William Octavius Whitehurst was the son of Henry J. Whitehurst and Elizabeth (Woodard) Whitehurst. He married Harriet "Hattie" Wynne Norman on September 30, 1888 at Springhope, North Carolina. Whitehurst took his life on July 3, 1889. He shot himself through the heart at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Elm City. The fact that he died by this "rash act" shocked the community. A writer in the local newspaper stated that "good and only good have we always heard of him. As a boy he was unusually good, obedient, honest, and reliable. As a man he bore a splendid reputation- was believed to be a honest, faithful Christian". He described Octavius as a genial and clever man. The writer speculated that the condition of him being unemployed probably preyed on his mind and motivated him to suicide. The note he left warned of the dangers of secret organizations. It is not known how such an organization may have been involved in the chain of events which led to his death. His wife Hattie was pregnant with their first child when he died. She gave birth to a daughter two months later. She named her daughter Octavia.
William Octavius Whitehurst was the son of Henry J. Whitehurst and Elizabeth (Woodard) Whitehurst. He married Harriet "Hattie" Wynne Norman on September 30, 1888 at Springhope, North Carolina. Whitehurst took his life on July 3, 1889. He shot himself through the heart at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Elm City. The fact that he died by this "rash act" shocked the community. A writer in the local newspaper stated that "good and only good have we always heard of him. As a boy he was unusually good, obedient, honest, and reliable. As a man he bore a splendid reputation- was believed to be a honest, faithful Christian". He described Octavius as a genial and clever man. The writer speculated that the condition of him being unemployed probably preyed on his mind and motivated him to suicide. The note he left warned of the dangers of secret organizations. It is not known how such an organization may have been involved in the chain of events which led to his death. His wife Hattie was pregnant with their first child when he died. She gave birth to a daughter two months later. She named her daughter Octavia.
Inscription
WILLIAM OCTAVIUS WHITEHURST
SON OF
HENRY & ELIZABETH WHITEHURST
1862-1889
