Zoraida Ann (Bruce) Drinkard (1841 - 1876)

Born 31 Jul 1841 in Jackson, Rankin, Mississippi, United States

Wife of Charles Beverly Drinkard — married 31 Jul 1861 in Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas, USA

Descendants

Died 6 Apr 1876 at age 34 in Forestburg, Montague, Texas, USA

Biography

Zoraida "Zoe" Bruce was born in Jackson, Mississippi on 31 July 1841 to John Thomas Bruce and Mary Vannoman. She married Charles Beverly Drinkard; they had 7 known children. Zoe died fairly young at the age of 37. There are not many records of her existence.

United States Census History

1860: Zoraida Drinkard is enumerated in the household of Thomas Vernon (her step-father) in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She is 19 years old and lives with her step-father, mother, husband, brother, step-brother, and cousin (Milton).^[1]

Obituary

DRINKARD - At her house in Forrestburg, Texas, on the 15th inst., of dropsy, Mrs. Zoraida Drinkard, wife of Mr. C. B. Drinkard, in the 37th year of her age.

Many friends who knew Mrs. Drinkard as "Zoe Bruce" during the days of her childhood and merry youth in her mother's home in this city, will read the sad news of her death with truly heart-felt sympathy for the mother on whom this blow has fallen with bitter force, such as can be realized only by a mother who loses a dear child, in this case an only daughter. They had been separated for a number of years, excepting an occasional visit, as Mrs. D., her husband and little ones have made their home in Texas since the close of the civil war. But then they were separated by only so many miles of land and water; now the river that rolls between can only be crossed by those journeying to the "Far Country," never to return. Another mourning household, a breaved husband, and desolate little ones, grieving over a loss which leaves a void never to be entirely filled on earth. Mrs. Drinkard has one brother living in this city, Mr. I. W. Bruce. To the bereaved relatives we offer true sympathy, although we know that at such times words of sympathy fall on unheeding ears, bringing no relief until Time [???] healing wings has robbed sorrow of its keenest edge, and adds brightness to the hope which points to a joyful reunion in the land where partings are unknown.^[2]

Sources

• FamilySearch ID: LK6X-MDG

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBF-955X?cc=1473181&wc=7QJZ-PHZ%3A1589422280%2C1589422697%2C1589422943 : 24 March 2017), Arkansas > Sebastian > Fort Smith > image 23 of 39; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ Posted on Ancestry.com 30 March 2019 by Ella Kinney Burnett with the following note: Appearing in a Fort Smith, AK newspaper - found as a clipping in my great great grandmother Luella Bruce Jones's belongings.