Find Family

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of Charles P WEST


      8. Sally3 West (Charles P2, William1) was born November 03, 1817 in Campbell Co TN (now Scott) (Source: Cemeteries of Scott County TN.), and died January 21, 1905 in Scott Co TN (Source: Cemeteries of Scott County TN.). She met (1) Wayne Whitecotton. He was born February 04, 1811 in Campbell Co TN, and died April 21, 1863 in Scott Co TN. She married (2) John A Phillips 1842 in Campbell Co TN, son of Jonathan Phillips and Phoebe Goad. He was born July 09, 1819 in Campbell Co TN (now Scott) (Source: Cemeteries of Scott County TN.), and died February 24, 1911 in Scott Co TN (Source: (1) Cemeteries of Scott County TN., (2) Scott County Historical Society, Obituaries from the West Union Association United Baptist Minutes 1893-1946.).

Notes for Sally West:
In the late fall of 1901, Great-Grandma SALLY WEST PHILLIPS died at the age of 84 and was buried on the bench on the side hill across the first branch in front of the very old log cabin in which she and her husband, JOHN A. PHILLIPS, had reared 10 children. They were the parents of NANCY, who married CHRIS SEXTON, and became the mother of the CHRIS SEXTON family of nine children. CASWELL SEXTON was the first born.

From FNB Chronicle by Letchet Sexton.


More About Sally West:
Burial: Unknown, Phillips Cemetery, Cherry Fork

Notes for Wayne Whitecotton:
Information about this family group supplied by Clark Cordell, RR 1 Box 385, Pryor OK 74361.

The father of Wayne William is given as Aaron Whitecotton.

Surveyor in Scott county in the 1850's
First County Clerk for Scott County, Tennessee

Captain in the Union Army and a prisoner of war at Andersonville and Libby Prison. He came home broken in health and died near the close if war. Wayne's gravestone indicates he was a Captain in Company G, 7th Tennessee Volunteers, Union Army during Civil War. During the war he was once shot through the pants leg, but the bullet did not wound him. He was taken prisoner of war and spent time at Andersonville and Libby prisons, and was later exchanged at Aiken's Landing, Virginia in 1862, and then rejoined the US 7th Tennessee. The pants with the bullet hole remained in the family for many generations. After returning home Wayne developed smallpox and died of this.


"John then went to see his correspondent friend, 80-year old Lacy Jeremiah Jackson West. Mr. West is some kin to us but I didn't attempt to untangle it. Mr. West, with gusto, gave a juicy account of
Captain White-Cotton's extra-marital alliances and readily reeled off the names of three of six illegitimate children. One was Polly West who married Daniel Chambers. Thus, Polly Chambers, Polly West
Chamber's mother was Pharbie (Fairby, short for the Scottish fair barin) West, the wife of Reason West. Capt. White-cotton also had a son by Pharbie West and his name was called Taylor West. Capt.
White-Cotton had another daughter, Emeline who was born 1856 (?). Emeline's mother was "Leeanner" (Louanna) Sexton, who married Emanuel Phillips. The daughter, Emeline, married a Foster, thus Emeline
Foster. Capt. White-Cotton married and /or co-habited with at least four known women the old-timers said. Bastard sons used his name but not daughters.

Lacy West, in talking about Tasmon (Burke) White-Cotton said that Tasmon had a son named Gaines by Rachel Boswell. The boy was illegitimate. All the time Capt. White-Cotton was frisking around with
several women he was married to Mary (called Polly) Solomon Owens. But, evidently, he left her for long periods of time and lived with other women. In fact, it is conjectured that China White-Cotton, our
grandmother, was the Captain's daughter by Pharbie West and that his wife simply accepted her and raised her as her own daughter. China thought that Polly Chambers was her mother."

Wayne is reported to be the first in the family line to begin writing his name Wayne W.Cotton as an abbreviation. His children did likewise and eventually dropped the White all together. All of Wayne's children, however, were born "Whitecotton", not Cotton. However, his father is listed on the 1850 census as Aaron "Cotton".

The following is anecdotal information about Wayne obtained via World Family Tree, and was apparently passed down by his granddaughter (China Cordell Hicks):
Capt. Wayne Whitecotton is described as being a big man ((over 200 lbs.), standing over 6 ft tall, with coal black hair and blue eyes.
Wayne's gravestone indicates he was a Captain in Company G, 7th Tennessee Volunteers, Union Army during Civil War. During the war he was once shot through the pants leg, but the bullet did not wound him. He was taken prisoner of war and spent time at Andersonville and Libby prisons, and was later exchanged at Aiken's Landing, Virginia in 1862, and then rejoined the US 7th Tennessee. The pants with the bullet hole remained in the family for many generations. After returning home Wayne developed smallpox and died of this.
Family tradition claims that Wayne was a notorious philanderer, and fathered a number of illegitimate children (even while married). He is known to have fathered children by at least four women other than his wife. Bastard male children were often allowed to take the Whitecotton surname, but generally not the girls. Wayne (or Captain as he was known) would apparently leave home for long periods at a time, and would even move in with other women. Apparently Mary (Owens) Whitecotton would eventually always welcome him home (and is even believed to have raised a few of Wayne's bastard children). One of Captain's ploys was to pretend to go be squirrel hunting near the home of a woman, and would fire a shot in the air as a signal to his lover. If the lover's husband was away, she would signal for Wayne to come in. If he was home, she would find an excuse to go out to do chores.

Probate records show Wayne deeding 600 acres to his daughter Celina and her husband John C. Wilhite. The property is also mentioned as abutting the land held by James Phillips, John C. Wilhite, Alfred Laxton, Fredrick Botts, John Carson, and Fredrick and Taylor West.

On the 1850 US Census the Cottons are living in Scott Co., TN (p. 728, dwelling 58). Those listed: "W. W. Cotton", 39, farmer (with $900 in real estate); Mary, 29; Celina, 10; Martha, 8; China, 6; Tasmon, 4; French, 3. All persons were born in TN.

On the 1860 US Census, the Cottons are living in 2nd District, Scott Co., TN (p. 201, dwelling 595). Those listed: Wayne W. Cotton, 50, farmer; Polly, 40; Martha 17; China, 16; Tasmon, 15; French, 11; Walker, 9; Artemy, 7; and McAdo, 4. There is also an 11 (or maybe 19) year old name Frederick Go** (perhaps Goad). This may be a farmhand, but considering Wayne reputation, it could also be one of his many illegitimate children. Wayne has $2000 in real estate and $1000 in personal property. Tasmon, French and Walker have attended school in the past year. All persons can read and write.

"Dusty Bits -- a History of Scott County, TN" mentions that the "Cotton boys" operated a mine near Paint Rock in Scott County.

The following Notes are from the U.S. Civil War Service Records for Wayne W. Cotton (Co. G, 7th Tenn. Inf.; National Archives, Washington, DC). Transcribed by Gregg Branum, great grandson of Tasmon Cotton.

These records appear as a series of cards, and my bullet-point notes summarize the data on each of those individual cards:
-- Wayne W. Cotton is listed as a Priv. in Co. G., 7th Regt. Tenn. Infantry on the Company Muster Roll for Oct. 31, 1832 to June 30, 1863. He enrolled June 14, 1862 in Huntsville, TN for a period of 3 years, and mustered in on June 14th. He is listed as "Died in Scott Co., Tenn. of Small Pox, April 17, 1862."
-- The next card states Wayne W. Cotton was a Capt in Co. G, 7th Tenn. Inf., at age 52, and that he mustered in June 18, 1862 for a period of 3 years.
-- Is listed among the prisoners of war exchanged at Aiken's Landing, Va., Nov. 8, 1862.
-- Cotton, Wayne W. is marked as being a prisoner of war.
-- A 'Memorandum From Prisoner of War Records' names W. W. Cotton, Capt. 7th East Tenn. Inf., and remarks he was "sent from Knoxville, Tenn. to Richmond Va. for exchange Nov. 5/62."
-- Wayne W. Cotton's Oath of Officer of Co. G, Captain, 7th Reg. of Tennesse Volunteers, written in Wayne's own hand:
"I Wayne W. Cotton do solemnly swear or affirm that I have never voluntarily borne ars against the United States since I have been a citizen thereof. That I have voluntarily given no aid, countenance, counsel or encouragment to persons engaged in armed hostility thereto. That I have neither sought nor accepted nor attempted to exercise the functions of any office whatever under any authority or pretended authority in hostility to the United States. That I have not yielded a voluntary support to any pretended Government authority, power or constitution within the United States hostile or inimical thereto.
"And I do further swear or affirm that to the best of my knowledge and belief I will support and defend the Constitition of the United States against all enemies foreigh and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office an which I am about to enter. So help me God.
"Wayne W. Cotton, Capt. of Company G., 7th Tenn. Reg. Vol.
"Sworn and subscribed to before me on the 23rd day of Dec. 1862, Wm. Clift, Commander t Reg. Tn. Vol."
-- Died April 17, 1863
-- A note from the Adjutant General's Office dated Nov. 6, 1867, states there is no evidence on file at his office of Wayne W. Cotton serving in said Regiment, but that he is reported to be a Pvt. that died on April 17, 1863.
**The reader should note these service files are "combined" soldier files. So one office may not have the records of another. Which is why some data is redundant and why the Adjutant General's Office had only a "report" of Wayne being a "Private" in the 7th Tenn.
This lack of information from some agencies would be important in the coming years, as we shall learn, when Wayne's wife Polly applied for a widow's pension.



More About Wayne Whitecotton:
Burial: Unknown, Whitecotton Cemetery, Paint Rock
Census: 1850, Scott Co TN HH# 56-57
Military service 1: Captain Union Army
Military service 2: Imprisoned Andersonville

More About John A Phillips:
Burial: Unknown, Phillips Cemetery, Cherry Fork
Census 1: 1860, Scott Co TN HH# 543
Census 2: 1870, Scott Co TN 2nd District HH# 55
Census 3: 1880, Scott Co TN
Census 4: 1900, Scott Co TN 13th District HH# 64
     
Child of Sally West and Wayne Whitecotton is:
+ 61 i.   Elizabeth West4 Cotton, born March 01, 1839 in TN; died May 05, 1903 in Scott Co TN.
     
Children of Sally West and John Phillips are:
+ 62 i.   Johnathan4 Phillips, born November 11, 1842 in Scott Co TN; died October 17, 1931 in Scott Co TN.
+ 63 ii.   Nancy Phillips, born March 12, 1843 in Scott Co TN; died April 22, 1912 in Scott Co TN.
+ 64 iii.   Sarah Phillips, born June 06, 1845 in Scott Co TN; died October 28, 1932 in Scott Co TN.
+ 65 iv.   Charles Phillips, born April 08, 1847 in Scott Co TN; died April 23, 1913 in Scott Co TN.
+ 66 v.   Winford Pleasant Phillips, born April 01, 1849 in Scott Co TN; died February 15, 1936 in Scott Co TN.
+ 67 vi.   Emanuel Phillips, born December 29, 1851 in Scott Co TN; died August 04, 1914 in Scott Co TN.
+ 68 vii.   Pherbia Phillips, born 1853 in Scott Co TN; died November 22, 1925 in Scott Co TN.
+ 69 viii.   Ewel Westley Phillips, born January 02, 1855 in Scott Co TN; died January 29, 1925 in Scott Co TN.
+ 70 ix.   John Ray Phillips, born 1856 in TN; died Unknown.


      9. John Wesley3 West (Charles P2, William1) was born 1820 in Campbell Co TN, and died October 31, 1903 in Scott Co TN. He married (1) Gracie Bauswell. She was born 1813, and died Unknown. He married (2) Phoebe Emaline Phillips January 20, 1870 in Scott Co TN (Source: Scott County Historical Society, Scott Co TN, Marriages 1854-1880.), daughter of Jonathan Phillips and Phoebe Goad. She was born 1824 in TN, and died July 05, 1910 in Scott Co TN.

Notes for John Wesley West:
At the time of the 1900 census, Wesley and Phoebe are living with his son, Charles West.

More About John Wesley West:
Census 1: 1870, Scott Co TN
Census 2: 1880, Scott Co TN 1st District HH# 63
Census 3: 1900, Scott Co TN

More About Phoebe Emaline Phillips:
Census: 1860, Scott Co TN HH# 529
     
Children of John West and Gracie Bauswell are:
+ 71 i.   Reuben4 West, born December 27, 1842 in Campbell Co TN (now Scott); died November 29, 1905 in Scott Co TN.
  72 ii.   Wesley West, born 1844; died Unknown.
+ 73 iii.   Reason S West, born October 03, 1844 in Scott Co TN; died 1916 in Scott Co TN.
+ 74 iv.   Charles H West, born 1849 in Scott Co TN; died 1920 in Scott Co TN.
+ 75 v.   Greenberry West, born May 29, 1851 in Scott Co TN; died September 11, 1937 in Scott Co TN.
+ 76 vi.   Sarah West, born June 20, 1855 in Scott Co TN; died October 23, 1936 in Scott Co TN.
+ 77 vii.   James Henry West, born 1858 in Scott Co TN; died March 10, 1907 in Scott Co TN.
  78 viii.   Sampson H West, born 1860; died Unknown.
     
Children of John West and Phoebe Phillips are:
+ 79 i.   William O4 West, born August 27, 1858 in Scott Co TN; died April 12, 1936 in Scott Co TN.
  80 ii.   Elizabeth Jane Chambers, born Abt. 1859 in Scott Co TN; died Unknown.
+ 81 iii.   Nancy Elizabeth West, born September 02, 1862 in Scott Co TN; died June 17, 1908 in Scott Co TN.
+ 82 iv.   Lucinda West, born 1867 in Scott Co TN; died Unknown.


[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]
Home | Help | About Us | Biography.com | HistoryChannel.com | Site Index | Terms of Service | PRIVACY
© 2009 Ancestry.com