Descendants of John Fenner

Mary Adeline Fenner

[b 11 Apr. 1919 in Halifax Co., NC; d 12 May 2004 at Nash, NC] In the 1920 and 1930 census, Mary Adeline Fenner was listed as Mary A., but for all of her adult life she was known as Adeline. She m 1st Rufus Whitaker [b 14 June 1914; d 13 Oct. 1979 at Enfield, NC] on 1 Apr. 1933, son of Wilson and Martha Whitaker. In 1940, she and Rufus were living in Enfield, NC, with three children. In 1950, Adeline was described as “separated,” with her mother Mary living with her, her brother Daniel, and eight children. When Rufus died, he was described as being still married to Adeline, but she started having children with Lewis (or Louis) Henry Jones [b 4 July 1907 in NC; d 10 Aug. 1985 at Roanoke Rapids, NC] in 1949 and married him on 9 Aug. 1958 at Greensville, VA. He was the son of Henry Jones and Adla Peterson. It’s possible Adeline had never received a proper divorce from Rufus, as Rufus evidently never remarried. At his death, Rufus was described as having six surviving children: Lula, Doris, Rufus, Herman, Thurman, and Kenneth, with 36 grandchildren. Adeline, Louis, and Rufus are all buried in the Fenner Family Cemetery (a.k.a. Hales Cemetery), Halifax Co., NC.

Children of Adeline and Rufus Whitaker:

  1. Lula Mae [b 14 Sept. 1935 at Enfield, Halifax Co., NC] m — Farmer.

  2. Dorothy “Doris” M. [b 1937/8] m Johnnie Paul Buffaloe.

  3. Wilson [b 1 Sept. 1939 at Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., NC].

  4. Annie P. [b 1943].

  5. Lindrod [b 1943].

  6. Tommy [b 1944].

  7. Mable L. [b 1946].

  8. Lucius [b 19 Oct. 1947 at Enfield, Halifax Co., NC].

  9. Jimmy [b 11 Mar. 1952 in Enfield, Halifax Co., NC].

Children of Adeline and Lewis Jones:

  1. Linwood [b 16 Nov. 1949 at Enfield, Halifax Co., NC; d 4 May 1983 at Chapel Hill, Orange Co., NC]. One birth record gives Linwood as the son of Rufus, but at his death in 1983, he was Linwood Jones, son of Lewis Jones.

  2. Adeline [b 7 Apr. 1954 at Enfield, Halifax Co., NC].

  3. Lewis Jr. [b 7 Mar. 1956 at Enfield, Halifax Co., NC].

  4. Freddie Dean [b 13 Jan. 1958 at Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., NC].

  5. Etta Mae [b 27 Jan. 1961 at Enfield, Halifax Co., NC]. 

Children of Rufus and [?]:

  1. Herman; in 1979 was living in Oak City, NC.

  2. Rufus Clyde [b 19 Feb. 1957 at Ahostie, Hertford Co., NC]; in 1979 was living in Oak City, NC.

  3. Thurman; in 1979 was living in Connecticut.

  4. Kenneth; in 1979 was living in Connecticut.

Lineage:
John | John | John | Adeline