Elvira Eison (abt. 1822 - abt. 1908)

Born about 1822 in Union, South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died about 1908 at about age 86 in Lauderdale, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Elvira Eison is a part of US Black heritage.

Elvira Eison was born enslaved in Union, South Carolina, United States. Her year of birth is not exact, but it is known that Elvira and another enslaved male, Charles, were given to a man named John Hames Eison III, from the estate of his paternal grandfather, John Eison Sr.

F.W. Eison, John III's brother, agreed to "mortgage" all of his grandfather's enslaved people given to all of his heirs, in 1838. John III paid $425 for Charles, and $600 for Elvira. Based off records of Elvira, we know that she was the mother of thirteen children, but she only has three recorded.

Ten of Elvira's children died in childhood or were sold off, but it is known that while in Union in 1844, named William, whose father is alleged to be an older enslaved male, who fathered a daughter named Lucinda, an enslaved female enslaved by John III, who was the same age as Elvira.

By 1850, John Hames Eison and his family, along with his enslaved people, moved to Lauderdale, Tennessee. Elvira had two more recorded songs, John (b.1860), Fayette (b.1861). Their father was a man named Allen, who was enslaved by John Soward, John Hames Eison's neighbor, and John Soward's grandson was married to John Hames Eison's daughter.

The Civil War began in April 1861, and John Eison would die on September 8, 1864, towards the end of the war. After the war ended in April 1865, and all enslaved people were legally freed by June 19, 1865. Enslaved people did not often have last names. After emancipation, Elvira and all three of her sons had adopted the last name Eison, John and Fayette's father adopted Soward as his last name.

Elvira did not consider herself married to Allen Soward, in fact, because slave encouraged to "breed" for money gain for their enslavers, Allen had a second "slave wife" and four other children. Elvira, John, and Fayette ended up living on the land of a man named Sam Rucker, who had also been an ex-slave.

Sam had a reputation of being a womanizer, he fathered several children in Lauderdale County, and a 1909 court record revealed he had a sexual relationship with Elvira, although she was too old to bear him children.

Elvira had taken custody of her granddaughter, Clara Eison, who was born enslaved in 1861, her father being William, and her mother being Ada, another enslaved female of John Hames Eison. Ada died enslaved, and William had runaway to join the Union army during the war.

Clara had previously been fostered by Sam Rucker's stepbrother, before being taken in by Elvira. By this time, Clara had been in her teenage years, and began a sexual relationship with Sam Rucker. This union ship produced several children, and eventually, Clara became Sam's legal wife.

Fayette died, and when John married his first wife in 1883, he changed his last name to his late father's. By 1900, Elvira was settled in Lauderdale, living with her son, John Soward, and his second wife, and his children.

In 1909, a court case opened by Lucinda Gamble, who filed suit against Clara Rucker, the now late Sam Rucker's widow. Lucinda (who was Sam's daughter), that her mother, the late Martha Rucker, was considered Sam's wife. Only Sam and Clara's children were receiving rights to Sam's land, while Lucinda argued that Sam and Martha's children, along with two illegitimate children, should also receive rights.

Martha was considered Sam's wife, but not legally, they were married while enslaved, which was not a legal marriage, but the court acknowledged Martha as Sam's wife and gave the other heirs rights too. During the court case, Elvira and Sam's relationship was brought up, and it was mentioned that Elvira passed away "the previous year" which estimates her death year as 1908.

Sources

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GWP6-XZG