Laura Samantha (Deaver) McElroy (abt. 1848 - 1921)

Born about 1 Aug 1848 in Madison, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Nicholas Woodfin McElroy — married about 1865 in Madison, North Carolina, United States

Died 30 Jul 1921 at about age 72 in Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Laura Samantha Deaver was born 1 August 1848 in Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina, a daughter of Thomas S. Deaver and Louarty Keith. The year of 1848 is based on her age in the federal censuses of 1850 and 1860 as those events were near the time of her birth; see below. The evidence for the month and day of her birth is her death certificate. ^[1]

The federal census of 1850, listed for Buncombe County, North Carolina on 14 July, found this family: Thos S. Dever, age 47, a farmer, with real estate valued at eight thousand dollars; S. O. Dever, male, age 16, laborer; Reub. M., male, 10; Adolphus E., male, 7; Louarta, female, 41; Minerva E., female, 17; Julia A., female, 15; Sophronia L., female, 11; Hester J., femaile, 8; Cordelia, female, 6; and L. Samantha, female, 2.

The federal census of 1860, listed for Madison County on 15 June, found this family: Thomas S. Deaver, farmer, age 56; Louarty Deaver, age 52; Ruben, 21; Adolphus, 19; Sophronia, 18; Hester, 16; Cordelia, 16; Samantha, 12; and Harriet, 8. Also present was Sena Taylor, cook, age 23, born in Tennessee. ^[2]

Laura Samantha Deaver married Nicholas Woodfin McElroy (about 1865, based on the children present in the 1870 census, see below). ^[3][4]

The federal census of 1870, listed for the Bull Creek township of Madison County, North Carolina on 15 July, found this family: Nicholas McElroy, age 25, employed as a revenue collector, with a personal estate valued at three hundred dollars; Samantha (McElroy), age 20 (born 1850), keeping house; James McElroy, age 4; John McElroy, 2; and Hatie [?] two months. All were born in North Carolina.^[5]

The federal census of 1880, listed for the Bull Creek township of Madison County, NC, on 22 June, found this family: Nicholas W. McElroy, age 38, and farming; wife Laura S., 29, keeping house; son James O., 14, laborer; son John W., 10, laborer; daughter Hattie G., 9; daughter Kittie S., 8; daughter Cora D., 6; son Robert B., 4; and son Earnest, 2. ^[6]

The 1900 federal census, listed for the Mars Hill township of Madison County, NC on 20 June, found this family: Nicholas McElroy (head), age 55, farmer; wife Laura, 49; daughter Dorrie, 26; son Robert, 24, farm laborer; son Clyde, 21, farm laborer; son Creed, 19, farm laborer; daughter Blanche, 17, at school; daughter Mildred, 10, at school, and son Nicholas, 8. ^[7]

Just a few months later, Laura’s husband Nicholas McElroy died on 8 August 1900, in Buncombe County, North Carolina. ^[8]

The 1910 federal census, listed for Mars Hill township, Madison County on 28 April, found this family: Laura S McElroy (head), widowed, age 60; daughter Kitty, 32, employed as a “post clerk” in an office; daughter Cora, 30; daughter Mildred, 20; and son “Nick”, 18, farming. ^[9]

The federal census of 1920, listed for Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina on 28 January, found this family: Laura McElroy (head), a widow age 69, manager of the home farm; daughter Kittie, 48, a trained nurse working in private homes; daughter Carrie, 46; and daughter Blanche, 36, working in millinery at home. All of the daughters were coded “S” for single. They owned their home.^[10]

Laura Samantha Deaver McElroy died 30 July 1921 at home in Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina.^[11] Burial was in the McElroy Cemetery, Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ "North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3HQ-R6J : 20 February 2021), Laura Samantha McElroy, 30 Jul 1921; citing Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina, reference fn 634 cn 17, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,892,796.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD64-3Z3 : Tue Jul 18 02:35:08 UTC 2023), Entry for Thomas S Deaver and Lewarty Deaver, 1860.
3. ↑ "North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HWTZ-7GN2 : 14 February 2020), Laura Deaver in entry for John Wesley McElroy, 1948.
4. ↑ "North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3HQ-R6J : 20 February 2021), Laura Samantha Mcelroy, 30 Jul 1921; citing Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina, reference fn 634 cn 17, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,892,796.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW8V-5HH : 29 May 2021), Samantha McElroy in entry for Nicholas McElroy, 1870.
6. ↑ Year: 1880; Census Place: Bull Creek, Madison, North Carolina; Roll: 971; Page: 61C; Enumeration District: 125. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
7. ↑ Year: 1900; Census Place: Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina; Roll: 1205; Page: 8; Enumeration District: 0088. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67200185/nicholas-woodfin-mcelroy: accessed 20 July 2023), memorial page for Nicholas Woodfin McElroy (12 May 1845–8 Aug 1900), Find a Grave Memorial ID 67200185, citing McElroy Cemetery, Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Sue A (contributor 47336586).
9. ↑ Year: 1910; Census Place: Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina; Roll: T624_1107; Page: 8a; Enumeration District: 0085; FHL microfilm: 1375120.Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.
10. ↑ Year: 1920; Census Place: Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina; Roll: T625_1294; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 121. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).
11. ↑ "North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3HQ-R6J : 20 February 2021), Laura Samantha Mcelroy, 30 Jul 1921; citing Mars Hill, Madison, North Carolina, reference fn 634 cn 17, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,892,796.
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67200148/laura-samantha-mcelroy: accessed 20 July 2023), memorial page for Laura Samantha Beaver McElroy (1 Aug 1850–30 Jul 1921), Find a Grave Memorial ID 67200148, citing McElroy Cemetery, Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Sue A (contributor 47336586).