Household #147: Player, Whitman

Back to the 1900 Census & Household Index

In the 1900 Barney census, Whitman Player headed a 4-person household. The table below preserves the exact names, relationships, ages, birthplaces, and occupations recorded for the household.

Household Snapshot

Whitman Player headed a 4-person household in the 1900 Barney census with 1 spouse or marital partner, 1 child, and 1 extended-family member.

Whitman Player's listed occupation was Hostler.

Reported birthplaces span Georgia and South Carolina, pointing to movement into Barney or family formation across county or state lines.

Newspaper and Public-Record Trail

This section flags public-record leads separate from the census table. The detailed discussion stays in the family narrative, research status, and source citations below.

1900 Census Household

Children and Later Trails

This section is reserved for later-life child evidence. No later spouse, death, burial, obituary, probate, separate household, or descendant-line identification has been added here yet from direct records.

Family Narrative

Household summary

Whitman Player was recorded in the 1900 Barney census as a White hostler, age 21, born in South Carolina in October 1878. His wife Maggie Player was age 18, born in Georgia. Their infant son Walter Player was listed as six months old; his birth entry in the original census reads November 1899. Charlie Taylor, age 22, was also in the household and was recorded as Whitman's brother-in-law. The household rented a house rather than a farm.

The preserved source images now support a Georgia-centered trail after the 1900 Barney entry. Whit or Walter Player appears in Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, in 1910 and 1920; in Hahira, Lowndes County, in 1930; and in Valdosta, Lowndes County, in 1940 and 1950. This corrects the earlier encyclopedia text that placed the 1920 household in Florence County, South Carolina as a merchant household. The preserved 1920 summary instead shows Walter W. Plair, with a user-submitted correction to Walter W. Player, in Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, farming on a rented farm.

The 1880 census trail is now stronger because the full Shiloh, Sumter County, South Carolina page has been preserved along with the individual summary. Near the bottom of that page, Walter W. Player appears as an infant in dwelling/family 423/423, the D. A. Player household. The wife/mother’s name on the image has been read as Rosanna or Rosanne Player. A compiled Player genealogy identifies the head as Daniel Andrew Player and gives his wife as Rosa A. Long, married 11 December 1872, which is consistent with the census reading. The compiled genealogy is useful supporting evidence, but the census fact and compiled identification should remain separately stated.

Walter's World War I draft registration is now preserved directly. It names him as Walter Whitman Player, age 39, born 17 October 1878, living at Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, with nearest relative Mrs. Maggie Player. It gives his occupation as farming and was registered at the Lowndes County local board on 12 September 1918. This is the strongest preserved source for the 17 October 1878 birth date, though later death and memorial sources use 1875 or about 1876.

A World War II draft card for Lessie D. Player is also preserved. It identifies Lessie as born 18 January 1915 in Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, and names Mr. Walter Whit. Player of Valdosta as the person who would always know his address, explicitly marked as father. That record directly supports Lessie as Walter's child and gives a later Valdosta address for Walter. Index summaries now add more child-bridge support: a Social Security Applications and Claims index entry for Maggie Taylor names spouse Whitt Player and child Collis Player; a Georgia death-records index entry for Maggie Taylor names spouse W. W. Player and child Frank Player; and a Social Security Applications and Claims index entry for Walter W. Player names spouse Maggie Taylor and child Dorothy Louise Williams. These are useful links, though the underlying records would be stronger than the index summaries.

The Walter/Frank child line is now much stronger. The 1900 household summary lists the infant son as Walter Player, born November 1899. Later records follow him as W. F. Player, Walter Franklin Player, Frank Player, and Walter Frank Player. A direct Lowndes County marriage record shows W. F. Player married Beatrice Griffin on 29 October 1917. His World War I draft card names him Walter Franklin Player, born 8 November 1899, living on RFD 1 in Lowndes County, with Walter W. Player named as father and employer. The 1920 Hahira census summary shows W. F. Player, wife Beatrice, and infant son Walter E. Player at Colson Daw Mill. A Georgia death-index summary records Frank Player's death in Lowndes County on 24 February 1922, certificate 4422-D. Find a Grave memorial material places Walter Frank Player at Friendship Cemetery and gives birth as 8 November 1898, so the exact year remains a discrepancy between sources.

Maggie is identified as Maggie Player in the census records, and the Taylor connection is supported by Charlie Taylor's 1900 brother-in-law placement. The newly preserved Charlie/Charles F. Taylor trail makes that bridge much stronger: Charles F. Taylor appears as a child of John H. Taylor and Mary Taylor in Berrien County in 1880; appears as Charlie Taylor, brother-in-law, in the 1900 Whitman Player household; married Arrilla B. Roach in Berrien County on 9 April 1903; appears in 1910 Lower Fork, Lowndes County with wife Addie/Arrilla and father-in-law George W. Roach; and is followed in 1920 Cook County, 1930 Clinch County, and 1940 Du Pont, Clinch County. His World War I draft card gives his full name as Charlie Franklin Taylor, birth 26 December 1877, and nearest relative N. A. Taylor. Later index and memorial evidence now carries this same man to death: a Social Security Applications and Claims index entry names Charlie F. Taylor with spouse Narcissus A. Roach and child Sally Ruth Taylor; a Georgia death-index entry records Charlie Taylor, age 83, resident of Lowndes County, died 26 July 1961 in Baldwin County, certificate 17035; and Find a Grave memorial material places Charlie Franklin Taylor, born 26 December 1877 and died 26 July 1961, at Mud Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Lakeland, Lanier County, Georgia. This supports identifying the 1943 death-notice brother C. F. Taylor of Dupont as the same Charlie/Charles F. Taylor who was Maggie's brother in the 1900 household.

Maggie's 1943 newspaper death notice adds stronger support for the Taylor family connection by naming one brother, C. F. Taylor of Dupont, Georgia, and one sister, Mrs. Ida Sweat of Valdosta. The notice says Mrs. W. W. Player, age 68, died at her home near Hahira on Saturday at noon, with funeral services at Old Friendship Church on Sunday afternoon. Because the notice appeared Tuesday, 9 February 1943, that Saturday corresponds to 6 February 1943. Find a Grave memorial material also places Maggie Taylor Player at Friendship Cemetery, Hahira, but it remains derivative cemetery evidence unless supported by a direct cemetery register or marker image.

Walter's end-of-life trail is supported by the Georgia death index and Social Security Death Index. The Georgia death index records Walter W. Player, White male, age 95, residence Lowndes County, death 23 January 1971 in Lowndes County, certificate number 003211. The SSDI summary lists Walter Player, SSN 255-12-9779, last residence Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, death January 1971, and birth date 17 October 1875. A Find a Grave memorial places Walter Whitman Player at Friendship Cemetery, Hahira, and links Maggie Taylor Player and Nancy Wilson Player as spouses, but the Nancy Wilson spouse claim still needs a direct marriage, obituary, cemetery, or probate record before it should be treated as proved.

Family Narrative

• 1880: Walter W. Player, age about three months, appears in Shiloh, Sumter County, South Carolina, dwelling/family 423/423, in the D. A. Player household; the supplied summary gives roll 1247, page 258B, ED 123. The wife/mother’s name on the image has been read as Rosanna or Rosanne; a compiled Player genealogy identifies D. A. Player as Daniel Andrew Player and his wife as Rosa A. Long.
• 1900: Whitman Player appears in Barney, Brooks County, Georgia, sheet 8, ED 0009, family 147, with wife Maggie, infant son Walter, and brother-in-law Charlie Taylor. A separate 1900 individual summary for Walter Player gives birth as November 1899 and names father Whitman Player and mother Maggie Player.
• 1910: Whit Player appears in Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, on Valdosta and Nashville Road, sheet 12B, ED 0117, as a farmer, with wife Maggie and children Frank, Andrew, Rosie M., and Marion.
• 1918: Walter Whitman Player registered for the World War I draft in Lowndes County, Georgia. The card gives birth date 17 October 1878, residence Hahira, occupation farming, and nearest relative Mrs. Maggie Player.
• 1920: Walter W. Plair/Player appears in Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, page 13A, ED 116, as a farmer, with wife Maggie and children Andrew, Rosa Mae, Marion, Lourine, Lessie D., and Hollis.
• 1930: Whit N. Plare/Player appears in Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, page 1A, ED 0017, as a farmer, with Maggie Plare, Lessie D., Hollis, and Dorothy B. The index field says widowed, but Maggie is present in the household as wife, so the marital-status field should be treated as suspect.
• 1940: W. W. Player appears in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, page 41A, ED 96-9, on Slomb Street, as a foreman and wage or salary worker in government work, with wife Maggie.
• 1940: Lessie D. Player's World War II draft card names Walter Whit. Player of Valdosta as his father and gives Lessie's birth as 18 January 1915 in Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia.
• Social Security Applications and Claims index: Maggie Taylor is listed with spouse Whitt Player and child Collis Player, supporting Collis as a child of this family.
• Georgia death-records index: Maggie Taylor is listed with spouse W. W. Player and child Frank Player, supporting Frank as a child of this couple.
• 1917: Lowndes County marriage record shows W. F. Player married Beatrice Griffin on 29 October 1917.
• 1918: Walter Franklin Player's World War I draft card gives birth date 8 November 1899, residence RFD 1, Lowndes County, and names Walter W. Player as father and employer.
• 1920: W. F. Player appears in Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, at Colson Daw Mill, age about 20, married to Beatrice Player, with infant son Walter E. Player.
• 1922: Georgia death index records Frank Player's death in Lowndes County on 24 February 1922, certificate 4422-D.
• Social Security Applications and Claims index: Walter W. Player is listed with spouse Maggie Taylor and child Dorothy Louise Williams, supporting Dorothy B. Player's married identity as Dorothy Louise Williams.
• 1880-1961: Charlie/Charles F. Taylor is supported as Maggie Taylor Player's brother through a sequence of records: 1880 Berrien County child of John H. and Mary Taylor; 1900 brother-in-law in the Whitman Player household; 1903 Berrien County marriage to Arrilla B. Roach; 1910 Lower Fork household with father-in-law George W. Roach; 1918 World War I draft card for Charlie Franklin Taylor; 1920 Cook County household with mother Mary Taylor present; 1930 Clinch County sawmill laborer; 1940 Du Pont, Clinch County household; SSA child/spouse index naming Narcissus A. Roach and Sally Ruth Taylor; 1961 Georgia death index; and Find a Grave memorial at Mud Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. This sequence supports identifying him with the C. F. Taylor of Dupont named as Maggie's brother in 1943.
• 1943: Mrs. W. W. Player's newspaper death notice says she died at home near Hahira on Saturday at noon, age 68, and names husband Walter W. Player, four sons, three daughters, one sister, and one brother.
• 1950: Walter Ployer/Player appears in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, page 2, ED 92-23, on E. Savannah Ave., alone in the household. The summary lists him as married, but Maggie had died in 1943, so the marital-status field needs checking against the census image.
• 1971: Georgia death index and SSDI records support Walter W. Player's death in Lowndes County in January 1971, with the Georgia death index giving 23 January 1971 and certificate number 003211.

Connections to Other Barney Families

This household connects to the Taylor family through Maggie Player and Charlie Taylor's 1900 brother-in-law placement, and through the 1943 death notice naming C. F. Taylor of Dupont as Maggie's brother and Mrs. Ida Sweat of Valdosta as her sister. The supplied Charlie/Charles F. Taylor records now provide a coherent trail from the 1880 John H. and Mary Taylor household through the 1900 Whitman Player household, his 1903 Berrien County marriage to Arrilla B. Roach, later census households in Lowndes/Cook/Clinch counties, his World War I draft card as Charlie Franklin Taylor, SSA child/spouse evidence, and 1961 death/burial index evidence. It connects to the South Carolina Player line through the 1880 Shiloh, Sumter County record, where Walter appears in the D. A. Player household. Daniel Andrew Player and Rosa A. Long/Rosanna Player are the best current identifications for Walter's parents, with the compiled Player genealogy treated as supporting rather than primary evidence.

The 1943 death notice names the surviving children as Andrew Player, Marion Chester Player, Lessie Dee Player, Collis Player, Mrs. W. R. Blease of Barney, Mrs. J. T. Cain of Hahira, and Mrs. Clarence Williams of Valdosta. Lessie is directly linked to Walter by his own World War II draft card. Collis is separately linked to Maggie Taylor and Whitt Player by the Social Security Applications and Claims index. Frank is linked to Maggie Taylor and W. W. Player by a Georgia death-records index entry, and his own trail is now supported through a 1917 marriage record, 1918 draft card, 1920 household, 1922 death index, and derivative memorial summary. Dorothy B. Player's married identity is strengthened by a Social Security Applications and Claims index entry naming Walter W. Player, spouse Maggie Taylor, and child Dorothy Louise Williams. The remaining child identities are now supported by the death notice, but their individual life trails still need separate direct records.

Open Research Questions

• The full 1880 page now supports Walter's placement in the D. A. Player household. The wife/mother’s name has been read as Rosanna or Rosanne, consistent with the compiled Player genealogy naming Rosa A. Long; a direct marriage record or independent source would further strengthen that identification.
• A marriage record for Walter or Whitman Player and Maggie Taylor is still needed to prove the marriage directly.
• Maggie's 1943 death is now supported by the newspaper notice, but a death certificate or cemetery register/marker image would strengthen the exact death and burial details.
• Walter's 1971 death is supported by indexes, but the full death certificate and obituary are still needed.
• The 1930 marital-status field conflicts with Maggie's presence in the household as wife and should be checked against the census image.
• The 1950 marital-status field should be checked against the census image because Maggie had died in 1943.
• Reported child lines need individual record trails, especially whether Collis and Hollis are the same person and how Mrs. W. R. Blease, Mrs. J. T. Cain, and Mrs. Clarence Williams correspond to the daughters in census records. Frank/Walter Franklin now has a much stronger trail, and Collis, Lessie, and Dorothy have additional child-link support, but underlying records and married-name bridges remain desirable.
• Walter/Frank Player's exact birth year remains unresolved: the 1900 census summary and World War I draft card support November 1899, while the Find a Grave memorial uses 8 November 1898.
• Reported second wife Nancy Wilson Player is currently supported only by memorial material and still needs direct evidence.

Research Status

• Status: Stronger direct record trail, but not source-exhausted; marriage, full death certificates, direct cemetery evidence, Walter's obituary, independent parent-identification support, and several child-line bridges remain open.
• Strengths: The supplied images now anchor the household in a full 1880 census page and census summaries from 1900 through 1950, correct the 1920 location/occupation error, support the 1930 Hahira identification, preserve Walter's WWI draft card, directly link Lessie D. Player to Walter as father, add a stronger Walter/Frank child-line trail and index support for Collis and Dorothy Louise Williams as children of Walter/Maggie, support Maggie's 1943 death notice, strengthen and carry forward the Charlie/Charles F. Taylor brother connection through death/burial index evidence, and document Walter's 1971 death through indexes.
• Remaining cautions: Walter's parent identification still needs independent support beyond the Rosanna/Rosanne census reading and compiled Player genealogy; Walter's exact birth year, direct marriage proof for Walter and Maggie, direct burial proof, Walter/Frank's 1898/1899 birth-year discrepancy, complete child-line mapping, and the reported second wife remain unresolved.

Sources

• 1880 United States census, Shiloh, Sumter County, South Carolina, D. A. Player household with wife Rosanna/Rosanne and Walter W. Player, age about 3/12, dwelling/family 423/423; roll 1247, page 258B, ED 123.
• 1900 United States census, Barney, Brooks County, Georgia, Whitman Player household; roll 181, page 8, ED 0009, family 147.
• 1910 United States census, Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, Whit Player household; roll T624_202, page 12B, ED 0117.
• World War I draft registration card for Walter Whitman Player, Lowndes County, Georgia, registered 12 September 1918, birth date 17 October 1878, nearest relative Mrs. Maggie Player.
• 1920 United States census, Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, Walter W. Plair/Player household; roll T625_267, page 13A, ED 116.
• 1930 United States census, Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, Whit N. Plare/Player household; page 1A, ED 0017; FHL microfilm 2340108.
• 1940 United States census, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, W. W. Player household; roll m-t0627-00691, page 41A, ED 96-9.
• World War II draft card for Lessie D. Player, address 311 E. Troupe Street, Valdosta, born 18 January 1915 at Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, naming Mr. Walter Whit. Player as father.
• Social Security Applications and Claims Index summary for Maggie Taylor, naming spouse Whitt Player and child Collis Player.
• Georgia Death Records, 1914-1940 index summary for Maggie Taylor, naming spouse W. W. Player and child Frank Player.
• Social Security Applications and Claims Index summary for Walter W. Player, naming spouse Maggie Taylor and child Dorothy Louise Williams.
• Lowndes County, Georgia, marriage record for W. F. Player and Beatrice Griffin, married 29 October 1917.
• World War I draft registration card for Walter Franklin Player, Lowndes County, Georgia, registered 12 September 1918, birth date 8 November 1899, father/employer Walter W. Player.
• 1920 United States census, Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, W. F. Player household, Colson Daw Mill, with wife Beatrice and son Walter E. Player.
• Georgia Death Index summary for Frank Player, death 24 February 1922, Lowndes County, Georgia, certificate number 4422-D.
• Social Security Applications and Claims Index summary for Frank Player, naming spouse Beatrice Griffin and child Walter Edward Player.
• Find a Grave memorial summary for Walter Frank Player, Memorial ID 235958486, Friendship Cemetery, Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia; derivative support only.
• 1880 United States census, District 1156, Berrien County, Georgia, John H. Taylor household with son Charles F. Taylor, age 2; roll 734, page 581B, ED 004.
• 1900 United States census, Barney, Brooks County, Georgia, Charlie Taylor individual summary, age 22, brother-in-law in Whitman Player household; roll 181, page 8, ED 0009.
• Berrien County, Georgia, marriage record for Charles F. Taylor and Arrilla B. Roach, license/certificate dated 9 April 1903.
• 1910 United States census, Lower Fork, Lowndes County, Georgia, Charley F. Taylor household with wife Addie/Arrilla and father-in-law George W. Roach; roll T624_202, page 12B, ED 0117.
• World War I draft registration card for Charlie Franklin Taylor, Berrien County, Georgia, birth date 26 December 1877, nearest relative N. A. Taylor.
• 1920 United States census, Greggs, Cook County, Georgia, C. F. Jo Taylor household with wife Narcissa/Nancy and mother Mary Taylor; roll T625_246, page 8A, ED 78.
• 1930 United States census, Militia District 1280, Clinch County, Georgia, Charlie F. Taylor household with wife Narcia and children; page 2A, ED 0007; FHL microfilm 2340082.
• 1940 United States census, Du Pont, Clinch County, Georgia, Cherlie/Charlie Taylor household with wife Narcissie/Narcissa; roll m-t0627-00657, page 3A, ED 32-9.
• Social Security Applications and Claims Index summary for Charlie F. Taylor, naming spouse Narcissus A. Roach and child Sally Ruth Taylor.
• Georgia Death Index summary for Charlie Taylor, age 83, resident of Lowndes County, death 26 July 1961 in Baldwin County, certificate number 17035.
• Find a Grave memorial summary for Charlie Franklin Taylor, born 26 December 1877, died 26 July 1961, buried Mud Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Lakeland, Lanier County, Georgia, Memorial ID 14836753; derivative cemetery evidence.
• “Mrs. W. W. Player Yields To Death,” The Valdosta Daily Times, Valdosta, Georgia, 9 February 1943, page 8.
• 1950 United States census, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, Walter Ployer/Player household; roll 5530, page 2, ED 92-23.
• Social Security Death Index summary for Walter Player, SSN 255-12-9779, last residence Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, death January 1971.
• Georgia Death Index summary for Walter W. Player, death 23 January 1971, Lowndes County, Georgia, certificate number 003211.
• Find a Grave memorial summary for Walter Whitman Player, Memorial ID 86953209, Friendship Cemetery, Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia; derivative support only.
• Find a Grave memorial summary for Maggie Taylor Player, Memorial ID 86953121, Friendship Cemetery, Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia; derivative support only.

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