Wilbur Alton Culpepper1

Male, #10451, (15 Sep 1914 - 17 Aug 1998)

Parent*Jefferson Thomas Culpepper (26 May 1888 - 30 Aug 1955)
Parent*Annie Florence Peterson (28 Sep 1890 - 10 Nov 1971)
Wilbur Alton Culpepper|b. 15 Sep 1914\nd. 17 Aug 1998|p10451.htm|Jefferson Thomas Culpepper|b. 26 May 1888\nd. 30 Aug 1955|p9664.htm|Annie Florence Peterson|b. 28 Sep 1890\nd. 10 Nov 1971|p10444.htm|Louis C. Culpepper|b. 11 May 1858\nd. 20 Dec 1934|p9630.htm|Mary E. Micheaux|b. 25 Aug 1864\nd. 23 Mar 1939|p9660.htm|William A. Peterson|b. say 1860|p10442.htm|Emma C. Carlson|b. say 1862|p10443.htm|

Name Variation  Wilbur Alton Culpepper was also known as Webb. 
Birth*15 Sep 1914 Wilbur was born at Pollard, Clay Co., Arkansas, on 15 Sep 1914.1 
 He was the son of Jefferson Thomas Culpepper and Annie Florence Peterson. 
1930 Census1 Apr 1930 Wilbur, Roy and Jewell was listed as a son in Jefferson Thomas Culpepper's household on the 1930 Census at Swain, Clay Co., Arkansas.2 
Marriage*say 1937 He married Dorothy Alice Margaret Whitaker at Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois, say 1937.1 
Relocationcirca 1938 Family member(s) Annie Florence Peterson, Mary Emma Culpepper, Roy Raymond Culpepper, Jewell Wallace Culpepper and Wilbur Alton Culpepper, accompanying Jefferson Thomas Culpepper, relocated circa 1938 (Wilbur and his brother Jewell left Arkansas in the late 1930's due to the impact of the depression on farming. Following a period of odd jobs, both were able to obtain good-paying factory jobs in Detroit. With good pay and a steady jobs, they were able to bring the rest of the family to Detroit to reside. This included their father and mother, Jeff and Florence; sisters Mary and Dorothy, and brother, Roy. Sisters, Alma and Wanda, married and remained in Arkansas. (From Michael Webb Culpepper's recollection of oral history.)).3 
World War II*between 1943 and 1945 He served in World War II between 1943 and 1945
(US Army Air Corps at bases in Recife and Sao Paulo: an area and operation that ferried aircraft from the east coast of Brazil making hops to the Ascension Island and the west coast of Africa with eventual destinations in North Africa and Europe.).4 
Death*17 Aug 1998 He died at Paragould, Greene Co., Arkansas, on 17 Aug 1998.5 
Biography* Webb's son Mike Culpepper wrote on 16 Oct 2003:
"My father was very proud of his military service and spoke often about his experience in Brazil. Probably due to the uniqueness of the location his stories took on a special air when told to friends. He liked to repeat Portuguese phrases he learned while there and I still have one picture of him with some buddies in uniform in a local bar. In later years he came to incorporate WWII movies shown on TV into his reality.
"While in Brazil, he was severely injured in an accident suffering many broken bones in the upper torso and face. He was returned to the US for a year of various operations including facial bone reconstruction. He lost his right eye and subsequently suffered the chronic aches and pains associated with physical damage of this type. This, along with relapses from malarial infection every few years. I believe the Veteran's disability was classified as 80%. The disability did not dissuade him from working every day in auto plants until he retired at age 62."3 

Family

Dorothy Alice Margaret Whitaker (1 Dec 1914 - Feb 1972)
Children

Charts Descendants of Louis Constantine Culpepper of Ozark Co., MO
Last Edited 8 Jul 2004

Citations

  1. E-mail from Susan Anne Culpepper (#10438) to Lew Griffin, 5 Jan 1999.
  2. 1930 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 11-34, Sheet 2-A, Page 287, No street address, Swain Township, Clay Co., AR
    Home owned, Value $1600, Radio=No. Farm=Yes
    J T Culpepper, Head, M, 41, M, md@23, TN/TN/TN, Farmer, Gen. farm, Vet=No
    Florence A Culpepper, Wife, F, 39, M, md@21, AR/Sweden/Sweden, Not employed
    Jewell W Culpepper, Son , M, 17, S, MO/TN/AR
    Wibur A Culpepper, Son, M, 15, S, AR/TN/AR
    Alma H Culpepper, Dau, F, 13, AR/TN/AR
    Lawanda E Culpepper, Dau, F, 8, AR/TN/AR
    Marry E Culpepper, Dau, F, 6, AR/TN/AR
    Roy Culpepper, Son, M, 3, AR/TN/AR
    Dorothy Nell Culpepper, Dau, F, 1, AR/TN/AR.
  3. E-mail from Michael Webb Culpepper, e-mail address, Auburn Hills, MI, Oct 2003.
  4. E-mail from Michael Webb Culpepper, e-mail address, Auburn Hills, MI, Oct 2003.
    Cites his father's oral history.
  5. U.S. Social Security Administration, compiler, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Online database at Ancestry.com.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/ssdi/main.htm