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William
Alexander Loftin |
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Born: 26 Oct 1851, Catawba County, NC Died:
11 Jun 1939, Catawba County, NC |
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The William Alexander Loftin & Laura Cranford Loftin Family |
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(Left to Right)
Garland, Alec holding Pearl, Lee, Laura holding Cordie,
Frances,
Alonzo, Zettie and Cornelia. |
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William
Alexander (“Alec” or "Alick") Loftin was the son of
James Franklin Loftin and
Frances Elizabeth Fisher.
Alec was the 2nd of their seven children. He
was born 26 Oct 1851. The
others were Harriet born 1849, James Edmond born 1853, Mary
Frances born 1855, Alonzo born 1857, Washington Lafayette born
1859 and Oliver Cromwell born December 1861.
Alec's father, James Franklin, enlisted in the confederacy and
was killed in May of 1864 at Drewry's Bluff, VA. It has
been said that when James Franklin went off to war that Alec was
just tall enough to harness the horse to the plow. |
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According to
census records, after James Franklin was killed in the Civil
War, Alec’s mother, Elizabeth, continued to run the farm. Census
and tax records list the animals and crops she had.
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1870 Catawba County
Census |
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Last Name |
First Name |
Age |
Sex |
Race |
Occupation |
Real Estate |
Personal Estate |
Can't Read |
Can't Write |
Loftin |
Elizabeth |
42 |
F |
W |
Keeping House |
$400 |
$150 |
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------ |
Alexander |
18 |
M |
W |
Farm Laborer |
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------ |
James |
16 |
M |
W |
Farm Laborer |
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------ |
Mary |
15 |
F |
W |
At Home |
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------ |
Lafayette |
13 |
M |
W |
At Home |
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X |
------ |
Oliver |
9 |
M |
W |
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McKinnis |
Gilbert |
28 |
M |
W |
Farmer |
$100 |
$150 |
X |
X |
------ |
Harriet |
23 |
F |
W |
Keeping House |
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------ |
William |
1 |
M |
W |
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Sherrill |
Joseph |
13 |
M |
W |
Farm Laborer |
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X |
X |
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Those living at
the family farm at the time were Elizabeth age 42, Alexander 18
Farm Laborer, James 16 Farm Laborer, Mary 15, Lafayette 13 and
Oliver 9. Real Estate value for James Franklin &
Elizabeth’s farm was $400 and Personal Estate Value was $150.
Also according to the Census Lafayette could not write at the
age of 13. |
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Alec’s sister,
Harriet age 23, was married to Gilbert McKinnis and living
nearby. They had a son William, 1 year old, and Joseph
Sherrill, age 13, living with them. |
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Alec continued
to farm as he grew older. |
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1874 is the first year that William Alexander "Alec" Loftin was
listed on the Catawba County tax list. |
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On January 28th,
1875, Alec married
Laura
Rossie Cranford, the daughter of
Rev.
Manley Wilson Cranford and
Mary Martha Lomax
at William Howard's. [J. S. Sherrill was the Minister, and
L. A. Rudisill & L. S. Burkhead were the Witnesses.] He
was 23, she was 20. Laura was
born 02 Jan 1855. Manley and Martha attended Mt. Pleasant
Methodist Church in the Sherrills Ford area. The church
had been established by a local group of citizens with
anti-slavery and pro-Union feelings as a Northern Methodist
Episcopal Church. This did not sit well with some of their
neighbors. |
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The following year after their marriage, their first child,
Alonzo Lester Loftin, was born on 05 Feb 1876. In
time, Alec and Laura had six more children. |
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1880 Catawba County
Census |
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Last Name |
First Name |
Sex |
Age |
Relation |
Occupation |
School |
Can't Read |
Can't Write |
Loftin |
William A. |
M |
28 |
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Farmer |
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------ |
Laura R. |
F |
24 |
Wife |
Keeping House |
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------ |
Alonzo L. |
M |
4 |
Son |
At Home |
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------ |
Frances I. |
F |
1 |
Daughter |
At Home |
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In 1878 daughter
Frances Ivey was born, followed by
Zettie Wilson in 1881.
On December 13th, 1881, Alec bought 12 ¾ acres of
land from his mother. This is the only land deed that has
been found for him. Alec lived at this location all of his
life. |
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On 20 Jun 1884
Arthur Lee was born, followed by
W. Garland on 23 May 1887. |
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From all available evidence, it seems that
the original Methodist Church in Catawba was called Smyrna. As a
young man Alec was a member of the Smyrna Society in 1868 and
1869 and continued there at least through 1877. Class
papers for Smyrna (1872 & 1873) indicate that Alec was "single"
and a "Believer". |
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In 1887 Alec,
along with his brother-in-laws, Gilbert McKinnis and Preacher Francis
“Fitze” Drum, decided a church was needed in the Catawba County
community where they lived, so they called for a meeting at
Walden School House. Many of the people in the community
were part of the congregation at Shiloh, a Methodist Episcopal
Church, and there was friction dating from the War Between the
States. Response to the meeting was encouraging and a
brush arbor was constructed near the site where Center Methodist
Church now stands.
Later as the
church grew, people donated wood and their time to build a
church. The construction of Center Methodist Church took
place in June of 1890. William Alexander was elected one
of the leaders of the church. Francis Drum was asked to be
the song leader, but declined, saying he preferred that Alec do
it. |
Center United Methodist
Church |
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Alec loved to sing and had to walk to church. |
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Hattie Pearl was
born on 09 Jul 1890 and
Cordie
Bland was born on 26 Aug 1894,
completing Alec and Laura’s family. |
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Alec purchased several pieces of property over the next few years. |
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Property purchased by
William Alexander Loftin |
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Grantee
(Purchaser) |
Grantor (Seller) |
Year |
Kind of
Instrument |
Book |
Page |
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Alexander Loftin |
Lemuel N. Miller |
1898 |
Deed |
59 |
362 |
Alexander Loftin |
William Bandy |
1899 |
Deed |
60 |
578 |
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1900 Catawba County Census |
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Last Name |
First Name |
Relation |
Sex |
Birth Mth |
Year |
Age |
Occupation |
Read |
Write |
Loftin |
Elizabeth |
Head |
F |
Aug |
1830 |
69 |
Farmer |
No |
No |
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Loftin |
Alexander |
Head |
M |
Oct |
1851 |
49 |
Farmer |
Yes |
Yes |
------ |
Laura |
Wife |
F |
Jan |
1855 |
45 |
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Lee |
Son |
M |
Jun |
1884 |
15 |
Farm Laborer |
Yes |
Yes |
------ |
Garland |
Son |
M |
May |
1887 |
13 |
Farm Laborer |
Yes |
Yes |
------ |
Pearl |
Daughter |
F |
Jul |
1890 |
9 |
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Cordie |
Daughter |
F |
Aug |
1894 |
5 |
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According to the
1900 Catawba County Census, Alec and Laura were living next door
to his mother, Elizabeth, who was living alone at the age of 69.
At the time of the Census, Alec was 49 and Laura was 45.
The children who were still living at home were: Lee age 15,
Garland age 13, Pearl age 9 and Cordie age 5. Alec’s
occupation was listed as Farmer, while Lee and Garland were
listed as Farm Laborers. |
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(Below)
Frances Elizabeth Fisher
(Right) Alonzo,
Frances & Zettie Loftin
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Alec loved Campmeeting and attended the Balls Creek Campground
just like his father before him. Alec greeted his kin in
the tent his father had raised in the 1850s. |
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Ball's
Creek Arbor, at the center of the campground, established in
1853 |
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Alec and Laura’s
daughter-in-law, Cornelia, died from pneumonia on 11 Feb 1904
leaving Alonzo with five small children of his own to raise.
When the decision was made to send the children away to an
orphanage in the mountains until Alonzo could bring them home,
Alec and Laura brought Alonzo’s youngest daughter, Verdie Lee,
home with them to live. In her later years, Verdie Lee
recounted how when she was a little girl Alec would sometime
take a nap at lunch and loved for her to brush his hair while he
was sleeping. |
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March 5, 1909
was a tragic day in William Alexander’s life - the day that his
wife Laura died. Alec was 58 at the time and Laura was 54. |
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1910 Catawba County
Census |
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Last Name |
First Name |
Relation |
Sex |
Race |
Age |
Trade |
Occupation |
Loftin |
William A. |
Head |
M |
W |
58 |
Farmer |
General Farm |
------ |
Zettie |
Daughter |
F |
W |
26 |
Dress Maker |
At Home |
------ |
Pearl |
Daughter |
F |
W |
18 |
Farm Laborer |
Home Farm |
------ |
Cordie |
Daughter |
F |
W |
15 |
Farm Laborer |
Home Farm |
------ |
Verdie Lee |
Grand-Daughter |
F |
W |
6 |
None |
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Shelton |
Loum |
Nephew |
M |
W |
35 |
Farm Laborer |
Home Farm |
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According to the
1910 Catawba County Census, William A “Alec” is 58 years old.
Those living with him were his daughters Zettie age 26, Pearl
age 18 and Cordie age 15. Granddaughter Verdie Lee age 6,
daughter of Alec’s son Alonzo, was also living with him,
as well nephew Loum Shelton. |
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(Left) Loum Shelton,
nephew
(Right) Frances Ivey Loftin
Alec faced another time of sadness on August 2, 1912 when his
son W. Garland died from typhoid fever after having been married
for only 5 ½ weeks to Rose Wike.
Alec and the family owned
property and lived on Loftin Dr., just off of Murrays Mill Rd.
in Catawba County, NC. |
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On 22 Dec 1912, at the age of 61, William Alexander married
Amanda Wanetta “Juanita” Beatty. Wanetta was
born 18 Jan 1868. She was the daughter of Tyler Beatty and
Adeline Parks. They were 2nd cousins. Alec's father,
James Franklin Loftin, was 1st cousins with Wanetta's father,
Tyler Beatty. |
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Alex's Certificate of Marriage to Wanetta Beatty |
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In August 2010, a 101-year-old Lois Loftin
Mundy (daughter of Arthur Lee Loftin and granddaughter of
William Alexander Loftin) describes her grandfather Alec as a
"not very tall" and "slim man" who loved his family, loved his
church and loved campmeeting. Lois said Alec loved to tell
stories and would frequently sit beside the fireplace and do so.
The family loved to listen to him as he talked. According
to Lois, his second wife Juanita was a large quiet woman who
smoked a pipe. |
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The 1920
Catawba County Census shows Alex (Alick), his second wife Amanda
Wanetta Beatty and youngest daughter Hattie Pearl living in the
family home. Alex is 65, Wanetta is 59 and Hattie Pearl is
28. |
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1920 Catawba County
Census |
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Last Name |
First Name |
Relation |
Sex |
Race |
Age |
Md. |
Read |
Write |
Birth |
Occupation |
Loftin |
Alick W. |
Head |
M |
W |
65 |
M |
Yes |
Yes |
NC |
Farmer |
------- |
Amanda |
Wife |
F |
W |
53 |
M |
Yes |
Yes |
NC |
None |
------- |
Hattie P. |
Daughter |
F |
W |
28 |
S |
Yes |
Yes |
NC |
None |
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The 1930 Catawba County Census listed Alex's age as 78, Juanita
as 62 and Pearl as 30. |
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1930 Catawba County
Census |
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Last Name |
First Name |
Relation |
Sex |
Race |
Age |
Md. |
Age@
1st
Md. |
Read
Write |
Birth |
Occupation |
Loftin |
Alex |
Head |
M |
W |
78 |
M |
25 |
Yes |
NC |
Farmer |
------ |
Juanita |
Wife II |
F |
W |
62 |
M |
40 |
Yes |
NC |
None |
------ |
Pearl |
Daughter |
F |
W |
30 |
S |
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Yes |
NC |
Farmer |
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According to
Frances Loftin Cook, Alec almost lost his home and property
during the Depression. His son-in-law, Tom Wilson, husband
of Cordie Loftin, helped pay off Alec’s mortgage and thus Alec
was able to keep his home and property. |
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Alec lost
another son on 04 Feb 1937 when Alonzo Lester died while living
in Charlotte.
Alec’s daughter Frances Ivey married Wesley Drum, Zettie
married Charles McCulloch Beatty and Cordie married Tom Wilson.
Hattie Pearl never married.
Alec’s son Arthur Lee married Alice Josephine Gilleland on 23
Sep 1906. Upon her death he married Bertha Kale and the
couple resided in Catawba, NC.
(Right) Alec and
Wanetta/Juanita at a birthday dinner to honor him. (Left to
Right) Zettie, Frances, Alec, Pearl, Juanita, Lee and Cordie. |
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Helen Josephine Loftin White (daughter of Arthur Lee Loftin &
granddaughter of William Alexander Loftin) says of her
grandfather Alec, "He was funny and was always telling jokes and
kidding. I remember going to his house. Once we
stayed for a week. We fed the chickens and kept busy. |
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William
Alexander died June 11, 1939 at the age of 87. Dr. Fred
Long was the attending physician. Alec died from "Disease
of Heart". He and
Laura are buried at Center Methodist Church in Catawba County,
NC. |
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Alec's Death Certificate shows his father as Frank Loftin and
his mother as Elizabeth Fisher. |
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William Alexander Loftin's Death
Certificate |
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Loftin Drive on Murray's Mill Rd
is named in honor of Alec & Laura Loftin
and marks the area of the county
where they lived. |
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The changing face of
Center Methodist Church in Catawba County, NC |
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The beginnings of Center Methodist Church date from 1887 when a
group of concerned citizens met at the Walden School House,
located near where Harwell & Lowrance Rds intersect. Some
of the people were in the congregation of Shiloh, a Methodist
Episcopal Church, and they were motivated to organize the new
church due to friction dating from the War Between the States.
Response to the meeting was encouraging and a brush arbor was
constructed near the site where Center now stands. The
following men were chosen as leaders of the new congregation:
Alexander Blaylock
Francis Drum (brother-in-law to William Alexander
Loftin; husband to Mary Frances Loftin)
Pinkney Durant Drum
James T. Harwell
W. Alexander Loftin
Gilbert A. McKinnis (brother-in-law to William
Alexander Loftin; husband to Harriet J. Loftin)
Land for a permanent place of worship was given by Mr. Joseph
Beal, and a deed for the property was drawn in 1888 with James
T. Harwell, T.L. Jones and Alexander Blaylock as the first
trustees. Construction was begun as the congregation met
first at Walden School and later at the brush arbor. |
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Wanetta Beatty Loftin died on 25 Jun 1950 at
the age of 82 years old. Her Death Certificate lists the
cause of death as "arterial sclerosis" or hardening of the
arteries. Her parents as listed as Tyler Beatty and Adeline
Parks. Reid Beatty was the informant. |
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Death Certificate for Amanda Wanette Beatty
Loftin |
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William Alexander's 2nd wife, Amanda Wanetta
"Juanita" Beaty Loftin is buried at Sherrills Ford Presbyterian
Church. |
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Video Interview With Lois
Loftin Mundy (age 101) from August 2010: |
Lois discusses her parents (Lee & Josephine
Loftin), Lee's work,
dating, typhoid fever and Marie, Dr. Fred Long,
Grandpa William Alexander "Alec" Loftin,
Grandma Laura Cranford Loftin
and Great Uncle James Edward Loftin (Alec's brother). |
Click Here |
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SOURCES |
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Thanks to Alisha Story for
the photos from Hart's Square |
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A special thanks to Peggy
Loftin Brotherton for the photos of Alec and his family. |
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If you have additional photos or
information about William Alexander Loftin, please contact me. |
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