"Our Heritage"
Mt. Olive Tribune
By Claude Moore
October 19, 1990

The annual reunion of the ancient Whitfield family was held at Spring Creek School near Seven Springs last Sunday with a good representation attending from as far away as Florida.

It was an appropriate place to hold such a gathering since it was in this area that the early Whitfields received land grants beginning in the 1740's. The reunion actually began on Thursday night with a dinner at the home of Mr. and Mr. John Whitfield in Wallace for some of the out of town guests. On Saturday a number visited our home and the Cabin Museum. On Saturday night another dinner was given at the Southern Belle Restaurant in Mount Olive honoring the out of town members of the clan.

The Whitfield Clan is now organized into what is called the "Society of the Whitfields". A newsletter edited by Bryan Whitfield of Timminum, Maryland, is sent to members at various times during the year. All the Whitfields in Wayne County belong to this family and are descendants of William Whitfield I who along with his wife were killed by the Tuscarora Indians.

For the fourth time since 1966 I made the address at the reunion. It is believed that the Whitfields were direct descendants of William, the Duke of Normandy who invaded England in 1066 and had himself crowned king. The first Whitfield to come to America was Matthew Whitfield, a son of Sir William Whitfield, who came from England to Jamestown, Virginia in 1613. His descendant, William Whitfield I was living in Bertie County, N.C., in 1723, and his wife was Elizabeth Goodman.

William and Elizabeth Whitfield settled on the Neuse River Seven Springs and had the following 10 children and I would estimate that they have more than 10,000 living descendants scattered all over the United States: William Whitield (1715-1795) who married Rachel Bryan and lived at White Hall (now Seven Springs); Matthew Whitfield (born 1717) who married a Miss Warren and finally settled in Georgia; Luke Whitfield (born 1722) who married Rachel Powell and lived in St. David's Parish, South Carolina; Mary Whitfield who married John Grady (1710-1787) and was the progenitor of the Grady family in Duplin and Wayne; Patience Whitfield (1719-1759) who married Edward Outlaw, settled in Duplin and they were the ancestors of Duplin Outlaws; and Constantine Whitfieid (1728-1797) who married Barbara Williams and settled at Fort Barwell in Dobbs County; and Elizabeth Whitfield who married (1) Jonathan Taylor (2) Lt. John Beck.

Many years ago Therodore Whitfield did two volumes on the Whitfield, Bryan, Smith families, but this book is now out of print.

The Whitfields were among the founders of Wayne County and records show that wherever members of this family went they were outstanding and useful members of the community. Several served in the American Revolution and more than 60 in the Confederate Army.

After a picnic dinner, a business meeting was held and the following officers were elected for the following year; President, John Whitfield of Wallace; Vice Presidents Roy Whitfield, Hubert Whitfield and Jimmy Blodker; Corresponding Secretary, Vannie Whitfield Dady; Secretary, Carolyn Whitfield; Treasurer, Sadie Whitfield of Goldsboro. The next meeting of the clan will be on the second Sunday of October, 1991.