| HISTORY: |
Strawberry Hill
was one of the many plantations owned by the extensive Whitaker Family who
moved to Halifax County in the mid 1700s and were very prominent in the
County for many generations. Richard Whitaker, was the son of John Whitaker
and Martha Gough of Warwick Co, Virginia, who were the parents of a total of
eight children, four of whom settled in Halifax County. The land where
Strawberry Hill now stands is part of a 530 acre tract given by Richard
Whitaker to his son Cary Whitaker (1749-1816) in 1780. Richard had received 400 acres on the
south side of Beech Swamp from Lord Granville in 1762; the remainder he
purchased from Joseph Turberville. Richard Whitaker and Elizabeth Cary were
married in Virginia but soon afterwards moved to Halifax County. built a
home about 6 miles from Enfield where they raised their seven children,
three boys and four girls. Among these was John, who distinguished himself
as a colonel in the American Revolution and as a member of the North
Carolina General
Assembly. Though overshadowed by his older brother, Cary was still
successful enough to build a fine home which he called Strawberry Hill.
Precisely when the dwelling was built cannot be determined from the
documentary record. A strong family tradition has established 1792 as the
year of construction, and from the information available, the date seems
realistic. The tradition further maintains that the old smokehouse, which
antedates Strawberry Hill, was moved from an old home site a short distance
to the north towards Beech Swamp. Cary Whitaker married Penelope Carter and
by 1784 was on his Beech Swamp property. The old house mentioned may well
have been his first home. No children were born of the union as Penelope
died early in the marriage. Late in his life Cary married Sally Knight and
in the meantime, he completed construction of Strawberry Hill. He died in
1816 leaving no direct descendants.
In his will Cary Whitaker bequeathed a life estate in the plantation to his
wife Sally. With no children of his own, he devised the home tract, after
the death of his wife, to his nephew and namesake, Cary Whitaker, son of
Colonel John Whitaker previously mentioned. Cary Whitaker was a physician
who, at the time of his inheritance, was living with his wife, Martha Susan
Baker Whitaker, at Centerville Plantation whose east boundary adjoined
Strawberry Hill. About a year after her husband's death Sally Knight
Whitaker married Thomas Goodwin On January 10, 1818, she sold her life
interest in Strawberry Hill to Dr. Cary Whitaker. Shortly afterwards, Dr.
Cary, his wife Susan, and infant daughter, Anna Marie, moved to their new
home. By 1850 Dr. Cary Whitaker had increased his plantation to nearly 1,200
acres manned by 48 slaves. Strawberry Hill did not focus on cotton, for its
revenue, instead it appears that Whitaker used his gin and ginhouse to
operate a ginning service for his neighbors who were cotton planters This,
along with the sale of a little cotton, some vegetables, and corn, and stock
in the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, Whitaker's medical practice and
afforded him a comfortable life.
RICHARD WHITAKER FAMILY:
Richard Whitaker (1720-1794)
Wife: Elizabeth Cary (1725-1800)
Children:
John Whitaker (1747-1816) m: Christian Benton
Cary Whitaker (1749-1816) m: 1st) Penelope Carter; 2nd)Sally Knight
Martha Whitaker (1750-?) m: Cornelius Carter
Temperance Whitaker (1751- ?)
Richard Whitaker (1752-1840) m: Rachel Bentley
Elizabeth Cary Whitaker (1755-?) m: Edward Morris
Nancy Ann Whitaker (1760-1797) m: John Pope
Matthew Cary Whitaker (1762-1814) m: Elizabeth Anne Coffield
---------------
John Whitaker (1747-1816)
Wife: Christian Benton (1755-1841)
Children:
Eli Benton Whitaker (1771-1841)
James Whitaker (1773-1825)
Elizabeth Whitaker (1775-1835)
Richard Whitaker (1777-1797)
John Walton Whitaker (1780-1870)
Cary Whitaker (1782-1858)
Martha Whitaker(1785-1823)
Absalom Benton Whitaker (1787-1844)
Wilson Cary Whitaker (1789-1851)
Margaret "Peggy" Green Whitaker (1793-1855)
-----------------
Dr. Cary Whitaker (1782-1858)
1st Wife: Martha Susan Baker (1793–1836)
Children:
Anna Maria Whitaker (1817–1893)
George Alexander Whitaker (1819–1885)
Lawrence Baker Whitaker (1822–1864)
Margaret Jane Whitaker (1825–1826)
Martha Elizabeth Whitaker (1827–1853)
John Simmons Whitaker (1829–1911)
Cary Whitaker (1832–1865)
Margaret Susan Whitaker (1834–1913)
2nd Wife:
Harriet Joiner (1793–1877)
|
| SLAVE POPULATION: |
Richard Whitaker
Sr. had 17 Slaves in 1790. Cary Whitaker Sr. had 48 Slaves in 1810.
From Will of RICHARD WHITAKER, 1794-
To Grandson WILSON WHITAKER CARTER:
boy BEN
To son JOHN WHITAKER:
man named GUNNEY
girl MOLLEY
To son CARY WHITAKER:
man JAMEY and boy NED
To son RICHARD WHITAKER:
man named CHELSEA
woman named CLOE
girl PRISS.
To son RICHARD WHITAKER, man by the name of JACOB
Codicil changed, JACOB, to be sold at my death
To daughter ANN POPE:
man named JERRY
woman AMY
girl ANNACA
To daughter MARY WHITAKER:
woman named WINNEY
boy named AMERICA (son of MILLEY) - AMERICA changed to go to ELIZABETH
To daughter ELIZABETH CARY WHITAKER:
woman named MILLEY
To daughter ELIZABETH CARY WHITAKER:
man named CHELSEY
To my son JOHN WHITAKER:
man named SAM
woman LIBBY and her child, SCIPIO
To son CARY WHITAKER:
woman named NANNY
******************
From Will of CARY WHITAKER, 1816-
To wife SALLY K. WHITAKER:
DICK
NELLY
ROSE
FAN
MIHALY
RACHAEL
GEORGE
SUCKY
BETTY
MIMEY
LUCY
LYDIA
BOB (the younger)
ELY
DANIEL
ELICK
SAM
JEFFERY
JERRY
ALLEN
To Nephew Doctor CARY WHITAKER:
ENOUGH
CHELSEA
To brother RICHARD WHITAKER:
TOM
JACOB
LUCINDA & Child SABORY
FERRY
THENA
MOSES
ARON
ISAAC
To nephew JAMES WHITAKER:
BOB
JAMES
CADER
To nephew ABSALOM B. WHITAKER:
ANACHY
WILLIS
SEP
OLIVE
******************
From the Will of CARY WHITAKER, 1858-
To wife HARRIET WHITAKER:
CORA
PHIL
DAVEY
JANE
HENRY
JOHN
PATIENCE
Lend to Wife during her life:
JACKSON
BECCA
EMILY
ALFRED
PATSY
CHRISTIANA
To daughter ANNA M. WILLS:
GUNI
To daughter MARGARET S. WHITAKER:
CAROLINE
NED
SAM
MOLLY
RANSOM
IRVINE
SALLY, daughter of CAROLINE
ABRAM
Also to MARGARET after the death of my wife:
EMILY
CHRISTIANA
ALFRED
To sons GEORGE A.T., LAWRENCE B., JOHN SIMON & CARY WHITAKER:
LETTIS
FRANK
FRANK
TURNER
Also after the death of my wife, to the 4 sons:
JACKSON
BETSY
POLLY
BECCA
CHRISTANA & IRVINE not to be separated from their mothers while they are
under ten years old
******************
August 29, 1851
Sale of Slaves of CARY WHITAKER to FREDERICK R. COTTON of Leon County,
Florida:
OLD PENNY
WILKES
ENOCH
MOLLY
SARRY
SYLVIA
ALBERY
NANCY
ROSETTA
BETSY
JOHN
FRANKLIN
JACOB SENR.
young PENNY
JERRY
FREDERICK
PENELOPE
LUCY
JENNY
LYDIA
JACOB JUNR.
GUNI
SEABORN
SUSAN
WASHINGTON
AGA
GEORGE
MARTHA
SARAH
LOUISA
WINNA
MOURNING
SCIPIO
DAVY
PARTHENA
MARGARET
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