WINFREY GENEALOGY

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The name Winfree/Winfrey is an Anglo- Saxon name, meaning 'A friend in peace'. The two most common spellings today are Winfree and Winfrey, but other versions also crop up in early records such as Winifree and Wimphrey.

The immigrant ancestor to America has not been determined, as far as I know. We begin to find positive records on the family in the Virginia records, commencing with William Winfree, 1636, William Winfrey, 1651, Henry Winfrey, 1676. Charles, who lived in Chesterfield Co., VA, could have been a fourth brother as he was related. A John Winfrey and wife, Sarah, came from England and left a will in 1697, Norfolk Co., VA. Two Johns, two Jacobs, and two Charles Winfreys had children but to whom each belonged has not been determined. Sixteen Winfree/Winfrey men served in the War for Independence from the Colony of Virginia." (from "The Batchelor-Williams Families and Related Lines", by Lyle K. Williams, 1976.)

In the following, my direct ancestors are typed in bold.

• I. William WINFREY, b. 1779 in Powhatan County, VA, and died 1861 in Carroll Co., MO. He married (1) Betsy EVANS January 31, 1803, Adair Co., KY., (2) Martha CHRISTERSON, daughter of Robert CHRISTERSON, April 23, 1820 in Adair Co., KY., and (3) Frances "Frankey" D. SMART, April 16, 1843, in Carroll Co., MO. In about 1835-1837, William, his children still living at home, and several (if not all) of his older children and their families moved from Adair County, KY, to Carroll Co., MO. All the men were listed on the 1850 census as "farmers" and most owned their own land. (Note: The Lyle Williams letter of 1982 says William had "twelve children of whom your Joseph Winfrey was one"; my accounting is, thus, shy of twelve.)
  Children of William WINFREY and Betsy EVANS are:
  

  II. John B. WINFREY, b. 1804, Adair Co., KY., d. 1859, MO. He married Jemima HARDEN November 12, 1826, in Adair Co., KY.

  II. Joseph Evans WINFREY, b. January 13, 1806, Adair Co., KY., d. April 25, 1878, Carroll Co., MO. He married (1) Nancy BLAND on January 13, 1830, in Casey Co., KY., (2) Permelia FITZGERALD June 15, 1853, Carroll Co., MO., (3) Anne STANDLEY, September 25, 1860, Carroll Co., MO., and (4) Sarah BLACKMO, October 2, 1867. Joseph brought his family to Carroll Co., MO, in 1837. He was a Judge for twenty years, and Sheriff of Carroll Co. from 1856-1860.
  Children of Joseph Evans WINFREY and Nancy BLAND are:

  III. William H. Winfrey, b. 1831, KY, d. August 6, 1889, age 58 years, in MO for 50 years. He married (1) Unknown Nancy Abt. 1855, (2) Ophelia Walling, October 29, 1869, Carroll Co., MO.; and (3) Mollie MOUNDS August 5, 1872, Carroll Co., MO.

  IV. Parthenia C. WINFREY, b. 1839, Carroll Co., MO, d. March 30, 1874, buried Bellafontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, m. (1) Christopher C. WINFREY Februry 21, 1854, Carroll Co., MO., and (2) William W. THOMAS, August 6, 1871, Jefferson Co., MO. It is possible Christopher C. WINFREY was the son of Israel Winfrey, Jr., and Martha [Northcutt] Winfrey, of Bedford Co., VA, which would make him a second cousin to Parthenia. Parthenia may have been his fourth wife, as he was 32 years old at the time of his marriage to Parthenia, then 15. He supposedly joined the CSA in Missouri, and was killed in battle.
  Child of Parthenia C. WINFREY and Christopher C. WINFREY is:

  IV. Ida WINFREY, b. February 14, 1863, Carroll Co., MO, d. May 11, 1941, East Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH. Ida was orphaned at age 11, went to a religious school/home in California for a time, and was then adopted by the H.H. Mason family in Niles, Ohio, taking the name "Ida Winfrey Mason". Ida married Rolla R. DARLING May 4, 1881, Niles, OH.
  Children of Ida WINFREY and Rolla DARLING are:

  V. Cornelius Bassett Darling, b. April 29, 1882.

  V. Marie Winfrey Darling, b. December 2, 1883.

  III. Samuel B. WINFREY, b. 1844, m. Laretta Heuston October 30, 1873, in Chariton Co., MO., where they settled.
  Children of Joseph Evans WINFREY and Permelia FITZGERALD are:

  III. Nancy E. Winfrey, b. 1854

  III.Frances "Fanny" WINFREY, b. aft. 1854, Carroll Co., MO, m. John SMITH.

  II. Thomas G. WINFREY, b. 1808, KY, d. 1864, m. Sarah HARE September 28, 1837, in Adair Co., KY.

  II. Benjamin WINFREY, b. 1810, Adair Co., KY., d. February 1865, m. Matilda McCAIN July 22, 1831, in Adair Co., KY..

  II. William Pleasant WINFREY, b. 1815, KY, m. Eliza A. HARDWICK September 2, 1841, in Carroll Co., MO.

  II. Sarah Jane WINFREY, b. aft. 1815, m. John J. ADKINS, October 22, 1837, Carroll Co., MO.
  Children of William WINFREY and Martha CHRISTERSON are:

  II. Mary "Polly" WINFREY, b. abt. 1821, m. William KIRKPATRICK, November 26, 1837.

  II. Minerva WINFREY, b. abt. 1826, m. William ADKINS March 26, 1843.

  II. Philip J. WINFREY, b. abt. 1831, m. Nancy Ann MILES April 15, 1852.

  II. Sashel WINFREY, b. abt. 1840, m. Sarah ALLEN March 17, 1862.