Updated December 10, 2012.
From Brenda Twiford
ELSWOOD "PUD" ROY WHITE
"Puddingtane, that's my name, ask me again and I'll tell you the
same," that phrase not only expressed the humor of Elswood Roy
White but also gave him the nickname of "Pud" that he would carry
throughout his lifetime. He was born September 17, 1890 and was
the first son of Edmond Lee White (1865- 1938) and Julie Etta
Williams (1860-1934), daughter of John Williams (1817-1890) and
Frances Dudley (1838-1894). He was one of nine children, Mildred
(1888-1966), Laural (1889-1968), Elswood (1890-1963), Marshall
(1893-1961), Sidney (1894-1990), Roxie (1896-1987), Fred
(1899-1981), Ina (1901-?) and Audrey (1904-1904) . He was married
to ESSIE LENA FENTRESS (July 16, 1895 - June 20, 1948) on November
22, 1910. She was the daughter of Littleton Rosser Fentress
(1867-1935) and Alice Ward (1876-1947). They had fourteen (14)
children of which eleven (11) lived to adult ages. First born
Harold L. (1912-1914), a stillborn in 1914, Edmond Lee
(1916-2008), Roy Littleton (1918-2009), Ruby Irene (1922-2005),
Bertie Mae Flannagan (1924), Albert Ward (1926-2006), Mary Lena
Waterfield (1928), Peggy Joyce Fields (1930), Jack Dale (1932),
Elswood Roy, Jr. (1933-1978), Mamie Frances Sanders (1935), a
stillborn in 1938 and Dorothy Faye Wade (1941).
Pud White, was born on Knotts Island, and lived his entire life there. He was educated to second grade and was a member of the Knotts Island Methodist Church. His father, known to everyone as Ebb, and to his grandchildren as Papa White, was the son of Jessie White (1815-1882) and his third wife, Mary E. Litchfield (1835-1908), they were natives of Knotts Island and their children included Edmond Lee White, William Henry Bonney White (1874-1955) and Mary Angelina White (1876-1955) by this Marriage. PaPa White was a farmer and supposedly the best trapper on the island. It is said that he could still jump flatfooted out of a pickle barrell at age (60). Pud being raised on a farm and taught hunting and trapping at an early age, made his living farming and operating various guide and hunting clubs. Prior to 1910, he and Tully Williams operated 5 riggs and 14 hunting blinds, shooting ducks for sale, and then later he and Linwood Dudley, operated a hunting club known as "Horse Island Club" on the beach on the Virginia end of the island. In 1922, he bought a home from Romey Cason and he and his wife and uncle James J. Ward began a private hunting club from their home. It is believed to have been the first private hunting club on Knotts Island. His guides included, James J. Ward, Jerdan Ansell, Luther Beasley, Carlton Ansell and Fred White. They were reputed to have lodged very prominent clinetele, men such as A.C. Ward (founder of Wards Corner), Mayor Holland of Norfolk and others from as far away as New York and New Jersey.
The hunting club was a family operation and his children remember well the chores of cooking, making beds, washing dishes and even cleaning the hunters fowl for five-cents apiece. The boys as they grew older took over the task of guides. In 1946, a fire took the home of the White Family. Pud rebuilt his home and continued the hunting club until the time of Essie's death on June 20,1948. Besides being an avid hunter and farmer, Pud was also a very skilled brickmason, boat builder, carpenter and the only gunsmith on Knotts Island. During world War II, he worked as a carpenter at N.O.B. in Norfolk. He was a small man, five foot six inches (5'6") tall and at his heaviest about 1281bs. He is remembered most for his easy going manner, a remarkable sense of humor and his caring attitude for family and friends. He loved to laugh and make others happy and was known to be quite a story teller. He was very active socially and spent most of his Saturday nights dancing at the "Redman Club" and later the "Moose Lodge" in Virginia Beach. He always made the ice cream and snowballs for area ball games and church functions. Pud White was a skilled wood carver and the carving of decoys and wild fowl is an art that is carried on by some of his children. In 1951, he married (2) MARTHA LOUISE DAW, daughter of Charles Franklin Daw and Gracie Lee Flannagan about 1951. She was born on 14 Aug 1928 in Knotts Island, NC. She died on 16 Mar 1991 in Knotts Island, NC. They had six children, Curtis, John, Nancy, Marie, Julie and a stillborn that is buried next to him in the Knotts Island Cemetery. Pud White led a very active life until, he was stricken with cancer and died at the age of 72, on January 8, 1963.
Children of Elswood Roy White and Essie Lena Fentress White
HAROLD LEE WHITE was born in 1912 in Knotts Island, NC. He died in 1914 in Knotts Island, NC.
EDMOND LEE WHITE was born on 09 Apr 1916 in Knotts Island, NC. He died on 04 Jan 2008 in Knotts Island, NC. He married Irma Louise Waterfield, daughter of Earnest Linwood Waterfield and Effie Kansas Waterfield on 26 Jun 1937 in South Mills, Camden Co, NC. She was born on 03 Jan 1918 in Knotts Island, NC.
ROY LITTLETON WHITE was born on 21 May 1918 in Knotts Island, NC. He died on 17 Oct 2009 in Knotts Island, NC. He married (1) ALICE WOJECK in 1945. She was born in 1925. She died in 1990. He married (2) ALICE BRUCE CHAPPELL on 24 Jun 1961 in Creeds, Virginia Beach, VA. She was born on 03 Jun 1929 in Princess Anne, VA. Roy Littleton White and Alice Bruce Chappell had 2 children, Roy Littleton White Jr. and Sandra Marie White.
RUBY IRENE WHITE was born on 11 Mar 1922 in Knotts Island, NC. She died on 21 Jul 2005 in Virginia Beach Hospital, Virginia Beach, VA. She married Charles Seaton (Jack) Davis, son of Joseph Robert Davis and Grace Estelle Hickman on 27 May 1939 in Princess Anne County, VA. He was born on 27 Jan 1920 in Pasquotank, NC. He died on 30 Oct 1987 in Virginia Beach Hospital, Virginia Beach, VA. They had 9 children, Grace Estelle, Doris Ann, Jackie Lee, Charles Seaton Jr., Glenn Ray, Brenda Kay, Linda Sue, Roger Lynn and Ralph Eugene.
BERTIE MAE WHITE was born on 30 Apr 1924 in Knotts Island, NC. She married Joseph Jerome Flannagan, son of Wilbur Flannagan and Eva Stevens in 1942. He was born on 03 Nov 1923 in Princess Anne , VA. He died on 15 Dec 1990 in Virginia Beach Hospital, Buried in Knotts Island. Joseph Jerome Flannagan and Bertie Mae White had 5 children, Thorador Ray, Joseph Jerome Jr., Richard Lee, Stanford Will and Julia Mae.
ALBERT WARD WHITE was born on 08 Jul 1926 in Knotts Island, NC. He died on 01 Dec 2006 in Elizabeth City, NC, Albemarle Hospital. He married Cereda Mae Daw in 1976 in Pasquotank County, NC.
MARY LENA WHITE was born on 25 Sep 1928 in Knotts Island, NC. She married Fred Levy Waterfield, son of Charles Whitehurst Waterfield and Etta Elizabeth Waterfield on 24 Dec 1945 in Princess Anne Co, London Bridge, VA. He was born on 22 Mar 1924 in False Cape, Princess Anne County, VA. He died on 17 Mar 1984 in Knotts Island, Currituck Co, NC. Fred Levy Waterfield and Mary Lena White had 7 children, Fred Levy Jr., Ernest Allen, Carolyn Diane, Vickie Lynn, Danny Taylor, Donny Lee and Tammy Jo.
PEGGY JOYCE WHITE was born on 26 Sep 1930 in Knotts Island, NC. She married George Alexander Fields, son of George Alexander Fields Sr and Ida Casey on 06 Mar 1948 in Norfolk, VA. He was born on 22 Jan 1923 in Rocky Mount, NC. George Alexander Fields and Peggy Joyce White had 3 children, Ida Joyce, George Alexander "Buddy" Fields III and Lisa Amanda.
JACK DALE WHITE was born on 17 May 1932 in Knotts Island, NC. He died on 22 Apr 2011 in Harbinger, Currituck, North Carolina. He married Sarah Jean Waters, daughter of Oliver Wendell Waters and Minnie Estelle Davis on 20 Sep 1952 in Elizabeth City, NC. She was born on 28 Nov 1933 in Beaufort, NC. Jack Dale White and Sarah Jean Waters had 3 children, Pamela Jean, Jack Dale Jr. and Rebecca Ann.
ELSWOOD ROY WHITE JR was born on 27 Jun 1933 in Knotts Island, NC. He died on 12 Jul 1978 in Elizabeth City, NC. He married Rose Marie Phelps, daughter of Herman Edward Phelps and Catherine Twiddy on 14 Jun 1953 in Princess Anne Co, VA. She was born on 05 Feb 1935 in Washington County, NC. She died on 31 Mar 1999 in Elizabeth City, NC. Elswood Roy White Jr and Rose Marie Phelps had 4 children, David Elswood, Karen Rose, Michael Todd and Mark Edward.
MAMIE FRANCES WHITE was born on 02 Mar 1935 in Knotts Island, NC. She married Clyde Edward Sanders, son of Douglas Walter Sanders and Lina Ellen Altman on 7 Jan 1951 in Home. He was born on 10 Apr 1930. Clyde Edward Sanders and Mamie Frances White had 4 children, Debra Anne, Clyde Edward Jr., Donna Faye and Rhonda Kaye.
DOROTHY FAYE WHITE was born on 20 Jun 1941 in Knotts Island, NC. She married Mayland Gene Wade, son of John Mahlon Wade and Marjorie Elenora Waterman on 10 Jan 1959 in Currituck County, NC. He was born on 06 Nov 1932 in Knotts Island, NC. He died on 15 Aug 1997 in Knotts Island, NC. Mayland Gene Wade and Dorothy Faye White had 4 children, Theresa Gail, Mayland Gene Jr., Shelby Jean and Randolph Scott.
CHILDREN OF ELSWOOD ROY WHITE AND MARTHA LOUISE DAW
CURTIS LEE WHITE was born on 04 Dec 1950 in Knotts Island, NC. He married Kathy Evelyn Cooper, daughter of James A. Cooper and Gracie Madaline Coates on 08 Jun 1973 She was born on 21 Nov 1955. Curtis Lee White and Kathy Evelyn Cooper had 3 children, Melissa Kay, Curtis James and Samantha Lynn.
JOHNNIE JAMES WHITE was born on 24 Jan 1952 in Virginia Beach, VA. He married Billie. Johnnie James White and Billie had 1 child, Elswood Ryan, born on 25 May 1972, died on died on 18 Apr 1990
NANCY LOU WHITE was born on 07 Jul 1953 in Virginia Beach, VA. She married (1) JOHN COCHRAN on 24 Jun 1970 in Knott Island, NC. She married (2) CURTIS WAYNE WATERFIELD on 07 Nov 2009 in Creeds, Virginia Beach, VA. John Cochran and Nancy Lou White had 2 children, Brandi Diane and Traci Lyn.
EVELYN MARIE WHITE was born on 07 Jan 1955 in Virginia Beach, VA. She married ROGER WARREN. Roger Warren and Evelyn Marie White had 3 children, Shane Dale, Buster and Sheena Marie.
JULIE ETTA WHITE was born on 01 Feb 1956 in Virginia Beach, VA.