John J. Culpepper

Male, #27219, (circa 1817 - before 1880)

Parent*John Jefferson Culpepper (4 Nov 1797 - 4 May 1885)
Parent*Catherine Bell (c 1797 - c 1865)
John J. Culpepper|b. circa 1817\nd. before 1880|p27219.htm|John Jefferson Culpepper|b. 4 Nov 1797\nd. 4 May 1885|p32054.htm|Catherine Bell|b. circa 1797\nd. circa 1865|p32055.htm|John Culpepper of Randolph Co., AL|b. 1 Oct 1772\nd. 13 May 1855|p31566.htm|Nancy Gillespie|b. circa 1778\nd. 25 Jul 1848|p31584.htm|Robert Bell|b. circa 1765\nd. before 1820|p32056.htm|Barbary (?)|b. circa 1765\nd. circa 1825|p32057.htm|

DNA* To help confirm John J. Culpepper's descent from Henry Culpepper of Lower Norfolk, we are seeking a descendant of John's to participate in our free DNA testing project. For more information, go to: http://gen.culpepper.com/dna
(Note: the first descendant of John J. Culpepper whose DNA was tested did not match with any other Culpeppers in our DNA project. It is possible that John and his sister Mary Ann Elizabeth were children of Catherine Bell prior to her marriage to John Jefferson Culpepper. Testing of another descendant in this line should help resolve this.). 
Birth*circa 1817 John was born at South Carolina circa 1817.1 
 He was the son of John Jefferson Culpepper and Catherine Bell. 
Birthcirca 1819 John was born at Georgia circa 1819.2 
1830 Census1 Jun 1830 John was probably a free white male, age 15 and under 20, in John Jefferson Culpepper's household, on the 1830 Census at Upson Co., Georgia. Unaccounted for is 1 Male 5-10..3 
Marriage*12 Oct 1837 He married Elizabeth Ann Stallings at Monroe Co., Georgia, on 12 Oct 1837.4 
1840 Census*1 Jun 1840 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1840 Census on 1 Jun 1840 at Upson Co., Georgia.5 
1850 Census*1 Jun 1850 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1850 Census on 1 Jun 1850 at Pike Co., Georgia.1 
1860 Census*1 Jun 1860 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1860 Census at Marianna, Jackson Co., Florida.2 
Marriage*3 Sep 1863 He married Zilpha McDaniel at Jackson Co., Florida, on 3 Sep 1863.6 
1870 Census*1 Jun 1870 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1870 Census at Marianna, Jackson Co., Florida.7 
Death*before 1880 He died at Jackson Co., Florida, before 1880. 
Biography* No record of John J. Culpepper's middle name has yet been found but it was probably James since John J. Culpepper's younger brother, Robert Jefferson Culpepper, named his first son John James Culpepper. John J. Culpepper in turn named one of his sons Robert Jefferson Culpepper. John J. Culpepper was probably NOT named John Jefferson after his father since his father named another son Robert Jefferson.

It has been necessary to reconstruct a record of John J. Culpepper and a younger sister and their descendants from census and marriage records since knowledge of their existence was lost by descendants of the two younger brothers. Louis Alford Culpepper, a grandson of John Jefferson and Catherine (Bell) Culpepper and a nephew of John J. Culpepper, wrote to his own grandson, R. A. Morgan, 11 Oct 1942: "My father William Washington Culpepper... had one brother older Jeff Culpepper...."

It is difficult to work with U. S. Census records before 1850 because only the head-of-household was listed by name and other family members were noted only by sex and approximate age; but, based on 1830, 1840 and 1850 census records, there appears to have been an older brother and a sister that William Washington Culpepper had not mentioned to Louis. Unfortunately, John Jefferson and Catherine (Bell) Culpepper have not been found in the 1820 census of South Carolina or Georgia and so an important link in the chain has been lost.

In the 1830 Upson Co., GA Census, a 15-20 year old male, a 10-15 year old male and a 10-15 year old female are listed in the household of John Jefferson and Catherine (Bell) Culpepper. The oldest boy was probably John Jefferson's brother, William Henry, who has not been located in the 1830 census and who married less than a year later in Upson Co., GA. This leaves the two younger children. Based on later census and marriage records, these two appear to be the oldest son and daughter of John Jefferson and Catherine (Bell) Culpepper.

In the 1840 Upson Co., GA census a 20-30 year old "John J. Culpeper" was listed (p. 28 but NOT IN THE CENSUS INDEX) with his wife and a young son 0-5 years of age. This obviously was not John Jefferson Culpepper who was listed with his family in the 1840 census of Chambers Co., AL and this appears to be the same John J. Culpepper that was listed as a mechanic in the 1850 census records of Pike Co., GA.

But there is only circumstantial evidence to show that John J. Culpepper was a son of John Jefferson Culpepper. First of all, in the 1840 census, John J. Culpepper was living with his family in Upson Co., GA and John Jefferson Culpepper was the only Culpepper listed in Upson Co., GA in the 1830 census. Secondly, based on the 1850 census, John J. Culpepper was born circa 1817 and this would account for the 10-15 years old male noted in the 1830 census of the John Jefferson Culpepper household. Thirdly, based on census records, John J. Culpepper had six sons, four of whom were named, Lewis, John, Robert Jefferson and Joel, all names of the father, brothers, and a son of John Jefferson Culpepper.

The only argument against John J. Culpepper being a son of John Jefferson Culpepper is that in the 1850, 1860 and 1870 census records, John J. Culpepper listed his place of birth as Georgia. John Jefferson Culpepper is not believed to have moved his family to Georgia until 1823 or 1824. Unfortunately, as noted, John Jefferson Culpepper, like his father, John Culpepper, has not been found in the 1820 census records of Georgia or South Carolina. Although it is possible that John Jefferson Culpepper and his wife moved to Georgia soon after their marriage, it is not likely since, Mary Ann Elizabeth Culpepper, the next oldest child, listed her place of birth as South Carolina in the 1850 census. On the other hand, it is not unusual in census records to see people note the place of their childhood as their place of birth especially if they were separated from their families, as John J. Culpepper was since he married and stayed behind in Upson Co., GA while his parents moved on to Alabama.

It is interesting to note that although John J. Culpepper appeared in 1830 and 1840 census records in Upson Co., GA, he married in Monroe Co., GA. John J. Culpepper's grandparents, John and Nancy (Gillespie) Culpepper were noted in the 1830 census of Monroe Co., GA and are believed to have remained there until the mid-1830's. It is possible that John J. Culpepper met his future bride while visiting with them. Or possibly the families lived near the common border of the two counties and could visit easily. Supporting this is the fact that John J. Culpepper was recorded with his young family in the 1840 census of Upson Co., GA and yet John William Culpepper, a son who was probably born in 1840 gave his place of birth as Monroe Co., GA in an 1899 Civil War pension application. Perhaps, Elizabeth went to her parent's home in Monroe Co., GA for the birth. The next son, Robert Jefferson Culpepper, specified on his Civil War pension application that he had been born in Upson Co., GA in 1843 so apparently the family was still living in the county.

By 1847, the family appears to have been on the move. A son, Benjamin Franklin Culpepper, who was born that year, was listed in the 1850 census as having been born in Alabama. John J. Culpepper's parents were living in Chamber Co., AL, could he have taken his family to visit them? If so, the family did not remain in Alabama since the next child was listed as having been born in Georgia and as noted, John J. Culpepper was living in Pike Co., GA by 1850 where he was noted with his family in the census. An uncle, Lewis P. Culpepper, and a cousin, Joseph R. Culpepper, were also noted living in Pike Co., GA in 1850. Presumably John J. Culpepper had been farming in Upson Co., GA but now he was listed as a mechanic. Similarly, Lewis P. Culpepper was listed as a millwright and Joseph R. Culpepper was listed as a laborer in the 1850 census so members of the family appear to have been in the process of moving away from farming as a way of life.

John J. Culpepper was once thought to have died in late 1859 or early 1860 since his wife, Elizabeth, was listed as a head of household in the 1860 census. She was living in Monroe Co., GA. Her father died in 1859, and she seems to have inherited a considerable estate in Monroe County, worth about $10,000, which was a large sum of money in those days (as recorded on the 1860 census).

However, it would now appear that the couple had simply split up; no details are currently known. Elizabeth went to Monroe Co. GA to live near her family, and her husband John J. went to Jackson County, FL. He appears in the 1860 census there, as "J. J. Culpepper, age 40." His son John William was listed with him as "J. W., age 19." His occupation was first listed as "mechanic" as in 1850, but then that was crossed out, and "carpenter" was written in above. John William was also listed in 1860 Monroe Co. GA with his mother Elizabeth, so he seems to have been recorded twice in 1860.

In 1863 John J. remarried, and had additional children by his second wife, Zilpha McDaniel. He is listed in the 1870 census in Jackson Co. FL as a carpenter, once again, and is presumed to have died there sometime before 1880, as he does not appear on that census.8 

Family 1

Elizabeth Ann Stallings (circa 1820 - before 1868)
Children

Family 2

Zilpha McDaniel (circa 1848 - )
Children

Charts Descendants of Joseph Culpepper of Edgecombe Co., NC (Six Generations)
Descendants of John J. Culpepper of Jackson Co., FL
Last Edited 18 Apr 2008

Citations

  1. 1850 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 172B, District 68, Pike Co., GA
    John J. Culpepper, 33, M, Mechanic, GA
    Elizabeth Culpepper, 30, F, GA
    Lewis L. Culpepper, 12, M, GA
    John W.. Culpepper, 10, M, GA
    Robert J. Culpepper, 8, M, GA
    Benjamin F. Culpepper, 6, M, AL
    Cass Culpepper, 1, F, GA.
  2. 1860 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 760, Family 207, Marianna, Jackson Co., FL
    J. J. Culpepper, 40, M, Carpenter, GA
    J. W. Culpepper, 19, M, GA.
  3. 1830 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 110, Unk Twp, Upson Co., GA
    John J. Culpepper, 1 M5-10, 1 M10-15, 1 M30-40, 1 F10-15, 1 F30-40.
  4. Ancestry.com, compiler, Georgia Marriages to 1850, Online database at Ancestry.com, 1997.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/2085a.htm
    John J. Culpepper and Elizabeth Stallings on 12 Oct 1837 in Monroe Co., GA.
  5. 1840 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 28, District 587, Upson Co., GA
    John J. Culpepper, 1 M5-10, 1 M20-30, 1 F15-20.
  6. John J. Culpepper and Zylpha McDaniel married on 3 Sep 1863 in Jackson Co., FL, Book B, p. 68.
  7. 1870 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 173, Marianna, Jackson Co., FL
    John J. Culpepper, 40, M, Carpenter, $---/$375, GA
    Zilpha Culpepper, 21, F, GA
    Catharine Culpepper, 5, F, FL
    George Culpepper, 4, M, FL
    Lee Culpepper, 2, M, FL
    Martha Bryant, 12, F, Mulatto, Nurse, FL.
  8. Lewis W. Griffin Jr., 4307 North 34th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018, e-mail address, Phone: (602) 955-2597.