Biography of Willis Whitaker, Bowie County, Texas

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Submitted by: William Moores McKemie <mckemie@inetport.com>
        Date: May 2000
Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/bowie/bowitoc.htm
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Willis Whitaker was born September 23, 1798 in the Kershaw District of South
Carolina to Sara Williams Whitaker and her husband, also named Willis. Willis
and Sarah were buried in Harrison Chapel Cemetery. In September 1843, at the age
of 32, Sarah also died and was buried there. Imagine Willis' position. Widowed
after ten years of marriage, age 45, a ten year old son, and a soon-to-die
infant daughter. How would you feel about a new productive, beautiful but harsh,
land that had taken most of your family? Such is the lives of pioneers.

But Willis persevered. On July 27, 1844 in Mooresville, Willis married his
widowed sister-in-law, Elizabeth Harrison Moores Rosborough. And most of the
tragedy was past. Willis and Elizabeth raised to maturity five of their own
children as well as Willis' first son and Elizabeth's two children. Willis
established a successful plantation, Cedar Grove, between Jefferson and Linden.
He was able to send his eldest son, Willis Whitaker III, to Princeton, becoming
one of the earilest of the college educated from this area.

When Willis died, at Cedar Grove on March 19, 1867 at age 68, he had just
witnessed and suffered the physical and economic devastation of the Civil War.
He saw his eldest son return a Lieutenant, after have enlisted as a Private. The
son lost an arm and was captured at Gettysburg and survived POW treatment.
Willis' body was carried many miles to reach its final resting place in Harrison
Chapel Cemetery. He was buried beside his first wife and five of their children.
Since that time, Harrison Chapel Cemetery has been lovingly maintained by the
descendants of the residents.

The saga of this family continues. But, I wish to leave it here and come to my
point. Some time around December 7, 1998, Willis' grave was desecrated; his
monument was broken and the pieces scattered.

It is not possible for me at this time and place to adequately express my view
of this development or of those involved. I assume that poor education and poor
parental supervision are root causes. Willis was a pioneer of our area, well
worthy of honor, reverance, and respect. One of the few, irreplaceable, tangible
pieces of evidence of his existance has been damaged despite the best efforts of
many generations to preserve and protect.

What are we doing wrong? Must we hide our sacred burial grounds? Must we fortify
them? How can our society flourish when such evil is tolerated?