Plans Almost Complete

While most of you are experiencing an unusually cold winter, several of your "cousins" have been putting together the final plans for our 2003 reunion.

To say that we are excited is an understatement!! We have chosen an "official" motel site, put together a program, arranged for the catering, and are generally totally focused on getting out the word.

How can you help?

1) Please send me addresses of any Whigham relation with whom we do not currently have contact.

2) Send in your reservation form as soon as possible so that we may know about how many meals, caps, Tshirts, books, etc. to order. THIS IS URGENT!

3) Participate in our craft table or cake walk (if you live close enough to bring a cake).

4) Attend if at all possible, and pass on the information to any relatives who do not know how much fun we have planned for them and how great it is to meet so many wonderful people.

So get in your reservations. Join us in Daphne!

Out at Geneva, (Florida) J. B. Whigham got a chuckle out of the ruckus stirred when Southern Baptists affirmed biblical strictures for women to "graciously submit" to their husbands.

It reminded him of a long-ago family incident.

The Whighams were members of a fundamental church in rural south Alabama.

His father was one of several men in the flock who took turns preaching.

One Sunday the family - mother, father and 12 children - piled into the family wagon and headed for church.

His parents, he recalls, got into a rather heated argument en route over some pending family decision.

It so happened that it was the senior Mr. Whigham's turn to preach, and when he took the pulpit, he used as his topic the admonition that women be subject to their husband's authority.

He dredged up every verse he knew on that matter, J.B. recalls, and addressed them at length. All the while, his wife sat and fumed, knowing that in truth, her husband was addressing her. Well, for a short while anyway.

After a bit, and having taken all she could, she picked up the youngest children, one on her shoulder, the other on her hip, and walked out of the church. Those near the aisle could hear her mutter, "I'll be damned if I'll sit here and listen to him talk to me that way when I can't talk back."

Missing

Pieces of

the Puzzle

For many years we have tried to find the answer to the puzzling question, "From what family did Thomas Alexander "T.T." Whigham come?"

He was for some time assumed to be the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Hannah Whigham. After all, Joseph had a son named Thomas.

Then, when the Washington County branch of Joseph's family was uncovered, it appeared that T.T. was again left without a family for it was clear by land deeds that Thomas Marcus was the son of Joseph.

It was also reasonable to believe that "T.T." was a member of one of the Barbour County families, but which one? Both Thomas and Joseph already had a Thomas accounted for - Thomas' son, Thomas Galloway, went to Texas after the Civil War and raised a family there. Joseph's son, Thomas Marcus, went with his father to Washington County, Alabama. The puzzle worried many of us over time.

However, recently, in rechecking information for the second volume of "The Whigham Chronicles," I noticed something that made me wonder if I had finally found the family of "T.T."

What I found was that on the 1850 Barbour County AL Census, Joseph's family was listed with a son, Thomas, 23. This was obviously my great grandfather who was born in November 1826 and was unmarried. Thomas' son, Thomas, age 11, was listed with his family.

But, in the 1850 Macon County Georgia Census, Thomas (T.T.) Whigham (22) is listed with his first wife, Margaret. Since both Joseph and Thomas had left Macon County for Barbour County in 1848, T.T. could have belonged to either of them

In checking the 1840 census records for both families, the sons of Thomas seem accounted for, but the records do not fit with the ages of Joseph's sons. With the addition of Thomas Alexander, they do fit. The one son who does not fit is Samuel, previously thought as born about 1832. Records for his twin, Rebecca, indicate they were born about 1842, however. And, we have no further information about this particular son, Samuel, who may have died very young. All the other children in Joseph's family are accounted for with some history. But, Samuel is not on the 1850 census nor ever mentioned with this family.

It is more likely that "T.T." - surely a nickname mentioned only on his Civil War records - was born later than 1823 - maybe even 1828 - since his age is given as 22 on the 1850 census and 32 on the 1860 census. It is difficult to tell the year of his birth from his tombstone since it is broken.

In any event, it seems most likely that Thomas Alexander was also the son of Joseph, and I have, therefore, attached him to Joseph's family unless and until we find some evidence that this is incorrect.

So, to all the descendants of "T.T.", I hope that this provides you with some assurance as to how strongly we feel that we are all part of the same family. And you truly belong with all of us.

Then, this past Sunday, while working on the book (my constant occupation), I was again reminded that we had not yet discovered the Whigham connection for Sarah Tobitha Whigham Montgomery. So, I decided that I would just start looking for Whighams in the Decatur County area who were having children in the 1860's.

Every family I looked at became a dead end. Finally, I came across a family where there were four children born during this time period - and all but one of them were listed only by nicknames.

To my great relief, there was a little girl born "about 1865" named Sallie. Sarah was born April 8, 1865, and many of we older folks are aware that "Sallie" is a diminutive of Sarah. In addition, Sarah was known as "Aunt Sallie." So, I felt sure the mystery of Sarah Whigham Montgomery was solved.

I immediately called Robert Montgomery who had attended our 2001 reunion seeking his connection to the Whigham family. Not at home then, he called me back today. I don't know which of us were the more excited.

And the final clue that we were on the right track? Sarah and George Montgomery named their first son, Asa - the same name as Sarah's father.

How much better can it get? This is why we spend so much time at genealogy. For Don and I, it is all about "putting the pieces together."

See you at the reunion. We still have much to learn about each other.

Many of you may remember hearing me speak at the last reunion about the need to do something about the condition of the tombstones of many of our ancestors.

And, while some of you have indicated your agreement with me that we should as an organization take on some responsibility for getting this done, no concrete steps have been taken to see that this is done.

So, I have developed a means for beginning this effort. At our reunion in June we will have a crafts table, bazaar, etc. I am asking as many of you as possible to contribute to this endeavor.

Whether you knit, crochet, embroider, quilt, do needlepoint, do woodwork (by the way, I love birdhouses) or any other form of craft, please plan to contribute something.

Bring them with you to the reunion. We'll put them out for a silent auction and see how much money we can raise. Many of us treasure hand-made things, and they will be especially precious because they were made by a "cousin".

I have not been able to forget "T.T.'s" broken tombstone at Bethel Hardshell Baptist Church Cemetery in Blue Springs, nor my great-grandmother's sinking tombstone in southwest Mississippi.

All monies raised by the craft sale will be used for this purpose. So, get busy, make something, and bring it to the reunion. This allows us to all give something of ourselves to the effort.

Joyce Dorrycott

It's not often we give Myron a spot in the newsletter but, considering all the work he has put into this reunion, it's only fair to spare a few words for his pet project for the reunion.

Myron is sponsoring a "Cake Walk" to help defray costs of the reunion. If you are coming from close by and will donate a homemade cake for the Cake Walk, please note it on your reservation form.

For those of us needing a place to stay in Daphne, we have for the first time chosen an "official" motel for the reunion. Myron checked all the Daphne motels and found the most reasonable, comfortable rooms as the Eastern Shores Motel, 29070 Hwy. 98, 251-626-6601. Rooms there are about $45 including tax. Other motels nearby are: the Comfort Suites, 251-626-1113 and the Econo Lodge, 251-662-0076. There is also a Hampton Inn nearby. Don't wait too long to make your reservations.

DR. JOE JOHNSON

We are extremely fortunate to have a "cousin", Dr. Joe Johnson to speak to us on Sunday morning at our business meeting. Be sure to make plans to stay over for this event.

Dr. Johnson is a renowned speaker and has the unique distinction of having been appointed to serve on national boards by two very different presidents.

He is currently serving a four-year appointment from President George W. Bush to the Practicing Physicians Advisory Counsel were he advises the Administration on health care issues. Previously, he received appointment from President Bill Clinton to the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee where he served on the Executive Committee.