The Family of Jack Whitten and
Mary Ann Thomas

INTRODUCTION

This page last updated January 2, 2004.

Jackson William "Jack" Whitten was the son of Pleasant Whitten and Caroline Spencer. The youngest of nine siblings, Jack was born in Mississippi (most likely near Louisville in Winston County) in June 1864. On April 12, 1883, Jack married Mary Ann "Mollie" Thomas in Louisville, MS. After rearing his family in northwestern Winston County, MS, Jack died November 1, 1908 near his home in Louisville, MS. He was fatally wounded coming home from the wedding of his son Meredith Whitten and was shot by three of his nephews. (See The Whitten Killing of 1908.) He was buried in Noxubee Hill Cemetery in Winston County, MS.

Mollie Thomas Whitten was the daughter of Ezekial Marion Thomas and Mary M. Sanders (or Saunders). She was born in May 30, 1866 in Winston County, MS and died in February 1928 in Winston County, MS. She is also buried in Noxubee Hill Cemetery with her husband. Beulah Watson told me that her mother Mollie was the one who signed the parole papers for the release of Ed and Johnny Whitten, her nephews who had killed her husband.

For more information on the siblings and parents of Mary Ann "Mollie" Thomas, visit the Rootsweb WorldConnect Database created by Joyce W. Sanders entitled "H. Mark Sanders Ancestry".

FAMILY TREE

William Jackson Whitten
Born: June 7, 1864 in Mississippi (probably Winston County)
Married: April 12, 1883
Died: November 1, 1908 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi
Father: Pleasant William Whitten
Mother: Caroline Spencer
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Mary Ann "Mollie" Thomas
Born: May 30, 1866 in Winston County, Mississippi
Died: February 2, 1928 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi
Father: Ezekial Marion Thomas
Mother: Mary M. Sanders
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  1. Florence "Flonnie" Whitten
    Born: March 17, 1884 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: January 18, 1909 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Sam Arnett
    Died: August 19, 1938 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi
  2. Tolbert "Tol" Whitten
    Born: January 1, 1886 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: Never married.
    Died: December 17, 1905 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    Tolbert was killed in a duel with Marshall Kugle.

  3. Meredith Whitten
    Born: February 29, 1888 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: November 1, 1908 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Betty Taylor
    Died: November 1, 1908 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    Meredith died on his wedding night in the Whitten Killing of 1908 .

  4. Pleas Whitten
    Born: April 9, 1890 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: Never married
    Died: January 5, 1901 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    He died at 11 years old of scarlet fever.

  5. "Lummie" Whitten
    Born: January 26, 1892 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: January 3, 1909 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Elbert L. Taylor
    Died: February 27, 1978 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Poplar Flat Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    Elbert Taylor was a brother to Effie Taylor, who married Lummie's cousin Ed Whitten . Lummie and Elbert had at least two children: a daughter Ethel born in 1910 and a son named Earl Taylor born in 1916. I know nothing of Ethel except what is on the 1910 census. She may have died as a child. Earl married Irene Whitten (no relation) and had three children. E-mail me for more information on Earl's family.

  6. Bill W. Whitten
    Born: October 8, 1894 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: February 11, 1913 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Betty Taylor Whitten
    Died: May 27, 1968 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    Five years after the Whitten Killing , Bill married his brother's widowed bride, Betty Taylor Whitten. Bill and Betty had three daughters: Annie Whitten (married W.C. Rhodes), Allie May Whitten (married Howard McKenzie), and Arleen Whitten (married a Collier). Betty died in 1954 and was buried in Poplar Flat Cemetery in Winston County with her parents. Bill died in 1968 and was buried in Noxubee Hill Cemetery with his parents and siblings.

  7. Beamon Whitten
    Born: October 9, 1896 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: (1)July 3, 1920 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: (1)Ida Watson
    Married: (2)After 1921
    Spouse: (2)Viola Collier
    Died: March 11, 1958 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Poplar Flat Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    Beamon and Viola had at least two children: sons James Whitten and Travis Whitten. Travis and his wife Kate had two daughters. E-mail me for more information on Travis' family.

  8. Clara May Whitten
    Born: March 1899 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: November 11, 1916 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Jim E. Westbrook
    Died: About 1918 (possibly in Helena, Arkansas)
    Buried: Unknown (possibly in Helena, Arkansas)

    Beulah Watson (sister) said they moved to Texas to join Jim's brother's family. Clara died there at age nineteen. They were able to come home only once. However, a 1918 court case concerning a land dispute in Winston County, MS listed Clara's address as Helena, Arkansas.

  9. Curnie R. Whitten
    Born: April 15, 1902 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: March 21, 1926 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Annie Lou Weeks
    Died: Unknown
    Buried: Unknown, probably in Memorial Gardens, Mobile, Alabama

    Curnie and Annie Lou had four children: R.L. Whitten (married Grace Platt), Clyde Whitten (married Eula Phillips), Dorothy Jean Whitten (married Jimmy Gill Dodd), and Betty Ruth Whitten (married Corlie Estep, and Arnold Monroe). Although Curnie's children were all born in Winston County, he reared his family in Mobile, Alabama. Many of his family still live there now. Annie Lou was the daughter of Hiram Brag Weeks and Mary Lula Roach. She was born June 21, 1908 in Winston County, MS and died December 26, 1959 in Mobile, AL. She is buried in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mobile. My information on Curnie's family was provided to me primarily by daughter Dorothy Jean Dodd, who is also doing family research. At the time she shared her information with me (circa 1986), her father Curnie was still living in Mobile. E-mail me for further information on this family.

  10. Beulah Whitten
    Born: July 30, 1904 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: December 4, 1920 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Shed H. Watson
    Died: January 19, 1994 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Unknown

    I first met Beulah Watson in 1984 when I started collecting information on the Whittens. She became one of my primary sources of information on the Whitten family. Although she was a child of about four when it happened, she could still clearly recall hearing the gun shots when her father and brother were killed and remember hiding behind the front door when their bodies were brought back home. She also graciously allowed me to borrow several of her old family pictures to have them professionally reproduced. My research owes her a great deal.

  11. Reuben Whitten
    Born: Noveber 29, 1907 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: (1) September 14, 1929 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: (1) Estelle Taylor
    Married: (2)Unknown
    Spouse: (2) Henriette Hicks
    Married: (3) Eula White
    Died: September 13, 1964 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Buried: Noxubee Hill Cemetery, Winston County, Mississippi

    Although Rube was married three times, I do not believe he ever had any children. His cemetery inscription says that he served in WWII as a PFC in the US Army.

FAMILY HISTORY

1870 Winston County, Mississippi: Louisville Post Office, Twp 16 Rng 12, Dwelling 77, Family 77, Page 11.
Jackson Whitten, Age 7, Born in MS, Living with Pleasant and Caroline Whitten.

1880 Winston County, Mississippi: Supervisor Dist 2, Enumeration Dist 21, Dwelling 414, Family 414, Page 51.
Jack Whitten, Age 17, Born in MS. Living with John A. and Caroline Whitten (mother).

1900 Winston County, Mississippi: Enumeration Dist 96, Supervisor Dist 5, Beat 1 North of Robinson Road, Sheet 7, House 116/117
Jack W. Whitten, Sr., Head, Born Jan. 1863, 37 yrs. old, Married 17 yrs., Born in MS, Parents born in SC.
Mollie A. Whitten, Wife, Born May 1865, 35 yrs. old, Mother of 8/8 children, Born in MS, Parents born in MS.
Florence Whitten, Dau, Born Mar. 1885, 15 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Tolbert Whitten, Son, Born Jan 1886, 14 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Merdious Whitten, Son, Born Feb 1889, 11 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Ples Whitten, Son, Born Apr 1891, 9 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Lumie Whitten, Dau, Born Jan 1893, 7 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Billie Whitten, Son, Born Aug 1894, 5 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Beamon Whitten, Son, Born Oct 1896, 3 yrs. old, Born in MS.
Clara Whitten, Dau, Born Mar 1899, 1 yr. old, Born in MS.
Calline Whitten, Mother, Born Sep 1820, 79 yrs. old, Widowed, Born in SC, Parents born in SC.

1910 Winston County, Mississippi: Enumeration Dist 119 Sheet 4 (pages 235 A and B)
House 48/49 Elbert Taylor, head, age 21 (1889), born MS
.......Lummie Taylor, wife, age 19 (1891), born MS, mother of 1/1 children
.......Ethel Taylor, dau, age 6/12 (1910), born MS
House 52/53 Reuben Taylor, head, age 51 (1859), born MS
.......Ila Taylor, dau, age 15 (1895), born MS
.......Anna Whitten, dau, age 20 (1890), widowed, born MS (Bose Whitten's widow)
.......Betty Whitten, dau, age 18 (1892), widowed, born MS (Meredith Whitten's widow)
House 53/54 Mollie Whitten, head, age 44 (1866), widowed, born MS, mother of 11 children, 8 living
.......Billie Whitten, son, age 15 (1895), born MS
.......Beamon Whitten, son, age 13 (1897), born MS
.......Clara Whitten, dau, age 11 (1899), born MS
.......Kernie Whitten, son, age 9 (1901), born MS
.......Bula Whitten, son, age 6 (1904), born MS
.......Reuben Whitten, son, age 4 (1906), born MS
House 54/55 John T. Whitten and family (see John's page for census listing)
House 55/56 William J. Whitten and family (see Jack Jr.'s page for census listing)

1920 Winston County, Mississippi: Supervisor Dist 5, Enumeration Dist 129
House 86/87 (page 675) on Hughston Road between Ackerman-Webster Road and Sturgis Road
.......Mary A. Whitten, head, age 55 (1865), widowed, born MS
.......Beaman Whitten, son, age 22 (1898), born MS
.......Kearny R. Whitten, son, age 19 (1901), born MS
.......Mary B. Whitten, dau, age 16 (1904), born MS
.......Reuben Whitten, son, age 13 (1907), born MS
House 98/99 (page 680) on Sturgis Road off Hughston Road
.......Samuel and Florence Arnett (see Flonnie's page for census listing)
House 100/101 (page 680) on Sturgis Road off Hughston Road
.......Billie Whitten, head, age 25 (1895), born MS
.......Betty L. Whitten, wife, age 27 (1893), born MS
.......Annie E. Whitten, dau, age 5 9/12 (1914), born MS

GENEALOGY RESOURCES

PHOTOS
See pictures of Jack's family in my Whitten Family Picture Album.

LINKS & CREDITS

| Parents and Siblings of Jack | Main Whitten Page | The Whitten Killing of 1908 |

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Mary K. Johnson
Look4Whittens@yahoo.com

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