Walter Wightman Wilhoit and His Ancestry

Walter Wightman Wilhoit died on 7 Apr 1940 in Louisville KY. At the time of his death he was married to Ruth Rommel Wilhoit who was the informant on Walter's death certificate (shown below).

According to his death certificate, Walter was born 15 Oct 1880 in Greenville TN to Milton E. Wilhoit and Margaret Broyle Wilhoit. As we will see later, he was actually born in 1879 as shown on the 1880 census.

At the time of his death he was working as the general superintendent at Stewarts Dry Good Company in Louisville, a job he had held since at least 1920, as will be shown in census records.

The 1930 census indicates that Walter and Ruth married about 1925, as shown here:

1930 Federal Census: Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville, District 1, page 2A
household 24/45 - 3107 Brownsboro Road
Wilhoit, Walter W. - head, M W 50, married at 45, born TN, parents born TN, superintendent of dry goods store
Wilhoit, Ruth - wife, F W 35, married at 30, born KY, parents born KY

Ruth was a daughter of George and Sophia Rommel, as shown in the 1900 and 1920 census records below.

1900 Federal Census: Jefferson County, Louisville, pages 247B-248A
household 18/18 - 1304 Lucia Ave
Rommel, George H. - head, W M 45, born Mar 1855 in KY, married 20 years, parents born Germany, carpenter
Rommel, Sophia - wife, W F 43, born Oct 1856 in KY, 9 children, father born Germany, mother born MD
Rommel, John S. - son, W M 19, born Nov 1880 in KY, carpenter
Rommel, William D. - son, W M 19, born Nov 1880 in KY, at school
Rommel, Robert H. - son, W M 17, born May 1883 in KY, carpenter
Rommel, George H. - son, W M 15, born Nov 1884 in KY, at school
Rommel, Julius W. - son, W M 13, born Sep 1886 in KY, at school
Rommel, Louis E. - son, W M 11, born Sep 1888 in KY, at school
Rommel, Elsie M. - daughter, W F 8, born Jun 1891 in KY, at school
Rommel, Clarence J. - son, W M 7, born Feb 1893 in KY, at school
Rommel, Ruth C. - daughter, W F 5, born Feb 1895 in KY
Mahner, Caroline - aunt, W F 67, born Jun 1837 in MD, parents born Germany

1920 Federal Census: Kentucky, Jefferson County, Hoke, page 156A
household 223/229 - Bardstown Road
Rommel, George H. - head, M W 65 md, born KY, parents born Germany, building contractor
Rommel, Sophia - wife, F W 62 md, born KY, parents born MD
Rommel, Clarence J. - son, M W 26 single, born KY, partner with father
Rommel, Ruth C. - daughter, F W 24 single, born KY, bookkeeper

We know that Ruth Rommel Wilhoit died on 5 Jul 1961 according to the Kentucky Death Index. She and Walter are buried together in the Cave Hill Cemetery [Section 22, Lot 58, Part NE1/2, Graves 1-A and 2-A].

The 1910 and 1920 census records show that Walter was earlier married to Grace Noe.

1910 Federal Census: Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 4, page 72A
household 118/159 - 438 East Broadway
Wilhoit, Walter W. - head, M W 30, married 5 years, born TN, parents born TN, assistant credit manager of department store
Wilhoit, Grace Noe - wife, F W 28, no children, born KY, parents born KY

1920 Federal Census: Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 5, page 159B
household 46/71 - 121 Saint Catherine Street
Wilhoite, Walter W. - head, M W 40, born TN, parents born TN, superintendent of dry goods store
Wilhoite, Grace - wife, F W 36, born KY, parents born KY

Grace Noe Wilhoit was a daughter of George A. Noe and Tabitha Hall Noe according to her death cetificate. She was born 19 Apr 1881 in Lebanon KY, and died 17 Nov 1920 in Louisville.

She is seen in the 1900 census with her parents.

1900 Federal Census: Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 5, page 206A
household 189/220 - 310 East Breckinridge Street
Noe, George A. - head, W M 61, born Jun 1838 in KY, parents born KY, ?? garage ?
Noe, Polina D. - daughter, W F 35, born ?? 1865 in KY, single, home maker
Noe, Mary - daughter, W F 31, born Feb 1869 in KY, single, clerk dry goods
Noe, John H. - son, W M 22, born Mar 1878 in KY, single, no occupation
Noe, Susa - daughter, W F 20, born Oct 1879 in KY, single, seamstress
Noe, Grace - daughter, W F 19, born Apr 1881 in KY, single, asst bookkeeper
Noe, Stella - daughter, W F 17, born Apr 1883 in KY, single
Noe, Anna - daughter, W F 13, born Sep 1886 in KY, single, at school
Sherrad, Caleste - daughter, W F 29, born Mar 1871 in KY, married 7 years, 1 child
Sherrad, Ormsby - grandson, W M 6, born Apr 1894 in KY

As the 1910 census indicates, Grace and Walter were married about 1905, probably in Louisville.

It appears that Walter had no children by either wife.

As earlier indicated, Walter's parents were Milton E. and Margaret (Broyle) Wilhoit of Tennessee. Milton was Milton Elbert, sometimes called Elbert Milton Wilhoit.

Walter appears first in the 1880 census.

1880 Federal Census: Tennessee, Greene County, page 7B
household 132/132
Wilhoite, Elbert M. - W M 45, farmer, born TN, parents born TN
Wilhoite, Margret - W F 34, wife, keeps house, born TN, parents born TN
Wilhoite, John M. - W M 12, son, born TN
Wilhoite, Fannie A. - W F 11, daughter, born TN
Wilhoite, Nellie A. - W F 9, daughter, born TN
Wilhoite, Nannie M. - W F 6, daughter, born TN
Wilhoite, Ed F. - W M 4, son, born TN
Wilhoite, Anne H. - W F 2, daughter, born TN
Wilhoite, Walter W. - W M 8/12 (born Oct), son, born TN

The family appears in the 1900 census as shown below, but Walter is not with them. We have not yet located him in that census.

1900 Federal Census: Tennessee, Greene County, Civil District 1, page 12A
household 229/232
Wilhoit, Milton E. - head, W M 65, born Jun 1834 in TN, parents born TN, farmer
Wilhoit, Margaret - wife, W F 54, born Nov 1845 in TN, parents born TN
Wilhoit, John W. - son, W M 32, born Nov 1867 in TN, single, farm laborer
Wilhoit, Fannie A. - daughter, W F 30, born Dec 1869 in TN, single, teacher
Wilhoit, Nannie A. - daughter, W F 25, born Apr 1875 in TN, single
Wilhoit, Helen A. - daughter, W F 22, born Jan 1878 in TN, single
Wilhoit, Bessie - daughter, W F 17, born Dec 1882 in TN, single
Wilhoit, Mary - daughter, W F 14, born Sep 1885
Wilhoit, Marion E. - son, W M 10, born Mar 1890

Elbert Milton Wilhoit was a son of John W. and Mary Wilhoit as shown in the 1850 and 1860 censuses.

1850 Federal Census: Tennessee, Greene County, East District, page 197B
household 884/884
John W. Wilhoit - 52 M, farmer, born TN
Mary Wilhoit - 52 F, born TN
Frances A. Wilhoit - 18 F, born TN
Elbert M. Wilhoit - 15 M, farming, born TN
Mary B. Wilhoit - 13 F, born TN

1860 Federal Census: Tennessee, Greene County, District 1, page 198A
household 4/4
Mary Wilhite - 60 F
Elbert M. Wilhite - 25 M, farmer, born TN
Wm D. Murr - 21 M, farm laborer, born TN
Mary B. Wilhite - 20 F, born TN

He then appears with his wife, Margaret in 1870:

1870 Federal Census: Tennessee, Greene County, District 1, page 14
household 100/100
Wilhoit, Elbert - 36 M W, farmer, born TN
Wilhoit, Margaret B. - 24 F W, keeping house, born TN
Wilhoit, John O. - 2 M W, born TN
Wilhoit, Fannie A. - 1 F W, born TN

Elbert's parents appear to be John Wilson Wilhoit and Mary Broyles. According to The Germanna Record Number 13 John Wilson Wilhoit married Mary Broyles in 1816. That volume, on page 73, shows John as a son of Samuel and Anna (Wilson) Wilhite who married in 1790 in Greene County TN.

Samuel Wilhite/Wilhoit was a son of Conrad and Elizabeth (Broyles) Wilhite according to the same volume (pages 54-5), and Conrad was a son of Tobias and Catherine Wilhoite (pages 49-50). Tobias was a son of Michael Wilheit, the immigrant (page 49).