Loftin
Nannie
May
Loftin
(1895 - 1982)
Lillie
Stamey
Loftin
(1897 - 1988)
Roy
Henry
Loftin
(1899 - 1972)
Floye
Hovis
Loftin
(1901 - 1973)
Verdie
Lee
Loftin
(1903 - 1993)
FAMILY
NAMES
LOFTIN:
Beatty
Corzine
Cranford
Fisher
Givens
Harwell
Kaiser
Lomax
McCorkle
Rudisill
Sherrill
Upright
Work
SETZER:
Aderholdt
Barringer
Bovey
Bushart
Deal
Heavner
Herman
Ikert
Miller
Motz
Rankin
Witherspoon
GOBLE:
Babst/Bobst
Douglas
Faber
Fink
Fulbright
Hefner
Meinhert
Miller
Muller
Pabst/Bobst
Robinson
JOHNSON:
Corzine
Fink
Hamilton
Kaiser
Leslie
Lewis
Moore
Sherrill
Upright
Wilkinson
Additional
Family
SURNAMES
Roy Henry Loftin
Born: 27 Jul 1899, Catawba County, NC
Died: 24 Jun 1972, Waynesville, Haywood Co, NC
Roy Henry Loftin was the third child born to Alonzo Lester Loftin and Cornelia Estelle Lowrance. Roy was born 27 Jul 1899 in Catawba County, North Carolina. After the death of Cornelia from pneumonia in February 1904, Roy and his sisters were sent away to an orphanage to live until Alonzo could care for them. Roy's son Larry said, "The girls worked in the kitchen and were always concerned that Roy wasn’t getting enough to eat." In November 1904, Alonzo married Ida Setzer and eventually most of the children came to live with them. Larry added, "Dad had a close relationship with Ida."
Roy worked at the Railroad Depot in Catawba, NC, carrying coal and doing other odd jobs. He was 17 or 18 at the time.
Roy Henry Loftin
Balls Creek Campground photoWhile working at the Catawba Depot, Roy became interested in the telegraph and was taught Morse Code. He became a Telegraph Operator for Southern Railroad.
(Below) Roy's World War I Registration Card
Short notice in the Statesville Landmark Newspaper 1921
Roy married Sarah Mae Morrow on 22 Jun 1925. Mae was born 14 Mar 1910 in Iredell County, NC. Roy and Mae had three children:
Name Birth Date Spouse Larry Henry Loftin 13 Jan 1927 (1) Sarah Fain
(2) Carmen NicholsWayne Morrow Loftin 22 Sep 1930 Sue Cook Lillie Yvonne Loftin 18 Oct 1933 Eddie Bryson
(Right) Larry Henry Loftin
Roy & Mae built a house beside the Baptist Church in Catawba, in the current location of the Lutheran Church parking lot. Roy planted two big water oaks in the front yard.
He purchased property from his father, Alonzo, in the town of Catawba, and built a two-store-front building there. He rented the right side of the building, which was used as a grocery store. Roy opened up the Catawba Meat Market in the left store-front building, eventually adding a small restaurant in the other half of the building. Mae's brother, Jay, even worked in the Meat Market.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, finances were limited for the Loftin family - just like they were for everyone else. Roy, Mae and Larry rented their home and moved into the Meat Market building - converting it into a home. Mae curtained it off so that they could have a living room, bedroom, and kitchen area.
(Left) Yvonne, 10-months-old
(Right) Larry & Wayne, September 1933
2007 photo of the building where Roy's stores were located - building with white awning
A 2002 photo of the home Roy & Mae built in Catawba in the 1920s
According to Larry Loftin, with the continuing pressures of the Depression, Roy and Mae eventually lost their home in Catawba. They moved into a house on Sharon School Road in Iredell County and then lived in Statesville.
Roy was a hard worker. He worked in the fields and woods, whatever he could get during that time. The Railroad called him back to work and the family moved to Hildebran where Roy worked part time.
When WWII came, Roy was called to Fontana Lake, NC to work on the Railroad there, and eventually went back to work fulltime.
Roy and Mae moved to Canton, North Carolina in 1941, living there for 58 years. Larry stayed in Statesville to finish out the school year at Celeste Hinkle - living with his maternal grandparents.
Roy worked at the Depot in Canton for a long time as a Telegraph Operator, but eventually worked at the BIT Tower in Asheville.
Roy enjoyed music. He played in a band, playing guitar and harmonica. Larry said his Dad "had a good voice and even made a recording with the group in Newton at one time. In Canton, he would go into the bedroom and play his guitar and sing. It was his way of relaxing."
(Below) Roy, Wayne & Yvonne around 1940
(Right) Roy & Mae in 1942 visiting
Floye & Bill Eller in Maryland
(Below) Roy & Mae in 1950
(Left) Roy in 1950
(Right) Roy and Mae, March 26, 1951, the day after Easter
(Below) Larry, Roy & Mae, December 25 1950
(Below) Roy, Larry, Yvonne & Mae, 1951
(Below) Roy & Mae Loftin with their children
(Top Row, Left to Right) Wayne, Yvonne and Larry
(Front Row) Roy and MaeRoy & Mae with three of their grandchildren in 1956
(Left to Right) Karen Loftin, Ellen Bryson & Michael Loftin
(Left) Roy with granddaughter Ellen Bryson, March 3, 1956
(Right) Mae, Ellen & Roy, November 1957
Roy & Mae's house in Canton, July 1994 (Below)
Theodore Roosevelt "Speedo" Loftin & Roy Henry Loftin
Roy & Mae frequently would come back to visit their relatives in Catawba and Iredell Counties. Mae would often stay with her family in Iredell County while Roy stayed with Speedo & Marie.
Roy had three heart attacks. The third one took his life. Roy died 24 Jun 1972 in Waynesville, Haywood County, NC. He is buried at Bethlehem Methodist Church in Iredell County, NC. Mae’s family had lived across the road from the Church.
(Above Right) Roy & May, June 16, 1972, a week before his death
Mae Loftin with three of her granddaughters
(Left to Right) Ellen Bryson, Karen Loftin, Mae Loftin and Linda Loftin
Roy & Mae's Extended Family, 05 Aug 2007
(Top Row) Eddie Bryson, Keith Bryson, Larry Kaehler, Ellen Bryson Kaehler
(Middle Row) Yvonne Loftin Bryson, Brittany Kaehler, Sarah Loftin Clevenger, Austin Clevenger,
Pressley Peters, Iva Mae Loftin Peters, Addie & Paul Smith, Sue Cooke Loftin, Wayne Loftin(Front Row) Matthew Bryson, Bradley Kaehler, Mae Morrow Loftin, Larry Loftin, Carmen Nichols Loftin
If you have additional photos or information on Roy and his family, please contact me.
A special thanks to Mae Loftin, Yvonne Loftin Bryson, Larry Henry Loftin and Frances Loftin Cook
for the photos and information about Roy and their family.
