I’m only about 15 years late.
You probably know the answers already.
My Clement family was tied into the Whatley family with the marriage of Warren Benjamin Clement and Mary (Lou I’ sa) Whatley. Pronounciation from older family members.
What I know I heard from their great grandchildren who were my dad’s two old maid farmer cousins from Wellington or from my daddy.
The 2 cousins, Inez and Mabel spent a lot of time with their grandparents, Johnathan Calhoun Clement and John Vada James who met and married in Ladonia or Rehobeth. He was a preacher like many Whatleys and Holmes’ ancestors. Vada James’ sisters married into the old families since they were an early family also. One of her sisters was married to William P Henry, a physician that died at Corinth. I wish I could find his war records. If you know how, let me know. Then she married a Terry and a Gillispie. Other sisters married Terry, Nail, Bagley, Satterwhite.

Inez and Mabel talked about the Whatleys some.

My dad spoke of Uncle Jol, whom, I believe was John William. He is buried not far from me in Miami, Tx. They said he was a “rounder “ in his youth, repented and became a minister of the gospel. After his days on the frontier he didn’t care what anyone said to him or how they came at him. He would stand on a box and preach on the street corner in Old Mobeetie/Hidetown. That hamlet has a horrible reputation and Charles Goodnight said none were rougher. They said also that sometimes he was acted sort of judge for the area, so when he preached, he kept a gun on the pulpit in case a disgruntled person he had passed sentenced upon came to speak or get revenge. I read one of his copied sermons, long ago. It was beautiful, eloquent, flowery, had all the big words and written in lovely cursive.

Michael Thomas Shirley Whatley- became a minister. Interestingly, he went to fight with the CSA and was there at the siege of Vicksburg. The 2nd Texas sharpshooters were assigned to help hold the “ Lunette”, I believe with the 27th Texas Cavalry.They did for 46 days, with the union trenches 15 feet away and quadruple the enemy. Their commander surrendered them because of starvation. They were imprisoned then began leaving for Texas, as the Union. Wasn’t prepared to keep them fed either. The few survivors went back to Galveston to reform , but it seems Michael headed for hearth and home and joined th brush brigade and be closer to his famil, and wife Carrie White
Whatley.

John Sanders Whatley

Aunt Mish always, always wanted to be a missionary. Why Inez and Mabel thought I needed that trivia in my head all these many decades and now I know.