Before I get to the Whaleys, I want to share another letter with you. This one made me chuckle.

Jerre Williams, who lives in Peachtree City, is looking for the Shepherd family and writes: "Judy, I am so very happy that you have started your genealogical articles. They have been very helpful to me as I search. I have been searching since 1969 and still haven't been able to find out about my GGgrandfather, though I have searched the Web sites you have suggested.

"As a matter of fact, I definitely have gathered information about my great-grandfather as he and family lived in Wilkes County, Ga. But none of the information is on any Web sites that I have reviewed. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I have not given or offered the information. How do I accomplish this?

"Another question: the information I have is a matter of public record but lies in the Wilkes County Courthouse records. Exposing my ignorance, I have to tell myself that unless some family member offers the information it will not be available?

"You have been very successful in obtaining your family information in a short period of time and I am very happy for you. I have not been so fortunate and I believe one reason is due to the fact that only two family ladies elected to write anything about the family. I am of the opinion that all were very poor dirt farmers that barely made a living.

"Anyway I hope to hear from you and perhaps you can tell me how I can give what I have to other Shepherd family members out there and hopefully receive some information.

"For all these years I have been excited about the challenge and project but now I am beginning to turn dull, as I have had no breakthrough in several years.

"Thank you for your time. Your success and words have given me a 'shot in the geneo arm.' Jerre Williams, 111 Sagamore Lane, Peachtree City, GA 30269, sarjer@juno.com."

Jerre is right. Nobody will know about your family if you don't share your information. So get out there on Rootsweb and Genforum and leave messages! If you don't have a computer, leave a copy of your research and family file at your research center, library or whatever. It really works!

Like Jerre, I received a "shot in the geneo arm" too when recently I was able to take my GGGgrandmother, Elizabeth Pepper Fowler, back two more generations to the Whaley family. I received a lot of information from helpful people and, within that information, I made an interesting discovery one of those Whaleys came to Fayette County.

The material is so new I haven't had time to research it deeply, but I will tell you the pieces I've found. Many thanks to Judy Bowman of California and Helen Peppers Hay of Lawrenceville for their contributions. Much of the information Helen sent comes from a Garrett family book and Mrs. James Russell. I have combined the information here. Maybe some Whaleys are still in Fayette County or the south metro Atlanta area.

My earliest traceable Whaley ancestor is William Whaley, b. abt 1750 in Sinepuxent, Worcester Co, Md., d. abt. Aug, 1795 in Greene Co., Ga. Researchers seem to disagree on William's parentage. Some say his parents were Elias Whaley and Martha Dale. Others say his father was William Whaley Sr. It appears this dispute has never been settled.

William married Hannah Round abt. 1769 in Buckingham Church, Worcester Co., Md. She was the daughter of James Round and Rhoda Cropper or Crapper. Hannah was b. abt. 1753 in Sinepuxent.

William and Hannah had the following children: Hester (Esther) b. 14 Sept 1770, d. abt 1868 in Walton Co., Ga., m. John Pepper abt, 1786 (Hester is my GGGGgrandmother). The research material also lists a twin for Hester named Arthur, born the same day, but there is no further information.

Other children were: Mary "Polly", b. 1 March 1771 in Md., d. 25 Dec 1847 in Marion Co., Ill., m. (1) James Jones, m. (2) Samuel Betts; Eli C., b. 16 Oct 1774 in Md., d. 2 Nov 1855 in Walton Co., Ga., m. Mary (Betsy) Grace abt. 1798; Rhoda, b. 27 Feb. 1776, m. Unknown Hemming; Martha (Patsy) b. 25 Feb 1778, m. (1) Ben Evins, m. (2) Robert Atkins; Hannah, b. 27 Oct 1780, m. Unknown Ewings or Ewins; William, b. 11 Jan 1783, d. 12 Oct 1844 in Fayette Co., Ga., m. abt. 1808 to Elizabeth "Betsy" Kinnon; Samuel, b. 15 Nov 1784, d. 1850 in Hancock Co., Ga., m. on 11 Nov 1812 to Marion "Morning" Kelly; Isaac, b. 15 April 1787, m. Judy Harris; Daniel, b. 26 Feb 1789, m. Unknown Bowie; and Elizabeth (Betsy), b. 28 March 1791, d. 2 June 1853 in Marion Co., Ill., m. Thomas J. Morris on 1 Feb. 1807.

I checked the Fayette County Cemeteries book and found a few Whaleys buried here: Effie Whaley Landrum (1891-1968) and Emmett Landrum (1888-1924) are buried at Flat Creek Baptist; Jesse Whaley (1925-1968) is next to Richard L. Whaley (only one date ... Sept. 14, 1934) at Hopewell Methodist in Tyrone, as are Ben P. Whaley (1888-1950) and Emma L. Whaley (1894-1966). There was no William listed in Fayette, however. Nor was he in the partial listing of Campbell County cemeteries. I will continue to search. If there are any Whaley folks out there, feel free to contact me. We just might be cousins.

If you have Whaley ancestors, there are files online for the children of Hester Whaley Pepper, Mary (Polly) Whaley Jones, Hannah Whaley Ewing and Elizabeth (Betsy) Whaley Morris. I found them on Ancestry.com's Ancestry World Tree. It's free. If you don't find them there, contact me. I have them too. I intend to contact the persons who submitted these online files. Sharing is what this thing is all about.

Still looking for information on your south metro folks. Send mail to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting! Before I get to the Whaleys, I want to share another letter with you. This one made me chuckle.

Jerre Williams, who lives in Peachtree City, is looking for the Shepherd family and writes: "Judy, I am so very happy that you have started your genealogical articles. They have been very helpful to me as I search. I have been searching since 1969 and still haven't been able to find out about my GGgrandfather, though I have searched the Web sites you have suggested.

"As a matter of fact, I definitely have gathered information about my great-grandfather as he and family lived in Wilkes County, Ga. But none of the information is on any Web sites that I have reviewed. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I have not given or offered the information. How do I accomplish this?

"Another question: the information I have is a matter of public record but lies in the Wilkes County Courthouse records. Exposing my ignorance, I have to tell myself that unless some family member offers the information it will not be available?

"You have been very successful in obtaining your family information in a short period of time and I am very happy for you. I have not been so fortunate and I believe one reason is due to the fact that only two family ladies elected to write anything about the family. I am of the opinion that all were very poor dirt farmers that barely made a living.

"Anyway I hope to hear from you and perhaps you can tell me how I can give what I have to other Shepherd family members out there and hopefully receive some information.

"For all these years I have been excited about the challenge and project but now I am beginning to turn dull, as I have had no breakthrough in several years.

"Thank you for your time. Your success and words have given me a 'shot in the geneo arm.' Jerre Williams, 111 Sagamore Lane, Peachtree City, GA 30269, sarjer@juno.com."

Jerre is right. Nobody will know about your family if you don't share your information. So get out there on Rootsweb and Genforum and leave messages! If you don't have a computer, leave a copy of your research and family file at your research center, library or whatever. It really works!

Like Jerre, I received a "shot in the geneo arm" too when recently I was able to take my GGGgrandmother, Elizabeth Pepper Fowler, back two more generations to the Whaley family. I received a lot of information from helpful people and, within that information, I made an interesting discovery one of those Whaleys came to Fayette County.

The material is so new I haven't had time to research it deeply, but I will tell you the pieces I've found. Many thanks to Judy Bowman of California and Helen Peppers Hay of Lawrenceville for their contributions. Much of the information Helen sent comes from a Garrett family book and Mrs. James Russell. I have combined the information here. Maybe some Whaleys are still in Fayette County or the south metro Atlanta area.

My earliest traceable Whaley ancestor is William Whaley, b. abt 1750 in Sinepuxent, Worcester Co, Md., d. abt. Aug, 1795 in Greene Co., Ga. Researchers seem to disagree on William's parentage. Some say his parents were Elias Whaley and Martha Dale. Others say his father was William Whaley Sr. It appears this dispute has never been settled.

William married Hannah Round abt. 1769 in Buckingham Church, Worcester Co., Md. She was the daughter of James Round and Rhoda Cropper or Crapper. Hannah was b. abt. 1753 in Sinepuxent.

William and Hannah had the following children: Hester (Esther) b. 14 Sept 1770, d. abt 1868 in Walton Co., Ga., m. John Pepper abt, 1786 (Hester is my GGGGgrandmother). The research material also lists a twin for Hester named Arthur, born the same day, but there is no further information.

Other children were: Mary "Polly", b. 1 March 1771 in Md., d. 25 Dec 1847 in Marion Co., Ill., m. (1) James Jones, m. (2) Samuel Betts; Eli C., b. 16 Oct 1774 in Md., d. 2 Nov 1855 in Walton Co., Ga., m. Mary (Betsy) Grace abt. 1798; Rhoda, b. 27 Feb. 1776, m. Unknown Hemming; Martha (Patsy) b. 25 Feb 1778, m. (1) Ben Evins, m. (2) Robert Atkins; Hannah, b. 27 Oct 1780, m. Unknown Ewings or Ewins; William, b. 11 Jan 1783, d. 12 Oct 1844 in Fayette Co., Ga., m. abt. 1808 to Elizabeth "Betsy" Kinnon; Samuel, b. 15 Nov 1784, d. 1850 in Hancock Co., Ga., m. on 11 Nov 1812 to Marion "Morning" Kelly; Isaac, b. 15 April 1787, m. Judy Harris; Daniel, b. 26 Feb 1789, m. Unknown Bowie; and Elizabeth (Betsy), b. 28 March 1791, d. 2 June 1853 in Marion Co., Ill., m. Thomas J. Morris on 1 Feb. 1807.

I checked the Fayette County Cemeteries book and found a few Whaleys buried here: Effie Whaley Landrum (1891-1968) and Emmett Landrum (1888-1924) are buried at Flat Creek Baptist; Jesse Whaley (1925-1968) is next to Richard L. Whaley (only one date ... Sept. 14, 1934) at Hopewell Methodist in Tyrone, as are Ben P. Whaley (1888-1950) and Emma L. Whaley (1894-1966). There was no William listed in Fayette, however. Nor was he in the partial listing of Campbell County cemeteries. I will continue to search. If there are any Whaley folks out there, feel free to contact me. We just might be cousins.

If you have Whaley ancestors, there are files online for the children of Hester Whaley Pepper, Mary (Polly) Whaley Jones, Hannah Whaley Ewing and Elizabeth (Betsy) Whaley Morris. I found them on Ancestry.com's Ancestry World Tree. It's free. If you don't find them there, contact me. I have them too. I intend to contact the persons who submitted these online files. Sharing is what this thing is all about.

Still looking for information on your south metro folks. Send mail to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!

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