William Jehu Culpepper

Male, #35342, (15 Oct 1857 - 12 Aug 1929)

Parent*John Malcolm Culpepper (13 Nov 1835 - 10 Jan 1927)
Parent*Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens (22 Oct 1839 - 21 Jul 1906)
William Jehu Culpepper|b. 15 Oct 1857\nd. 12 Aug 1929|p35342.htm|John Malcolm Culpepper|b. 13 Nov 1835\nd. 10 Jan 1927|p32460.htm|Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens|b. 22 Oct 1839\nd. 21 Jul 1906|p32461.htm|Rev. William H. Culpepper|b. 17 Oct 1813\nd. 22 Mar 1909|p32073.htm|Sarah Leslie|b. 15 Feb 1808\nd. 22 Jan 1849|p32074.htm|||||||

Birth*15 Oct 1857 William was born at Randolph Co., Alabama, on 15 Oct 1857. 
 He was the son of John Malcolm Culpepper and Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens. 
1860 Census*1860 William and Sarah listed as a household member living with John Malcolm Culpepper in the 1860 Census at Almond, Randolph Co., Alabama. 24 m-p. 838 hh 1480. 
1870 Census*1870 William, Sarah, John, Daniel and Robert listed as a household member living with John Malcolm Culpepper on the 1870 Census at Louina, Randolph Co., Alabama. 35 m-p. 572 hh 18. 
Employment* William's occupation: farmer at Randolph Co., Alabama. 
Marriage*6 Feb 1876 He married Emily Julia Ann Josephine East at Randolph Co., Alabama, on 6 Feb 1876. 
1880 Census*1880 William was listed as the head of a family on the 1880 Census at Louina, Randolph Co., Alabama. 22 m-p. 336 hh 83. 
Photographed*circa 1890 He and Emily Julia Ann Josephine East were photographed From Tommie Sue Reeves Smith, May 2001:

"I talked with Hannie McGill Simpson, daughter of Clara Culpepper McGill today. She had received the copy of the picture and had time to examine it.... She basically agrees that it is almost sure to be a picture of William Jehu and Josephine Culpepper.

The youngest child being held by Julia should be Mary Glanton ,3. George was born in 1890 but is not here at least in the picture. If we can accept this scenario then we have left to right, Malcolm Henry Luther, Josephine Culpepper with Emily Delura, 9, standing in front of her. Julia Eldora,10, would be standing next holding a child that would be Mary Glanton ,3. William Jehu Culpepper would be standing behind Frank, 6, . Carrie Eunice and Clara Earnest the twins, 7, should be the toddlers dressed somewhat alike. James Benjamin and John William , 11, the twins should be standing on either side of the horse.

I know this version requires accepting spurts of growth expecially for the three older boys. This would have been in Arkansas because I know that Robert Earl was the first child to be born in Texas. Following him would be Nannie, Carl, and my mother Tessie who was last."
circa 1890.1
William Jehu Culpepper & family
1900 Census*1 Jun 1900 William was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census at Hopkins Co., Texas.2 
1910 Census15 Apr 1910 He was enumerated in the US Census of 1910 on 15 Apr 1910 at Hopkins Co., Texas.3 
WWI Draft Reg12 Sep 1918 William was named his nearest relative when Carl Sheppard Culpepper registered for the WW-I draft on 12 Sep 1918 at Sulphur Springs, Hopkins Co., Texas.4 
Photographedsay 1920 He and Emily Julia Ann Josephine East were photographed say 1920 at Hopkins Co., Texas.1
William J. & Emily (East) Culpepper
1920 Census*1 Jan 1920 William was listed as the head of a family on the 1920 Census at Hopkins Co., Texas.5 
Death*12 Aug 1929 He died at Pine Forest, Hopkins Co., Texas, on 12 Aug 1929. 
Burial*circa 14 Aug 1929 His body was interred circa 14 Aug 1929 at Pine Forest Cemetery, Pine Forest, Hopkins Co., Texas.6 
Biography* William Jehu Culpepper was the son of John Malcolm and Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Stephens) Culpepper. He was noted as a two year old "William G. H. Culpepper" in the 1860 census of Almond P. O. District, to the west northwest of Louina (now Wadley) in Randolph Co., AL, and this is where he is believed to have been born. Billy's middle name is pronounced "jay'hue" and it has been variously recorded as "J. Hugh," "Jahue" and "Jehew." Possibly the 1860 census taker heard "G. Hugh" and recorded "G. H." However, Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco, a great- granddaughter of John Malcolm and Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Stephens) Culpepper and a historian for the family, wrote letter 28 Sep 1979 that Billy's daughter-in-law, Mrs. F. D. (Nora McFarland) Culpepper thought that William's middle name was "Jehu (as in the Bible)." Jehu was a king of Israel who was recorded in the Old Testament in Book II Kings as a son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi and he was noted for destroying the dynasty of Ahab and Jezebel.

Billy married Josephine East in 1876 and they settled down to raise their family in Randolph Co., AL. Although noted in the Louina Beat (now Wadley), Randolph Co., AL in the 1880 census, the family must have lived very close to the border with Tallapoosa Co., AL since they apparently attended the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pleasant Hill in Daviston, Tallapoosa Co., AL.7

Based on the birth locations of children from census records, Billy moved his family to Arkansas around 1890. Unfortunately, the 1890 U. S. census records were burned. Lavyn (Wright) Sisco wrote8 that Billy is believed to have farmed in the Hurricane Creek area of Grant Co., AR. Hurricane Creek runs north to south through the eastern third of the county.

In 1892, Billy's parents moved to the Pine Forest Community in Hopkins Co., TX. This small community is southeast of Weaver (which is about 10 miles east of Sulphur Springs) near the Franklin County line.9 Not long after this, Billy suffered a crop failure in Arkansas and he followed his parents to Texas, taking his family by train to Weaver, TX and from there going on to Pine Forest.10 When Billy arrived in Texas with his family, they had nothing, not even coats and hats.11 Billy started out sharecropping "on the halves" for two or three years on the Walker farm which was owned by Robert A. Minter. 11 A sharecropper was a tenant farmer who, in exchange for a share, e.g., half, of the value of the crops produced, was given credit for seed, tools and a place to stay. When the crops came in, the amount credited was then subtracted from the tenant farmer's share. Gradually, with hard work, Billy was able to accumulate enough that he was able to buy his own land.11 Lavyn (Wright) Sisco wrote:12

Uncle Billy Culpepper was an old man as long as folks could remember, even looked older than his father, John. He was a strong Methodist. His wife was and even-tempered woman who cared for him as though he were a child.... Uncle Billy called everyone younger than he "dear baby." No one would ask him how he felt, he always hurt somewhere. He was a farmer.
     
In 1918, Billy was 60 years old when he lost his wife of 42 Years.13 He then went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Thomas (Tessie Culpepper) Reeves, and this is where he died in 1929 at the age of 71.13
 

Family

Emily Julia Ann Josephine East (27 Jan 1858 - 14 Jul 1918)
Children

Charts Descendants of William Jehu Culpepper of Hopkins Co., TX
Last Edited 7 Oct 2006

Citations

  1. E-mail from Tommie Sue Reeves Smith, e-mail address, 942 Clarice, Grand Prairie, TX 75051 to Lew Griffin, numerous e-mails.
  2. 1900 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 51, Sheet 2A, Pg 109A, Pct 2, Gen.com Img 2, Hopkins Co., TX
    W. J. Culpepper, Head, M, Oct-1857, 42, md-25 yrs, AL GA MS, Farmer
    Emily Josephine Culpepper, Wife, F, Jan-1858, 42, md-25 yrs, Ch 16/13, AL AL AL
    William Culpepper, Son, M, Jan-1879, 21, S, AL AL AL, Farm Laborer
    Julia E. Culpepper, Daughter, F, Dec-1880, 19, S, AL AL AL
    Dee M. Culpepper, Daughter, F, Nov-1881, 18, S, AL AL AL
    Clara Culpepper, Daughter, F, Mar-1883, 17, S, AL AL AL
    Carrie Culpepper, Daughter, F, Mar-1883, 17, S, AL AL AL
    Frank Culpepper, Son, M, Sep-1884, 15, S, AL AL AL, Farm Laborer
    Mary G. Culpepper, Daughter, F, Nov-1887, 12, S, AL AL AL
    George F. Culpepper, Son, M, Apr-1890, 10, S, AL AL AL, Farm Laborer
    Irl Culpepper, Son, M, Apr-1896, 4, S, TX AL AL
    Nannie Culpepper, Daughter, F, Jun-1898, 1, S, TX AL AL
    Carl Culpepper, Son, M, Feb-1899, 1, S, TX AL AL.
  3. 1910 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 60, Sheet 21B, Pg 220B, Pct 2, Gen.com Img 4, Hopkins Co., TX
    William J. Culpepper, Head, M, 52, M1, md-34, AL GA GA, Farmer
    Emily J. Culpepper, Wife, F, 52, M1, md-34, ch 17/14, AL AL GA
    Carrie E. Culpepper ,Daughter, F, 26, S, AL AL AL
    Clara E. Culpepper, Daughter, F, 26, S, AL AL AL
    George F. Culpepper, Son, M, 20, S, AR AL AL, Farm Laborer
    Earl R. Culpepper, Son, M, 15, S, TX AL AL
    Nannie Culpepper, Daughter, F, 12, S, TX AL AL
    Carl Culpepper, Son, M, 11, S, TX AL
    Tessie Culpepper, Daughter, F, 9, S, TX AL AL.
  4. National Archives and Records Administration, compiler, WW-I Draft Records, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2002.
    http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=6482&ti=0&r=0
    Carl Sheppard Culpepper, RFD#3, Como, Hopkins Co., Texas, age 19, born 14 Feb 1898, Caucasian, Farmer at RFD#3, Como, Hopkins Co., Texas, Nearest relative: William Jayhue Culpepper, RFD#3, Como, Hopkins Co., Texas, Tall height, Slender build, Blue eyes, Light brown hair, No disabilities. Registered 12 Sep 1918 at Sulphur Springs, Hopkins Co., Texas.
  5. 1920 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 69, Sheet 2B, Pg 205, Pct 2, Bethel & Sulphur Springs Rd., Hopkins Co., TX
    Own=Y, Farm=Y
    William J. Culpepper, Head, M, 62, Wid, AL GA AL, Farmer
    Tessie Culpepper, Dau, F, 18, S, TX AL AL.
  6. E-mail from Tommie Sue Reeves Smith, e-mail address, 942 Clarice, Grand Prairie, TX 75051 to Lew Griffin, numerous e-mails.
    William Jahue Culpepper Family Group Sheet.
  7. Capos Conley "Chip" Culpepper, II, A Collection of Culpeppers manuscript, in the "Additional Information on Members of The Family Culpepper" section, there is a letter of recommendation, preserved by Lavyn (Wright) Sisco, from the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pleasant Hill, Daviston, Alabama for William J. Culpepper and his family.
  8. letter 15 Apr 1994
  9. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco, "John Malcolm Culpepper," typed sheet and letter 15 Apr 1994
  10. Lavyn (Wright) Sisco letter 15 Apr 1994
  11. Jerry Post, Alive and Good to Know p. 29, preserved by Lavyn (Wright) Sisco
  12. included in a J. M. Culpepper family summary
  13. "Uncle Billie Culpepper" unknown source, probably a Hopkins Co., TX paper, circa 12 Aug 1929