Person Page - 141

     Dr. John Asa Whetstone, son of Rev. Jacob Whetstone and Martha A. Jones, was born on 19 October 1803 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina.

In 1825 he appeared on a list of students at the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, also known as the New York Medical College. John A. Whetstone was listed as being a resident of Washington, Autauga county, Alabama. He graduated from college and received his practical experience as a doctor at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He was also an ordained Methodist minister. He moved his family from South Carolina to Montgomery, Alabama, or possibly to nearby Prattville, and then moved to Basstrop, Lousiana about 1853. It took him two years to build his home and homes for his slaves and to get ready to go back to Alabama to get his family.^2,3

Dr. John Asa Whetstone, James Burt MATHEWS and Absolum G. DOSTER Sr. were members of Autauga Masonic Lodge 31 which was chartered on 9 August 1828 in Washington, Autauga County, Alabama. The lodge met only on the first and third Saturday of each month during the Winter season. During the Summer, the lodge met only on the first Saturday. At the time their Charter was issued, the lodge had thirty-six members.⁴

John married second Martha Susan ALEXANDER, daughter of William Edmund ALEXANDER and Mary GRAVES, on 20 December 1832 in Lowndes County, Alabama. At the time the Civil War broke out eleven of the thirteen children of this family were living and three of them enlisted in the confederate service. Edmond A., the eldest, was killed at the Battle of Oak Hill, Missouri. The other two served through the end of the war and survived.¹

Dr. John Asa Whetstone and Martha Susan ALEXANDER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 25 October 1850 in Coosada, Autauga County, Alabama. The household was listed as John A. Whetstone, a 47 year old physician, real estate valued $2000, born Alabama, and implied wife, Martha S. Whetstone, age 35, born in Georgia. Their implied children, all born in Alabama, were: Virginia, 16; Mary, 14; Martha, 12; Louisa C., 11; Adaline M., 8; Carolne S., 7; Eliza E., 1; John A., 15; Edmond, 9; Wm. D., 3; and Jacob, 5. Their neighbors included teacher Edwin Fay and planter Bolling Hall, so they lived in the Rocky Mount area near the present day Elmore county line.

Dr. John Asa Whetstone died on 30 December 1858 in Bastrop, Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, at age 55.⁵ He was buried on 31 December 1858 in Whetstone Cemetery, Bastrop, Morehouse Parish, Louisiana.⁵

     Caroline Sager was born on 29 October 1821 in Alabama, the daughter of E. C. and J. D. Sager.

Caroline married William Edmund ALEXANDER Jr., son of William Edmund ALEXANDER and Mary GRAVES, on 20 September 1837 in Autauga County, Alabama.^1,2

Caroline Sager and William Edmund ALEXANDER Jr. appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 28 October 1850 in Lowndes County, Alabama. The household was listed as Edmund Alexander, a 31-year-old planter, and his 28-year-old wife, Caroline. They had real estate valued at $3,500. Their children were: Mary E. 10, John 8, William 6, Edward 4 and Sarah 2.³

Caroline Sager died on 2 January 1856 in Lowndes County, Alabama, at age 34. She was buried in Oakview Cemetery, Lowndesboro, Lowndes County, Alabama.

     Robert Minter ALEXANDER, son of Peyton Smith ALEXANDER and Mary Puryear Minter, was born on 23 October 1836 in Lowndes County, Alabama.

Robert Minter ALEXANDER appeared on a census, enumerated 19 December 1850, in the household of Peyton Smith ALEXANDER and Mary Puryear Minter in Lowndes District, Lowndes County, Alabama.¹

Robert married Mary Lavinia Taylor circa 1856.

Robert began military service at age 25 on 1 November 1861 in Union Mills, Virginia, where he enlisted for a period of one year in Company G "The Autauga Rifles", 6th Alabama Infantry, CSA. He was present at the battles of Yorktown, Seven Pines, Cold Harber, Malvern Hill, and Boonsboro, Maryland. He was captured at Boonsboro 14 Sep 1862 and exchanged in December. He was absent sick until the Battle of Martinsburg, Virginia on 13 Jun 1863 and present through the remainder of the war. His wife, Mary, was the sister of Lt. Thomas Taylor of Company G and she corresponded with her brother throughout the war. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Montgomery, Alabama.

Robert Minter ALEXANDER died on 18 August 1904 in Prattville, Autauga County, Alabama, at age 67.

Robert's obituary was printed on 26 August 1904 in the Prattville Progress newspaper, published in Prattville, Alabama. It read: "Hon. Robert M. Alexander, of Montgomery, dropped dead on Washington Street here Thursday afternoon of last week on his way to his brother's home. It is supposed that his heart was affected heretofore. He was nearing 68 years of age... Mr. Alexander was a native of Lowndes County, but removed to this county long prior to the time when he volunteered to go to the front in 1861, with Company G, 6th Regiment of the Alabama Infantry. His first service was at the siege of Yorktown. He was captured at Boonsboro, Maryland on September 14, 1862, and exchanged December 18, 1862. He fought 27 battles from the time he entered the service till he was captured at Petersburg, Virginia on March 24, 1865... He was a son of Peyton Alexander, a noted Methodist minister. He leaves a brother, John L. Alexander, of this place, and several sisters. Mr. Alexander is survived by a widow and two daughters, Mrs. J. F. Keyton, of Montgomery, and Mrs. Charles Herman, of Selma... The remains were sent to Montgomery on Friday and interred in Oakwood Cemetery on Saturday morning."²

     Rev. Henry Whetstone, son of John D. Whetstone, was born on 5 January 1784 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina.¹

Henry married Elizabeth Houser circa 1804 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina. She was the daughter of Andrew Houser, Jr. and Margaret Stoudenmire.

Rev. Henry Whetstone moved from Orangeburgh District, South Carolina to the Dutch Bend area, Autauga County, Alabama, 1821 The Whetstones and Housers had prospered in South Carolina, but new land beckoned their call. Rev.Henry Whetstone and his wife Elizabeth Houser and other kinfolks along with an army escort traveled along the Federal Road through Georgia to Alabama. There were 69 wagons in the train. The group settled on a bluff over looking the Alabama River. The land was fertile, and the Vernon Landing provided transporation for the many products of the Housers - Stoudenmire - Murph - DeBardeleben - Whetstone Plantation.

The Asbury Methodist Church, the first church in Autaugville, was situated on Whetstone Hill and was built in 1822. Rev. Whetstone was a Circuit Rider for the Methodist Episcopal church.

On 30 January 1834 Henry died in Autauga County, Alabama, at age 50 leaving Elizabeth a widow. He was buried in Houser-Whetstone-Debardeleben Cemetery, Autauga County, Alabama.

     Elizabeth Houser was born on 3 January 1786 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina, the daughter of Andrew Houser, Jr. and Margaret R. Stoudenmeyer.¹

Elizabeth married first Rev. Henry Whetstone, son of John D. Whetstone, circa 1804 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina.

Henry died on 30 January 1834 in Autauga County, Alabama, at age 50 leaving Elizabeth Houser as a widow.

Elizabeth married second Rev. Jacob Whetstone, son of Adam Whetstone and Magdalene Horger, on 21 April 1840 in Autauga County, Alabama. Jacob was the double first cousin of Elizabeth's first hushand, the late Rev. Henry Whetstone and through their mothers Magdalene Horger and Elizabeth Horger.

Elizabeth Houser died on 28 March 1843 at Dutch Bend in Autauga County, Alabama, at age 57. She was buried in Houser-Whetstone-Debardeleben Cemetery, Autauga County, Alabama.

Elizabeth Houser and Rev. Jacob Whetstone appeared on a census enumerated 1850 in Coosada, Autauga County, Alabama. They were living with William L. Robeson and his wife Harriett and their baby. Jacob Whetstone was 72 and his wife Elizabeth, 62. Both were born in South Carolina. Jacob was listed as a Methodist clergyman, but it isn't clear why they were living with the Robesons were were unrelated.

     Rev. Jacob Whetstone was born on 9 April 1778 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina, he was the son of Adam and Magdalene Horger Whetstone of St. Mathews Parish, and the grandson of Hans Johannes Whetston and Anna Margaret Fraeuewfelder who came to America from Zurich, Switzerland.^1,2

Jacob's father died when he was a child and he was left in an orphanage and in poverty, having gone to school only nine months. He tried farming before turning to brick masonry and then producing indigo which he marketed in Columbia and then horse trading. Through all this "he accumulated much wealth" and owned a large amount of real estate.

He embraced religion at age 9 and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. Soon after he married he began preaching locally. He was ordained a lay minister in St. Matthew Parish, Orangeburg District of South Carolina in 1821, along with his cousin Henry.³

Jacob married first Martha A. Jones on 17 December 1799 in St. Matthew Parish, Orangeburg District, South Carolina. They had a large family of 13 children.

Rev. Jacob Whetstone and Martha A. Jones moved from Orangeburg District, South Carolina to Autauga County, Alabama, 1822 traveling along the old Federal Road with an army estate and 69 wagons in the train. Most of these folks settled in the Dutch Bend area of Autauga county along the Alabama River. They likely came to this area because they knew the Zeiglers and other families who worshiped in St. Matthew Parish and who had migrated from Orangeburg a couple of years earlier. When he arrived in the sparsely settled area, there were no churches and Jacob became a Methodist circuit rider, traveling from hamlet to village saving souls and spreading the Gospel, often sleeping outdoors with his saddlebags for a pillow.³

Jacob was a founding member of the Autaugaville Masonic Lodge No. 31 and elected Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Alabama 1837-1838.³

It appears that Jacob soon left the Dutch Bend and settled near Rocky Mount, just east of present day Prattville. The land for the Rocky Mount Church was deeded by Littleton Reese on 4 Dec 1826 to trustees Dixon Hall, Peyton Bibb, Jacob Whetstone and others. The first church building, as well as the second, stood in front of the present Rocky Mount Cemetery which was then on the road from Washington to Coosada. This first building lasted until 1909 when it was replaced by another building. In 1951 the church merged with the Methodist church in Prattville and there is no sign remaining of its existence. In 1827 he was a founder of the Rocky Mount Academy with the Rev. Peyton Bibb who was the brother of Alabama's first governor. Bibb was pastor of the Robinson Springs Methodist Church.

He accumulated a good deal of land and had holdings east of Prattvillle in the neck of the Big Bend of the Alabama River neighhoring the Zeigler farm and Crescent Lake. Crescent Lake was originally Whetstone Lake. It is presently briged by I-65 north just below the Cobbs Ford Road exist and has one of ony two remaining stands of virgin cypress trees in Alabama.³

Martha died on 27 February 1840 in Autauga County, Alabama, at age 55 leaving Rev. Jacob Whetstone as a widower.¹

Jacob married second Elizabeth Houser on 21 April 1840 in Autauga County, Alabama. Jacob was the double first cousin of Elizabeth's first hushand, the late Rev. Henry Whetstone and through their mothers Magdalene Horger and Elizabeth Horger.

Rev. Jacob Whetstone and Elizabeth Houser appeared on a census enumerated 1850 in Coosada, Autauga County, Alabama. They were living with William L. Robeson and his wife Harriett and their baby. Jacob Whetstone was 72 and his wife Elizabeth, 62. Both were born in South Carolina. Jacob was listed as a Methodist clergyman, but it isn't clear why they were living with the Robesons were were unrelated.

Rev. Jacob Whetstone died on 30 January 1851 in Autauga County, Alabama, at age 72. He died at the residence of his son Dr. John Whetston, an emminent physician. According to a newspaper article at the time of his death he was hard at work "forming the Chestnut Creek Mission when he died from a fatal disease."^1,3 He was buried in Robinson-Whetstone Cemetery, near Fays Station, Autauga County, Alabama. He was buried with masonic honors at the residence of his son-in-law Lewis Golson Robinson, who was married to his daughter Mary Ann.²

     Martha A. Jones was born on 15 August 1784 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina.

Martha married Rev. Jacob Whetstone, son of Adam Whetstone and Magdalene Horger, on 17 December 1799 in St. Matthew Parish, Orangeburg District, South Carolina. They had a large family of 13 children.

Martha A. Jones and Rev. Jacob Whetstone moved from Orangeburg District, South Carolina to Autauga County, Alabama, 1822 traveling along the old Federal Road with an army estate and 69 wagons in the train. Most of these folks settled in the Dutch Bend area of Autauga county along the Alabama River. They likely came to this area because they knew the Zeiglers and other families who worshiped in St. Matthew Parish and who had migrated from Orangeburg a couple of years earlier. When he arrived in the sparsely settled area, there were no churches and Jacob became a Methodist circuit rider, traveling from hamlet to village saving souls and spreading the Gospel, often sleeping outdoors with his saddlebags for a pillow.¹

On 27 February 1840 Martha A. died in Autauga County, Alabama, at age 55 leaving Jacob a widower.² She was buried in Robinson-Whetstone Cemetery, Autauga County, Alabama.

     John ALEXANDER, son of William Edmund ALEXANDER Jr. and Caroline Sager, was born on 12 August 1842 in Lowndes County, Alabama.¹

During the War Between the States, John ALEXANDER enlisted in Co. H, the "Lowndes Beauregards", 3rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment on 24 March 1862 in Lowndesboro, Lowndes County, Alabama. He was recruited as a private by Captain Bonham and was later promoted to corporal. John was captured 14 Sep 1862 at the Battle of South Mountain in Boonsboro, Maryland. On 27 Sep 1862 he was admitted to Satterlee USA Hospital in West Philadelphia with a complaint of febris typhoides (typhoid fever) and returned to prison November 14th. He was paroled from Fort Delaware in Delaware to Fortress Monroe, Virginia on 15 Dec 1862. He was killed in action during the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia.

John ALEXANDER was killed in action on 5 May 1864 in the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia, at age 21.¹

John's obituary was printed on 13 July 1864 in the Alabama Journal newspaper, published in Montgomery, Alabama. It read: "John Alexander, son of Edmund Alexander of Lowndesboro, Ala. John was born the 12th of August 1842, and fell on the field on May 5th, when charging the enemy. He was a member of the "Beauregards", attached to the 3rd Regiment of Alabama Volunteers."¹

     Laura Almerea GRAVES, daughter of Charles GRAVES and Mrs. Louisa Jane PINKSTON, was born on 3 March 1831 in Autauga County, Alabama.¹

Laura Almerea GRAVES died on 5 October 1876 in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, at age 45.¹

     Georgiana Adella GRAVES, daughter of Charles GRAVES and Mrs. Louisa Jane PINKSTON, was born on 22 December 1833 in Autauga County, Alabama.¹

Georgiana Adella GRAVES died on 10 January 1907 in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, at age 73.¹