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Ruth Lowndes Berrien

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Children of JOHN BERRIEN and WILLIAMINIA MORE are:
i. JAMES WEEMS MOORE5 BERRIEN, b. WFT Est. 1781-1808; d. WFT Est. 1806-1888; m. CATHERINE JANE NOBLE, WFT Est. 1801-1845; b. WFT Est. 1780-1815; d. WFT Est. 1806-1896.
ii. DOCTOR RICHARD BERRIEN, b. WFT Est. 1781-1808; d. WFT Est. 1806-1888; m. ELIZA BOLLING DELONY, WFT Est. 1801-1845; b. WFT Est. 1780-1815; d. WFT Est. 1806-1896.
iii. SARAH LOWNDES BERRIEN, b. WFT Est. 1776-1799; d. WFT Est. 1817-1885; m. JOHN ALOYSIUS CASEY, WFT Est. 1790-1833; b. WFT Est. 1763-1792; d. WFT Est. 1817-1877.
iv. RUTH LOWNDES BERRIEN, b. June 09, 1798; d. May 12, 1839; m. DR. JAMES WHITEHEAD, June 30, 1816, Jefferson County, Georgia; b. April 07, 1786, Burke County, Georgia; d. October 11, 1847, Richmond Bath, Georgia.

Notes for RUTH LOWNDES BERRIEN:
Headstone inscription in the Whitehead "Spread Oak" Cemetary:

This stone covers the mortal remains of Mrs. Ruth Lowndes Whitehead wife of Dr. James Whitehead. She was born June the 9th 1798, and died May the 12th 1839. In all the relations of life She was gentle, faithful and true. Reader if you are a Christian, a wife, a mother or a friend follow her example, and you will add joy to the Church, fill the cup of your husband's happiness, enjoy the affectionate confidence of your children, and awaken the strongest emotions of virtuous friendship in this and share with her the inestimable joys which await the righteous in another and better world.




Marriages--Georgia to 1850

Georgia
Jefferson County

Berrien, Ruth married Whitehead, James on 16 Jun 1816 in Jefferson County, Georgia


Notes for DR. JAMES WHITEHEAD:
June 16, 1816 according to Early American Marriages

Ruth was a sister of Julia Maria Berrien


Dr. James Whitehead's lineage was made possible by his Bible. At his death this Bible became the property of his youngest child, Amos Whitehead who married Margaret Bradford. They lived and were buried in Bradfordville, a few miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. His eldest child, James Edward Whitehead married Mrs. Charlotte (Arthur) Croucher and they had seven children. Their second son Edward Bradford Whitehead often visited Waynesboro, Georgia where he met the uncle of Grattan Whitehead Rowland, James Harper Whitehead. From this friendship Bradford Whitehead with his mother and youngest sister Ruth visited James Harper on one or more occasions. After one on these visits, about 1925, Charlotte copied the family record from the Bible and sent it to James Harper.

In March 1969 Grattan Whitehead Rowland met Ruth Louise Whitehead, now Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Roberts, living in Bradfordville near the old home site. A xerox copy of the original in her mother's handwriting was given to her and immediately confirmed as copied from the old Bible which had been lost when their home burned in 1932.

This copy was first shown to Grattan Whitehead Rowland by her Aunt Sue, a sister of James Harper who died in 1928. The original copy is now owned by Mrs. James Miller Byne. This record has proven most accurate for 40 years and starts with Dr. James' father Amos Whitehead, born 11 August 1744.

Dr. James Whitehead was born at "Spread Oak" in Burke County, Georgia. This was the name of his father's plantation which was about three miles north of Waynesboro, Georgia. He died at Richmond Bath and is buried at Spread Oak where his gravestone now stands. He entered Franklin College, Now the University of Georgia in 1802 and graduated with his older brother, Judge John Whitehead, with the class of 1806. Although a graduate of a medical school he did not pursue the practice but was a planter.

Headstone Inscription in the Whitehead "Spread Oak" Cemetery located 300 yards west of U.S. 25, one mile from Brier Creek, four miles from Waynesboro Court House:

Fillial Affection consecrates this monumental tablet to the memory of Dr. James Whitehead who died October 11 1847 aged 61 years. In life exemplary and useful, In death tranquil and full of hope.

Will of James Whitehead, State of Georgia, Burke County

I, James Whitehead of the State and County above written, being sound and disposing mind do make ordain and constitute this as my last will and testament.

Firstly, I give and bequeath to my son John Berrien Whitehead all of the property whether real personal or mixed that I have heretofore given him: In addition to which I will that my Executors hereinafter named and appointed do purchase for my said son (John Berrien) six (6) additional working hands, eg, Three to be boys or young fellows three to be girls or young women, but the purchase is not to be made before my executors find it entirely convenient to do so with the surplus funds arising from the Sale of my Crops over and above the necessary expenses and liberal support of my other children.

Secondly, I give and bequeath to my son in law Thomas Nesbitt the sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars, to be paid in cash, Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) to be paid from the proceeds of a lot of cotton now in the hands of Bustin and Walter, Augusta, so soon as the sale is effected. The remaining Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) to be paid out of the surplus money arising from the sales of all my crops in preference to any other legal, and after the necessary expenses of my four minor children have been met.

As special legacies I give and bequeath in the first place to my daughter Virginia Louise Prince my carriage driver, his wife Fanny and their youngest child Maria and a yellow girl called Tamer. Secondly, to my little granddaughter Ruth L. Nesbitt I give and bequeath Mary the daughter of Prince and Fanny and Kizzy the daughter of Alfred and Lizzy. Thirdly to my little grandson James Whitehead Nesbitt I give and bequeath Abram the son of Prince and Fanny. Fourthly to my little granddaughter Ruth Berrien Whitehead I give and bequeath Cornelia daughter of Prince and Fanny and hereby confirm the gift of Ann which I heretofore made her. And fifthly to my little grandson William Casper Whitehead I give and bequeath a yellow boy known by the name of Jerry, son of a woman called Mary Benn. Sixthly to my son James Troup, I give and bequeath Henry. To my son William Harlow, Wesley, to my son Richard Macpherson, Bob, all the children of Prince and Fanny; and to my son Amos I give and bequeath John the child of George and Irma. Seventhly it is my wish and I will and bequeath to my two sons Richard Macpherson and Amos my seamstress Matilda to be owned and used by them jointly and in common until their education has been completed. (I desire that my said Sons be educated at the best College university in Georgia): after which said Matilda may select one or the other of my said sons for her master in which case an equivalent shall be paid the other under the directions of my Executors.

Thirdly, It is my will and desire that the residue of my entire estate be equally divided share and share alike between my four children James Troup, William Harlow, Richard Macpherson and Amos Whitehead. It is my will that all my estate except the portions herein previously disposed be kept and worked together as heretofore at the direction of my Executors and as my children in succession arrive at age it is my will that their respective portions of my estate be given to them by my Executors, keeping the property of the other children during their minority a joint undivided and common stock until the last division shall be made from which common stock they are during their minority to be supported and liberally educated, trusting as I do that my Executors will in all cases enjoin and enforce upon all my children the observance of a sound and rigid economy in all their expenditures, whilst they withhold nothing from them calculated to advance their comfort and best interest.

Fourthly, it is my will and desire that my property at Bath known as the "Home House and Lot" become the property jointly and equally of my son John Berrien and my son in law Thomas Nesbitt: or the sole and individual property of the one by the payment to the other of the sum of One Thousand Dollars, but should my said son and son in law both desire the possession of said House and property, the payment of said One Thousand Dollars by the one to the other shall be determined by lot. Further, it is my will and desire that my children, to wit John Berrien, Virginia Louisa (as the case may be in reference to the result under the last item in my will) James Troup, William Harlow and Richard McPherson have the right and privilege of selecting for themselves from my lands at Bath, Richmond County a lot on which to build and improve and it is further my will and request that my house and lot at Bath be kept in good repair, be improved, added to or attend at the discretion of my Executors and to be used as a family mansion successively by my children as they arrive at age, until they improve their own lots, and when my son Amos Whitehead, being the youngest shall arrive at age, I will and bequeath to him my Bath house and lot to him and his heirs and assigns forever. If either of my children die during their minority it is my will and desire that their interest in my Estate be equally divided between my surviving children or their heirs. Furthermore, It is my express will and desire that my House and lot in Burke, known as "Spread Oak" be kept in good repair my present house servants retained that my son in law Thomas Nesbitt and Family occupy it in Winter as heretofore in my lifetime and as long as convenient and desirable or until said property be required by ultimate owner and that my son in law and Family reside at Bath in Summer as heretofore with all my family.

Furthermore, Believing as I do that land and Negroes constitute the safest and best property for young men in the South I do authorize and empower my Executors to invest in land and Negroes all the surplus funds arriving from the use of my children's property during their minority over and above necessary expenses: I do authorize and give my Executors full power to sell and buy land and Negroes for the benefit of my children during their minority as they in their discretion may think I would do if in life.

Furthermore, I do hereby appoint constitute and ordain my sons John Berrien Whitehead, James Troup Whitehead and my son in law Thomas Nesbitt my lawful Executors to carry into effect and Execute this my last Will And Testament my son James Troup to be qualified after he arrives at the age of Twenty one.

Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of each in the presence of each other, saw the same Executed by James Whitehead the Testator this 31st day of August 1847.

Saml Dowse
F.R. Goulding
Sam P. Davis

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