Valentine Whitehead and Mary [Unk]

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Husband Valentine Whitehead ¹

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           Born:  - Richmond, Henrico Co, VA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 

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Wife Mary [Unk] ²

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M Peter Whitehead ³

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           Born: 24 Feb 1796 - North Huntingdon Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 2 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 6 May 1867 or 1872 - North Huntingdon Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 2 4
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Barbara Highberger (1794-1834) 3
           Marr: 11 Oct 1813 2

         Spouse: Catherine Highberger (      -      ) 5
           Marr: 22 Jan 1837 5

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General Notes: Husband - Valentine Whitehead

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He came across the Alleghenies when quite young and became one of the pioneer settlers of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He did guard duty at Fort Pitt, served on the frontiers of the county during the Indian troubles and made his first settlement in Sewickley township, where he took up a large tract of land. He left that township after a short residence and moved to North Huntingdon, where he patented a farm, later owned by his grandson, Peter Whitehead. He was well known throughout the early settlements of the county for his firmness and courage. His cabin was twice burned by Indians, his stock was often killed by war parties who sought for his scalp. Once while plowing his horse refused to go towards a piece of woods at one end of the field in which he was working. Hitching his team he made a circuit round the field through the woods and shot an Indian who was concealed in the timber for the purpose of securing his scalp.

The Whiteheads of North Huntingdon township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, are of German descent, and the original Teutonic rendering of the name was Weiskopf. During the latter half of the eighteenth century a Ger-man couple of that name emigrated to America, settling in Richmond, Vir-ginia, and while at sea the wife gave birth to a son, Valentine, whose star of destiny led him at an early age into the then almost unbroken wilderness of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. When a mere lad Valentine accompanied a company of soldiers to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), where he made himself useful as guard over the woodpile and also rendered other services to the garrison. Endowed with the necessary courage he readily accustomed himself to the dangers and vicissitudes of frontier life, and subsequently became actively concerned in numerous offensive and defensive operations against the savages. When a young man he located in Sewickley township, from whence he removed to North Huntingdon, and was the founder of the Whitehead estate in that township. His adventures and exploits, which were numerous, have been handed down through his descendants, and they serve to remind the present generation of the indomitable courage and perseverance displayed by their ancestors in the interest of civilization. Twice was his cabin burned by the Indians and his encounters with them were many and fierce. It is related that on one occasion, while plowing, his horse gave indications of fear and refused to approach a certain portion of timber. Leaving his team Whitehead made a circuit of the field through the woods and shot an Indian, whom he surprised in ambush. [HWC 1906 II, 533]

1 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 415.

2 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 533.

3 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 261.

4 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 416.

5 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 534.