Julius Wilhoit Campbell County Tennessee

Julius was born back at Deep Run in Virginia (Site 2). When he was 16, his dad moved him to Horse Creek/Nolichucky River (Site 3) in North Carolina. We know he got married at age 22 to Margaret Hise while at Horse Creek. The next record appears when he was 32 as a chain carrier in the Powell Valley (Site 4 region) around 1797. It is not quite clear if he is just working in Powell Valley as a surveyor or if he has moved his family to this area. The distance from Horse Creek to Powell Valley is significant (a 2-hour drive today). Hints seem to suggest that Julius may have been in Powell Valley working while his family was still back at Horse Creek (site 3). Julius is recorded as surveying in Powell Valley in 1797, and on tax rolls by 1805 in Powell Valley. All the land records from 1808 and beyond show he lived in the Elk Fork Creek Valley, which is 10 miles west of Powell Valley. These later land, records describe his property on the Elk Fork Creek, a tributary of the Clear Fork, a tributary of the Cumberland River. The property descriptions are meets and bounds so they are difficult to pinpoint but one document includes the ownership of Pine Mountain Cave, which lies just above Elk Fork Creek in Elk Valley.

Julius’s dad Conrad moved to Powell Valley (Jacksbro) in 1800. So we have record of Julius being in the area first working but it is not clear if Julius or his dad owned land in the area first.

Julius Wilhite Sr. and Margaret Hise

This document is how we know he was a chain carrier. Also, in 1812, his oldest son John Jarmon married the daughter of his chain carrier co-worker Annanis McCoy. This marriage was back in Horse Creek even though Julius had been a landowner in Elk Fork Creek (near Powell Valley) for at least 7 years, maybe up to 16 years.

1830 Campbell County Census: Julius Wilhite age 60-70, a female 50-60 and a male 15-20. I believe this younger male is their last child Andrew Jackson Wilhite, who was born in 1815 and would be 15 years old in 1830. Neighbors Walter Edwards, Jas Davidson and Jacob Branham are on some of the land deeds below. Last is Claiborne Wilhite, another son of Julius Sr.

1953 Lower Elk Fork Valley.

Lay Cemetery on the map. John M. Lay was a neighbor on the boundary with Julius. The last son of Julius (Jackson Wilhite) married Jane Lay, the daughter of John M. Lay. Jackson would in 1948 be granted 1000 acres on top of his 100 acres. Yet in 1857, he left the area for the Ozarks in Missouri.

The Stanfill Cemetery on the map has Blankenship, Broyles, Lay, Sexton and Sharp names.

State of Tennessee, Campell County, Fifth District, Julius Wilhite, Jacob Hanager and James Pearce enters fourty acres of land in the County and District aforesaid on the north side of the Pine Mountain on the waters of the Elk Fork of Cumberland River including a cave commonly known by the name of the pine mountain salt peter cave begining on a rock marked J.P. running west to a condetronae line between said Julius Wilhite and Joab Box then north ___ with a conditional line for ___ so as to include fourty acres located on ___ military warrent No. 926 for 640 acres ___ from the State of (N. Carolina) to John Wilcox 19 May 1784 600 acres ___ ___. Dated 7 Oct 1808.

To all to whom these persants shall ______ granted. know ___ that in consideration of an entry made in the ___ __ office of Campbell County no 546 dated the 10th day of December 1832 by Julius Wilhite thus is granted by the State of Tennessee unto the said Julius Wilhite and his heirs a certain tract or parcel of land containing sixty acres, lying in the country aforesaid. Including the ____ where he now lives on the Elk Fork of the clear fork. Begining at the large white oak stump, supposed to him as Davidsons line on the south bank of the creek, south seventy __ east, thirty four poles to a small black oak walnut, south thirty six east fifteen and a half poles to a ____, south ___ East twenty poles to a stake in the bank of a ____, south fourteen west, thirteen poles to an elm, James Branhams bank of the creek and with his line north sixty and a half east __ poles to a creek south thirty four east, __ of a half poles to ___ Hoffmans south seventy six east nine and a half pole to a black oak Walter Edwards corner, then with his line, north twenty east one hundred four poles to a stake, north thirty ___ west seventy four poles to a stake in Davidsons line, then with the same south sixty eights ___ fifty one poles the remaining. Surveyed __ April 1833. With appurtances to hairs and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with apputrences to the said Julius Wilhite and his heirs forever. ____ of the state of Tennessee......great seal of the state...20th day Sept in the year of our Lord _____ eight hundred and thirty seven and of __________ sixty _____.

New Mammoth Cave was mined for saltpeter (the main ingredient of gunpowder) during the War of 1812. This cave possibly was also mined during the Civil War (1864). In 1921, the cave was developed as a tourist attraction and was open to the public until at least 1928. During this time, it was called New Mammoth Cave, operated by a Mr. John Brown. The management of the cave was taken over by Mr. H.D. Blankenship in August 1928. The name was then changed from New Mammoth Cave to Cumberland Mammoth Cave. The name was soon changed from New Mammoth Cave to Cumberland Mammoth Cave. Rock steps and wooden stairways were constructed for the convenience of the visitors. Guides conducted visitors through the cave illuminated by gasoline lanterns which were carried by guides and visitors. The cave is 1,630 feet long with an average height of 12.5 feet high, and a width ranges from 6 to 50 feet. Then name of the cave appears to have reverted back to the New Mammoth Cave in recent times according to maps. (source: The Caves of East Tennessee in 1929)

John Jarmon Wilhite & Nancy Mary McCoy
George Wilhite & Nancy
Charlotte Wilhite & John Slayton
Adam Wilhite &
Ezekiel Wilhite & Nancy Bragden
Julius Jr. Wilhite & Elizabeth
Caleb Wilhite & Margaret Odel
Matthew Herbert Wilhite & Unknown woman & Nancy H. Burns
Elizabeth Wilhite & William Lawdermilk
Claiborne Wilhite & Susan Phillips
Starnes Wilhite & Lucrecia Baxter & Catharine Carter
Mckensey J Wilhite & Sarah
Margaret Ann Wilhite & William Roberts (1830 census near Julius Sr.)
William Wilhite & Elmira Colson
Hiram Wilhite & Mary Ann Polly Strickler
Nancy Jane Wilhite & Walter Edwards (1830 census near Julius Sr.)
Mary Wilhite & Martin Branham (1830 census near Julius Sr.)
Jackson Wilhite & Jane Lay

Four families ended up in Missouri. (Christian & Piney Counties)
Four families lived in Alabama and three stayed. (Morgan & Cherokee Counties)
Three families lived in Mississippi and two stayed. (Tippah County)
Two families ended up in Texas. (Titus & Van Zandt Counties)
One family moved to Arkansas (Washington County)

In 1850, several were in Bradley Tennessee Subdivision 26. Caleb and Williams families are next to each other and Elizabeth and Nancy Jane families are nearby as well living side by side. Claiborne, Starnes and Andrew Jackson families are all found together in the area in 1840 and still fairly close in 1850. At Claiborne's home in the 1860 census is MOM Margaret Hise at the age of 96!