Wood, William James(?? - 31 JUL 1861)
William James WHIPPER was the son of a well-known, wealthy Philadelphia
family. He was a prominent black lawyer during Reconstruction days
in Beaufort, SC. In 1882, he began practicing law in Washington,
D.C., several years later returning to Beaufort where he was involved
in Republican party politics. His wife was Frances Ann ROLLIN (ROLLINS)),
daughter of a free, black antebellum family in Charleston, SC. In 1867
following the Civil War, Frances brought suit in a military court -
she was represented by Martin R. Delany, a black officer of the Union
Army. A captain of a small ship sailing between Beaufort and Charleston
refused to allow her first-class passage. She won, and the captain was
fined $250.00 in violation of Section 8 of General Orders #32 which
prohibited discrimmination on public conveyances because of color or
caste. Frances died Oct. 24, 1901 in Port Royal, SC., having worked
in one of the Washington government offices up until two years before
her death.
The father of William James WHIPPER is thought to be Willam WHIPPER of
Philadelphia. No one knows, for sure, where William J. WHIPPER and his
wife Frances (Frank) are buried.
REF: EMAIL From Cheryl Sterling CherylS428@AOL.COM
P.S. The author of this newspaper column is Gerhard SPIELER, noted
local historian.