Thursday, September 26, 2019

My Great-Grandparents, Benjamin Franklin Todd and Cora L. Mater

Benjamin Franklin Todd

Early picture of Benjamin Franklin Todd, date unknown
My great-grandfather, Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Todd, is my mother's paternal grandfather. He was born on July 23, 1860 in Elizabeth City County, VA. This birth date is supported by the censuses he was enumerated in and is the date on his gravestone. An alternate birth date can be calculated from his death certificate, where it listed that he was "71 years, 2 months, 29 days" old when he died - this would put his birth date at July 21, 1860 - only two days off the July 23 date. Another alternate birth date can be estimated from his age given in the 1930 census - 68, which would result in an estimated birth year of 1862.

Benjamin first appeared in a census in 1870, when he was listed as a member of Elias Todd Jr. and Dianah Landrum's household on August 5, 1870 in Wythe Township, Elizabeth City County, VA along with Dianah Ella Todd (sister), Lemuel Baker Todd (brother), Mary E. "Lillie" Todd (sister), Elizabeth Topping (unknown relation), and Henrietta J. Todd (sister). He was 10 years old and was attending school.

He was listed as a member of Elias Todd Jr. and Dianah Landrum's household in the 1880 census on June 7, 1880 at a farm in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA along with Andrew Clay Todd (brother), Dianah Ella Todd (sister), Lemuel Baker Todd (brother), Lulu Belle Todd (sister), Margaret T. "Maggie" Todd (sister), Marnetta Todd (sister), Mary E. "Lillie" Todd (sister), Henrietta J. Todd (sister), and Elias Fayette "Fay" Todd (brother). He was 20 years old, single and worked on the family farm.

Frank bought land in Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA about 1890. The land was about 30 acres and he supposedly paid $1000. The site was located along Todd's Lane in Hampton, Virginia and was also where he built his home. This information has been handed down in the family and has not been corroborated through researching land deeds.

House where Benjamin Franklin and Cora Mater lived, shortly before it was torn down in the mid-1990s
Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Todd and Cora L. Mater obtained a marriage license on March 17, 1892 in Elizabeth City County, VA. This was the same day they were married. Benjamin's age was 31 and Cora's was 19. This was the first marriage for both, and they were both born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia. His parents were listed as Elias and Diana Todd, and her parents were W. H. and Hannah Mater. Benjamin worked as a clerk. Family story is that he worked at the J. T. Lee Store on Queen Street in Hampton, VA and walked 5 miles each day to open the store at 5 AM.

They were married on March 17, 1892 in Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA by W. R. Webb.

Marriage License of Benjamin Franklin Todd and Cora L. Mater
They appeared in the 1900 census on June 6, 1900 in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA along with their Florence "Flossie" Todd, Floyd Benjamin Todd, and Zachary Taylor "Zack" Todd. Benjamin was the head of household, 39, and born in July 1860 in Virginia. He and Cora had been married for 8 years. He was a farmer and could read and write. Their farm was owned with a mortgage. Cora was listed as his wife, 28, and born in March 1872 in Virginia. She had 3 children of which all 3 were living. She could also read and write. Their daughter, Florence, was 7 and born in January 1893 in Virginia. Their son, Floyd, was 4 and born in October 1895 in Virginia. Their younger son at this time, Zack (my maternal grandfather), was 2 and born in November 1897 in Virginia. Their farm was listed in the census immediately before the Elias Todd, Jr. (Benjamin's father) farm, which could mean their farms were adjacent to each other.

Frank and Cora next appeared in the 1910 census on May 11, 1910 in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA along with Emmett D. Todd Sr., Florence "Flossie" Todd, Floyd Benjamin Todd, Herbert Elias Todd, William Franklin Todd, and Zachary Taylor "Zack" Todd. They were listed in the census one farm away from Andrew C. Todd, Benjamin's brother, where Benjamin's mother Diana was living at the time. Benjamin was 49, a farmer, and born in Virginia. He and Cora had been married for 18 years. Their farm was still mortgaged. Cora was listed as 30 (this is a little off - she would have been about 37 at this time), mother of 6 children of which all 6 were living, and born in Virginia. Their daughter, Florence, was 17, single and born in Virginia. Their son, Floyd, was 14, born in Virginia, and had attended school the previous year. He worked as a laborer on the farm. Their son, Zachariah (also known as Zack, my grandfather), was 12, born in Virginia and had attended school the previous year. (This is the only document I've found where my grandfather is listed as "Zachariah", instead of Zachary, Zackary, Jack or Zack.) Their son, William, was 8 and born in Virginia. Their son, Emmet, was 6 and born in Virginia. Their youngest son at this time, Herbert, was 5 and born in Virginia.

Benjamin's address was R.F.D. #2 in Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA on September 12, 1918. This information is from the World War I draft registration of his son, Zachary.

Benjamin and Cora appeared in the 1920 census on January 28, 1920 in Elizabeth City County, VA along with Carroll Todd, Emmett D. Todd Sr., Floyd Benjamin Todd, Herbert Elias Todd, and William Franklin Todd. Benjamin, who was listed as "B. Frank Todd" in this census, was the head of household, 59, married, a farmer, and born in Virginia. Cora was listed as his wife, 45 (her age was 46), and born in Virginia. Their farm was owned free with no mortgage. Their son, Floyd, was 23, single, and born in Virginia. He had no occupation listed, although he probably helped on the farm, as did all their sons. Their son Franklyn (William F.) was 18, single and born in Virginia. He also had no occupation listed. Their son, Emmett, was 16, single and born in Virginia. Their son, Herbert, was 15, born in Virginia, and had attended school since September 1, 1919. Their youngest son, Carrol (Carroll), was 9, born in Virginia, and had also attended school since September 1, 1919.

They appeared in the 1930 census on April 3, 1930 in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA along with Carroll Todd, Floyd Benjamin Todd, Herbert Elias Todd, and William Franklin Todd. Benjamin was listed as "Frank Todd" in this census. He was the head of household, 68, born in Virginia, and a general farmer. He was married to Cora, and he was 30 when married (a little off - he was closer to 32). Cora was listed as his wife, 57, and born in Virginia. She was 19 when married. They owned a home worth $3000, lived on a farm, and had a radio set. Their son, Floyd, was 36, single, born in Virginia, and worked on the farm. He was listed as a World War I veteran. Their son, Franklin (William F.) was 26, single, born in Virginia, and worked on the farm. Their son, Herbert, was 23, single, born in Virginia, and worked as a ship fitter at a shipyard. Their youngest son, Carol (Carroll) was 20, single, born in Virginia, and worked as a draftsman at a shipyard.

Benjamin died from valvular heart disease on October 20, 1931 at the age of 71 in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA. His death certificate said he was 71 years, 2 months, 29 days of age, born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia and a farmer. Death occurred in Elizabeth City County, Wythe Magisterial District (probably his home, based on his census location being the same). He was married, and the informant was his widow, Mrs. B. F. Todd (Cora Mater Todd). His father's name was given as "Elijah" Todd (Elias Todd), born in Elizabeth City County, and his mother's name was given as Dianna Landrum, also born in Elizabeth City County. His doctor attended him from April 1931 until he passed away at 11 AM on October 20, 1931. According to his doctor, his death was not an accident, suicide or homicide, and was not related to his occupation. He was to be buried on October 23, 1931 in the West Burying Ground (Cemetery) in Hampton. My Mom had always heard that he died of Bright's disease and also suffered from gout in his lower legs, but neither of these conditions were listed on his death certificate as contributing causes to his death.

Frank's obituary appeared on October 21, 1931 in the Daily Press newspaper in Newport News, VA: "BENJAMIN F. TODD DIES AT BIG BETHEL. Benjamin Franklin Todd, aged 71 years, died at his home near Big Bethel yesterday morning at 11 o'clock. Mr. Todd had been ill for some time. Mr. Todd is survived by his widow and seven children: Mrs. Florence Wilson, Floyd, Jack, Franklin, Emmette [sic], Herbert and Carroll Todd. There are two surviving brothers, L. B. Todd and A. C. Todd and five sisters [even though six are listed]: Mrs. D. L. Souder, Mrs. T. S. Tennis, Mrs. Edward Shackelford, Miss Maggie Todd, Miss Ella Todd and Miss Henrietta Todd. Mr. Todd, who was a prominent farmer of Elizabeth City County, was born and reared near Big Bethel. Arrangements for the funeral had not been completed last night." (The fact that funeral plans had not been completed may indicate that his death was unexpected.)

Benjamin F. Todd's Obituary
He was buried probably a day or two after October 21, 1931 at Peninsula Memorial Park in Newport News, VA. His headstone is next to the headstone for his wife Cora, their daughter Florence (Flossie) and two infants in the R. S. Wilson plot. R. S. Wilson was his son-in-law, married to Flossie. I have found no evidence that he was ever buried in the West Burying Ground in Hampton, Virginia as written in his death certificate.

Benjamin F. Todd Gravestone

Cora L. Mater

Early picture of Cora L. Mater, date unknown
My great-grandmother and my mother's paternal grandmother, Cora L. Mater, was the daughter of William H. Mater and Hannah J. Topping and was born on March 15, 1873 in Elizabeth City County, VA. This is the birth date I've found for Cora that is supported by her marriage certificate, death certificate, tombstone, and multiple censuses. Alternate birth dates for Cora include March 1872 (a year earlier) from the 1900 census, and an estimated 1874 (her age was listed as 45) from the 1920 census.

She first appeared in the 1880 census as a member of William H. Mater and Hannah J. "Jennie" Topping's household on June 14, 1880 at a farm in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA along with her sister Carrie B. Mater, sister Catherine T. "Cate" Mater, sister Lucy Mater, and brother William Garrett Mater. Cora, their daughter, was 7 years old and born in Virginia.

Cora's listings in the 1900 - 1930 censuses are described above for her husband, Benjamin.

After her husband passed away, she was listed in the household of Floyd Benjamin Todd in the 1940 census on April 1, 1940 in Wythe District, Elizabeth City County, VA along with Calvin Bernard "Bernie" Todd, Emmett D. Todd Sr., Emmett Dudley Todd Jr., William Franklin Todd, and Grace M. Hodgins. Cora L (67, widowed, born in Virginia) was living with her son Floyd (44, born in Virginia), her son Frank (38, born in Virginia), her son Emmett (36, married, born in Virginia) and his wife Grace M (31, married, born in Virginia), and their two sons (her grandsons): Emmett, Jr. (5, born in Virginia) and Calvin (2, born in Virginia). They all lived on a farm worth $5000, and had all lived in the same house in 1935. Cora had a 5th grade education and no occupation.

Cora was a long-time member of Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA until March 9, 1954.

She lived at Big Bethel Road in Hampton, VA until March 9, 1954. My mother remembers differently that Cora lived at the old farmhouse on Todd's Lane until she passed away. She remembers visiting her as a young girl and how "stern" Cora seemed.

Cora died from cerebral hemorrhage and arteriosclerosis on March 9, 1954 at the age of 80 at Riverside Hospital in Newport News, VA. The informant on her death certificate was one of her sons, Carroll, who lived on Manteo Avenue in Hampton, VA.

Cora's obituary appeared on March 10, 1954 in the Daily Press newspaper in Newport News, VA: "Mrs. Cora Mater Todd, 81, of Big Bethel Road, Hampton, died yesterday in Riverside Hospital after a long illness. A native of Elizabeth City County, she was the widow of B. F. Todd and was a member of Liberty Baptist Church. Survivors are a daughter, Mrs. R. S. Wilson of Warwick; six sons, Floyd Todd, Zack Todd, Franklin Todd, Emmett Todd, Herbert Todd and Carroll Todd, all of Hampton; three sisters, Mrs. Perry Leisher of Silver Spring, MD, Mrs. Ruth Wagner of Brooklyn, and Mrs. W. T. Wilson of Warwick, 18 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 3 P. M. with the Rev. George B. Fletcher, of Liberty Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Peninsula Memorial Park, Warwick. Pallbearers will be six of Mrs. Todd's nephews, B. R. Wilson, Dixie Wilson, Herman Wilson, Dudley Todd, Bernard Todd and Robert Wood. Friends of the family will act as honorary pallbearers."

Cora L. Mater's Obituary

Cora's funeral was held on March 11, 1954 at Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton, VA, and she was buried on the same day at Peninsula Memorial Park in Newport News, VA.

Cora L. Mater's Gravestone

Children of Benjamin Franklin Todd and Cora L. Mater

Benjamin Franklin Todd and Cora L. Mater had the following children:

Florence "Flossie" Todd, born January 3, 1893, Virginia; married Richard Saunders Wilson Sr., October 7, 1912, Elizabeth City, Pasquotank, North Carolina; died November 6, 1964.

Floyd Benjamin Todd, born October 6, 1895 in Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA; never married; died June 3, 1989 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Hampton, VA.

Zachary Taylor "Zack" Todd, born November 9, 1897, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA; married Mamie Virginia Leitch, March 2, 1926, Norfolk, VA; died November 29, 1973, Williamsburg, James City County, VA.

William Franklin Todd, born August 24, 1901 in Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA; never married; died April 19, 1986, Elizabeth City County, VA.

Emmett D. Todd Sr., born October 20, 1903, Virginia; married Grace M. Hodgins, about 1929; died April 10, 1996, Hampton, VA.

Herbert Elias Todd, born December 23, 1904, Virginia; married Rosa Lee Nettles, August 31, 1931, Phoebus, Elizabeth City County, VA; died September 14, 1995, Newport News, VA.

Carroll Todd, born July 19, 1910, Virginia; married Mildred Elizabeth Saunders, October 2, 1935, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, VA; died June 24, 2004, Hampton, VA.


Bibliography of Sources Used

"America's Obituaries and Death Notices, accessed from the public library." Transcription. NewsBank, Inc., infoweb@newsbank. http://www.newsbank.com/ : 2006.

"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/). Index entries derived from digital copies of originals housed in various repositories throughout Virginia.

"World War I Draft Registration Cards., 1917-1918." Digital images. Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com : 2007.

, Ancestry.com. "Virginia Death Records , 1912-2014." Database. Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com : 2015.

[ItemID], The Daily Press, Newport News, VA, [Date], [Details]. [Annotation].

Daily Press. Newport News, VA, 21 October 1931.

Elizabeth City County. 1910, population schedule. Digital images. Ancestry Library Edition. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com : 2008.

Elizabeth City County. 1920 census, population schedule. Digital images. AncestryLibrary.com. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com : 2008.

Elizabeth City County. 1930 census, population schedule. Digital images. AncestryLibrary.com. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com : 2008.

Home, Lawrence B. Wood Funeral. Funeral program. . Privately held by Steve Campbell, [Address for private use], Satellite Beach. 2017.

Peninsula Memorial Park Cemetery (12750 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA). Grave marker data.

Social Security Administration. "U.S. Social Security Death Index." FamilySearch. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 2011.

Tipton, Jim, founder. "FindAGrave.com." Database. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com : 2017.

VA. Elizabeth City County. 1900 census, population schedule. Digital images. AncestryLibrary.com. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com : 2008.

VA. Newport News. Daily Press. 19 May 1908.

VA. Richmond. Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. Department of Health. Death certificate.

VA. Richmond. Virginia Department of Health. Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records. Death certificate.

Virginia. Elizabeth City County.  image kept on Home Computer, Satellite Beach, FL.

Virginia. Elizabeth City County. 1870 census, population schedule. Digital images. archives.com. http://www.archives.com : 2013.

Virginia. Elizabeth City County. 1880 census, population schedule. Digital images. Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com : 2013.

Virginia. Elizabeth City County. 1940 census, population schedule. Digital images. 1940census.archives.gov. http://1940census.archives.gov : 2012.

Virginia. Newport News.,  \i Daily Press\i0.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

My Great-Grandparents, William Floyd Campbell and Elizabeth S. "Bettie" Carneal

William Floyd Campbell

William Floyd Campbell, about 1940
William Floyd Campbell is my great-grandfather (my Dad's paternal grandfather) and was born on February 22, 1876 in Caroline County, VA. He was the oldest son of Robert Lee Campbell and Fanny S. Mills. His birth date information comes from his World War I draft registration and his death certificate, and is supported on multiple censuses. However, in the 1900 census where the month and year of birth for each person is listed, William Floyd's birth date is listed as February 1877.

He was listed as a member of Robert Lee Campbell and Fanny S. Mills's household in the census on June 4, 1880 in District 29, Caroline County, Virginia along with Emma D. Campbell (his sister), Jeter Dallas Campbell (his brother), and Robert L. Campbell (his brother). William Floyd was 4 years old and born in Virginia.

He bought land and an existing farmhouse in Caroline County, VA sometime around 1895. The house previously belonged to Tom Reynolds, according to the WPA report from September 1937 on the structure.

The general location of the land William Floyd Campbell bought; needs evaluation


In the 1900 census, William Floyd was listed in the household of Elizabeth S. "Bettie" Reynolds on June 21, 1900 in Caroline County, VA along with Alfred Rixey Reynolds (Bettie's son), Aubrey D. Reynolds (Bettie's son), Robert L. "Bob" Reynolds (Bettie's son), and Fannie Carnell [Carneal] (Bettie's step-mother, although she is listed as her mother-in-law). He was 23 years old and listed his occupation as farmer. His relation to Bettie S. Reynolds (head of household) was boarder. Bettie's husband, Thomas Reynolds, had died a few years before the census. The farm they lived on at the time of the 1900 census is assumed to be the same one William Floyd had purchased in 1895 from Bettie's husband.

William Floyd Campbell and Elizabeth S. "Bettie" Reynolds (Carneal) were married a couple of months after the 1900 census, on August 8, 1900 in Caroline County, VA.

William Floyd was listed as one of the "principal farmers" in the community of Knopf, VA (located near Milford and no longer in existence) in 1910 and again in 1916. His main crops were tobacco, corn, wheat and potatoes.

William Floyd and Bettie Campbell and their family were listed in the 1910 census on April 28, 1910 at Knopf Road in Caroline County, VA. In this census, William Floyd is erroneously listed as William F. "Cammel" (it's hard to read), instead of "Campbell". The family consisted of William F. (34), his wife Bettie S. (40), daughter Pearl L. (8), son Thomas F. (my paternal grandfather (7), daughter Ester (4), and step-sons Alfred R. Reynolds (18) and Robert L. Reynolds (14). This was William Floyd's first marriage and Bettie's second, and they had been married for 10 years. Bettie said she had 6 children, of which 6 were still living. Alfred and Robert were children from her first marriage to Thomas Reynolds. Everyone and their parents were born in Virginia. William Floyd's occupation was farmer on his own general farm. Alfred and Robert were paid farm laborers on the farm. Pearl, Thomas F., and Robert had all attended school within the last year.

Bettie and William Floyd Campbell, about 1915 at their home in Caroline County, Virginia.
(this picture was provided by my Dad's first cousin, Betty Schools)
William Floyd registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918 in Bowling Green, Caroline County, VA. On his registration, he stated he lived in Knopf, Caroline County and he was a farmer. He was described as tall, medium build, with grey eyes and dark hair, and had no obvious physical deformities.

World War I draft registration for William Floyd Campbell
 William Floyd and Bettie Campbell and their family were enumerated in the 1920 census on January 28, 1920 in Caroline County, VA.  The family consisted of William F. (43, head of household), Bettie S. (53, wife), Pearl M. (18, daughter), Thomas F. (17, son), and Esther E. (12, daughter).  William Floyd's occupation was farming on a general farm, and Pearl's occupation was public school teacher.  A niece of William Floyd and Bettie, Minnie E. Carneal (15), also lived with the family.  Esther and Minnie had attended school within the last year, Pearl and Thomas had not. Everyone in the family indicated that they could read and write. The farm they lived on was owned free of any mortgage, and I believe it was still the farm William Floyd had purchased from Tom Reynolds around 1895.  The family's next door neighbors were the Lindley family and the Robert P. Beazley family.

William Floyd and Bettie Campbell were listed in the 1930 census on April 9, 1930 on a farm (believed to be the same farm) in Caroline County, VA. William Floyd was 54 and Bettie was 63. He indicated he was 25 when first married; she was 21 when first married. His occupation was still farmer on his own general farm, and he was not a veteran. Interestingly, Bettie's entry for whether she could read and write was left blank by the enumerator. They did not own a radio, and there were no other family members living with them.

William Floyd lived in Caroline County, VA on September 2, 1937 in the old farmhouse he purchased in 1895, as described in a report from the Works Progress Administration of Virginia Historical Inventory. I have an old picture of the house from the WPA report and a description of its construction. It was called "The Campbell Home" in the report, which stated that Floyd bought the house from its previous owner, Thomas Reynolds - Bettie Carneal's first husband - about 1895. That would be around the time Tom Reynolds passed away.

Photo of "The Campbell Home", 1937, from WPA Report and Library of Virginia   
 He was listed in the household of Maynard Hall Dyson (44, his son-in-law) in the 1940 census on April 1, 1940 in Bowling Green, Caroline County, VA along with Esther Evelyn Campbell (33, his daughter) and Evelyn Hall "Pinky" Dyson (4, his granddaughter). Floyd was 64 and widowed at this time. In 1935, he was listed as living with Maynard and his family in rural Hanover County, VA. This contradicts the 1937 WPA report on the Campbell home that stated he was living in Caroline County in 1937, although he could have still owned that property and lived with the Dyson family in Hanover County. William Floyd had a 7th grade education. He didn't list any salary working for 52 weeks in 1939 as a laborer on the farm. He had worked 60 hours the week before the census, and didn't receive any other income for 1939.

William Floyd died from coronary occlusion, with significant conditions such as exertion following chronic myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and previous coronary attacks, at 1:30 PM on July 30, 1941 at the age of 65 in Caroline County, VA. On his death certificate, his residence was given as Caroline County, Virginia, his date of birth was Feb. 22, 1876, and he was born in Caroline County, Virginia. His occupation was farmer. His father's name was listed as Robert L. Campbell, born in Caroline County, Virginia and his mother's maiden name was listed as Fanny Mills, born in Louisa County, Virginia. The informant on the death certificate was his son-in-law, Maynard Dyson, from Milford, Va. His doctor, John E. Broaddus, MD from Bowling Green, Va  attended him from July 29 until July 30, and last saw him alive on July 30. Interestingly, when I told my Dad about this, he was positive that his grandfather William Floyd was much older, in his 70s, when he passed on. At the time his grandfather passed, my Dad would have been 11 years old.

William Floyd was buried on August 1, 1941 at Wright's Chapel United Methodist Church in Ruther Glen, Caroline County, VA. The funeral director was Davis & Pegg, Bowling Green, Va.

William Floyd Campbell's gravestone, from findagrave.com
My grandfather, Thomas Floyd Campbell, had the picture below of his father standing outside in front of two children sitting on a bench. According to my grandfather, William Floyd was well-known locally for the watermelons he grew on his farm. My Dad told me his grandfather would set them in the shade of a tree covered in wet burlap sacks to cool them off and get them ready to eat.  My Dad says that the two children in the old picture with William Floyd are two of my Dad's first cousins - R. W. Jones and Evelyn Dyson.

William Floyd Campbell, with R.W. Jones and Evelyn Dyson in background
My Dad also told me that after William Floyd's wife Bettie died, he moved in with his daughter, Esther, and her husband Maynard Dyson and family. This would support William Floyd's listing with the Dyson family in the 1940 census. After he started living with the Dyson's, the farm was supposedly sold to a black family and was almost totally destroyed by fire sometime in the early 1940's(?). A big white oak tree in front of the house may have survived the fire.


Elizabeth S. "Bettie" Carneal

Bettie S. Campbell (Carneal), 2nd from left, with her children from left - Pearl, Thomas Floyd and Esther
 Elizabeth S. "Bettie" Carneal, my great-grandmother and my Dad's paternal grandmother, was the daughter of Archibald Thomas Carneal and Mildred Ann Wash, and was born in January 1865 in Virginia. This was the month and year given for her in the 1900 census and also in the register of births for Caroline County database on Ancestry.com. Other estimated birth dates include 1864 (from her age in the 1870 census), 1866 (from the 1880, 1920 and 1930 censuses and her tombstone), 1870 (from the 1910 census), and 1877 (from her death certificate where her son-in-law, Andrew B. Jones, was the informant). The January 1865 birth date from the 1900 census seems most likely, since the other census birth dates are estimated and her death certificate contained erroneous data - such as her age at death being "about 59".

She was listed as a member of Archibald Thomas Carneal and Mildred Ann Wash's household in the 1870 census on August 9, 1870 in Caroline County, VA along with Archer Dick "Archie" Carneal (her brother), Charles Lewis Carneal (her brother), Roberta Jordan (a servant), and Jeanett Carneal (her brother, although listed as her sister in this census). Bettie was 6 years old and born in Virginia.

She was listed as a member of Archibald Thomas Carneal and Frances J. "Fannie" Mills's household in the 1880 census on June 14, 1880 in Madison District, Caroline County, VA along with Archer Dick "Archie" Carneal (her brother), Charles Lewis Carneal (her brother), Mildred Ann Carneal (her sister), and Jeanett Carneal (her brother). Bettie was 14 years old, daughter, single, at home, had attended school, and was born in Virginia.

Bettie married her first husband, Thomas H. Reynolds, on December 24, 1887 in Caroline County, Virginia. They had three sons, Aubrey, Alfred and Robert. Thomas was born in November 1860 in Caroline County, Virginia and passed away on February 10, 1896 in the same county. 

As mentioned above for William Floyd Campbell, Bettie appeared in the census on June 21, 1900 in Caroline County, VA. She is listed as 35 years old, born in Virginia in January 1865, widowed and living with her mother-in-law (should be step-mother) Fannie Carnell [Carneal] (78), her three sons by her first marriage to Thomas Reynolds: Aubrey D. Reynolds (11), Alfred R. Reynolds (9), and Robert L. Reynolds (5), and my great-grandfather, William Floyd Campbell (23), living there as a boarder. She was a farmer, owned her farm, and had 3 children of which all 3 were still living.

Bettie's information for the 1910, 1920 and 1930 censuses when she was married to William Floyd Campbell is described above.

Bettie died at 1 pm on July 7, 1936 at the age of 71 in Woodford, Caroline County, VA of cerebral softening from a stroke suffered in 1933. Her death certificate stated her usual residence was Woodford, VA and she was married to Floyd Wm Campbell (should be William Floyd Campbell). Her age was estimated to be "about 59" and her birthplace was given as Woodford, VA. Her occupation was housekeeping in her own home. Bettie's father was listed as Arch Carneal, born in Woodford, VA, and her mother was listed as  Mildred Waste, born in Beaverdam, VA. (Waste appears to be a variation on Wash or Walsh.) The informant was Andrew Jones of Whites, VA, who was Bettie's son-in-law married to her older daughter, Pearl. (By comparing the handwriting, most of the death certificate appears to be filled out by the doctor; the mother's name and birthplace were filled out by someone different, as was the funeral and burial information.) Her doctor was also John G. Broaddus, MD of Bowling Green VA, who attended her from June 20, 1936 until July 7, 1936, and last saw her alive on July 5, 1936.

Bettie was buried on July 9, 1936 at Wright's Chapel United Methodist Church in Ruther Glen, Caroline County, VA. Her grave is located next to her husband's, William Floyd Campbell. The undertaker was Hugh Pegg of Bowling Green, VA.

Bettie S. Campbell's gravestone, from findagrave.com

Children of William Floyd Campbell and Elizabeth S. "Bettie" Carneal

William Floyd Campbell and Elizabeth "Bettie" S. Carneal had the following children:

Pearl Lennon Campbell, born April 26, 1901, Caroline County, VA; married Andrew Broaddus Jones Sr, June 17, 1930, Henrico County, VA; died May 21, 1943, Richmond, VA.

Thomas Floyd "Floyd" Campbell (my paternal grandfather), born September 22, 1903, Caroline County, VA; married Mary Elva West (my paternal grandmother), June 11, 1929, Richmond, VA; died November 19, 1991, Newport News, VA.

Esther Evelyn Campbell, born January 12, 1907, Caroline County, VA; married Maynard Hall Dyson, about 1935; died June 16, 1988, Bowling Green, Caroline County, VA.


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