Mothers in Worthville in 1900

This shall be my second post in the breakdown of the 1900 census in Randolph County, North Carolina. (You can read my post on "Farmers in Cedar Falls in 1900" here.) In this post, I will jump from Cedar Falls (in East Franklinville) to West Franklinville.

There are 37 families living in Worthville, located in West Franklinville, in the 1900 census as enumerated by John F. Routh. Rather than discuss farmers this time, which mostly tend to be males or widowed heads of household, I thought I would focus on the mothers of Randolph County.

Taken from 1900 Census

The 1900 census is one of the few census years that enumerates the number of children a woman has born and the number of children still living. I will now attempt to database the women of the area.

1. Mary E. Julian, wife of Jesse G. Julian for 15 years, born August 1865 in North Carolina, was the mother of seven children. Six of those children were still living in 1900.
2. Rebecca J. Underwood, wife of W. D. Underwood for 15 years, born January 1860 in North Carolina, was the mother of seven children. Four of those children were still living in 1900.
3. Sarah Underwood, wife of Henry Underwood for 40 years, born July 1830 in North Carolina, was the mother of two children. One of those children was still living in 1900.
4. Lucina Redding, wife of Solomon Redding for 48 years, born July 1832 in North Carolina, was the mother of four children. Three of those children were still living in 1900.
5. Joanna Nixon, wife of John Nixon for seven years, born November 1869 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. All three of her children were still living in 1900.
6. Sallie E. Nelson, wife of James M. Nelson for 10 years, born January 1869 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. Two of those children were still living in 1900.
7. Alda Nelson, wife of David Nelson for five years, born August 1875 in North Carolina, was the mother of one child. That child was not living by 1900.
8. Mary Julian, mother of Lorenzo W. Julian, widow (*of William Gaston Julian), born January 1822 in North Carolina, was the mother of nine children. Four of those children were still living in 1900.
9. Henry E. (*Henrietta) Julian, wife of Isaac A. Julian for eight years, born April 1869 in North Carolina, was the mother of four children. All of her children were still living in 1900.
10. Phebe Julian, wife of Tobias C. Julian for 46 years, born February 1836 in North Carolina, was the mother of seven children. Five of those children were still living in 1900.
11. Ella Wood, wife of W. J. Wood for five years, born July 1874 in North Carolina, was the mother of one child. That child was still living in 1900.
12. Mary Wood, wife of John C. Wood for 27 years, born August 1855 in North Carolina, was the mother of nine children. Seven of those children were still living in 1900.
13. Vinna A. Patterson, wife of M. H. Patterson for 26 years, born November 1848 in North Carolina, was the mother of five children. All five children were still living in 1900.
14. Martha M. Murphy, wife of Wm. J. Murphy for 13 years, born May 1869 in North Carolina, was the mother of four children. Two of those children were still living in 1900.
15. Anna C. Gaster, wife of Thomas D. Gaster for 14 years, born December 1864 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. Two of those children were still living in 1900.
16. Mary E. Saunders, wife of Wm. A. Saunders for three years, born April 1880 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. Only one of those children was still living in 1900.
17. Mary E. Smith, wife of Henry Smith for 32 years, born October 1851 in North Carolina, was the mother of 14 children. Nine of those children were still living in 1900.
18. Sallie Johnson, wife of James E. Johnson for 17 years, born February 1862 in North Carolina, was the mother of 10 children. Three of those children were still living in 1900.
19. Sofrona J. Trogdon, wife of Esron (*Esriam) R. Trogdon for 31 years, born June 1843 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. All three children were still living in 1900.
20. Sarah Underwood, wife of Joseph Underwood for 20 years, born September 1857 in North Carolina, was the mother of seven children. Six of those children were still living in 1900.
21. Martha L. Un., wife of John P. J. for 24 years, born May 1853 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. Only two of those children was still living in 1900.
22. Armeta R. Brown, wife of Oliver P. Brown for 10 years, born April 1864 in North Carolina, was the mother of four children. All four children were still living in 1900.
23. Emma R. Winning., wife of M. F. Winning. for 20 years, born January 1860 in North Carolina, was the mother of six children. All six children were still living in 1900.
24. Bu. Hill, mother of Rufus M. Hill, widow, born December 1837 in North Carolina, was the mother of two children. Only one child was still living in 1900.
25. Easter R. York, wife of Edgar L. York for 27 years, born July 1854 in North Carolina, was the mother of 11 children. Nine of those children was still living in 1900.
26. Anna M. Hinshaw, wife of Zeno Hinshaw for 26 years, born April 1857 in North Carolina, was the mother of eight children. Seven of those children were still living in 1900.
27. Becca E. Morris, wife of Chas. H. Morris for 13 years, born March 1867 in North Carolina, was the mother seven children. Four of those children were still living in 1900.
28. Edna J. Glasgow, wife of (?) C. Glasgow for seven years, born April 1871 in North Carolina, was the mother of three children. Two of those children were still living in 1900.
29. Martha J. Glasgow, wife of Wm. M. Glasgow for 34 years, born June 1846 in North Carolina, was the mother of six children. Five of those children were still living in 1900.
30. May J. Unncanon, wife of Jones C. Unncanon for 14 years, born April 1856 in North Carolina, was the mother of four children. All four of those children were still living in 1900.
31. Priscilla I. Shaw, wife of Richard H. Shaw for 17 years, born January 1850 in North Carolina, was the mother of seven children. Six of those children were still living in 1900.
32. Cora H. Fentriss, wife of Ptolemy P. Fentriss for four years, born April 1868 in North Carolina, was the mother of one child. That child was still living in 1900.
33. Aseneth Fentriss, mother of Ptolemy P. Fentriss, widow, born February 1828 in North Carolina, was the mother of one child. That one child was still living in 1900.

*information provided is from additional personal research completed previously

Sources:

• 1900 Worthville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)

William Vester Trogdon

William "Vester" Trogdon was born 17 February 1899 in Randolph County, North Carolina. He was the fifth of 11 children born to Francis Marion Trogdon and Mary Virginia Owen Lineberry. Vester lived his entire life in the town of Franklinville, located in Randolph County, North Carolina. I don't know much about Vester beyond that which can be found in public records, but this is what I know.

Vester had a fourth grade education, which makes sense because his father was always in some sort of trade. I don't know where he went to school, but I doubt he would have met his future wife, Minnie Elisa Gray, while in school. She was seven years younger being born 28 March 1906. (Minnie had a seventh grade education. Since her father was a carpenter, a somewhat higher level of education would make sense for her and her family.)

Vester lived in Franklinville with his parents and siblings until he got married in 1921. She, too, lived in Franklinville her entire life. I think they probably met each other some time between 1910 and 1920 when Vester and his family moved down the road from Minnie. Before then, Vester was living in what was called West Franklinville in the 1910 census. I'm not sure what parts of town this actually covered, you can kind of tell from the enumeration district map the general idea.

Randolph County Enumeration District Map for 1920 Census

I wonder if Vester's family moved due to his father's (seemingly constant) change in occupation. In 1900, Francis Trogdon was a mechanic. He was living in an un-mortgaged house which wasn't located on a farm. In 1910, he shows up as a blacksmith owning his own shop, however, now he is living on a farm which carries a mortgage located in West Franklinville. (The older boys of the house seem to be the ones working the farm.) Then, in 1920, Francis is a machinist with his own shop with all of his older boys working with him in the shop. They live, probably in the same house, on a farm still, but now they are listed as owning the farm "freely" without a mortgage.

I wish I knew a little bit about Francis' machinist shop and the kinds of tools they made. Were they mechanic tools? Were they farming tools? Or were they tools to assist with the cotton mill that seemed to be the place to work in town? I think a wise machinist would cater to all three areas at least, but I like to at least think they helped the cotton mill from time to time because that's where Minnie was working in 1920 as a spinner.

Clipping from 1920 census showing Minnie's occupation

Franklinsville Manufacturing Company
1306 Andrew Hunter Road, Franklinville

As I said earlier, Vester and Minnie got married in 1921. They set up home, as you would have guessed, in Franklinville where they each grew up. By 1930, they own their own farm home with a total value of $400.

Clipping from the 1930 Census
Vester and Minnie were the only one of their neighbors with a radio!

Minnie came home from working at the mill, probably to be with the kids, and Vester ended up getting a job there as a loom fixer where he was still working in 1940. In 1940, the value of their home increased to $500, and Vester's income was stated to be $1,300 in the census.

Clipping from 1940 census showing Vester's occupation and salary

Vester and Minnie had a total of five children:

• Grace "Yvonne" Trogdon
• Gouldia Gray Trogdon (who died at two weeks old)
• Edith Maude Trogdon
• Helen Faye Trogdon
• William Gene Trogdon

They are buried at Grays Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Copyright Brittany Jenkins, 2011

Sources:

• 1900 Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 West Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Enumeration District Maps (accessed on FamilySearch)
• Randolph County Historic Landmark Preservation Commission - Franklinsville Mfg. Co.
• Tombstone, W. Vester and Minnie G. Trogdon (photo taken Christmas 2011)
• Town of Franklinville, NC

Phillip A. Jenkins and Minnie Sheron Jenkins

Happy Anniversary! Today would have been Phillip Arister Jenkins and Minnie Tree Sheron's 90th wedding anniversary. These are my husband's great-grandparents. In honor of that milestone, I wanted to talk about their family.

Phillip "Arister" Jenkins was born 31 August 1886 in Yadkin County, North Carolina. He was the second child born to Columbus Franklin Jenkins and Sarah Frances Southard. Arister first married Mary A. ("Molly") Nance. According to the 1910 Census, they were married about 1905. Together, Arister and Molly had at least five children. They were:

• Cora N. Jenkins, b. about 1905
• Columbus Paul Jenkins, b. 28 April 1909
• Fred Jenkins, b. about 1912
• Homer Jenkins, b. 22 February 1913
• Leona Jenkins, b. about 1917

Clipping from the 1920 Census

I do not know much about Arister and Molly's relationship. I was shocked when I even found out that Arister was married before he was married to Minnie! Molly Nance died 30 July 1921 at the age of 35. I have not yet found a cause of death for her. Her death (and life) have always been a bit of a mystery to me.

Copyright Brittany Jenkins, 2011.

After Molly's death, Arister married Minnie Tree Sheron, the daughter of Charles Wheeler Sheron and Lucy Jane Smith. They were married 21 February 1925 in Randolph County, North Carolina. Together, they had five children:

• Nellie Jane Jenkins, b. 16 January 1926
• Charles Wray Jenkins, b. 1927
• Phillip Earl Jenkins, b. 7 April 1929
• Joe Frank Jenkins, b. 1 March 1931
• Joyce J. Jenkins, b. about 1933

Clipping from the 1930 Census. Notice Arister's "Age at first marriage" is listed as 38, not 19.

Clipping from the 1940 Census.

I am unsure whether or not Nellie was born premature or was stillborn, but she died the same day she was born. My father-in-law did not even know of his Aunt Nellie's existence until I uncovered it in my research at the local cemetery. I wonder if her siblings even knew about her.

Copyright Brittany Jenkins, 2011.

Arister died at the age of 73 on 8 December 1959 in Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina of hemoplegia due to arteriosclerosis. Minnie died about 30 years later on 5 February 1993. Arister, Molly, Minnie, and Nellie are all buried at Grays Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina.

Copyright Brittany Jenkins, 2011.

Sources:

• 1910 Boonville, Yadkin County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Meadows, Stokes County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Providence, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1940 Providence, Randolph County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Death Certificate, Phillip Arister Jenkins (accessed on Ancestry)
• Tombstone, Molly Jenkins (photo taken Christmas 2011)
• Tombstone, Nellie Jane Jenkins (photo taken Christmas 2011)
• Tombstone, Phillip A. and Minnie S. Jenkins (photo taken Christmas 2011)