Im tryin to trace my ancestors back on my mothers side of the family. Her name was Kathleen Barbee Efird her fathers name was Titus Barbee. Im trying to find out just where Alec Whitley comes in . The only names I have now is Matthew Barbee,Rebecca Smith,Alexander Whitley,Mary Cagle,Nelia Ann W.Barbee? Im kinda new at this and any help is appreciated .Alec Whitley was the one that was hung in Stanly County so I know theres plenty of information out there.

-- Jeffrey Lane Efird (j24e@aol.com), February 09, 2005

Answers

Jeffrey, You didn't put any dates on these people, but I think from looking at the marriage records that Mathew S. BARBEE age 21 son of Allen and Mary M. BARBEE and Rebecca E. SMITH age 18 daughter of George and Jane SMITH are perhaps your gt grandparents. They were married on 08 Oct 1882 Book II page 80 by E. P. Harrington, Minister. I have the marriage book printed by Stanly Co. Genealogical Society in 1987. This is where I found this information. In 1867, North Carolina began including parents names on the marriage license. This is a big help in tracing your ancestors. This book starts in 1851 and goes to 1904.

Another set of names you mentioned is Alexander WHITLEY and Mary CAGLE. There are two Alexander WHITLEY's listed. They have different parents, so aren't the same person. Alexander WHITLEY age 20 son of Christian BURRIS, Susan WHITLEY married Mary CAGLE age 22 daughter of D. S. and Michel CAGLE on 17 Apr 1881 Book II page 76 by J. P. Austin, JP.

There was no Nelia BARBEE and two Ann or Annie BARBEE's listed. Couldn't decide which one would be yours. Will be glad to look others up for you.

Lina Boyd, Dover, Pope County, Arkansas My mother's entire family came from Stanly Co. NC.

-- Lina Boyd (linajaneboyd@hotmail.com), February 13, 2005.

The Alec Whitley your looking for information about was the son of Susan Whitley and Christian Burris. He was a distant cousin of mine on my father's side. He had three other siblings. They lived in town of what was then called Big Lick, which is now an intersection of Oakboro. His parents were not married and he was mostly raised by his mother. He had a bad habit of getting drunk, fighting, and stealing. He was said to have killed five people. He moved to Arkansas for a time and came back to Stanly County. To make a long story short, he was taken to jail in Albemarle and a mob rushed the jail and took him to the outskirts of Stanly County and hanged him on a red oak tree. He is now buried at Smith Grove Cemetary in Oakboro. I hope this helps. If you have any other specific questions, please email me and I'll try to help you out.

-- Amy Pruitt (nc23amy@yahoo.com), February 27, 2005.