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        Waverly Hall, Georgia 31831

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Samantha Whitehead Street
Birth: 1825 Waverly Hall, Harris County, Georgia, USA
Death: 23 Jan 1918 (aged 92–93) Waverly Hall, Harris County, Georgia, USA
Burial: Whitehead-Sparks Cemetery, Waverly Hall, Harris County, Georgia, USA
Memorial #: 199255924
Bio: The birthdate on her headstone is incorrect, it may have been confused by someone remembering her marriage date instead, which was 1867. Samantha Whitehead was born into slavery on the William Whitehead plantation, just a few hundred yards from where she rests today. After freedom and beginning in 1870, she gave a different age on every census, probably because she did not know for certain, nor could she read or write. On the 1900 census she gave her date of birth as Dec. 1825, her age as 74, and had been married 20 years. In 1910 she gave her age as 66 and had been married 40 years. At any rate, as a young woman, she was given by William Whitehead to his daughter, Catherine Whitehead Boddie. After freedom Samantha legally married Hilliard Street and they continued to live on the Boddie farm in Waverly Hall with their children. After Catherine Boddie moved to Atlanta, Samantha went to work for Catherine's niece, Mary James Whitehead Pitts as a "Mammy-Nurse" to her children. One of those children was William I. H. Pitts. When he married and had children, "Aunt Samanthee" as she was called by them, became "Mammy-Nurse" to his daughter, Miss Margaret Pitts. When Samantha died, Miss Margaret Pitts was 24 years old. Miss Margaret said she paid the delivery and setting fee for the grave marker as well as one for Hilliard, who is buried beside his wife, to her left, but his grave marker disappeared long ago. Miss Margaret, who died in 1998 at 104 years old, reminisced frequently about Samantha, and the many things they did together. "Uncle Hillyard and Aunt Samanthee" as she referred to them lived their long lives in a house that stood about 150 yards behind the Mattie Jane Ellison home on Ridgeway Rd. It is pasture now and a huge oak tree that grew in their front yard is still there. Mahone's Delight was an African-American benevolent/fraternal lodge that existed in Waverly Hall in the early 1900's. A portion of the dues paid into the lodge, which went toward a life insurance policy and a grave marker, much like Woodmen of the World and Knights of the Pythias did at the same time. The Delight lodge changed names numerous times over the years, at one time being called the "Knights of Moses". The female branch of the lodge was called the Chamber and for the sake of description, it was their version of the Order of the Eastern Star; the women wore long evening gowns to meetings, held Bible study, and helped raise money for things like furnishings or books for the local school for black children. The number on the headstone was the Lodge or Chamber number issued by the home lodge mentioned in another post. The local Lodge was named Mahone's because over two thirds of the charter members were the local Mahone family. There are numerous headstones on African-American graves around Waverly Hall and Talbot County bearing this same lodge info.
Inscription: "Samantha Street, born - 1868, died Jan. 23. 1918,  Mahone's Delight Chamber,  3557 - Waverly, Hall. Ga."
The inscription is legible and gravestone in good condition.
Family Members
Spouse
Hilliard Street                
Created by: David R. Chittenden (48919571)
Added: 19 May 2019
URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199255924/samantha-street
Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199255924/samantha-street : accessed 07 May 2022), memorial page for Samantha Whitehead Street (1825–23 Jan 1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 199255924, citing Whitehead-Sparks Cemetery, Waverly Hall, Harris County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by David R. Chittenden (contributor 48919571) .

Robert and Mr. Dan I'm so very impressed with you doing this, i love History and it really should be taught more in our school systems.. i think by you mentioning these people you're keeping their memories alive... your channel is the only one i watch on this type... i wished i could do a tour with y'all,  i would pay alot just to sit and hear about it.. thank you guys for doing this, makes me very happy to see that there are people out there with a huge heart.. they may have not all had a great life but they so much need and want their memories to stay alive,  each person has a story behind their names... hugs from wisconsin ❤

These tours of forgotten Black cemeteries are very interesting

“Miss Margaret Pitts and Mammy Samantha”, a phrase that seems to describe eons of human experience.

I am so glad you have started to flag these graves. . Most people walking through a wooded area would have no idea. Thank you for all you do. Keep Safe❤Keep Well ❤

Mr Dan, have you considered writing a book? All that knowledge in your head needs to documented on paper. I absolutely love when you and Robert are out and about. Blessings from Michigan ❤️

Thank you for caring and honoring these people who forged a life in the most difficult times.

Very interesting facts and story telling by Dan, as always. I recall Samantha Street, and the additional information paints a picture of this lady for me. Other information fascinating as well. Wonderful episode. Walter the videographer 👍. Thanks again, Dan and Robert. 😊❣️

It would be great if you can get a group of volunteers to go out and clean up those cemeteries. Cut all the shrubs and small trees down, rake everything, fill in the collapsed graves with some dirt, flag everything, and maybe make a sign saying the name of the cemetery.

Thank u vry much for recognising the slave cemetry, as a black english person i watch with love the way you treat them, better than in life no doubt. Lots of love. Rest easy samantha

Dan, have you given any thought to writing down as many of your memories as possible? As you write (or type) these stories, others will pop up in your memory.

Hi Robert, I’m so glad that you and Mr. Dan went back out to Miss Samantha‘s grave.
And thank you for taking such good care of that cemetery as far as trying to flag the other graves.

I’m wondering if The lodge that Miss Samantha was a member of that took care of the burial cost could have possibly also taken care of Mr. Hilliard. And maybe that lodge museum that had contacted you may have records of his dad that may get some information on dates for him as well.

Sure glad someone still around to tell about the stories of people and talk about the places like this.

My respects to you all, including the person from across the road who kept the loggers away.

I just want to say how much I appreciate your channel,  I really appreciate you Robert and Dan for bringing these people lost in remembrance to us again.  When you speak their names it brings them momentarily back into remembrance...that is an honoring of them as people of long ago who probably meant something to someone at that time and is now again remembered.  So as an "old person" myself I hope in a hundred years someone will speak my name again.  I think you are doing a service not only for us living but for those long gone.

Dan appears to be getting more comfortable on camera!! A good thing! Anyone else out there agree????

Always glad to take a trip with you and Dan. He really does need to write a book. Thank you!

I grew up, and now live again, in Marion County Ga. I'm fairly familiar with the Waverly Hall area and plan to make a trip to visit this cemetery. Thanks for sharing this important information.
🙏

Thanks for exploring these old cemeteries