Tuesday, September 07, 2021

More information on two members

Alabama Florence Elam and Anna America Elam, daughters of Joel Elam and Sarah Stamps, are mentioned here and here in the Mt. Carmel blog. Both were members of the Mt. Carmel Church, probably joining by experience sometime before the 3rd Sunday in October 1867 (since their joining is not mentioned in the extant minutes). Both were dismissed by letter from the Mt. Carmel Church on November 14, 1868.

Ann America (or Anna) Elam was born in Alabama, probably Talladega County, around 1846. The Elam family was in Rusk County by July 8, 1860. She traveled with her family to Johnson County, Texas sometime after September 19, 1870 (the date they were enumerated in the 1870 census) and before July 14, 1873 (when her sister Ida died). There in Johnson County, on January 20, 1874, she married Jesse Mercer Gunn, and they had 3 children (Charles Ponnie, Don Pedro, and Mae). She was still living when enumerated on June 10th for the 1880 census. J. M. Gunn died in September of 1881. According to A Memorial and Biographical History of Johnson and Hill Counties, Texas (page 417) Ann had died before 1892. A number of researchers have confused Ann with Gunn’s first wife, Amanda Annie Gray, who died in 1872.

Alabama Florence Elam was born in Alabama, probably Talladega County, around 1848. She was 21 years old at the time she died, according to the U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedule. She died in August of 1869 in Rusk County, Texas. The location of her burial is unknown.

1 Comments:

Blogger Judith Richards Shubert said...

Hello again, Mr. Vaughn. I was delighted to find your post about Ann America this morning as I was researching my ancestor, her sister Polly Sanders Elam Brock. I am Polly's great-great-granddaughter. I would like to add to my comments something my family grew up discussing and was written by another Brock descendant of Polly's.

"Sarah Eleanor was in ill health for many years and died in Rusk County, October 22, 1866. Her older daughter, Polly Sanders, was engaged to be married to John H. Brock a few days later. Since she wanted to see her daughter married before she died, the wedding date was moved up and the ceremony performed at her bedside. Sarah Eleanor died that night, and her new son-in-law, J.H. Brock, a skilled cabinetmaker, sat up the rest of the night making a beautiful casket for her. The Brocks bought land adjoining the Elam family so they could help take care of the younger brothers and sisters.

Polly Sanders Elam Brock was postmistress at Brock for twenty-one years and was the mother of seven children, Joel Walter, Eleanor Elizabeth, Lucy, James Thomas, Maggie Maud, Alice, and Henry Newton.

After Ann died, Dom, Ponnie, and May Gunn, children of J.M. and Ann America, were also raised by John Henry and Polly, sister of Ann America.

from the History of Palo Pinto County, 1978, p. 472, "Brock, Buckner, Elam Families" by Juanita Brock McEntire (a 3x great-granddaughter)

10:55 AM  

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