equally divided unto two parts of which my son Matthias Willheit is to have one part and my youngest son Phillip Willheit is to have the other part whereon the house and plantation is and whereon I now do live, and it is my desire that after the decease of my loving wife Mary and when the above said my two sons Matthias Willheit and Phillip Willheit are at age 21 years each that then the aforesaid my two younger sons do pay 12 pounds currency to the four following my children as their share of inheritance, that is to say, unto Tobias Willheit 3 pounds currency unto John Willheit 3 pounds currency, unto Adam Willheit 3 pounds currency and unto my daughter Eva (now married to Nicholas Holt) 3 pounds currency.
     I make and ordain my loving friend Michael Holt and my dear eldest son Tobias Willheit to be executors of this my last will and testament revolking all other wills heretofore by me made and in witness that this my last will and testament I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the first day of January 1742/43.
     Witnessed by: Michael Willheit; Balthaser Blankerbaker; John Snieder; Michael Holt (Orange W.B. 2, page 87).²

     His will was probated on 26 June 1746. His will was presented into court by Tobias Willheit. It was proven by Michael Holt and Balthaser Blankerbaker, the other witness refused to join. The executor with Ludwick Fisher and Lawrence Garr acknowledge bond. The total valuation of the inventory of Michael Willheit was 20.3.6 returned July 24, 1746 by Ambrose Powell, Stockeley Towles and Francis Mikill. An additional inventory valued at 2.15.6 was returned by the same appraisers February 12, 1746/47 (Orange W.B. 2, page 87).