WESTBROOK Evelyn Lorraine

Purnell married PALMER Katherine Mae in 1962. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Purnell married LANDMAN Lorraine Frances in 1941. Lorraine and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: FARMER

Verner married HATCH Corralesia on 9 May 1901 in Prince George County, VA. Corralesia (daughter of HATCH William Nicholas and NEWELL Drucilla C.) was born on 11 Jun 1884 in Prince George County, VA; died on 24 Aug 1961; was buried in Waverly, Sussex County, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Carrie Lee

Notes:

Ruby Westbrook Schultz knew that I, Jean G. Johnson, was interested in gathering information for our family history record in preparation for a Westbrook Family Reunion I was planning for May, 1989. In addition to statistics and other information regarding the Westbrook side of her immediate family, she proudly showed me her "Eulogy to My Grandmother, "Drewcilla Newell Moore Hatch".I enter this eulogy into Ruby's record in her memory.
"In 1844 my maternal grandmother was born to Sallie and Thomas Newell, in Prince George County, Va. Drucilla C. Newell was their only child, and according to my mother, Corralesia, Drucilla's youngest child, her mother often told her of her lovely childhood. She alleged that she was educated by a tutor, traveled in a coach with a driver escort, clothes made by a special seamstress, with imported materials. Most little girls enjoy such fantasy, but with my mother it was for real, she believed every word, and was greatly impressed by all of her mother's teaching, and related many to me as long as she lived. Such fondness inspired me to select my Grandmother Drucilla as one of the most interesting personalities of our heritage to attach to the family geneology for life style of the times.

Drucilla lost her father by the time she was 6 yeas of age, leaving most of her rearing to her mother, Sallie, who was quite well off, owning many acres of land from now Fort Lee to Prince George Newville, enabling her to give her daughter a most cultural and gracious lifestyle.

On July 27, 1859, Drucilla, at the age of 15 married John W. Moore, in the home of C. H. Scarborough, by Rev. R. W. Berryman. From this marriage she had one daughter, Martha Moore born November 11, 1861. Soon after, Drucilla became a widow, her husband John, was lost in the Civil War.

In the meantime Drucilla's mother, Sallie, was remarried to _______ Hollingsworth. My mother told me while Drucilla was still wearing heavy mourning for her first husband, she ran into an old acquaintance while shopping in Petersburg one day. William N. Hatch, who immediately approached her to convey his condolence. He later told my mother, who became his youngest daughter, that he pursued Drucilla astutely, as he had no intentions of losing her as he once did to John Moore. So the courtship was quite brief.

William Nicholas Hatch was born to John P. & Martha Best Hatch in 1818, on Briarfield Plantation, located on Powell's Creek, City Point Virginia. He had seved as a Private in the Confederate Army, evidently once married, he hired someone to serve for him, which was legal at that time. William N. Hatch married Drucilla Newell Moore on July 8, 1863 at the home of her mother, Sallie Newell Hollingsworth. Their original marriage certificate with a complete list of their 11 children, with dates of birth are well preseved in the Hatch Family Bible, which I am using as reference. Thanks to Pearl Hatch Vinding, another grandchild. Her father David Levy Hatch, my uncle, left the Bible for safe keeping with his daughter Pearl who so graciously lent me once she learned I was working on the family geneology. In 1972 Pearl had this Bible rebound, which will add many years, a beautiful job. Information below is transcribed from this "Hatch Bible".

Drucilla Newell Moore Married William N. Hatch
Born: Jan.29, 1844 July 8, 1863 Born: Feb. 8, 1818
Died: Sept. 11,1907 Died: March 28, 1903
Children of Drucilla Newell Moore and William N. Hatch:
Name Born Died
John P. Hatch Aug. 16, 1864 July 20, 1865
William Thomas Hatch April 4, 1867 Nov. 28, 1890
Victoria M. Hatch May 24, 1869
Edward P. Hatch Nov. 22, 1871 Nov. 20, 1896
Chester N. Hatch Jan. 19, 1873 1952
Drucilla C. Hatch Sept. 23, 1874
David Levy Hatch Jan. 11, 1877 Oct. 21, 1945
Anna Bell Hatch Aug. 18, 1879
James H. Hatch Feb. 27, 1882
Corralesia Hatch June 11, 1884 Aug. 24, 1961
Minnie Hatch June 5, 1887 Aug. 21, 1887

Wiliam N. Hatch's Brothers and Sister:
David Thomas Hatch Jan. 27, 1820 Jan. 15, 1903
John Henry Hatch April 27, 1827 March 25, 1903
Martha Hatch , 1830 Married a Simmons
James Hatch , 1833
William N. Hatch and his two oldest brothers died in just over 2 months. All buried the same family cemetery, "Aspen", located on Route 460 between Waverly and Disputanta.
Drucilla Newell Moore Hatch was an only child.

My grandmother Drucilla was 40 year old and grandaddy was 66 years of age when my mother was born. Three years later they had a daughter Minnie, who lived only 3 months. My mother often told me she remembered her father only as an old man with a long white beard. His activity was limited to walking, usually a couple miles to the country store known as "Sam Barhams". It is still operating by Sam's grandson. Grandaddy would often take my mother with him, as she had no children to play with. While Grandaddy was at the store, he would buy himself a 5 cent jigger of whiskey from a wooden keg. According to my mother, enroute home her Dad would be quite talkative, especially bragging about how rich he was, always with the same remarks "Billy Hatch richest man in Prince George County". This disturbed my mother, for the next morning her Daddy would be just as quiet and poor as ever. Upon arrival home from the store he would ask "Tootlum",(his nick-name for my mother) to help pull his boots off, he would hold on to the mantle and do a jig on fireplace hearth before early retirement. My younger brother "Tommy" affectionately called our mother "Tootlum" daughter of Billy Hatch, richest man in Prince George, "By Golly", always asking "Tootlum" if she really didn't think her Dad, Billy Hatch, didn't have more than one drink when at the store.

My mother, known to all as Corrie, enjoyed with great fondest reminiscing about her parents, especially her mother, who through necessity assumed complete responsibility of rearing their large family. My mother could never understand how Grandmother always had time to help her neighbors and anyone in need, always with a smile of loving kindness. Yet in times of distress, she was fearless. She often told my mother during the war she kept everything under lock and key- when visited by Yankee soldiers attempting to break in smokehouse for meat, the hennery and other food storage places, she would hold them at gunpoint and offer to share and cook whatever she had, but if they broke a lock, she, with her slaves who remained with her, would shoot. She was fortunate as she was never harmed.

The homeplace that Drucilla maintained during the Civil War was located in a very remote part of Prince George County. The nearest neighbor was about a mile away. This distance intensified the excellent relationship in a common cause for survival in this community. Every effort was made to protect their homes, family, and life style. Southerners had lost everything they ever accumulated to earn their freedom and failed. The young men were killed, starved, or died from diseases; therefore, it seemed no means of recovery for the south, but never underestimate a southerner's Pride or Power!

Grandmother Hatch contended the reconstruction years that followed the Civil War were by far the hardest times that the South ever endured. She should know--she lived all twenty years of them. Some northern politicians insisted the South should be punished for receding --devoured if possible! Lincoln, our President at the time, had plans for a two year rehabilitation program, but northern politicians were too greedy, cruel and jealous, to accept any parts of such a speedy recovery. Such revenge prolonged the suffering, often starvation, for over twenty years.

A group of northerners known as Scalaways, always followed the Yankee soldiers once the war was over for the sole purpose of taking over anything that was left. Another group of dishonest Yankee politicians known as Carpetbaggers also intruded the south in a most ruthless manner. Replacing all the southern leaders with incompetent and displaced people of their own choice. This left the southerners without any authority or protection, just too intolerable to be endured after so many years. Once again these Yankees had underestimated the southerners' values and love for one another. The greater the trials and tribulation became, the closer the southerners were drawn together. This "Togetherness" by necessity taught the communities in the south to share everything, look after every need for one another. In my Grandmother's community she was greatly admired for remaining calm and patient regardless of whatever the tension was.

Many years later, I took my mother back to her childhood neighborhood to visit her relatives and friends with whom she grew up. Many years had passed, but Drucilla was still praised as one of the most courageous, loving and helpful person whom they ever knew. Recalling she never faltered whenever or where-ever she was needed -- walking miles in the night when necessary to help someone in distress, returning home in time to prepare a basket of food for any needed. This kind of reminiscing of adoration among those who knew her best was most assuring to my mother, who had immortalized her mother as long as I could recall.

Drucilla survived the torture of war and years of reconstruction; she had to believe to have given so much of herself to revive what she loved so dearly. Her compassion gave her one hope: That our country would never be divided against itself again, because it left wounds such as hatred, hardships, and grief that took years to heal.

Drucilla joined her husband Billy Hatch in death in 1907. She was buried by his side in Aspen, the family cemetery, just off Route 460 between Waverly and Disputanta

Notes:

Married:
My mother told me while Drucilla was still wearing heavy mourning for her first husband, she ran into an old acquaintance while shopping in Petersburg one day. William N. Hatch, who immediately approached her to convey his condolence. He later told my mother, who became his youngest daughter, that he pursued Drucilla astutely, as he had no intentions of losing her as he once did to John Moore. So the courtship was quite brief.

William N. Hatch married Drucilla Newell Moore on July 8, 1863 at the home of her mother, Sallie Newell Hollingsworth. Their original marriage certificate with a complete list of their 11 children, with dates of birth are well preseved in the Hatch Family Bible, which I am using as reference. Thanks to Pearl Hatch Vinding, another grandchild. Her father David Levy Hatch, my uncle, left the Bible for safe keeping with his daughter Pearl who so graciously lent me once she learned I was working on the family geneology. In 1972 Pearl had this Bible rebound, which will add many years, a beautiful job. Information below is transcribed from this "Hatch Bible".

Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 for Joseph P. Westbrook
Groom's Name: Verner E. Westbrook          
Groom's Birth Date: 1876          
Groom's Birthplace: Surry Co. Va          
Groom's Age: 25          
Bride's Name: Carrie Lee Hatch          
Bride's Birth Date: 1884          
Bride's Birthplace: Prince George Co. Va          
Bride's Age: 17          
Marriage Date: 09 May 1901          
Marriage Place: Prince George, Virginia          
Groom's Father's Name: Joseph P. Westbrook          
Groom's Mother's Name: Otelia F. Westbrook          
Bride's Father's Name: William N. Hatch          
Bride's Mother's Name: Drucilla Hatch          
Groom's Race: White          
Groom's Marital Status: Single          
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:          
Bride's Race: White          
Bride's Marital Status: Single          
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:          
Indexing Project (Batch) Number:M00919-7          
System Origin:Virginia-EASy          
Source Film Number:2048470          
Reference Number:Pr. Geo. 1901