George Whitfield: Frank and Roxie's Son

I was reading a post on AfriGeneas, a web site devoted to african american genealogy when a surname caught my eye.

The person was looking for an ancestor of theirs by the name of Whitfield. After trying my best to help find the family the poster was looking for I had to take a break. My mind kept going into a different direction back in time to another Whitfield family.

George and Merry Hamilton Whitfield

I remember as a teen I would go over and spend some week-ends with the Whitfields. We would all pile up in the bunkbeds and talk until we got sleepy.
Come to think of it, we were whispering until we got sleepy.

Usually the next morning the house was bustling with everyone doing what chores they had to do, and off to the kitchen for breakfast.

I am always in stitches because Patty was trying to sing while she cooked. I can hear her now singing this one song "Peanut,oh oh oh oh oh oh Peanut".

Uncle George, one of the nicest people in the world didn't have to much to say but had the nicest smile you could imagine. He was also a very compassionate person.

I remember the time when I wanted to move to California. I did not have a job yet but planned on staying with my mother until I found one. After his daughter Ernestine asked him if he could drive me, the only thing he said was that we would have to wait until the week-end because he had to work.

True to his word, Uncle George gassed up his truck and the three of us headed to California.

We pulled up to my mothers house, unloaded everything from the truck
and put all my belongings in the garage. Uncle George and Ernestine then headed back to Phoenix.

Well I made the mistake of making a long distance call back to talk to Stine two days later.
I was so homesick that Ernestine talked Uncle George into driving back and get me.
If I had rented an apartment and signed a lease I would have been in plenty of trouble because I was not there for a good week.

Curious about his life, here is a tad bit of what I found:

George Whitfield was born to the parents of Frank (Ms) and Roxanne (Rockey)Settles Whitfield (Ark) in Boley Oklahoma. The Marriage License for Frank and Roxie shows they were married in Arkansas.




According to the 1920 census the family lived in Depew Oklahoma

























You have to always pick up and move when you have mouths to feed, and it must have been hard to leave the memories of home along with the ancestors that I am sure were in Frank and Roxie's vision.

George along with his parents,brothers Otto and W C came to Arizona and took residence in Liberty Arizona. Their father Frank worked at the Gillespie Dam and his son were laborers doing farm work.

After losing his wife Roxie in 1924 Frank re-married a lady by the name of Harriett and found work as a general farmer.


George's father passed away April 28th 1940 at the Booker T Washington Hospital in Phoenix Arizona at the age of 76.


Frank and Roxie raised a good man who left an impression on me and I am sure to all those who came in contact with Mr George E Whitfield.

Aunt Mary was just the opposite of Uncle George. She could always make you laugh.
In fact I never saw her without that wonderful twinkle she had in her eye or that ability to tell a little joke or two.
She was also a church going lady who loved getting on on Sunday and head over to
First Institutional Baptist Church where she was quite active.

I took a look at her ancestors. Whoa, Uncle George!! What have we here. This wonderful lady who caught your eye has some powerful ancestors with a story to tell in her line...Stay tuned for Awesome