"Captain" James Whitfield was born in Hanley, Stafford, England in 1828 and passed away in Pekin, IL in 1888.
He married Mary Breston b.12/14/1833 d. 2/7/1917 from Prussia, and they had twelve children, according to family lore. I have only found ten of them. Both James & Mary are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery in Pekin, IL.
THE TEN CHILDREN OF CAPT JAMES WHITFIELD AND MARY
BRESTON WHITFIELD:
JAMES WHITFIELD, JR 1856-1937
JABISH PHILIP WHITFIELD 1859-1944
EDNA J WHITFIELD 1855-?
MARTHA M WHITFIELD 1860-1861
EMMA WHITFIELD 1862-1926
HERBERT WHITFIELD 1868-1914
ALCESTER WHITFIELD 1869 -?
FRANK WHITFIELD 1872 -? (JEWELER IN CHICAGO)
THOMAS WHITFIELD 1874-?
GEORGE WHITFIELD 1876- ?
...and I can't find the other TWO, but you never know.......
FAMILY LORE:
**Capt James emigrated to the US while a distiller in England......having "displeased the crown", was forced to leave England. (while I don't know if this is true, or not, in the IL censuses 1860, 1870. 1880, he & his son James, Jr are either "saloon-keepers" or "bartenders".
** Capt James was a blockade runner on the Mississippi River during the Civil War
(but on whose side? or both?)
CAPT JAMES' birth discrepancy: while his death certificate states his birth town as "Lake on Trent", England, no one can find that town. However, there IS a "Stoke on Trent", England, and another researcher whose email has bounced, states that he was born in Hanley, Staffordshire, England in 1828, right next door.....pretty darn close, even for horseshoes...............
THE PEKIN, ILLINOIS CONNECTION:
James raised his family, and another generation past that, at his home on Market Street in Pekin, IL. His gggdaughter, Clara (Garlish) Garman, passed away this past year at her home in Pekin. James is listed in the Tazewell County Genealogy Society as a "pioneer" of that area.
...AND THE PLOT THICKENS.........
Ideas? Thought?
Connections?
EMAIL!
MY LINE;
CAPT JAMES' son, JABISH PHILIP WHITFIELD, is my ggfather. His son, ERNEST JAMES WHITFIELD, b. 1881 d. 1953, is my grandfather.
JABISH married ANNIE HUTTON, child of JAMES HUTTON of Scotland, and MARY WALKER HUTTON, b. NY. ANNIE was born in NY.
HOWEVER.....
Annie was raised by ISAAC N MUNSON, of NY, later of Pekin, IL, and he is listed with Annie & Jabish in the 1900 Pekin, IL Census as "father-in-law" of Jabish.
WHO is Isaac N Munson and what happened to James HUTTON, her dad?
WHO are Annie's siblings, if any, and who are her step-siblings, if any?
** Looking for researchers who are descended from John Whitfield, b 1832 Hanley, Stafford, England, lived in Jersey County, Illinois, brother to Capt James Whitfield - please email!
