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LOFTIN
GENEALOGY
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The
LOFTIN
Family
Tree


Philip
Daniel
Loftin

(1978 - 200?)

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, NC

 
 
 

Alonzo 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 1895

       

Alonzo 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 Lillie
 

This 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
 
Name Relation Race Sex Birth Month Year Age Yrs
MD
Kids Occupation
Last First Born Alive
Loftin Alonzo L. Head W M Feb 1876 24 5     Dry Goods Merchant
------ Nelia E. Wife W F July 1875 24 5 3 3  
------ 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.

 
 

 Catawba Main Street, 1900

 

Check out the Catawba Station Township page (CLICK HERE)

 
 
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. 1915
Lillie 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 1925
Floye 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 Yount
 
 

Tragedy struck the young family in February 1904 when Cornelia died of pneumonia at the age of 28.  Cornelia’s mother, Sarah Lowrance, also died in February 1904.  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

 

 

 
 

 

The following Marriage Register also shows those involved in Alonzo and Ida's marriage which took place at the home of A. H. McNeill, Justice of the Peace.

 

MARRIAGE REGISTER

Date of Issue Name & Residence
of Man
Race Age Name & Residence
of Man
Race Age Date of Marriage
Nov 5, 1904 Loftin, A.L., Catawba Co. W 28 Setzer, Ida, Catawba Co. W 21 Nov 5, 1904
Place of Marriage Name & Title of Minister or Officer Witness
Officer
A.H. McNeill
A.H. McNeill, J.P. Bettie Loftin, W.P. Beal, A.H. McNeill
 
 
 
 

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.   

 
 
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 (Died in Infancy)
Sadie Elizabeth Loftin 08 Jun 1909 15 Dec 2007 (1) Paul Abraham Murray
(2) Vernon Asbury Lee
Willie Thelma Loftin 31 May 1911 28 Nov 1977 (1) Dewey D. Connor
(2) Dewey M Lanier
Callie 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
"Infant Son" Loftin 06 Jun 1914 13 Jun 1914 (Died in Infancy)
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
* "Infant Son" Loftin 26 Oct 1922 27 Oct 1922 (Died in Infancy)
Glennie Frances Loftin 13 Jul 1926 17 Sep 2015
Age 89
Robert Alvin Cook
** "Infant Son" Loftin 1928 1928 (Died in Infancy)

* The Catawba County Birth Index for this child shows that he was born 22 Oct 1922 (the same day and month as his older brother Oscar).  This child's Death Certificate shows that he died 27 Oct 1922 and that he lived for 1 day and 2 hours - so it's more likely that the child was born on 26 Oct 1922 - instead of 22 Oct 1922 as the Birth Index shows.  Cause of death was "malformation of upper air passage".

** It's possible that this last "Infant Son" of Alonzo and Ida was born in 1927.  It is also possible that the grave marker for this "Infant Son" born in 1928 was incorrectly dated and should have been for the 1922 "Infant Son".

 
 
Alonzo and Ida's first child, Charlie Roosevelt Loftin, was born 22 Oct 1905.   Charlie was baptized at the Catawba Methodist Church on 25 Oct 1906.
 

Alonzo & Ida attended Catawba Methodist Church at the beginning of their marriage but eventually became a part of Center Methodist Church.

 

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”.

 
 

(Left) Theodore Roosevelt "Speedo" Loftin     
 

In 1908, another infant son was born to Alonzo and Ida but he didn’t live.

 

(Below) 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.

 
The 1910 Census additionally shows that this is the second marriage for Alonzo and the first marriage for Ida.  They had been married for 5 years.  The Census shows that Ida had given birth to 3 children, but she had actually given birth to 4 children.  Infant Son Loftin was born and died in 1908.
 

1910 Catawba County Census

 
Name Relation Age S
M
Wd
Yrs
MD
Kids Occupation Occupation
Last First Born Alive
Loftin Alonzo L. Head 34 M2 5     Manufacturer  
------ Ida Wife 25 M1 5 3 3 Home  
------ Lillie Daughter 12 S       None  
------ Roy Son 10 S       Laborer Odd Jobs
------ Floy Daughter 8 S       None  
------ Charlie Son 4 S       None  
------ Theodore Son 3 S       None  
------ Sadie Daughter 9/12 S       None  
------ Garland Brother 22 S       Salesman Grocery Store
Burch Conner Boarder 34 S       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 "Infant Son" Loftin were born. 

 

Unfortunately, the "Infant Son" didn’t live - dying 7 days later on 13 Jun 1914.  He is buried at Center Methodist Church in Catawba beside his other unnamed brothers. 

 

(Right) Infant Son; June 6, 1914 - June 6, 1914
(Death Certificate lists death as 13 June 1914)

 
Mike Whitener Loftin was born 18 Feb 1916. 
 
Alonzo and Ida’s twelfth child, Sam William Loftin, was born 13 May 1918.
 
 

Alonzo's WWI Draft Registration Card dated September 12, 1918.

 
 

(Below) 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
Instrument
Book 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.
 
In 2011, I discovered a death certificate that really surprised me.  It showed that Alonzo and Ida had an unnamed Infant Son born "alive" on 26 Oct 1922 but died due to "malformation of upper air passages" on 27 Oct 1922.  The boy was born "between" Oscar 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 several "Infant Son" headstones in the Center Methodist Church Cemetery for Alonzo and Ida. 
 
Infant Son Death Certificate

 
 
Glennie Frances Loftin was born 13 July 1926.
 
The last child born to Alonzo and Ida was another Infant Son whose cemetery grave marker shows that he was born and died in 1928.  On 29 Nov 2014, Glennie Francis said that she thought that her baby brother was born in 1927.  There is a Whitcomb Family Tree on Ancestry.com that has this child's birth and death listed as 17 Nov 1927.  I'm not sure where the dates came from.  I'll update as more information becomes available.

 

           

 
 
 

Alonzo and Ida had fifteen children.  Counting the five children from his marriage to Cornelia, Alonzo fathered twenty children.

 
 

Alonzo's Children from his marriages to Cornelia Estelle Lowrance and Ida Lillian Setzer

Nannie Loftin Martin Lillie Stamey Loftin Roy Henry Loftin Floye Loftin Ellers
       
Verdie Lee Loftin Boggs Charlie Roosevelt Loftin Theodore Roosevelt Loftin Sadie Loftin Lee
       
Elma Loftin Huffman Thelma Loftin Lanier Allie Loftin Lee Daisy Pearl Loftin Herman
       
Mike Whitener Loftin Sam William Loftin Oscar Sherrill Loftin Frances Loftin Cook
 
 

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 lived in the small two-room house on the corner of 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

 
Name Relation Age Age
1st
Md
Occupation Industry
Last First
Loftin Alonzo L. Head 54 18 Farmer  
------ Ida Wife 45 20 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.  It was a family tradition.  Alonzo's father, William Alexander Loftin, took his children to campmeeting.  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, 1935

Alonzo’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.

 
Wayne Morrow Loftin (son of Roy Henry Loftin and grandson of Alonzo Lester Loftin) said about his grandfather, "I remember my Dad (Roy), your Dad (Sam) and I driving to Charlotte to visit with him.  I was about 7 years old.  It was winter time and very cold.  There was a pot-belly stone in the center of the store.  I remember we ate Vienna sausages and crackers.  I think he died shortly after that."
 

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

 
 
 
The release of the 1940 Census revealed some additional information about Alonzo & Ida's family.  The family continued to live in their home in Catawba County and the home was "Owned" and valued at $500.  The census states that the section that lists Ida and the children was from Sherrills Ford Rd. to Catawba Rd.  Ida and the three youngest children were listed on the census - indication that the other children were either married or living on their own.  Ida's age was 55, Sam was 21, Oscar (Os) was 19, and Frances was 13.
 

The Census states that the highest level of education completed by Ida was 7th grade.  The highest level of education completed by Sam and Os was H1 - the 1st year of High School.  Frances was currently in the 6th grade.

 
Employment information for Sam & Os was shown for 1939 and 1940.  In 1939, Sam had worked 26 weeks - earning $351 for the 26 weeks - about $2.70 per day.  The census also shows that for the week of March 24 - 30 of 1940 that Sam had worked 40 hours as a "Knitter" at a "Hosiery Mill".  This was more than likely Elliott Knitting where Thelma, Elma and Allie had been working (according to the 1930 Census) as "Knitters".
 
For the week of March 24 - 30 of 1940, Os had worked 40 hours at a "Saw Mill".  Os' wages for $252 for 28 weeks worked - averaging $1.80 per day.
 

1940 Catawba County Census

 
Home
Value
Last Name First Name Relation Sex Age Wd
Md
S
*
Sch
Birth **
Hrs
Wkd
Occup. Industry Wks
Wkd
1939
Wages
for
1939
$500 Loftin Ida S. Head F 55 Wd 7 NC          
  ------ Sam Son M 21 S H1 NC 40 Knitter Hosiery
Mill
26 351
  ------ Oscar Son M 19 S H1 NC 60 Laborer Saw Mill 28 252
  ------ Frances Daughter F 13 S 6 NC          
* Highest Grade of School Completed: H1 is 1st year of High School
** The Number of Hours Worked during the week of March 24 - 30, 1940
 
 
 

29 Jul 2010
Frances Loftin Cook shares memories of her parents, Alonzo & Ida Setzer Loftin
YouTube Video

 
 
 

Alonzo 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)

 
 
 

TIMELINE

Alonzo Lester Loftin - (1876 - 1937)

Date Age Event Place Source Notes
1876 0 BIRTH Catawba, NC Footstone 05 Feb 1876
1894 18 Marriage 1 Catawba, NC Marriage License 23 Dec 1894 - Cornelia Lowrance
1895 19 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 08 Nov 1895 - Nannie May
1897 21 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 06 Sep 1897 - Lillie Stamey
1899 23 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 17 Jul 1899 - Roy Henry
1900 24 Residence Catawba, NC Census 1900 Occupation: Dry Goods Merchant
1901 25 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Census 1900 26 Jul 1901 - Floye Hovis
1903 27 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 07 Sep 1903 - Verdie Lee
1904 28 Cornelia's Death Catawba, NC Headstone 11 Feb 1904 - pneumonia - age 28
1904 28 Marriage 2 Catawba, NC Marriage License 05 Nov 1904 - Ida Setzer - age 21
1905 29 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 22 Oct 1905 - Charlie Roosevelt
1906 30 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Death Certificate 25 Dec 1906 - Theodore Roosevelt
1908 32 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 1908 - Infant Son
1909 33 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 08 Jun 1909 - Sadie Elizabeth
1910 34 Residence Catawba, NC Census 1910 Occupation: Manufacturer
1911 35 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 31 May 1911 - Willie Thelma
1911 35 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 31 May 1911 - Callie Elma
1913 37 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 12 Sep 1913 - Sallie Allie
1914 38 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 06 Jun 1914 - Daisy Pearl
1914 38 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 06 Jun 1914 - Infant Son - Twin
1916 40 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 18 Feb 1916 - Mike Whitener
1918 42 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Death Certificate 13 May 1918 - Sam William
1920 44 Residence Catawba, NC Census 19290 Occupation: Feed Store
1920 44 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Headstone 22 Oct 1920 - Oscar Sherrill
1922 46 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Death Certificate 27 Oct 1922 - Infant Son
1926 50 Daughter - Birth Catawba, NC Census 1940 13 Jul 1926 - Glennie Frances
1928 52 Son - Birth Catawba, NC Footstone 1928 - Infant Son
1930 54 Residence Catawba, NC Census 1930 Occupation: Farmer
1935 59 Charlotte Store Charlotte, NC Photo/F.L.Cook Occupation: Merchant
1937 60 DEATH Charlotte, NC Death Certificate 04 Feb 1937 - Day before 61st birthday
 
 
 

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.