Loftin
LOFTIN
GENEALOGY
LINE
Curtis
Dean
Loftin
(1953 - 20??)
Sam
William
Loftin
(1918 - 1979)
Alonzo
Lester
Loftin
(1876 - 1937)
William Alexander
Loftin
(1851 - 1939)
James
Franklin
Loftin
(1827 - 1864)
Thomas
Loftin
(1798 - 185?)
James
Loftin
(1768 - 1836)
John
Loftin
(1740 - 1793)
Cornelius
Loftin III
(1714 - 1785)
Cornelius
Loftin II
(1675 - 1735)
Cornelius
Loftin I
(1648 - 1735)
Leonard
"Laughton"
Loftin
(1610 - 1678)
_______
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Alonzo Lester Loftin
Born: 05 Feb 1876, Catawba County, NC
Died: 04 Feb 1937, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NCAlonzo Lester Loftin was the first child born to William Alexander Loftin and Laura Rossie Cranford. He was born February 5, 1876 in Catawba County, NC. Laura was 20-years-old and Alec was 24 at the time of his birth.
Alonzo’s siblings were:
Frances Ivey Loftin (born 19 Sep 1878)
Zettie Wilson Loftin (born 25 May 1881)
Arthur Lee Loftin (born 20 June 1884)
W. Garland Loftin (born 23 May 1887)
Hattie Pearl Loftin (born 09 Jul 1890)
Cordie Bland Loftin (born 26 Aug 1894)
(Left to Right) Garland, Alec & Pearl, Lee, Laura & Cordie, Frances, Alonzo, Zettie and Cornelia.
Alonzo with his sisters
Frances and Zettie Loftin about 1895Alonzo met and married Cornelia “Nelia” Estelle Lowrance on 23 Dec 1894 in Catawba County, NC. Cornelia was the daughter of Henry Durant Lowrance and Sarah Josephine Bost.
Alonzo & Nelia's marriage license is dated 19 Dec 1894.
They were married on 23 Dec 1894.
Alonzo and Cornelia had five children, Nannie May Loftin, Roy Henry Loftin, Lillie Stamey Loftin, Floye Hovis Loftin and Verdie Lee Loftin.
Alonzo & Cornelia around 1902 with four of their children:
(left to right) Nannie, Roy, Floye and LillieThis copy of the 1900 Catawba County Census shows Alonzo age 24 and Cornelia/Nelia age 24 had 3 children, Nannie May, Lillie Stamey and Roy Henry. Alonzo’s occupation was listed as a Dry Goods Merchant, quite possibly one of the stores he operated in the town of Catawba, NC on Main Street.
1900 Catawba County Census
Last Name First Name Relation Race Sex Birth Month Year Age Occupation Loftin Alonzo L. Head W M Feb 1876 24 Dry Goods Merchant ------ Nelia E. Wife W F July 1875 24 ------ Nannie M. Daughter W F Nov 1895 4 ------ Lillie S. Daughter W F Sept 1897 2 ------ Roy Son W M July 1899 10/12 According to Lena Yount Ramsey, in a phone conversation on 02 Sep 2011, Alonzo also sold moonshine from his dry-goods store before Prohibition (1920). Lena remembers her mother taking 1/2 gallon jars to Alonzo's dry-goods store to get moonshine. According to Lena, Alonzo got the moonshine from Pump Alley who had a still near his home.
According to Peggy Loftin Brotherton (daughter of Theodore Roosevelt Loftin), Alonzo lived on the Pump Alley Road and on Mathis Chapel Church Rd (down the road about 1.5 miles on the right) before building the final family home on Sherrills Ford Road in Catawba County.
Alonzo & Cornelia attended the Catawba Methodist Church. Cornelia joined the church on 23 Oct 1892 and was received by vows. Church records indicate that Alonzo's daughters, Nannie & Lillie, were infant baptized there on 19 Oct 1897.
(Below) Catawba Main Street, 1900
Children of Alonzo Lester Loftin and Cornelia Estelle Lowrance Name Birth Death Spouse Nannie May Loftin 08 Nov 1895 15 Jul 1982 Wade Vernon Martin
m. 1915Lillie Stamey Loftin 06 Sep 1897 04 Aug 1988 Never Married Roy Henry Loftin 27 Jul 1899 24 Jun 1972 Sarah Mae Morrow
m. 22 Jun 1925Floye Hovis Loftin 26 Jul 1901 06 Jan 1973 William Ellers Verdie Lee Loftin 07 Sep 1903 06 Mar 1993 (1) Fitzhugh Boggs
(2) Ralph Copeny
(3) Harold YountTragedy struck the young family in February 1904 when Cornelia died of pneumonia at the age of 28. Also in the same month and year, Cornelia’s mother, Sarah, died. Cornelia is buried at First Methodist Church in Catawba, NC, next to her parents, Henry and Sarah Lowrance. Alonzo was 27 at the time.
(Left) Cornelia Lowrance Loftin's headstone
(Right) Alonzo Lester Loftin about 1900
After Cornelia’s death from pneumonia on 11 Feb 1904, Alonzo was left alone to work and raise five small children. Since he could not watch over them and work at the same time, it was suggested that he send them away to an orphanage in the township of Marion in McDowall County.
With regret, Alonzo made the decision to send his children to the orphanage temporarily.
Alonzo's parents, Alec & Laura Loftin, were not able to take in all 5 of their grandchildren, but made the decision to retrieve Alonzo's baby girl, Verdie Lee, and bring her home with them.
Alonzo quickly started looking for a new mother for his children. According to Peggy Loftin Brotherton, Alonzo first met his second wife, Ida Lillian Setzer, at the Balls Creek Campground. "She was wearing a blue-tiered chiffon dress and when he saw her he said, 'There goes the woman I’m gonna marry.'” Alonzo got up, pursued her, and eventually wed her. Alonzo and Ida were married just a few months later on 05 Nov 1904. He was 28 years old and she was 20.
Alonzo & Ida's Marriage License from November 5, 1904
Alonzo's Signature
(Below) Alonzo with a group of men that worked around the Shuford Gold Mine in Catawba County. Alonzo is sitting in the chair. His brother, Garland, is second from the end on the right side, and died in Aug 1912.
Gold Mine Store prior to destruction by arson in February 2007
The Gold Mine Store was originally called the Shuford Mine Store and was located nearer the Shufford Gold Mine. It was moved to this location in 1925 to avert vandalism. During gold mining days, locals claim the safe in the store was blown open twice. A beef was slaughtered every two weeks at the store and packaged for sale. The east wing housed a millinery shop and the store owner went to Charlotte twice a year for new hat patterns. The store also served as the Edith Post Office until 1907.
Within a year Alonzo and Ida had started a family of their own and soon started to bring the other children home from the orphanage. Alonzo & Ida attended Catawba Methodist Church.
Their first child Charlie Roosevelt Loftin was born 22 Oct 1905. Charlie was baptized at the Catawba Methodist Church on 25 Oct 1906.
Alonzo was a staunch Republican and a fan of Theodore Roosevelt, so when his second son was born, Alonzo and Ida named him Theodore Roosevelt Loftin. Both Charlie and Theodore had Roosevelt as their middle name. Theodore was born 25 Dec 1906 and was called “Speedo”.
In 1908, another infant son was born to Alonzo and Ida but he didn’t live.
Theodore Roosevelt "Speedo" Loftin Infant Son Loftin 1908 - 1908
Alonzo and Ida's first daughter, Sadie Elizabeth Loftin, was born in 1910.
Ida gave birth to a set of twins on 31 May 1911 and named them Willie Thelma Loftin and Callie Elma Loftin.
Sallie Allie Loftin was born 12 Sep 1913.
(Left) Thelma & Elma Loftin
(Right) Speedo, Allie, Charlie & Sadie Loftin
According to the 1910 Catawba County Census, Alonzo’s brother, Garland, was living with the family and worked as a salesman at a grocery store. On 02 Aug 1912, Garland died after having been married only about 5 and 1/2 weeks. Conner Burch, a boarder, was also living with the family. Conner was a laborer and worked at a local lumber mill. Alonzo’s children according to the 1910 Census were Lillie, Roy, Floy, Charlie, Theodore and Sadie.
Nannie, age 15, was still living at the Elhanan Training Institute and Orphanage. According to Frances Loftin Cook, Nannie was sent away to the mountains to live and was “brought up” there. Frances said “Nannie was always more refined with manners and other things that she had learned there. Daddy would take vegetables and hams to pay for her stay.”
Verdie Lee, age 6, was still living with her paternal grandfather, William Alexander Loftin, whose wife Laura had just died the year before in 1909.
1910 Catawba County Census
Last Name First Name Relation Age Occupation Occupation Loftin Alonzo L. Head 34 Manufacturer ------ Ida Wife 25 Home ------ Lillie Daughter 12 None ------ Roy Son 10 Laborer Odd Jobs ------ Floy Daughter 8 None ------ Charlie Son 4 None ------ Theodore Son 3 None ------ Sadie Daughter 9/12 None ------ Garland Brother 22 Salesman Grocery Store Burch Conner Boarder 34 Laborer Lumber Mill Ida, who was a twin herself, gave birth to a second set of twins on 06 Jun 1914 when Daisy Pearl Loftin and Daniel P. Loftin were born.
Unfortunately, Daniel didn’t live beyond 1914. Daniel is buried at Center Methodist Church in Catawba beside his other unnamed brothers.Mike Whitener Loftin was born 18 Feb 1916.
Alonzo and Ida’s twelfth child, Sam William Loftin, was born 13 May 1918.
(RIght)) Infant Son; June 6, 1914 - June 6, 1914
(Left) Alonzo Lester Loftin's signature from his
WWI Draft Registration Card dated September 12, 1918.
According to the 1920 Catawba County Census, Alonzo owned and operated a store in the town of Catawba. Willie Goble Loftin said the store sold fertilizer and livestock feed, as well as eggs and groceries. The store was the last store on the street, located closest to current location of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Alonzo's oldest son, Roy, operated another store in Catawba.
1920 Catawba County Census
Last Name First Name Relation Age Occupation Occupation Loftin Alonzo L Head 44 Store Feed Store ------ Ida Wife 35 None ------ Charlie R. Son 14 Labor Home Farm ------ Theodore Son 13 Labor Home Farm ------ Sadie E. Daughter 10 None ------ Thelma W. Daughter 8 None ------ Callie E. Daughter 8 None ------ Sallie A. Daughter 7 None ------ Daisy P. Daughter 5 None ------ Michael W. Son 3 11/12 None ------ Sam Son 1 3/12 None Alonzo's stores were doing well and he actually amassed a small fortune and a large amount of property in the Catawba County. The following list of property purchases indicate how vast his property holdings were.
Property purchased by Alonzo Lester Loftin Grantee (Purchaser) Grantee (Seller) Year Kind of
InstrumentBook Page Alonzo Loftin T. W. Long 1898 Deed 64 321 Alonzo & Nelia Loftin Candace Witherspoon 1902 Mortgage 68 85-C Alonzo Loftin John F. Stafford 1902 Deed 64 510 Alonzo Loftin R. G. Lee 1902 Deed 68 84 Alonzo & Neila Loftin M. Rufty 1903 Mortgage 65 356-C Alonzo Loftin J. W. Drum 1903 Deed 70 126 Alonzo Loftin Frick Comp. 1904 Mortgage 67 277 Alonzo Loftin Henry F. Rockett 1904 Deed 68 429 Alonzo Loftin M. Ed Loftin 1904 Deed 76 173 Alonzo & Ida Loftin Charles Drum 1905 Deed 76 174 Alonzo & Ida Loftin John F. Herman 1905 Deed 76 555 Alonzo & Ida Loftin C. B. Rufty 1907 Mortgage 79 350-C Alonzo & Ida Loftin L. A. Keever 1907 Mortgage 79 495-C Alonzo Loftin L. A. Keever 1907 Deed 84 138 Alonzo & Ida Loftin W. L. Alley 1909 Mortgage 92 14 Alonzo Loftin W. L. Alley 1909 Deed 93 431 Alonzo & Ida Loftin C. B. Rufty 1911 Mortgage 92 597 Alonzo & Ida Loftin Ben Pool 1911 Deed 99 11 Alonzo & Ida Loftin Harriet Reel 1911 Mortgage 101 15-C Alonzo & Ida Loftin Fannie Stamey 1911 Mortgage 101 76-C Alonzo Loftin Ham Reel 1911 Deed 99 334 Alonzo Loftin W. A. Stamey 1911 Deed 99 514 Alonzo Loftin George Painter 1912 Deed 102 470 Alonzo Loftin J. M. Keever 1912 Deed 109 170 Alonzo Loftin Henry A. Lowrance 1912 Deed 109 336 Alonzo Loftin Jeff Shook 1912 Deed 116 306 Alonzo & Ida Loftin Mrs. C. E. Witherspoon 1913 Mortgage 101 587-C Alonzo Loftin C. P. Lowrance 1913 Deed 109 437 Alonzo Loftin J. M. Lowrance 1913 Deed 109 439 Alonzo Loftin Allen J. Barwick 1913 Deed 112 307 Alonzo Loftin Mozelle Trollinger 1913 Deed 113 301 Alonzo Loftin W. R. Fry 1913 Deed 113 413 Alonzo Loftin D. C. Wyatt 1918 Deed 142 512 Alonzo Loftin George McCorkle 1919 Deed 146 161 Alonzo Loftin J. H. L. Coulter 1921 Deed 160 191 Alonzo Loftin William A. McKinnis 1923 Deed 166 389 Alonzo Loftin Garland Setzer 1923 Deed 1966 390 Alonzo Loftin Vanda Murphy 1923 Deed 168 569 Alonzo, Ida and their family lived on Sherrills Ford Rd. in Catawba County, about a mile from Lowrance Rd. Many of their children attended Waldron School which was located just off of Lowrance Rd.
In 1993 a local Catawba County newspaper published a genealogy article on James Harwell as well as a photo of students at Waldron School where he taught. The school was located beside the Harwell homeplace, 3 miles out of Catawba.
The photo included four of Alonzo and Ida's children, Thelma, Daisy Pearl, Elma and Allie, and also three of Alonzo's brother Lee's children, Marie, Glenn and Ray.
The old Waldron School in Catawba County
Oscar Sherrill Loftin was born 22 Oct 1920. Glennie Frances Loftin was born 13 July 1926. The last child born to Alonzo and Ida was an infant son in 1928, but he didn't live. (Below Middle & Right) Glennie Frances Loftin
Children of Alonzo Lester Loftin and Ida Lillian Setzer Name Birth Death Spouse Charlie Roosevelt Loftin 22 Oct 1905 30 Sep 1988 Edna Jones Theodore Roosevelt Loftin 25 Dec 1906 20 Dec 1969 Fannie Marie Hoke Infant Son Loftin 1908 1908 Sadie Elizabeth Loftin 08 Jun 1909 15 Dec 2007 (1) Paul Abraham Murray
(2) Vernon Asbury LeeWillie Thelma Loftin 31 May 1911 28 Nov 1977 (1) Dewey D. Connor
(2) Dewey M LanierCallie Elma Loftin 31 May 1911 28 June 1992 John Henry Huffman Sallie Allie Loftin 12 Sep 1913 10 Feb 1986 Glenn Clustus Lee Daisy Pearl Loftin 06 Jun 1914 07 Jan 1994 Ruel Franklin Herman Daniel P Loftin 06 Jun 1914 06 Jun 1914 Mike Whitener Loftin 18 Feb 1916 24 Feb 1949 Eleanor Carolyn Ervin Sam William Loftin 13 May 1918 18 Sep 1979 Willie Aleen Goble Oscar Sherrill Loftin 22 Oct 1920 22 Jul 1986 Annie Ruth Travis Glennie Frances Loftin 13 Jul 1926 Robert Alvin Cook Infant Son Loftin 1928 1928 In 2011, I discovered a death certificate that really surprised me. It showed that Alonzo and Ida had an unnamed male child born "alive" on 27 Oct 1922 but died due to "malformation of ???? air passages". The boy was born "between" Os and Frances. The death certificate says he was buried at Center Church. Peggy Loftin Brotherton said that Ida had told her that she had given birth to a child that didn't have both nasal passages. There are "Infant Son" headstones in the Center Methodist Church Cemetery for Alonzo and Ida. I'm not sure if the one dated 1928 was incorrectly inscribed or if Alonzo and Ida had a 15th child who died in 1922.
Alonzo and Ida had at fourteen children. Counting the five children from his marriage to Cornelia, Alonzo fathered nineteen.
Alonzo's Children from his marriages to Cornelia Estelle Lowrance and Ida Lillian Setzer
Elma Loftin Huffman recounted to her daughter Loretta how the family would load the horse-drawn wagon with corn & grain and would go to Murray's Mill to have it ground into meal. She said it would usually take all day.
Murray's Mill, Catawba County, North Carolina
Many of Alonzo and Ida's children liven in the small two-room house on East Bandys Rd, behind the Loftin homeplace on Sherrills Ford Rd, when they were first married, including Charlie, Speedo, Sam and Os.
According to the 1930 Catawba County Census, Alonzo is listed as a farmer. Living with Alonzo and Ida were their children Thelma, Elma, Allie, Daisy Pearl, Make, Sam, Os and Frances. Daughters Thelma, Elma and Allie were working at Elliott Knitting is Catawba.
1930 Catawba County Census
Last Name First Name Relation Age Occupation Industry Loftin Alonzo L. Head 54 Farmer ------ Ida Wife 45 None ------ Thelma Daughter 18 Knitter Elliott Knitting ------ Elma Daughter 18 Knitter Elliott Knitting ------ Allie Daughter 17 Knitter Elliott Knitting ------ Daisy Pearl Daughter 15 None ------ Mike Son 14 None ------ Samuel Son 11 None ------ Oscar Son 9 None ------ Frances Daughter 3 None Alonzo and Ida loved campmeeting and went to the Balls Creek Campground each year. Willie Goble Loftin said, “When the family all gathered, they needed two tents to house the crowd”. The original Loftin family tents were located at 69 & 70, the same tent used later by their daughter, Frances Cook and her husband Alvin. Most of their children had tents of their own. Sam’s tent was 298, Os’ was 297, Daisy Pearl 300, Sadie 106, Nannie 54, Charlie 183, and Allie 185.
(Left) Tents 296 (Daisy Pearl), 297, 298 (Sam), 299 (Os), 300, 301
(Right) Tents 70 & 69; Alonzo & Ida's original tent space
With the Great Depression of 1929, that lasted most of the 1930s, Alonzo and his family went through many hardships. When the Depression came, many people in the community couldn't pay Alonzo the money they owed him at the feed and fertilizer store. He refused to declare bankruptcy as many others had done, saying "he still owed his creditors, and he would pay them." He lost most of his wealth as a result.
Alonzo owned much property in the area of the family home on Sherrills Foard Rd. and E. Bandys Rd. and down close to Center Methodist Church. Alonzo owned and operated Loftin’s Fish Lakes and the family would have big “get-togethers” there, but during the depression Alonzo lost the property.
Alonzo at the store in Charlotte, 1935Alonzo’s son, Charlie, worked the fields near the ponds and eventually was able to purchase the lakes and surrounding property on E. Bandy’s Rd. for himself.
Ida sold property she had inherited from her father Patrick Sylvanus Setzer (just off of Hwy 10 before Witherspoons X-Rds coming from Catawba) in order to keep the family home on Sherrills Ford Rd. All the kids and their spouses had to "sign" the deed in order for her to do this, since Patrick had willed the Claremont property to Ida and her children.
Ashamed at having lost his money, business and most of his property in Catawba County, Alonzo opened a new store in the Charlotte area, on 4th or 5th St., parallel to Trade Street and just a block or two from Tryon St. Because of the distance from Charlotte to Catawba County, he rarely came home. Frances said either Charlie or Speedo would drive Ida and her to Charlotte in an old T-Model on weekends to visit him.
Alonzo died the day before his 61st birthday on 04 Feb 1937 from locked bowels & hemorrhaging. At the time of his death, Ida was 52, Charlie 31, Speedo 30, Sadie 27, Thelma & Elma 25, Allie 23, Daisy Pearl 22, Mike 20, Sam 18, Os 16 and Frances 10.
According to the Death Certificate Alonzo was living at 837 E. 10th Street, Charlotte, NC, at the time of his death. His mother was listed as "Lottie Cranford" instead of "Laura Cranford". Daughter Lillie Loftin was the informant.
Alonzo's Death Certificate
29 Jul 2010
Frances Loftin Cook shares memories of her parents, Alonzo & Ida Setzer Loftin
YouTube VideoAlonzo is buried at Center Methodist Church, the family home church. His parent Alex & Laura Loftin are also buried there.
Center Methodist Church in Catawba and Alonzo's grave marker
Alonzo's Children - December 1964
(Back Row) Os, Theodore/Speedo, Sam, Charlie, Roy
(Middle Row) Daisy Pearl, Sadie, Allie, Verdie Lee, Frances
(Front Row - Seated) Lillie, Nannie, Elma
Windows Media Player Movie about Alonzo
(4.51 minutes long, 4.20 MB)Sources:
A special thanks to Frances Loftin Cook, Peggy Loftin Brotherton, John Smith, Boyd & Becky Goble, Martha Ann Loftin Bumgarner, Louise Loftin Potter and Elaine Lee Martin for the various photos of Alonzo and his family.
Thanks to Alisha Story for the Hart's Square photo
If you have additional photos or information on Alonzo Lester Loftin, please contact me.
