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LOFTIN
GENEALOGY
LINE

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


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Verdie Lee Loftin

 

Born: 07 Sep 1903, Catawba County, NC
Died:  06 Mar 1993, Catawba County, NC

 

 

                           

Verdie Lee Loftin was the fifth child born to Alonzo Lester Loftin and Cornelia Estelle Lowrance. Verdie Lee was born 07 Sep 1903 in Catawba County, NC.  On 11 Feb 1904 her mother, Cornelia, died from pneumonia.  Verdie Lee's maternal Grandmother, Sarah Josephine Bost Lowarance, had just died on 02 Feb 1904.

                 

Alonzo couldn't raise five small children, run the family farm, and work, too The children were so young.  Nannie was 8, Lillie 6, Roy 4, Floye 2 1/2 and Verdie Lee was 6-months-old.  The decision was made to send the children away to live at an orphanage until he could bring them back home and care for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verdie Lee's son, Russell Boggs, said that after Cornelia's death, Verdie Lee was sent to live with her grandmother Sarah Lowrance, but unfortunately Sarah also died that same month.

 

     

Alonzo's parents, William Alexander "Alec" Loftin and Laura Cranford, decided to take "the baby", Verdie Lee.  Alex was 53 at the time and Laura was 49.  Several of their own children were still living at home, including Zettie, Garland, Pearl and Cordie.

 

In November 1904, Alonzo married Ida Lillian Setzer, 9 months after Cornelia's death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the 1910 Catawba County Census, Alonzo and Ida had three children, Charlie, Theodore and Sadie.  Lillie, Roy and Floye were also living with them.  Nannie was still living at the orphanage.  Verdie Lee continued to live with Alec and Laura.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to Verdie Lee's son, Russell Boggs, when she was 9-years-old Verdie Lee went to Gastonia to live with Lillie and Nannie.

 

1920 Gastonia City Census

 
Last Name First Name Relation Sex Race Age S/M/W Can
Read
Can
Write
Born Occupation Occupation
Martin Wade V. Head M W 25 M Yes Yes NC Manager Battery Repair Shop
------ Nannie M. Wife F W 24 M Yes Yes NC None  
------ Cornelia L. Daughter F W 4 S     NC None  
Loftin Lillie S. Sister-In-Law F W 22 S Yes Yes NC Operator Telephone Office
------ Floye H. Sister-In-Law F W 18 S Yes Yes NC Operator Telephone Office
------ Verdie Lee Sister-In-Law F W 16 S Yes Yes NC Knitter Hosiery Mill
 

The 1920 Gastonia City Census shows Verdie Lee, Lillie and Floye living with Nannie and Wade Martin.  Verdie Lee's age was 16 and she was working as a knitter at a Hosiery Mill.

                             
Verdie Lee only completed 10th grade, but she had a great interest in geography and history. 
                             
                             

On 14 Jan 1921, at the age of 17, Verdie Lee married Fitzhugh Boggs. 

At the age of 18, Verdie Lee and Fitzhugh were living in the home of an elderly Mrs. Kale in Catawba.  Mrs. Kale had told them, "If you'll stay with me, this house will be yours when I die."  Several years later, however, an unfortunate house fire burned Mrs. Kales home.  It was eventually rebuilt, but Verdie Lee and Fitzhugh had moved in with his parents, Alexander & Celia Boggs, on Boggs Rd. in Claremont.  They continued to visit Mrs. Kale as if she were family.

 
 

 

Verdie Lee and Fitzhuch eventually built their own house in Claremont.

(Left) Verdie Lee and Fitzhugh

(Below) Verdie Lee in the snow

 
 
They had four children.
Name Birth Date Death Date Spouse
Parlier Cornelia Boggs 19 Oct 1922 12 Oct 1924  
James Russell Boggs 18 Nov 1923   Mary Cloninger
William "Billy" Bruce Boggs 05 May 1929 31 Dec 2005 Edith Caroline Harrison
Walter Roy Boggs 22 Jul 1933 29 Dec 2006 (1) Joan Coulter
(2) Norma Cline
(3) Ruth Shook
 
 

(Left) Verdie Lee and Parlier
(Right) Fitzhugh

   

 

First born, Parlier, only lived for two years.  She died 12 Oct 1924 and is buried at Catawba United Methodist Church.

                             
 
 

Verdie Lee gathers with her siblings for step-mother Ida's yearly birthday dinner

(Left to Right) Elma, Theodore/Speedo, Charlie, Thelma, Frances, Roy, Ida, Sadie, Verdie Lee, Lillie, Mike and Nannie

 

 

(Left to Right) Sadie, Frances, Verdie Lee, Allie, Ida, Oscar, Nannie, Mike, Thelma and Elma

 
 
 

Verdie Lee and Fitzhugh loved flowers and she loved garden parties.  They decided to move to Newton and open Boggs' Florist.  It was around that time that Fitzhugh was diagnosed with Luekemia.  He died 6-weeks later on 25 Mar 1949.

 
 

The Boggs home and florist was located on 409 W. C Street in Newton (Hwy 10)

 
 

Verdie Lee continued to run Boggs' Florist at a time when it was difficult for a woman to own and run a business - and she did it well.

 

Verdie Lee (left)

 
 
                             

Sometime later, Verdie Lee called her son Russell and told him that she had been seeing a family friend, Ralph Copeny, and that he has asked her to marry him.  She asked Russell what he thought.  He told her that she was a still a young woman - that she should go for it.

 


Verdie Lee and Ralph were only married 5 - 7 years before his death.  She never took the Copeny last name during her marriage.

A few years later she called Russell again and told him she was considering marriage again.  Verdie Lee married Harold Yount.  They were only married for five years before his death from cancer.

(Right) Harold Yount in 1972

After Harold's death, Verdie Lee decided to spend the rest of her days alone.

                             
                             

Verdie Lee was a hard working woman with high ideals - a beautiful lady.

 

 
 

The family gathers to celebrate Verdie Lee's 80th birthday
Verdie Lee with sons (left to right) Roy, Russell, and Bill

 
 

Verdie Lee with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren

(Left to Right) Kevin, Carol, David, Verdie Lee, Darlene & Ashley, Leah & Shannon

 

                             

Verdie Lee (right) with sister-in-law Mae Loftin (left),
Mae's son-in-law and daughter Eddie & Yvonne Bryson (top center)
and sister Lillie Loftin (middle)

 

                             
Verdie Lee Loftin Boggs died 06 Mar 1993 at the age of 89.  She and Fitzhugh are buried at Catawba United Methodist Church near their daughter Parliear.  Their son William Boggs is also buried near them.
                             
                             

   

                             

    

 
                             
                             
                             

(Below) Russell & Mary Boggs with their children,
Terry Kristan Boggs and Olivian Russell Boggs

 
 
Roy Boggs in 1966
    
 
                             

 

                           
                             
 
If you have additional information or photos of Verdie Lee & Fitzhugh, please contact me.
 
A special thanks to Russell Boggs for additional information about his mother.
A special thanks to Leah and Kevin Boggs for additional photos of the Verdie Lee and the Boggs family