He was born on October 7, 1858, in Atlanta, Georgia to Wiley Henry Holifield Sr. (1830-1864) and Rejina L. Mayo (1834-1880). His father enlisted on September 25, 1861 in the Confederate Army in Company "I" of the 30th Georgia Infantry Regiment. He was injured in 1862 while working on the construction of the ironclad CSS Georgia and again wounded at Chickamauga in 1863. He was sent home to recover, but returned to duty in time to take part in the last battle of the Atlanta Campaign at Jonesboro. There, on August 31, 1864 he was killed in action and buried on the battlefield. His remains were disinterred after the war to the Confederate Cemetery in Clayton County, Georgia. Eventually, his young son William made his way to Pensacola in the 1870's where he took on a variety of jobs. At various times, he was a cattleman, farmer, and at one time a grocer. By 1880, he was in Pensacola working as a laborer and five years later, he had become a butcher along with his brother Wiley Henry Holifield (1863-1925). That same year, he married Minor Amanda Dansby, the daughter of Jacob Valentine Dansby and Mary Frances Meriwether on June 5, 1885. It is said that William was working for Dansby at the time, which is where he came into contact with his daughter Minor.
By this time, both he and Wiley had opened separate shops with William at Palafox and Intendencia and Wiley at Tarragona and Romana Streets. By 1893, the brothers had combined their business into one shop at 100 West Government Street (corner of Baylen). Eventually, William entered the real estate business with six rental homes scattered around downtown Pensacola. His healthy income from his business ventures encouraged he and Minor to enlarge their family with two sons, William Valentine and Dudley C. as well as five daughters, Mary Frances, Minnye, Minor Dansby, Grace and Gladys Holifield.
All was well until May 15, 1899 at which time a verbal altercation broke out between a local dentist, Dr. Belon B. Smith over money he owed Holifield. Belon was born in Georgia and was living at 313 North Spring Street at the time with is office at 3 1/2 West Romana Street. Holifield had dropped by his office to collect on the bill when harsh words broke out. At 12:15 PM, Belon pulled out his pistol and shot Holyfield three times; once in the stomach, once in the right leg, and another in the right arm. Dr. Frank G. Renshaw, Dr. James Herron, and Dr. Charles B. McKinnon. Two hours later the family was notified that there was no hope for survival from his stomach wound. By 5:30 PM, he had passed away. He was buried in St. John's Cemetery where he was joined by Minor in 1938. Following his death, his wife was left with substantial financial holdings that supported her for the rest of her life.
Gravesite of Private Wiley W Holifield
Pensacola News Journal 5-15-1899
William Mitchell Holifield
William Mitchell Holifield, c1899
William and Minor and their children
Minor Amanda Dansby Holifield (1858-1938)
Jacob Valentine Dansby,
father-in-law (1829-1900)
Jacob Valentine Dansby was born April 26, 1829, and died
July 14, 1900. He was a representative in the Florida
House of Representatives from 1860 to 1861, scholar
of Greek and Latin, horticulturalist, the husband
to five wives, and the father of 22 children.
Wiley Henry Holifield Jr. (1863-1925)
Wiley Henry Holifield (1863-1925)
Wiley Henry Holifield's home at West Government and South Reus Street 1909
Bill from Wiley Henry Holifield's Butcher and Green Grocer 1902
Grave of William Mitchell Holifield, St. John's Cemetery
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