Joseph Lexington (Leck) WHITT

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His sister, Elizabeth, was shot and killed by Elijah Risner as she sat by a coal oil lamp at the kitchen table in her home. The house was located across the road from the Smith & Molly Brown place on White Oak Creek and at the former site of Gardner Oney's potato patch. Elijah Risner was in turn killed by Joseph Lexington Whitt.

Mountain Outlaw, Hated by many in the mountains of KY. Shot by a number of people in the town of Sayersville, Magoffin County about 1910.So many shots hit him, no one knows who killed him.

KENTUCKY MOUNTAIN EXCERPT: From the Friday, January 19, 1912, Vol, 1, no. 2 issue: LOCAL NEWS: There were the following murders in 1911: Buddy Whitt, James Harper, Leck Whitt, and John Shepard.


Told by Virgil Whitt of Cincinnati, Ohio to Juanita Collinsworth Oney and Opal Collinsworth Harper.

There have been many different opinions and views on the killing at the Magoffin County Courthouse in Salyersville, KY on July 26, 1911. That was in the time period when people rode horse back into town for many different reasons. In some cases the whole family would hitch their mules or horses to the wagon and go into town to by their monthly supply of groceries. They usually bought a barrel of flour, a can of lard, fifty or one hundred pounds of sugar, soda, salt, and coffee. That was about the limit of their grocery order. Then there were rounds of mule shoes, nails, and maybe some leather strings to mend the harnesses. Also they might buy some leather half soles to mend their children's worn out shoes. It was always a big for day and an all day adventure going into town. And on this particular day, the town was bustling with country folks that had no idea what was about to happen. On this particular Jimmy Harper told his wife, Nannie, that he was going into town to kill Leck Whitt. She begged him not to go, but he wouldn't listen, and when it was all over three men lay with their bodies riddled with bullets. Leck Whitt was dead. Jimmy Harper and Buddy Whitt lay mortally wounded. Almost all land owners in the county at that time cut and sold their timber. After the timber was felled and the logs cut, they were floated down the Licking River. The logs were tied together like a raft and branded or stamped on the end in order to tell who owned them. It was rumored that Leck Whitt would go to the river and "scalp," cut off the ends of the logs and put his stamp on them. He was caught and had to spend time in prison for this offense. Apparently he was doing the same thing again, once he got out of prison. Jimmy Harper decided to put an end to it. So on that fatal morning he met Leck Whitt at the courthouse and said to Leck, "How's the log scalping business?" About that time the shooting started. Leck Whitt killed Jimmy Harper and his nephew, Buddy Whitt. Tom Whitt, another nephew, shot Leck six times, but Leck kept shooting. Tom Whitt was married to Leck's daughter, Agglesa Whitt. It was told that Will Amyx threw rocks until things got too hot and he ran off.

Jimmy Harper's wife, Nannie was several months pregnant with their first child, a son, who they named Jimmy. Leck Whitt left a large family. Buddy was younger, but had a family. People talked about the killings for years afterward and even now eighty years later.

My Mom was a young woman at the time and she was in town on that day in 1911.

Joseph married Sarah ELSWICK 6 Nov 1870, Home of John Hile Gates, Magoffin Co., KY. Sarah was born 1856. [Group Sheet]

1. Oliver WHITT was born 1873; died 1909.
2. W. Chapman WHITT was born 6 Jun 1875; died 20 Jun 1906.
3. Barbara Parintha WHITT was born 1877.
4. Mary WHITT was born 1879.
5. Orpha (Orphie) WHITT was born 1884.
6. Homer WHITT was born 10 May 1890; died 7 Aug 1945.
7. Anglessa WHITT

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• _UID: 372B8D8C86284A7A8ADE71B037AD7E542CA0

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Moved from Va. to Ky. 1850. James Madison Owned a large track of land White Oak Creek, Morgan, Co., Ky. After his death he left each child 47 Acres except Emberzetta who got 40 acres. His children went to live with different families after his death.

JAMES MADISON WHITT OWNED THE PRESENT DAY (until 1972) G.K. ONEY FARM WHICH IS SITUATED NEAR THE JUNCTURE OF SUGAR CAMP BRANCH AND WHITE OAK CREEK NEAR THE BORDER OF PRESENT DAY MORGAN AND MAGOFFIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY LINES. HIS DEATH WAS UNUSUAL IN THAT IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT A MAN ON HORSEBACK RODE UP LATE ONE AFTERNOON AND OFFERED JAMES A DRINK OF MOONSHINE WHISKEY. AFTER SEVERAL SWALLOWS, JAMES FELL "DEAD IN HIS TRACKS." AS WAS THE CUSTOM IN THE MID 1800's, PEOPLE WERE PREPARED FOR BURIAL AT HOME WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF A MORTICIAN; ALSO IT WAS CUSTOMARY TO PLACE WHITE GLOVES UPON THE HANDS OF THE DECEASED. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE WOMAN HELPING TO PREPARE THE BODY FOR BURIAL WAS MY GREAT, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, SUSANNA "SUKEY" ALLEN, WIFE OF DANIEL WEBSTER ALLEN. UPON PLACING THE GLOVES ON THE DECEASED, SHE THOUGHT SHE NOTICED MOVEMENT OF ONE OF THE HANDS, BUT CONFIDED THIS TO NO ONE UNTIL A DAY OF SO AFTER THE BURIAL. UPON LEARNING OF THIS, HIS BODY WAS IMMEDIATELY DISINTERRED. WHEN THE CASKET WAS OPENED, JAMES WAS FOUND TO BE LYING FACE DOWN IN THE CASKET.

JAMES, HIS WIFE REBECCA, AND AN INFANT CHILD ARE BURIED BELOW THE OLD GARDEN PLOT ON HIS FARM.


Note By Juanita Collinsworth Oney:
After Rebecca died James Madison Whitt went back to VA and married Lucinda Compton in Tazewell County, VA. Jan. 23, 1855. He was the son of Richard Whitt and Elizabeth Whitt. She was the daughter of James & Elizabeth McGuire both widowed. He age 49, she age 39. He died 3 months later, but she had a son by Elisha Oney.

Occupation:
Physician

James married Rebecca DAY 1835, Tazewell Co VA. Rebecca was born 1815, Grayson Co. VA; died 24 May 1854, Morgan Co., KY. [Group Sheet]

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Died in childbrith.

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• _UID: 0F1C23F722414F53A0701DFBBF0E831FE15D

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Dr. Whitt and his wife Betsy Smallwood Whitt went from Tazewell County, Va. to Magoffin Co., Ky. about 1840.

Richard married Elizabeth (Betsy) Baxter SMALLWOOD 4 Oct 1797, Montgomery Co. VA. [Group Sheet]

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• _UID: F6BF8549046F4FCBBB1B37D09D7EB31BD618

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• _UID: 8D110F5B2090482AA50DB42351C8187054E0

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He lived in South Carolina, North Carolina, Henry County VA. before moving to Montgomery County, VA.

At A court held for Montgomery County, Va. July 26, 1785 (annals of Southwest Virginia page 789) Richard Whitt Minister of the Baptist Church having produced to this court his ordination, and a certificate of his being in regular communication, with a society of christians, and having taken the oath of allegiance to this State and entered into bond according to Law is permitted to marry.

It has been said, He married many couples in Montgomery county, Virginia.

He took the oath to the Free State of Virginia "Patriot" along with his son Hezekiah Whitt on Sep. 13, 1777. He was a Rev. War Vet. serving in the Montgomery County Virginia Militia.

Richard married Susanna SKAGGS 1755, Montgomery Co. VA. Susanna (daughter of James SKAGGS and Rachel) was born Abt 1730, Augusta Co. VA; died 4 Oct 1797, Montgomery Co. VA; was buried , Dunkard's Bottom. [Group Sheet]

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• _UID: 2257762ED18A4D71BBE4072EA8B482DAC276

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Deposition of WILLIAM RATLIFF (27 April 1836 at the home of WILLIAM SKAGGS, Aleck Fork of Pitman Creek). I was acquainted with MOSES SKAGGS of Green County, KY. He had 4 sisters, to wit: SUSANNAH, wife of RICHARD WHIT; LYDIA, wife of MATTHIAS HARMON, ELIZABETH "Betsy," wife of JOHN HANKINS; and NANCY, wife of WILLIAM MERIDY. I was quite intimate with them in Virginia. I knew them before they married. MOSES had a brother named JOHN SKAGGS. . . I knew the brothers of MOSES SKAGGS. They were HENRY, JAMES, CHARLES, JOHN, RICHARD and JACOB SKAGGS. I knew them in Kentucky and they all raised large families.

Deposition of FRANCES SAMPLES (27 April 1836). I was familiar with MOSES SKAGGS who died in Green County about 40 years ago. He had 4 sisters, to wit: SUSANNAH, wife of RICHARD WHIT; LYDIA, wife of MATTHIAS HARMAN; ELIZABETH, wife of JOHN HANKINS, and NANCY, wife of WILLIAM MERIDY. They lived in Virginia. When I knew them, MOSES had 6 brothers: HENRY, JOHN, JAMES, CHARLES, RICHARD and JACOB.
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ky/green/estates/skaggs1.txt
http://www.getnet.com/~cingram/f614.htm