Peter And Anna Whitesel of Virginia And Their Descendants:Information about Jacob Harvey Whitesel
Jacob Harvey Whitesel (b. February 22, 1832, d. May 1864)
Notes for Jacob Harvey Whitesel:
THE CIVIL WAR GENERATION - JACOB HARVEY WHITESEL 1832 - 1864
RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN BY COLONEL WILLIAM WHITESEL
Jacob Harvey Whitesel was born on his father's farm at Cross Keys, Rockingham County,Virginia on February 22,1832 and was baptized at Whitesel's Church. He was the youngestchild of George and Susanna ( Tutwiler ) Whitesel.
On february 23,1850 he was married to Catherine Elizabeth Sandy, daughter of Reuben Sandyby his second wife, Mary Ann Sipe. Jacob and Catherine were first cousins - once - removedsince Jacob's mother, Susanna Tutwiler Whitesel, was sister to Catherine's maternalgrandmother, Catherine Tutwiler Sipe. Surety for the marriage bond was provided by Jacob'sfather and Catherine's mother, the bond reading, in part, "________we, Jacob HarveyWhitesel, George Whitesel and Mary Ann Sandy are held and firmly bound unto theCommonwealth of Virginia, in the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Dollars, to which payment welland truly to be made, we bind ourselves, firmly by these present. Sealed and dated the 23 dayof February 1850 in the 74th year of the commonwealth."
On the census of 1850, taken the 14th December, Jacob H. aged 18, and his wife, aged 18,were listed in the household of his father. Jacob is listed as " laborer ". In the approriatecolumn, jacob and Catherine are each listed as having been married during that year.
Sometime after this date, Jacob and Catherine moved to her father's farm land in PleasantValley. This farm was originally part ofthe Sipe lands and had been given to Mary Ann SipeSandy by her father, John Sipe, who died between March 28,1842 ( date of his will ) and May1845 ( date his will admitted to the courts. The farm may have been deeded to Mary Ann beforeher father's death.
On April 13,1863, two years after the Civil War began, Jacob enlisted as a private in CompanyH, 12th Virginia Cavalry Regiment. The 12th Cavalry, orginally designated the 10th VirginiaCavalry, was organized June 21,1862 with en companies, A through K : these companies hadpreviously been part of the 7th Virginia Cavalry -- a somewhat confused lineage. Thereorganization of June 21, took place after the death of General Turner Ashby who was killed inaction on the night of June 6 about two iles south of Harrisonburg. The 12th Cavalrycommander was Colonel A.W. Hartman and the Company Commander was Captain EmanuelSipe who was cousin to both Jacob and to his wife. The 12 Cavalry together with Mumford's2nd Cavalry and Flourney's 6th Cavalry constituted Brigadier General Beverley H.Robertson's " Laurel Brigade ". In the fall of 1863 the 12th Cavalry became part of JonesBrigade, Hapton's Division. The 12th Cavalry fought in the Valley, at Gettysburg, and aroundRichmond.
Considering Jacob's heritage and the opposition to war which characterized the UnitedBrethren Church, it is not surprising to find that his military record was less than billiant. Thecompany muster roll for September - October 1863 carried him as " Absent in arrest -No horsehire due". The November - December roll notes..." has been restored to duty by order of theCol. " Since no explanations are offered, my guess is that Jacob granted himself a leave to gohome to help bring in the harvest.
This sort of action was relatively common among troops recruited from agricultural areas. Further, there is no record of a court martial which would mean that absence without leave for such a cause was not regarded seriously by the Army of Northern Virginia. The January - February 1854 muster and the March - April muster carry him in full duty status.
In the late spring of 1864, when the Union forces were once trying to capture Richmond, the 12th Cavalry was present in the defence forces for the city. Toward the end of MAy, Lee's army of three corps was disposed in the vicinity of Totopotomy Creek to cover all approaches to teh city from the {amunkey River which Grant was expected to cross. On May 29 a cavalry reconaissance was ordered to determine wheather Grant had sent any of his Federal infantry across the river. The reconaisance become a battle, after seven hours of fighting, most of which took place in woods so thick that the troops were on foot, Confederate cavalrydisengaged and retired. This fight has been called the Battle of Haw's Shop and it was in this battle in an out of the way part of Hanover County some 12 miles north of Richmond that Jacob Harvey Whitesel was killed. He may be buried somewhere in the vicinity of Hanover Courthouse with others who were killed in that skirmish.
Jacob's wife, Catherine Elizabeth Sandy, was born in Rockingham County, Virginia on August 10,1831, the only child of Reuben Sandy and his second wife, Mary Ann Sipe, called Polly by her family. Although Catherine was of half English and half German ancestry, she was the first Whitesel bride not to be of only German or Swiss - German antecedents.
Catherine's mother was the daughter of John Sipe of Rockingham County, Virginia and his wife, born Catherine Tutwiler. Mary Ann and Reuben Sandy, who was a great - grandson of Thomas and Sarah Harrison, founders of Harrisonburg, were married on November 7,1830. Their marriage bond says that JohnSipe, Jr. ( Mary Ann's younger brother ) aged 18 years, made oath before the clerk the "___his sister Polly Sipe who is about to be married to Reuben Sandy is upwards of twenty one years of age and that he verily believes that there is no objection to the license being issued for the marriage." However, the marriage was not a success: at the time of Catherine's birth, Reuben deserted his wife and child, a fact which is attested to in Catherine's own marriage bond which bears a statement reading." This day Mary Ann Sandy made oath before me Erasmus Coffman, Clerk of the County aforesaid that her husband Reuben Sandy left her about 18 years ago and that since that time she has not seen or heard from him and that she does not know wheather he is living or dead."
Catherine raised her three sons alone from the time Jacob left for war, and from which he did not return. She farmed the land which her mother had inherited, originally consisting of some 160 acres. This holding was gradually reduced over the years as she sold parts to pay her debts. On June 30,1887 she conveyed to her son, William Knott Whitesel, the last remenant of her farm " in consideration of the natural love and respect, and one dollar in hand, the receipt of which is acknowledged." Her son was to keep her, so long as she live and have full possession at her death." although the deed was certified and admitted to record on May 15,1889, the year before her death. Because of selling the land and the general depressed economics situation which prevailed in that part of Virginia after the Civil War, her sons found it impossible to support their families and the migrated to the territory which beco=ame the state of Washington. William was the last on to leave Virginia in 1897.
Catherine died at her son's home August 15, 1890 and is buried at Spader's Church, the Lutheran and Reformed Church located near Whitesel's farm. While the churchyard has many Sandy'd and Whitesel's buried there, she is the only on of our immediate family interred there.
More About Jacob Harvey Whitesel and Catherine Elizabeth Sandy:
Marriage: February 23, 1850
Children of Jacob Harvey Whitesel and Catherine Elizabeth Sandy are:
- +George Whitesel, b. 1851, Rockingham Co. Va., d. 1932, Before 1932 Spokane County, Washington.
- +Enos Whitesel, b. 1854, Rockingham Co. Va., d. 1932, after 1932 Idaho.
- +William Knott Whitesel, b. September 15, 1857, Rockingham Co. Va., d. August 30, 1908, Spokane County, Washington.