Hello All Whittingtons, especially Tom, I have found this very interesting. I love history, romance and ancestors. I hope someone does unravel the mystery. If any one comes across an Anne Elizabeth Whittington, (VA/WV) would appreciate any info.Born abt. 1845. Was living with daughter in Kanawha Co., WV in 1910. Thanks for sharing your Whittington story. Sue >From: "dcwhittin" <[email protected]> >Reply-To: [email protected] >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: Elisha Whittington Census Record >Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 21:07:58 -0500 > >Derrellyn, Mary and Sue: > >Thanks to all for your answers and insight. I guess any possible scenario >could have happened between Elisha and Melina. As far as I know no written >record survives of the break up other than the divorce papers that Elisha >filed on Melina. Elisha divorced Melina while she was living in Texas and >she never appeared in person to answer the charges. > >Here is my theory of what might have happened (of course this is all >conjecture and until evidence comes to light I cannot prove any of this.): > >Melina probably found life with Elisha unbearable and he may well have been >abusive to her. Perhaps she felt that her only escape from her situation >was to leave. Because married women had little if any legal rights in those >days, she may have been forced to leave her children behind with Elisha. I >doubt that she did so willingly. > >I also doubt that she came to Texas by herself. Melina had Dalton >relatives >who already lived in Liberty County and one of her brothers migrated to TX >from St Landry Parish the same year that Elisha claimed that Melina left >him >(per the divorce papers.) I suspect Melina left Louisiana with her >brother's >family so she must have found refuge with her Dalton kin. > >The divorce papers claimed adultery against Melina as apparently Elisha >knew of the existence of her children in Texas by "persons unknown." I'm >not sure why it took Elisha 5 years to divorce Melina unless there was a >required waiting period or else he was thinking she might someday return. >In the interim, Elisha must have found solace in the arms of Mary >Milam(based on what other Whittington researchers are turning up about that >possible liaison.) before his marriage to Lucinda Futch. > >Melina's relationship(s) in Texas between the years 1831 and 1840 remain a >mystery. She did eventually marry a San Jacinto war veteran named Cyrus >Thompson in 1840 as her second husband. Cyrus was not the father of her >two >children as the timing of his arrival in Texas was too late. Whoever the >father was may have died or abandoned Melina prior to 1840. His name has >not >been preserved in the family. Melina obtained a land grant in Liberty >County from the Mexican government under the name Melina Whittington as a >"head of a family." Melina may have claimed that she was a widow to obtain >this property. The gentlemen who testified on her behalf for her land >certificate did not divulge her secret if in fact they actually knew about >the circumstances of her removal to Texas. Parts of Melina's original >land >grant still remain in the ownership of several of her son Bill's >descendents. > >Melina and Cyrus remained together and lived on a farm in Liberty (later to >become part of Chambers) County. They raised Melina's two children but had >none of their own. Melina died in Galveston in October 1874 and was buried >in Potter's Field. Cyrus died two years later, also in Galveston, at the >home of his step-daughter Clara, but unlike Melina's ending, he received a >proper burial in the City Cemetery. Their graves washed out to sea during >the great storm of 1900. > >There is circumstancial evidence that Melina may in fact have kept in touch >with her children by Elisha. One example: In the month and year of her >death, there was an Ida Whittington who had been receiving letters at the >Galveston post office. When letters weren't picked up the addressee's names >were advertised in the local paper. I came across this evidence that Ida >Whittington had been in Galveston while scrolling through old Galveston >newspapers on microfilm. Ida's name appears on the list of unclaimed >letters. I did not know who Ida Whittington was until I connected with Tom >Cloud and his web page. Ida was the daughter of Elisha and Melina. Ida >must have been in town to be with her mother in her final days. > >I probably told everyone more than you care to know about my ancestress >and >I realize that the above account reads like a paperback novel. If I ever >uncover more substantial evidence or clues about Melina and Elisha and >their >ill-fated match, I will be happy to share. > >Carol >----- Original Message ----- >From: <[email protected]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 6:25 PM >Subject: Re: Elisha Whittington Census Record > > > > Maybe he was abusive or alcoholic -- I have been told by another >researcher > > that there does seem to be a problem with alcohol in the Whittington >line. > > > > Sue Hunt > > Clinton, Miss. > > > > > > ==== WHITTINGTON Mailing List ==== > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > W H I T T I N G T O N F A M I L Y H I S T O R Y G R O U P > > > > ============================== > > Visit Ancestry's Library - The best collection of family history > > learning and how-to articles on the Internet. > > http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library > > > > > >==== WHITTINGTON Mailing List ==== > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Post a brief family history .... let's see if we're cousins > >============================== >Visit Ancestry’s Library – The best collection of family history >learning and how-to articles on the Internet. >http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library > Smile, God Loves You! [email protected] _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.