Biographical/historical information

The Whitford Family history can be traced back to Scotland, where the name Whitford was derived from the estate of Whitford obtained by Walter de Whitford for his services in the battle of Largs in 1263. After this, the family history is unknown until Walter Whitford was born in 1581. Walter Whitford attended the University of Glasgow and served in the Church of Scotland. In 1635 Walter Whitford became the Bishop of Brechin, but because he supported the changes in the church introduced by Charles I he was forced to flee to England in 1639. Walter Whitford remained in England until he died in 1647.

The first Whitford to come to America was John Whitford, who came prior to 1700. In 1722 John's son Martin Whitford came to North Carolina and married Nancy Purifoi (later changed to Purifoy). Martin's son David Whitford is quite detailed in this collection, as well as his son Nathan. David Whitford acquired numerous plots of land in Craven County and appears to have increased the activity of buying land. David Whitford and his wife Nancy Stilley had ten children, but the child documented in this collection is David Purifoi Whitford. David Purifoi Whitford married Susan Cox and had six children. Their son Addison Purifoi Whitford married Pamelia Toler and had a son David P. Whitford. It was Addison who changed the spelling of the name Purifoi to Purifoy. Addison's granddaughter Edna Whitford Fisher wrote about the family history and recorded stories told to her by her grandfather about his experiences in the Civil War.

Scope and arrangement

This collection contains materials dating from 1743 to 1985. A Whitford Family Tree starting with Martin Whitford and Nancy Purifoi, which goes all the way to Addison Purifoi Whitford's generation, is included. Although all of the children and their spouses are recorded, there are no dates on the chart. A ten-page history of the Whitford family written by Edna Whitford Fisher describes family history from Scotland and England and the first Whitfords to come to America. Edna's writing includes research done by Edward B. Whitford Ph.D, a relative from New York City, when he visited England and Scotland in 1931. Also included in Edna's writings are stories about her father David P. Whitford and her grandfather Addison Purifoi Whitford. A copy of a black and white photgraph of Addison Purifoi Whitford on horseback is included in the collection. There are two copies of "Heartfelt Tribute" written by D.P. Whitford, which discusses the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Also included is an article entitled "Whitford Family History Spans Centuries" from The Daily Reflector, Greenville, NC newspaper, from Sunday, January 6, 1985. Also present is a written copy of the Church Constitution of Mount Lebanon in Craven County and a document from Broad St. Church and Sunday School in which they rededicate themselves to God's work and create the One Hundred Percent Loyalty and Service Club.

There are forty-four legal documents in this collection, which include land grants, deeds, indentures, land surveys, accounts of sale, and a promissory note. The majority of the documents are from Craven County, N.C., but also include some from Pamlico and Beaufort counties. The oldest document is a land survey of a plot of land belonging to John Hill from 1743. North Carolina Land Grant No. 933 from 1799 describes 200 acres of land in Craven County given to David Whitford. Another interesting document is the 1841 deed that bequeaths land and a mill from David Whitford to his son David Purifoi Whitford. Some people who were parties in the land deeds include John C. Dunn, Leven Dunn, Elijah Dunn, Charles Ernul, Catherine Ernul, Elizabeth Ernul, Mary Ann Askines, Batson Whitehurst Cox, Caleb Toler, William Gaskins and J.J. Lewis.

Administrative information

Custodial History

September 12, 2003 52 items, 0.024 cubic feet; Papers (1743 - 1985) of the descendants of Martin Whitford and Nancy Purifoi (Purifoy) Whitford, of Craven County NC, including David Purifoi Whitford, Susan Cox, Addison Purifoi Whitford, Pamela Toler and Edna Whitford Fisher, and consisting of land, legal and business records, genealogical charts and a family history, a photographic print, and the constitutions of the Mt. Lebanon Church and the Broad St. Church & Secondary School 100 Per Cent Loyalty and Service Club. Donor: Prof. Lona P. Ratcliffe

Source of acquisition

Gift of Lona P. Ratcliffe

Processing information

Encoded by Mark Custer, January 7, 2008

Processed by Cynthia Sharp May 2008

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Key terms

Family Names

Places

Container list