Eli Palmer Wightman and Descendants

Eli Palmer Wightman and Descendants

 

Generation No. 1

1. Eli Palmer Wightman was born July 11, 1844 in Parish, Oswego Co., NY1, and died March 23, 1920 in Waycross, Ware Co., GA2. He was the son of George R. Wightman and Mary Crandall. He married (1) Frances Isadora Vincent June 21, 1872 in Burlington, IA3,4, daughter of Chauncey Vincent and Poly Ann Allen. She was born May 13, 1847 in Lyme, NY5, and died October 9, 1893 in Evart, Osceola Co., MI5. He married (2) Pernetta Mae Heath5 ca. 1895. She was born July 1869 in Illinois6, and died Aft. 1920.

Mary Ross Whitman, in a very rare error, incorrectly listed Eli's birthplace as Galesburg, MI. He was born in New York State, in Parish or Palermo, prior to George and Mary's move west (although Wade Wightman has his birthplace as Homer, NY). Eli spent his early childhood growing up on his parents' farm in northern New York. In 1853, when he was about 9 years old, he moved with his family to Galesburg, MI. While Eli would have been just old enough to have served in the end of the Civil War, there is no record of his service.

In 1869, Eli was living at his father's house at 2 Rail Road in Galesburg, MI, and working as a tobacconist and confectioner. He may have had a business at 162 Battle Creek Rd. The 1870 US census showed 26 year old Eli P. Wightman living in his parents' home and working as a photographer. Two years later, he married Frances Vincent in Burlington, IA. I do not know how they met or why they were married in Iowa.

The 1880 US census recorded Eli as married to Frances and working as a jeweler in Osceola Township, Osceola County, MI (which is just outside of the village of Evart). In the 1880 census, Edith was six years old, Dora Mae was three years old, and young Franklin was an infant. Eli was baptized in 1892 into Evart's First Baptist Church, suggesting that he was not baptized as a child, and therefore that his father George was still observing the Baptist tradition of adult baptism. Their eldest daughter, Edith, died at the age of seven in 1887.

After Frances died in 1893, Eli remarried to Pernetta Mae Heath (Nettie), who was living in Reed City, MI, in 1895. Eli served as an Evart Village officer from 1894 to 1895. Eli and Nettie moved the family to Georgia in 1896. It is unclear whether Dora, who was not yet married, made the trip with them, but it would seem likely that she did, since she also settled in the south. Eli's daughter Clara died around this time, either during or shortly after the move to Georgia.

In 1900, Eli and Nettie were living in "District 1537" in Irwin Co., in south central Georgia. What brought them to this isolated place in the deep rural south I haven't a clue. Eli and Nettie had one child together, but he or she did not survive. Living with them in 1900 were Eli's children Frank and Louise, now 21 and 18, respectively, and still single. Eli was still in the jewelry business, and Frank was working as a "compositor". Sometime within a year or so after the census was taken, young Frank died.

In 1910, they were still in "Militia District 1537", but if this is the same place, it was now part of Ben Hill Co. They were living in what was now the town of Fitzgerald. Louise was still single and living with Eli and Nettie. Eli's occupation does not appear to be "jeweler," but I cannot discern exactly what it was.

During his time in Fitzgerald, Eli served as a deacon in the First Baptist Church in that community.

At 3:25 AM on December 18, 1911, thieves broke into the post office in Fitzgerald, GA. They blew the safe open and quickly made off with all the valuables. Among the items stolen was a package for Eli's business, which contained $700 worth of jewelry. Eli's loss was reported in a December 19, 1911 Atlanta Constitution story about the break-in.

In 1920, Eli and Nettie were living with Louise and her husband, James Story at their home in Waycross, Ware Co., GA. Now 75, Eli was still working as a jeweler, a few weeks before his death.

Children of Eli Wightman and Frances Vincent are:
  • Edith Wightman, born June 8, 1874 in Evart, Osceola Co., MI7; died November 22, 18877.
  • Dora Mae Wightman, born November 14, 1876 in Evart, Osceola Co., MI; died 1947.
  • Franklin Benjamin Wightman, born December 19, 1878 in Evart, Osceola Co., MI7; died 1901 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA (?)7. Died at the age of twenty-two.
  • Clara Alice Wightman, born April 21, 1881 in Evart, Osceola Co. MI; died September 1896 in Georgia (?)7. Died at the age of 15.
  • Louise Estelle Wightman, born June 2, 1886 in Evart, Osceola Co. MI; died February 1972 in Yazoo City, Yazoo Co., MS.
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    Generation No. 2

    3. Dora Mae2 Wightman was born November 14, 1876 in Evart, Osceola Co., MI7, and died June 3, 1947 in Evergreen, Conecuh Co., AL8. She married William Davis DaLee9 December 28, 1898 in Fitzgerald, GA, son of Albert DaLee and Eudora Brown. He was born May 3, 1867 in Paxton, Ford Co., IL9, and died May 29, 1933 in Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa Co., AL9.

    Dora married William Davis DaLee, then of Alabama. They raised their family in Fitzgerald, GA and Kent, FL. A photograph of Dora and William Davis DaLee can be found on the Chambers Family Genealogy.

    Children of Dora Wightman and William DaLee are:
  • William Wightman DaLee, born October 9, 1899 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA9.
  • Warren Justis DaLee, born February 3, 1901 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA9.
  • Wallace Freeman DaLee, born December 12, 1902 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA9,10; died April 1974 in Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa Co., AL10.
  • Lynn Earl DaLee, born January 7, 1904 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA11.
  • Raymond Douglas DaLee, born March 15, 1905 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA11,12; died May 1981 in Evergreen, Conecuh Co., AL12.
  • Clara Louise DaLee, born May 31, 1908 in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill Co., GA13.
  • Dora Mae DaLee, born September 25, 1910 in Kent, FL13.
    •

     

    6. Louise Estelle2 Wightman was born June 2, 1886 in Evart, Osceola Co. MI14, and died February 1972 in Yazoo City, Yazoo Co., MS14,15. She married James Christopher Story June 25, 1912 in Georgia16, son of Llewellyn Story and Mary McRae. He was born March 21, 1880 in Georgia17,18, and died November 29, 195618.

    James owned a dry goods business in Ware, Waycross Co., GA in 1920.

    Louise and James initially raised their family in Georgia, but relocated to Mississippi.

    Children of Louise Wightman and James Story are:
  • Palmer Llewellyn3 Story, born May 24, 1913 in Waycross, Ware Co., GA19,20; died June 5, 1926. Palmer was struck by a car and killed while riding his bicycle not long after his 13th birthday.
  • James Christopher Story, born June 13, 1915 in Waycross, Ware Co., GA21,22,23; died December 1984 in Amherst, Lorain Co., OH23. James' social security number was issued in Alabama.
  • Francis Allan Story, born August 5, 1917 in Waycross, Ware Co., GA; died February 1982 in Jackson, Hinds Co., MS.
  • Robert Theron Story, born February 3, 1920 in Waycross, Ware Co., GA24,25; died January 27, 198225. Robert lived in Honolulu, HI for part of his adult life, but his social security number was issued in Alabama. He apparently did not marry.
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    Generation No. 3

    16. Francis Allan Story was born August 5, 1917 in Waycross, Ware Co., GA26,27, and died February 1982 in Jackson, Hinds Co., MS28. He was the son of James Story and Louise Wightman. He married Martha Olive Elkin June 15, 1947 in Moss Point, MS29, daughter of Joseph Elkin and Lily Meeks. She was born November 15, 192329,30, and died June 24, 199930.

    Francis lived at 5366 Baltimore Drive in Jackson, MS late in life.

    Francis and Martha have living descendants.

     

    Sources

    1. John C. Crandall, Elder John Crandall of Rhode Island and His Descendants, (New Woodstock, NY 1949).

    2. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    3. Mindspring Genealogy, "Electronic."

    4. Mary Ross Whitman, George Wightman of Quidnessett, RI and Descendants, (1939, Chicago: Edwards Brothers).

    5. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    6. 1900 US Census.

    7. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    8. Mindspring Genealogy, "Electronic."

    9. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    10. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    11. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    12. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    13. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    14. Mindspring Genealogy, "Electronic."

    15. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    16. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    17. 1920 US Census.

    18. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    19. 1920 US Census.

    20. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    21. 1920 US Census.

    22. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    23. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    24. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    25. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    26. 1920 US Census.

    27. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    28. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    29. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    30. Social Security Death Record, "Electronic."

    31. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

    32. PeopleSearch, "Electronic."

    33. Wade C. Wightman, The Wightman Ancestry, (Chelsea, MI: Bookcrafters, 1994).

     

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