Mary Lowdim Biddix (1875 - 1948)

Born 28 Feb 1875 in Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 14 Dec 1948 at age 73 in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States

Biography

Mary Biddix was an Appalachian.

The paucity of records makes is difficult to reconstruct Mary's life.

Mary Lowdim Biddix was born 28 February 1875 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Her parents were Alexander Biddix and Mirilla Grandstaff.

Mary appears in the 1880 census (10 June of that year), living with her parents in the North Cove Township of McDowell County, North Carolina. Census enumerator William Call indicated that Alexander Biddix was working on his own farm and that his wife, Marilla, was at home taking care of the children. Mary was nine years old.^[1]

For the next thirty years, Mary disappears from the records, save an 1885 petition of Mary's mother for moneys from the estate of her husband for the maintenance of her children, Mary being one of those mentioned, though under a different name resembling her middle name.^[2]

Sometime during that period, Mary partnered with a Will Biddix probably about 1890 (no marriage record has been found, and Mary's death certificate listed her as single, not widowed, with no husband entered on the form). The only document which shows a relationship between Mary and William is the death certificate of their daughter Lula Biddix where both of the parents are listed.^[3]

It is unknown just how many children Mary and Will had. The earliest birth was that of Lula referenced above. Mary's children were listed as born in 1891 (Lula), followed by Cora in 1893. Dessie was not born until 1907, with Chestley being the last in 1910. The North Carolina Birth Index does not list a father for Chestley.^[4] Aside from Lula's death certificate, none of the other children's lists a father on theirs. The question that must be asked is whether Will Biddix was still alive for the last two children. If he was the father of all four, then he would have died some time between the birth of Chestley and the 1920 census where he does not appear. However, Mary may have had some of her children by someone else.

On 3 January 1920, census enumerator Edgar Hawley found Mary living in the Grassy Creek Township of Mitchell County. She was earning wages as a "worker" in public works. Her children Dessie and Chestley were living with her, as was her mother, listed by her nickname "Rilla." Neither Mary or Rilla were considered literate, though Dessie and Chestley were.^[5]

During the early years of the 1900s, particularly in the 1910s and 20s, the poverty rampant in the mountains of North Carolina required many families to migrate to areas where there were manual labor jobs, particularly in the textile mills of Gaston County, North Carolina. Members of Mary's family were some of these.

On 7 April 1930, census enumerator Rufus E. Rhyne listed Mary, age 60, living with her daughter, Dessie, and her husband, Shuford Goble, and their infant son in one of the mill villages of Gastonia Township. Also in the household was Mary's youngest child, Chestley, age 19. Shuford and Dessie both worked in a mill, he as a "twister hand" and she as a "spooler." Times as they were during the Great Depression, even newly married Chestley helped to add income to the family by working as a spooler. All of the older members of the family could read and write, except for Mary.^[6]

Millie Coleman was the census enumerator for part of Gastonia Township in 1940. On 9 April of that year, Mary was still living with her daughter and son-in-law, Dessie and Shuford. It was the same place the family was living in 1935. Shuford was still working in a textile mill, but due to the number of children now in the home, Dessie was not. No doubt, Mary was helping around the house.^[7]

Mary died on 14 December 1948 in rural Gastonia Township, Her death was attributed to uremia, cardio-vascular disease, along with senility. Her usual occupation according to her death certificate was "domestic." She was single at the time of her death and no husband was entered on the certificate.^[8] Mary was buried on 16 December 1948 where so many of her ancestors and relatives were interred in the Grassy Creek Cemetery in Mitchell County. Her gravestone was made of a simple rock and is difficult to read.^[9]

Obituary

Gastonia Gazette, 15 December 1948

Polly L. Biddix

Mrs. Polly Lowdim Biddix, 73, died Tuesday afternoon at 4: 20 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Shuford Goble, West View avenue, South Gastonia. She had been in failing health for several years and seriously ill for the past few weeks. She had made her home here for 21 years.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Cora Waycaster and Mrs. Shuford Goble of Gastonia; one son, Chestley Biddix of McConnellsville, S. C.; one brother, Tom Biddix of Gastonia; and one sister, Mrs. Carolyn Roberts of Gaffney, S.C. Also surviving are 20 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the Berry Chapel Baptist Church in Spruce Pine Thursday at 2 o'clock with the Rev. Mr. Skipper, pastor of the Ridge Baotist Church

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCXW-V4X : 14 January 2022), Mary L. Biddix in household of Alexander Biddix, North Cove, McDowell, North Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
2. ↑ "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K78C-L87 : 8 March 2021), Alexander Biddix, 1885; citing Mitchell, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 2,316,997.
3. ↑ "North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HHC7-NDZM : 21 January 2020), Will Biddix in entry for Lula Biddix.
4. ↑ "North Carolina Birth Index, 1800-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VH52-QW4 : 8 December 2014), Chesley Biddix, 31 May 1910; from "North Carolina, Birth and Death Indexes, 1800-2000," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing vol. 7, p. 23, Mitchell, North Carolina, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZVG-D27 : 3 February 2021), D M Biddix, 1920.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X333-WC2 : accessed 2 May 2022), Polly L Biddix in household of Shuford R Goble, Gastonia, Gaston, North Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 31, sheet 6A, line 29, family 96, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1692; FHL microfilm 2,341,426.
7. ↑ United States Census, 1940; Gastonia Suburbs, Gaston, North Carolina; Roll: m-t0627-02914; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 36-39. Image at: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/151212490:2442?ssrc=pt&tid=80222711&pid=32457824271
8. ↑ North Carolina State Archives; Raleigh, North Carolina; North Carolina Death Certificates. Image at: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1121/images/S123_341-0778?pId=616404
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21219506/polly-dim-biddix : accessed 23 April 2022), memorial page for Polly Dim Biddix (28 Feb 1875–14 Dec 1948), Find a Grave Memorial ID 21219506, citing Grassy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Grassy Creek, Mitchell County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Roger Phillip Burnett (contributor 46801633).

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Timothy Sheppard for assistance with this profile.