Kentucky: A History of the State Perrin, Battle & Kniffin 2nd ed., 1885, Hopkins Co. Home Page

Surnames Biography Walker Daggs Sutle THOMAS D. WALKER was born in Wheeling, W. Va., May 3, 1828, and is the youngest of ten children born to John and Mary Ann (Daggs) Walker, natives of the "Old Dominion," and of English and French descent respectively. John Walker was married in his native State, where in early life he learned the tanner's trade, which he afterward followed. He died in 1833, in his fiftieth year. He was a member of the Presbyterian and Mrs. Walker of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thomas D., at the age of seventeen years, began the tinner's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. He then followed his trade as a journeyman, in several different States, until 1873, when he came to Earlington, Hopkins Co., Ky., where he opened a shop, and has since followed his trade in connection with the hardware business. He was married, in 1857, to Miss Amanda Suttle, a native of Virginia. Seven children were born to them, none of whom are now living. Mr. Walker is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity (having attained to the degrees of knighthood), the I. O. O. F., the K. of P., and the K. of G. C. He is a Democrat. Wier Girod Thomson WILLIAM H. WEIR was born in Hopkins County, Ky., April 26, 1851, and is the second of twelve children born to James H. and Mildred J. (Thomson) Weir; the former a native of Todd County, Ky., and the latter a native of the "Old Dominion", and of German and English descent, respectively. When a boy, William Weir, the grandfather of our subject, came with his parents to the United States, and settled in South Carolina, where he was educated and married. In the latter part of the last century he moved to Todd County, Ky., where he was engaged in farming and teaching all his life. During his latter years, however, he retired from active business, and lived with his daughter in Hopkins County, where he died in 1835, in his sixty-fifth year. James H. Weir was born May 31, 1818. At the age of eighteen he was employed as a salesman in a dry goods house at Madisonville, where he remained four years. He then taught for a year, after which he was engaged in the dry goods trade at Ashbysburgh for thirty years, with the exception of two years, when he was engaged in farming. In 1874 he removed to Hanson, where he was engaged in merchandising and the tobacco trade for three years. In 1879 he moved to Nebo, where he has since had charge of a store and the tobacco business for his sons. He was postmaster at Ashbysburgh for some twenty years, and was also a magistrate for several years. He was married in 1849, and eleven children--five sons and six daughters-- have been left to him. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. From early manhood he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was for several years W. M. of his lodge. He is a Democrat in politics, and is one of the old business men and respected citizens of the county. William H. Weir was employed in his father's store and tobacco factory until he was twenty years old. In January, 1872, he took charge of his father's store and tobacco business at Hanson, which he continued to manage until September, 1876. He then engaged in merchandising and the tobacco trade at the same place on his own account, and has continued with good success ever since. During a part of this time his brother, James L., was in partnership with him in both branches of business. His tobacco stemmery at Hanson is the finest and largest in the place, and he probably handles more tobacco than any other dealer in that part of the country. In August, 1884, he sold his interest in the store at Hanson, and bought his brother's interest in a store at Nebo, where he is also engaged in the tobacco trade. For the past thirteen years he has been both postmaster and express agent at Hanson, and for five years was also agent of the Louisville & Nashville Railway at the same place. He was married, December 9, 1874, to Miss Sophie A. Girod, a native of Hopkins County, Ky. Three children--two sons and one daughter-- have blessed their union. Mr. Weir and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In politics Mr. Weir is a Democrat. Whitfield Graddy Shaw BRYANT H. WHITFIELD was born on the farm where he now resides, February 17, 1847, and is a son of B. W. Whitfield and Seania Graddy. On the death of his father, being then seventeen, he took charge of this farm, which he has since managed and now owns, and which consists in all of about 210 acres. His mother still lives here at the advanced age of eighty-two. She is a life-long and devoted member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Whitfield was married in 1869 to Nancy C. Shaw; she was born in Duplin County, N. C. This union has been blessed with three daughters. The parent's are members of the Christian Church. Whitfield Browning Graddy Shaw Taliaferro Utley GEORGE W. WHITFIELD was born September 17, 1832, in Hopkins County. He is a son of B. W. and Seania (Graddy) Whitfield. The father was born February 17, 1793, in North Carolina; he came to Hopkins County in about 1816, and settled on the farm where our subject now lives; here he died December 6, 1863. The mother was born November 17, 1802, and now lives at the old homestead with her son--Bryant H. This original tract of land consisted of about 400 acres, which has since been divided; of this our subject owns 100 acres, also about 1,000 acres elsewhere in this county, all of which he has acquired by strict attention to business and judicious management. During the late civil war Mr. Whitfield served about four months in Gen. Forrest's command. He was married in 1855 to Martha S. Utley, of Hopkins County; she died in 1857, leaving one daughter. In 1859 Mr. Whitfield married Susan G. Browning, of this county, she died in the spring of 1874, leaving three sons and two daughters. His third marriage, in January, 1875, was to Mrs. Taliaferro, formerly Mary E. Shaw. This union is blessed with two sons and four daughters. Mrs. Whitfield has two daughters by her former marriage. Whitfield Outlaw Stanly ISAAC D. WHITFIELD was born in Hopkins County, Ky., September 2, 1857, and is a son of Isaac K. and Narcissa (Outlaw) Whitfield. He was employed on his father's farm until he attained his majority. His father then gave him a partially improved farm adjoining the old homestead, where he has since been successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was married November 11, 1878, to Miss Mary L. Stanly, a native of Christian County, Ky. Three children have blessed their union, two of whom are living: Effie V. and Franklin B. In politics Mr. Whitfield is a Democrat. Whitfield Kornegay Lofan Outlaw ISAAC K. WHITFIELD, Hopkins County, was born in Wayne County, N. C., April 15, 1822, and is a son of John and Nancy (Kornegay) Whitfield, natives of North Carolina and of Irish and German descent, respectively. John Whitfield was a farmer and died in June, 1823, in his thirty-third year, a devoted member of the Baptist Church. Isaac K. Whitfield, after his father's death, was bound out to his uncle, Joshua Lofan, with whom he remained until he attained his majority. He then engaged in farming on his own account, and continued the same in North Carolina for four years. In December, 1847, he came to Hopkins County, where, the next year, he bought a farm seven miles northwest of Madisonville, on the Princeton road, where he resided some four years. About that time there was quite an excitement in the county caused by the construction of several railroads through the country, and as a consequence, real estate materially advanced, during this time, for one year. Mr. Whitfield was engaged in the real estate business and bought and sold several different farms. In 1853 he bought a farm near White Plains, upon which he has since resided, and to which he added until he was the owner of well improved farms amounting to about 800 acres. Here he is extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock raising. In October, 1864, he enlisted in Company B, Eighth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate States army, and served until the close of the war. He was married April 30, 1846, to Miss Narcissa Outlaw, a native of North Carolina. Ten children were the fruit of this union, eight of whom, four sons and four daughters, are living. In politics Mr. Whitfield is a stanch Democrat. Whitfield Graddy Outlaw WILLIAM H. WHITFIELD was born in Hopkins County, Ky., May 19, 1849, and is the second of eight children born to Isaac K.and Narcissa (Outlaw) Whitfield. Our subject was employed on the home farm until he attained his majority. He then bought a farm adjoining the old homestead, to which he has added by subsequent purchase, and upon which he has since resided, quite extensively and successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. He was married December 28, 1871, to Miss Florissa M. Graddy, a native of Hopkins County, Ky., and a daughter of Jackson H. Graddy, also a native of the county, of which his father, Henry Graddy, was among the early pioneers. Five children are the fruit of this union, four of whom, two sons and two daughters, are living. Mrs. Whitfield is a member of the United Baptist Church; Mr. Whitfield is a member of the I. O. O. F.; he has been V. G. of Mt. Carmel Lodge No. 246, and is at present treasurer of the same. In politics he is a Democrat. Wilkirson Black Jones W. R. WILKIRSON was born August 20, 1846, in Scott County, Ky. He is the son of William M. and Martha F. (Black) Wilkirson. The father was born in Fayette County, Ky.; the mother in Scott County; they now reside on their farm in Franklin County. Our subject was reared on his father's farm; at the age of twenty-one he commenced this business on his own account; this he followed several years. In April, 1883, he came to Dawson and kept the Dawson House one year. February 1, 1884, he with Mr. Hayes, opened a general grocery store, which they have since continued. He was married October 1, 1874, to Miss Sallie Jones, of Union County. Two sons have blessed this union. Williams Davis Dixon CHESLEY WILLIAMS was born February 2, 1834, in Perry County, Ill. He is a son of Simpson and Margery (Dixon) Williams. The father was born in South Carolina, and died in Illinois in 1840, aged forty. The mother was born in Tennessee. Soon after the father's death the family moved to Christian County, where they engaged in farming. Our subject, at the age of seventeen, commenced doing for himself; he followed farming, teaming, and various kinds of employment several years, after which he bought 200 acres, and has since increased this to about 800 acres in Christian County. In 1868 he came to Hopkins County, where he has since resided; he owns 1,300 acres of land where he resides, also 118 acres on Pond River, and property at the "Gap," a half interest in the Williams & Dulin Mill property, with 1,320 acres of land and other valuable estates. This large amount of property Mr. Williams has acquired by his own exertions. He was married in 1864 to Miss M. J. Davis, of Hopkins County. Two children have blessed this union--one son and one daughter. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Mrs. Williams is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Winstead Bassett Brown Cox Johnson Sasseen Shackelford Young MANDLEY B. WINSTEAD, M. D., was born in Hopkins County, Ky., May 22, 1826, and is the third of five children born to Charles T. and Ann C. (Brown) Winstead, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of the "Old Dominion", and both of English descent. In 1818, at the age of sixteen years, Charles T. Winstead came with his parents to Hopkins County, Ky. His father, Mandley Winstead, who was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, having served under Gens. Green and Washington, and who was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, bought a farm near the present site of the village of Nebo, where he resided until his death, in 1846. Upon attaining his majority, Charles T. Winstead bought wild land near the old home place, and improved a farm, which he afterward sold, and bought another in the same neighborhood. Here he engaged in farming until his death in 1862, in his sixty-first year. Our subject, Mandley B., received a good classical education in his youth, having attended Cumberland College, Princeton, Ky. He was employed on the home farm until he was twenty-one years old, when he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. A. P. Shackelford, and graduated from the Kentucky School of Medicine of Louisville, with the class of 1859-60. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted as a private in the First Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate States army, but was soon after promoted to the rank of first sergeant. He served in that regiment in all its engagements until the expiration of his term of service in 1862, participating in the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh, and many other lesser engagements. Late in the fall of 1862 he re-enlisted as captain in the Tenth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate States army, under Col. (afterward Brig.-Gen.) Adam Johnson, and served with Gen. Morgan until the capture of the latter, after which he served under various commanders until the close of the war. After the war he returned to Nebo, where he has since followed his profession, and has a large and lucrative practice. For the past ten years he has also been engaged in the drug business. He has been married four times. His first marriage was March 11, 1847, to Miss Susan R. Cox, who bore him eight children, none of whom are living. She died in 1865. His second marriage was in December of that year, to Miss Eliza C. Young, who bore him four children, three of whom, one son and two daughters, are living. Mrs. Eliza C. Winstead died January 10, 1872. His third marriage was November 15, of the same year, to Miss Sue Sasseen, who died February 2, 1875; she was a member of the Baptist Church. One child, now dead, was the fruit of this union. The Doctor married his present wife, Miss Mary R. Bassett, July 28, 1875. One son and one daughter, both living, have blessed their union. Mrs. Winstead is a member of the Christian Church. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Blue Lodge and Chapter. He is a Democrat, true, bold and unflinching. Winstead Brown Gore Oliver WILLIAM H. WINSTEAD was born September 10, 1824, in Hopkins County, Ky., one and a quarter miles of where he now resides. He is a son of Charles T. and Nancy (Brown) Winstead. Charles T. Winstead was born in North Carolina, and came to this county in 1818, where he engaged in farming until his death in 1862, at the age of sixty years. His wife, who was born in Virginia, also died in Hopkins County. William H. was reared on his father's farm, and attended the schools of the neighborhood. At the age of twenty he commenced farming for himself, having had no assistance from any source. He has, by strict attention and hard work, been enabled to provide himself with this farm, where he now resides, consisting of 260 acres of land largely improved. There was no clearing here when he moved on this land. He was married in March, 1845, to Sarah Gore, of this county. She died in 1868, leaving four sons and four daughters. His second marriage was in 1869, to Sallie C. Oliver, of this county. This union has been blessed with eight children, of whom two sons and five daughters are now living. Mr. Winstead is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Wiott Kirkwood Sisk Tadlock FRANCIS M. WIOTT was born in Hopkins County, Ky., January 6, 1846, and is one of ten children born to Enoch and Nancy L. (Kirkwood) Wiott, also natives of Hopkins County, Ky., and of English descent. Enoch Wiott was born December 28, 1818, and was employed on his father's farm until he attained his majority, after which he bought wild lands in Dalton District, Hopkins County, and improved a farm on which he resided for some ten years. He then sold out and bought the farm upon which he now resides. His parents were Charles and Phebe (Tadlock) Wiott, the former a native of South Carolina, and the latter of Kentucky. At the age of about thirty years, but while yet a single man, in 1798, Charles Wiott removed to Warren County, Ky., after about two years, in 1800, he removed to what is now Hopkins County, Ky., then a part of Henderson County. He was among the very first settlers in the county, there not being more than eight or ten persons there before him. He located and bought wild land in the present Dalton District, erected a rude log cabin and subsequently improved a farm upon which he resided until his death in 1874. He was a veteran in the war of 1812, and served under Gen. Harrison in the Canadian campaign. Francis M. Wiott was employed on his father's farm until he was twenty years of age; he next bought a farm in Dalton District, upon which he resided for ten years. He then sold out and bought another farm in the same district, upon which he still resides and where he is extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was married January 11, 1865, to Miss Geneva C. Sisk, a native of Hopkins County. Five children--two sons and three daughters--have blessed their union. Mr. Wiott and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. In politics he is a Democrat. Withers Arnold Ingram ISAAC T. WITHERS was born in Muhlenburgh County, Ky., June 1, 1848, and is a son of Thomas C. and Martha I. (Ingram) Withers, the former was a native of Christian County, and the latter of Muhlenburgh County, Ky. They were of English and German descent respectively. Thomas C. Withers remianed on the home farm with his mother until he attained his majority, his father having died six years previously. He then removed to Muhlenburgh County, where he married his first wife, the mother of our subject, and for several years engaged in teaching in connection with farming. Afterward he was exclusively engaged in farming and stock raising. Here he lost his first wife, in 1857, and in the following year married his present wife. He has been for the past twenty-five years a regularly ordained minister of the Christian Church. For the past ten years he has been pastor of the church near his home, in Muhlenburgh County. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and the I. O. O. F. Isaac T. Withers was employed on his father's farm until he attained his majority, after which he taught and attended school some five or six years. He was then employed as salesman in a general store at Arthur, Moultrie Co., Ill., for one year. He then came to White Plains, Hopkins County, where he has since been engaged in merchandising and in the hotel business. He was married May 23, 1878, to Miss Katy A. Arnold, a native of Logan County, Ky. Two sons have blessed their union--Harry B. and Thomas L. Mr. Withers and wife are members of the church; he of the Christian and she of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is also an earnest advocate of the temperance cause, and politically is a Democrat. Wood Bishop Fox Gorely ROBERT W. WOOD was born in Paisley, Scotland, August 2, 1837, and is the elder of two children born to Robert and Letitia (Gorely) Wood, natives of Scotland. Robert Wood acquired an excellent scientific education in Scotland, where he married and for several years engaged in farming. In 1838 he immigrated to the United States, first settling at Evansville, Ind., then only a small village, where he remianed about two years. He then removed to Philadelphia, where he engaged in the manufacture of drugs and chemicals until 1849(?), when he was burned out, losing nearly all his property. Soon after he returned to Evansville, Ind., where he died March 24, 1850, in his forty-first year. He and wife were members of the Episcopal Church. Robert W. Wood received a good common school and academic education, and at the time of his father's death, at the age of thirteen, commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. He then followed the trade until the breaking out of the late war. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Forty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was soon after promoted to color-sergeant; he served with his regiment in all its marches and engagements until the battle of Chickamauga, when he was taken prisoner, and kept at the prisons of Libby, Belle Isle, and Andersonville for fourteen months. He participated also in the battles of Perrysville, Ky., and Stone River, Tenn., as well as many other lesser engagements. November 17, 1864, he made his escape from Savannah, Ga., and was mustered out of the service at Indianapolis, Ind., February 14, 1865. In 1868, he was appointed agent for a New York tobacco house, and continued in their employ about three years. He then came to Madisonville, Ky., where he had charge of the warehouse of the Henderson branch of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, for two years, after which he was weighmaster for the Diamond Coal Company at Earlington and Morton's Gap for eight years. He then engaged in the culture of small fruits, and the breeding of fine stock, horses, cattle and hogs, near Madisonville, in company with M. W. Bishop, and is still so engaged. Mr. Wood was married, in 1872 to Miss Ava Fox, a native of Hopkins County, Ky. Three children have blessed this union, two of whom, both daughters, are living. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are members of the Missionary Baptist Church; he is a stanch Republican.