Eden Methodist Church, LaSalle Parish, La. Submitted by : Houston Tracy, Jr. 55 Nall Street Alexandria, La. 71303-3529 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** TIPS FOR SEARCHING RECORDS ON THE INTERNET Netscape & Ms Explorer users: If you are searching for a particular surname, locality or date while going through the records in the archives or anywhere....try these few steps: 1. Go to the top of the report you are searching. 2. Click on EDIT at the top of your screen 3. Next click on FIND in the edit menu. 4. When the square pops up, enter what you are looking for in the FIND WHAT ___________blank. 5. Click on DIRECTION __DOWN. 6. And last click on FIND NEXT and continue to click on FIND NEXT until you reach the end of the report. This should highlight the item that you indicated in "find what" every place it appears in the report. You must continue to click on FIND NEXT till you reach the end of the report to see all of the locations of the item indicated. William Whatley was born about 1775 in Augusta, Richmond, GA, and married about 1800 in the Spanish Province of Louisiana, Elizabeth Wiggins, daughter of Uriah Wiggins, Sr., who was born about 1781 in Natchez District, LA Province. William died after 1837 in Catahoula, LA and was buried in Catahoula, LA. Elizabeth died about 1877 in Catahoula, LA and was buried in Catahoula, LA. Land Claim - Unlocated Land Claims, filed with the U.S. Land Commissioners of the Orleans Territory, Old Board of Rapides. NRR (Land District, North of Red River) Unlocated, William Whatley (sic), 640 acres - No report, no location found No. 176 - March 9, 1813 - Deposition of Daniel Wiggins taken in the Claim of John ___y (Holley ?) and the Deponent having first been duly sworn. That about 8 years ago, the land claimed was settled by William Mock, who inhabitated and cultivated the same for about one year and then sold it to William Watley (sic), who inhabited and cultivated it for about one year and a half and he sold it to (Isaiah) Slater, and the said Slayter (sic) to Moses Carroll - The __?__ land was actually inhabited and cultivated in the year __?__ by William Watley (sic), who was above the age of 21 years and the Head of a family and it has been inhabitated and cultivated ever since. (signed) D. Wiggins Rapides County, Before me on the 9th day of May 1809 (signed) John Thompson To the Register of the Land Office of the Western District of the Territory of Orleans, William Watley (sic) claims six hundred and forty acres of land, situated lying and being in the County aforesaid on the Waters of Little River by virtue of his actually having inhabited and cultivated the said tract of land, on and previous to the Twentieth December Eighteen hundred and three which said tract of land he claims under a second Act of Congress entitled an Act for adjusting the titles and claims to land within the Territory of Orleans and District of Louisiana & under an Act of Congress supplemental to the before recited act and humbly prays the Honourable (sic) Board of Commissioners to confirm his claim. December 19th 1806. (signed) William Watley (sic) by his agent, Isaac McNutt Surveys of Land Claims - Unlocated - [interlined is the following statement] B No. 349 (land claim number) Confirmed to Sprigg (Horatio or William) under the settlement of William W (Whatley) - C-175, O.B. (Old Board), Rapides, March 9, 1813 - William Whatley - Notice - 640 acres, Entered Decr. 30th 1806 (signed) H. (Hatch) Dent, DyClk (Deputy Clerk of Court) Pursuant to an Order from the Surveyor of lands of the United States, South of the State of Tennessee and in conformity with a Request of the Claimant, I have surveyed for William Whatley, a tract of land lying on the waters of Chickesaw (sic) Creek, bounded as follows: Beginning at a pine marked W ...to creek...to Holley's corner...to a pine marked W N Containing 640 acres as shown in the accompanying plat of survey. 5 April 1806 (signed) Matthew Stone, Deputy Surveyor Chain Carriers: William Whatley, William Lee Public Service - Obtained from the files of Mrs. Willie Adams of Colfax. She could not remember from what book, nor what research facility it comes and did not cite the source at the time she acquire the copy. But it is from a publication, similar in arrangement to the American State Papers, Gale & Seaton Edition. It is shown as Page number {196} probably from the original record. Page numbers from the publication 238 and 239. No. 47 To the Register and Receiver of the land office for the _________: Gentlemen: Please take notice that I hereby file a claim to a certain tract of land of _____, situated in the _______, designated by the United States survey as section No. ___, of range No. ___, in township No. ___; which tract of land I hereby claim by virtue of having occupied and cultivated the said tract in the year eighteen hundred and three, and prior thereunto, while the said land was a part of the domain of the Spanish Government; being, at said time, in the peaceable possession of said land, and an accepted citizen of said Government, as shall appear from the testimony hereunto annexed. I, therefore, pray that(in accordance with the provisions of the above act as recognized in the purchase by the United States from _______, in the year 1803, and in conformity with the subsequent acts of the Congress of the United States, for the final adjustment of such claims and their definitive arrangement) the said tract of land, as above described and occupied at the above time, may be confirmed to me according to law. WM. WHATLEY, by URIAH WHATLEY. STATE OF LOUISIANA,Parish of Catahoula, January 26, 1837 Personally appeared before me, David Mills, one of the acting justices of the peace in and for the State and parish aforesaid, William Whatley, of the State and parish aforesaid, aged fifty-eight years, who answered, on oath, the following, viz: Question 1st. At what time did you become an accepted citizen in the Province of Louisiana, when under the Spanish Government? Answer. In the year of our Lord eighteen hundred. Question 2d. Did you ever improve a place with design to obtain land from the Spanish Government? Answer. I did. Question 3d. At what time and place was this improvement made? Answer. In the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and two, in the fork of Little River, below Catahoula Lake, in the parish of Catahoula. Question 4th. Why have you never before applied for this land before? Answer. For the want of proper information how to apply, and for the want of funds, and having a very helpless family. Question 5th. Did you ever render any service to the Spanish Government for which you was not paid? Answer. I did. Question 6th. What was the nature of that service? Answer. Assistance in cutting a road from Catahoula prairie to the parish of Concordia. {signed} WILLIAM WHATLEY. Personally appeared before me, also, Daniel P. Wiggins, aged forty years, who answered the following questions: Question 1st. Do you remember any thing about the culvation of a piece of land by William Whatley, in the fork of Little River? Answer. I remember that he went there to work, and I have often seen the place since, said to be the place improved and cultivated by William Whatley, in eighteen hundred and two. his DANIEL P. WIGGINS mark Personally appeared Elizabeth Whatley, also, who answered the questions on oath: 1st. He did. 2d. I do: he assisted in cutting a road from Catahoula prairie to Concordia, for which he received no pay. her Elizabeth X Whatley mark {All 3 statements had this affidavit below them} Sworn and subscribed before me, this 26th day of January, 1837. {signed} DAVID MILLS, Justice of the Peace. Bad Published Information - History of Eden Methodist Church - States: William Whatley arrived in America with Oglethorpe. Came to La. by steam boat and was the first white man to tie up at the dock at the mouth of Trout Creek on Little River and made his home there in 1788 and founded the first Protestant Church west of the Mississippi. FACTS: William & Phineas Whatley were too young to have been with Oglethorpe. Steamboats did not come to Louisiana till about 1825. If he were the 1st white man; Who built the dock ? Not the Indians ! He did buy his 1st known home on Trout Creek in 1815 (see below). In 1788 there were very few Protestants living in Louisiana proper. In 1795, Governor Carondelet reenacted the "Black Code" prohibiting the teaching of any religion, other than Roman Catholic. There were no "public" preaching or congregational meetings allowed. Baptist Ministers, Richard Curtis and Bailey Chaney and laymen, Joseph Willis & Stephen d'Alloy, were threatened to be sent to the Silver mines in Mexico, if they did not cease their preaching of the "Gospel". And they were East of the Mississippi in the Natchez District. According to published records of the Methodist Church, they sent their first "circuit rider" minister to Louisiana in 1806. SEE: John J. Jones, History of Methodism in Mississippi. Although this book is on Mississippi, that is where the Attakapas Circuit originated. Personal Info - Birthplace comes from a short biographical sketch of son, Phineas appearing in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana, published in 1892 by The Goodspeed Publishing Company and reprinted in 1975 by Claitors Publishing of Baton Rouge, La.; Volume 2, P. 450, paragraph 1. Shows William came to Louisiana about 1800 (1802 by his statement as appears below) where he married Elizabeth. Went to the Battle of New Orleans, during the War of 1812, only to arrive near that place in time to hear the last cannonading of the battle. Son, Phineas, takes credit for blazing the road from Catahoula Parish to Natchez for the Spaniards. (Spain had nothing to do with Louisiana by the time Phineas (the son of William) was born in 1815. If the story as told is true, then there was an older Phineas. Why is then that his name does not appear in records ?) Watley/Whatley names found in the few published court records found of Richmond County, GA for the time period were on a Militia List in 1782: Watley: Owen, Sherod, Walton, Willis Jr. & Sr.; Whatley: Jno. & Richard. Biography of grandson, James M., son of Phineas, shows William died at age 63. Also mentions William served during the Battle of New Orleans, yet no record of service has been located. U.S. Census 1810 Catahoula Parish, [Rapide County], LA [Orleans Territory], P. 75, L. 2. Shown as Wm. Whatley, In the household: White Males: 2 under 10, 1 10-16, 1 26-45, 1 over 45. White Females: 2 under 10, 1 26-45, 1 over 45. Slaves: 1. Since William & Elizabeth would not have fit into the 45 and over category, One could assume; that the man & woman shown with them are either: William's or Elizabeth's parents ! This is most likely Uriah Wiggins and the woman he married in 1809 in Mason County, Kentucky; Margaret Adamson, since they do not appear on the census for this year in either state. It is known that Uriah & Margrete (sic) Wiggins were witnesses to the purchase of land on Trout Creek and personal effects by William Whatley from Joel Lockett in 1815. Conveyance - On a research trip to Jena, I saw a typed transcript of this record at the courthouse of LaSalle Parish, La. and happened to notice the Instrument Number of the document, and knowing that number is an indication, as to how the original document is filed, I asked the Deputy Clerk to see the original. To my surprise (shock), here was an original document written 95 years before this town became a Parish and seat of government. Apparently, in 1910, when LaSalle was created from the west half of Catahoula, the Clerk sent over all the documents pertaining to that side of the parish for storage in Jena. Original filed in LaSalle Parish courthouse in Jena, La. as conveyance instrument # 00002 Catahoula Parish, La. 25 October 1815 - Joel Lockett to William Whatley Octtober (sic) the 25 - 1815 -- Know all men by these present (sic) that I, Joel Locket (sic) do bargain and sel (sic, sell) unto William Whatley my improvement on Trout Creek adjoining Uriah Wiggins also my corn which we sopose (sic, suppose) to be sixty bushels more or less two barrels of rice one shouvle (sic, shovel) plow one ax five puter (sic, pewter) plates one puter dish five table forks and thre (sic, three) knives one bushel of pees (sic, peas) two iron pots the above mentioned I do warrant and defend from all persons as witness my hand. [signed] Joe Lockett I do certify that I have received value for the above property which I have sold as witness my hand. [signed] Joel Lockett Test: [signed] Uriah Wiggins Test: [her mark] Margrete (sic) x Wiggins ORIGINAL DEED - Unrecorded deed of indenturement found by Mr. E.W. McDonald of Bentley, LA & Orlando, FL in the vault of the Catahoula Parish Courthouse at Harrisonburg, LA "This indenture made the 17th of May 1833 between Elizabeth Whatley of the Parish of Catahoula and state of Louisiana of the one part and Uriah Wiggins of the Parish and state aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that the said Elizabeth Whatley hath granted bargained and sold {interlined and replaced with} sell unto the said Uriah Wiggins his heirs and assigns all my {interlined and replaced with} her right to the Claim and interest to the Property which daniel Wiggains (sic) left at his deth (sic) real and personal the said Property Consist of one negro man by the name of jack & land an personal Property the said Uriah wiggains (sic) being Present except [accepts] of the above title and agreese to have noe (sic) recourse back on the said Elizabeth Whatley dun [done] and sighned [signed] in the Presence of these Witness[es]" Wm. Mills Jno. N. Riley her Elizabeth X Whatley mark {signed} Uriah Wiggins U.S. Census - 1850 Catahoula Par., LA, P. 62, part 1, L. 24, taken 27 September. Shown as Elizabeth Whatley, age 70, born in MS. Living in the home of her son, Samuel. 1860 Catahoula Par., LA, Pine Woods District, Post Office: White Sulphur Springs, P. 541, L. 29, taken 24 August. Shown as Elizabeth Whatley, age 78, Born in MS. Living in the home of her son, Phineas.