George Leroy Tabor (1865 - 1958)

Born 7 Oct 1865 in Swain, North Carolina, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Rachel Matilda (Smiley) Tabor — married 18 Sep 1894 in Swain, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 26 Mar 1958 at age 92 in Arlington, Virginia, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Tabor Fisher [send private message]

Biography

George Tabor was born in Appalachia, in North Carolina.

According to Smiley Family records, G. L. Tabor was Superintendent of Swain County Schools from 1891-1894. His future father-in-law, J. S. Smiley, had held that position from 1881-1889.^[1] His granddaughter, Elizabeth Hoff, feels this may be inaccurate, as he did not go back to college until he was 30 (in 1895), and it seems odd that he would superintend the schools without that degree. G. L. Tabor is mentioned as a member of a committee to oversee Community Service Days, organized by the school system, in 1914.^[2] He was involved in education in Swain County -- it is just unclear when he served as superintendent of schools.

George and Rachel married on 18 September 1894 in Swain County, when he was 28 and she was 17. ^[3] They were still living in Swain County in 1900. At that time, he was living with his wife, Rachel; children Claude, Blanche, and infant Carrie; and his mother, Lydia. He is listed as a farmer and the listing indicates that he owned his farm. ^[4]

By 1910, the family had moved to Burnet, TX -- George, Rachel, and the three children.^[5] Lydia must have stayed in Swain county, perhaps with one of the other children, as she was in Swain when she died in 1914.

By 1920, he is listed in the census in Alexandria, VA, with Rachel and all five children. There must have been a time when the family was back in North Carolina as the two younger children (George -- 1912 and Rachel -- 1917) were born there.^[6] Further, when Blanche wrote home while she was in college (1914-1917), she wrote to Rosman, NC.^[7]

According to an obituary for his wife, Rachel Smiley Tabor [Smiley-81], George Leroy Tabor, Sr., "decided at 30 to go to college" and Rachel worked to support him. He received his degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1905.^[8] George was 30 in 1925, so he was traveling to and from North Carolina toward the end of the 20s, but is listed as in Arlington, VA in the 1930 census, with Rachel and the two youngest children, George, Jr., and Rachel.^[9] This person was created through the import of breesefam.ged on 09 May 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.

Death

Death: Y

Date: 26 MAR 1958

Place: Arlington, Virginia, USA

Age: 92

George died in Arlington Hospital, after an 8 day stay, of bronchial pneumonia on 26 March 1958 at 11:05 p.m. The death certificate is signed by his daughter, Blanche Tabor, M.D. (Note: Although Blanche was married at this time, she continued to use her maiden name professionally. Hence, the signature is "Blanche Tabor, M.D."). He was buried in Columbia Gardens, Arlington, in the family plot, on 28 March 1958.^[10]

George’s granddaughter, Cariadne, remembers she and Doris showing up at the hospital with freshly picked apples to share with their grandfather. At the desk at the entrance, they stopped to ask for his room number and were told “Mr. Tabor is dead.” They were two young women in the hospital not knowing what to do.^[11]

Residence

Residence:

Date: 1870

Age: 4-5

Address:

Address 1: Alarka, Macon, North Carolina

Residence:

Date: 1910

Age: 44-45

Address:

Address 1: Burnet, Burnet, Texas

Residence:

Date: 1930

Age: 64-65

Address:

Address 1: Washington, Arlington, Virginia

Residence:

Date: 1900

Age: 34-35

Address:

Address 1: Nantahala, Swain, North Carolina

Residence:

Date: 1920

Age: 54-55

Address:

Address 1: Washington, Alexandria, Virginia

Residence:

Date: 1880

Age: 14-15

Address:

Address 1: Nantahala, Swain, North Carolina, United States

Sources

1. ↑ Material Presented at the 1993 Smiley Family Reunion, Bryson City, NC. In the possession of Elizabeth Hoff
2. ↑ Sylvan Valley News. Vol. XIX. No. 43. Brevard, NC: 23 October 1914.
3. ↑ "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP95-333N : 28 November 2018), Geo L Tabor and Rachael M Smiley, 18 Sep 1894; citing Swain, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS1H-82B : accessed 7 March 2020), George L Tabor, Nantahala Township (part east of river), Swain, North Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 106, sheet 4A, family 30, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,218.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M29F-DW3 : accessed 7 March 2020), George L Tabor, Burnet, Burnet, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 111, sheet 8B, family 167, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1535; FHL microfilm 1,375,548.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJNJ-C8P : accessed 7 March 2020), George L Tabor, Washington, Alexandria, Virginia, United States; citing ED 15, sheet 6A, line 1, family 120, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1879; FHL microfilm 1,821,879.
7. ↑ Blanche Tabor, Letter to Prof. G.L. Tabor, Rosman, NC from Raleigh, NC., 15 Feb 1915; Blanche Tabor, Letter to Mrs. G. L. Tabor, Rosman, NC from 212 Park Avenue, Raleigh, NC, 26 July 1915; Blanche Tabor to Mrs. G. L. Tabor, Rosman, NC, from Raleigh, NC, 7 Jan 1916
8. ↑ "Rachel Tabor, 90, Early Arlington School Leader, n.p., n.d. Photo uploaded to this profile.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C8JR-4ZM : accessed 7 March 2020), George L Tabor, Washington, Arlington, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 21, sheet 6A, line 48, family 127, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2436; FHL microfilm 2,342,170.
10. ↑ Certificate of Death, Commonwealth of Virginia, for George Le Roy Tabor, certified on 31 March 1958 by R. G. Beachby, local registrar. Certificate in the possession of Elizabeth Hoff, George's granddaughter.
11. ↑ Burchard, Cariadne. Personal communication to Tabor Fisher. 21 June 2022.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83050910/george-leroy-tabor : accessed 28 September 2021), memorial page for George Leroy Tabor (7 Oct 1865–26 Mar 1958), Find a Grave Memorial ID 83050910, citing Columbia Gardens Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA ; Maintained by hgs205 (contributor 46875108) .