Life History

Notes

• I found details on Elisha C Grubbs while trying to reconstruct the family of James Richard Grubbs, father of Nova Grubbs Jenkins.  James reports on his WWI registration that he was born in McLennan County, Texas.  Censuses report that all James' older siblings are born in Texas.  Elisha, referred to often as E C, was born in Georgia and his parents are reported in 1880 as born in South Carolina.
  
  After quite some time I made connections to earlier censuses.  Elisha was born in Georgia, but his family moved to southeastern Arkansas, and they were enumerated in Drew County along with several other Grubbs households in Veazey Township.  Elisha's parents were Thomas and Elizabeth, both born in Georgia.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Drew County, Arkansas, 9 July, Veasey Township, PO Lacy, page 12, Hse/Fam #558
  Thomas W Grubbs 31 M [Occup Not Stated] $1000 Real Estate #500 Personal born GA
  Elizabeth I Grubbs 26 F born GA
  Elisha C Grubbs 9 M Farm Laborer $400 Personal Estate born GA
  Susan A Grubbs 7 M born GA
  James A Grubbs 4 M born GA
  Mary A Grubbs 3 F born GA
  
  In the 1870 census in the same location, the parents and older children are reported born in Mississippi, whereas in 1860 all had been reported born in Georgia.  Later censuses report Elisha Columbus and both his parents born in Georgia.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Drew County, Arkansas, 7 September, Veasey Township, PO Lacy, page 17, Hse/Fam #140
  Grubbs, Tom 41 M W Farmer $400 Real Estate $250 Personal born Miss Cannot Read or Write
  Grubbs, Eliza 36 F W Keeping House born Miss Cannot Read or Write
  Grubbs, James 15 M W born Miss Cannot Read or Write
  Grubbs, Columbus 20 M W born Miss Cannot Read or Write
  Grubbs, Mary 10 F W born Ark Cannot Read or Write
  Grubbs, John 6 M W born Ark
  Grubbs, Cordelia 3 F W born Ark
  
  Elisha is found as EC in several records and sometimes as Elisha.  There is another Elisha Grubbs from Drew County, Arkansas, whom I found first as the likely candidate for James' Grubbs father.
  
  But then I found two 1880 censuses for E C Grubbs.  E C Grubbs and his wife S A were in McLennan County, Texas (Waco area), where our James Grubbs reported he was born.  This tied them to James.  Meanwhile Elisha C Grubbs and his wife Caroline were enumerated the same year in Drew County, Arkansas, matching earlier censuses for them there.  Elisha's wife was Susan Abbie (probably Abigail) Donaldson.
  
  In 1900 an E C Grubbs was found in Indian Territory, but with a different wife, the stepmother of James Grubbs.  The two family units were clarified more finally when I found a second 1900 census for Elisha Champion and his wife Caroline L Jones still in Drew County, Arkansas.
  
  1880 Federal Census, McLennan County, Texas, 14 June, District 116, page 13 (scan 222A), Hse/Fam #110
  Grubbs, E C  W M 29 Head Farm Laborer GA SC SC [b abt 1851]
  Grubbs, S A  W F 24 Wife Keeping House GA GA GA [b abt 1856]
  Grubbs, Elizabeth W F 1 Dau At Home TX GA AR
  
  These two Elisha Champion Grubbs were likely relatives.  This E C Grubbs is reported born in Georgia.  Here in 1880 EC's parents are reported born in South Carolina, while the Drew County Arkansas Elisha's parents were born in Georgia.
  
  A genealogy referencing only the 1880 census and providing very little detail provides Elisha's middle name, attested to in census records only by the initial C.
  
  Elisha Columbus Grubbs
  Birth 1851 in Georgia, Death Unknown
  Spouse S A Grubbs
  Birth abt 1856 in Arkansas, Death Unknown
  --  Roy Family, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/17490876/person/18013944433
  
  Elisha's wife S A died some time after the death of James in 1890.  He married Laura Ann Barefoot in December 1892
  
  Texas, Select County Marriage Index, 1837-1965
  L A Barefoot
  Age 18, Birth abt 1874
  Spouse E C Grubbs
  Marriage 6 Dec 1892 Coryell County, Texas
  
  From the 1900 census, it appears Elisha had moved his family to Chickasaw Nation between 1889 (birth of James in Texas) and 1894 (birth of Laura in Indian Territory) following marriage to Laura (in 1892 according to 1900 and 1910 censuses).
  
  1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, 12 June, Township 1, District 133, page 13B,  Hse #112, am #117
  Grubbs, Elisha Head  W M Feb 1852  48 Married 7 years GA GA GA Farmer Owns [married abt 1893]
  Grubbs, Laura A Wife W F Mch 1866 34 Married 7 years [mar abt 1893] 2 children/2 living AR TN AL
  Grubbs, Thomas A Son W M Sept 1882 [1st marriage] 18 TX GA AR Farm Laborer
  Grubbs, Andrew Son W M Oct 1884 [1st marriage] 15 TX GA AR Farm Laborer
  Grubbs, Abbie Dau W F Mch 1887 [1st marriage] 13 TX GA AR
  Grubbs, James R Son W M Aug 1889 [1st marriage] 10 TX GA AR Farm Laborer
  Grubbs, Laura J Dau W F Dec 1894 5 Ind Terr GA AR
  Grubbs, Bernice Dau W F Aug 1898 1 Ind Terr GA AR
  Williams, Arnis [?] W M July 1878  21 Married 0 years Texas Missouri Missouri Merchant, Dry Goods  Rents
  Williams, Elisith E W F Mch 1879  21 Married 0 years Texas Missouri Kentucky
  
  The last two individuals appear to be Elisha's oldest daughter Elizabeth (Elisith Elizabeth?) and her new husband, except that the birth states of her parents do not match Elisha's and her mother's (both Georgia).
  
  Notice that the census reports that Elisha and Laura have been married 7 years, making the marriage about 1993.  But most of the children are older than that.  From the 1910 census we learn overtly that Laura was Elisha's second wife, which is confirmed by the 1910 census.  So the first wife was the mother of all the children born in Texas.  I see, however, that the enumerator in 1900 has still reported the mother of all the children was born in Arkansas.  The first wife S A was reported in the 1880 census as born in Georgia.  It seems the enumerator has used Laura's birth state for the mother of all the children.  I have not discovered where Elisha and Laura married.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, 7 May, Fitzhugh Township, District 253, page 12B, Hse #239, Fam #240
  Grubbs, E C Head F W 59 2nd marriage Married 17 yrs GA GA GA Farmer  [married abt 1893]
  Grubbs, Laura Wife F W 44 1st marriage Married 17 yrs 5 children/2 living AR TN AL
  Grubbs, Jennie Dau F W 15 Single OK GA AR
  Grubbs, Bernice Dau F W 11 Single OK GA AR
  Fannell, Abbie Dau F W 23 Married 3 yrs [No husband rptd] 1 child/1 living TX GA AR
  Fannell, Marie Granddau F W 7mos Single TX MS TX
  
  Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
  Certificate #3707
  E C Grubbs
  Death 8 Jan 1928 Parker County
  
  Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
  Mr E C Grubbs
  Birth 1 Feb 1851 Georgia
  Father T C Grubbs
  Mother Miss Thombalson [? Probably misheard her name: mother known to be Elizabeth T Tomlinson]
  Age at Death 69, Death 8 Jan 1928 Weatherford, Parker, Texas
  Cause of Death Chronic Bronchitis
  Informant Mrs Sallie Grubbs [? Cf 1st wife S A, identified on her grave as Susan A, died before 1893, 2nd wife was Laura, no children named Sarah]
  Certificate signed by A S Garrett, 17 January 1928
  Burial 9 January 1927 [1928]
  Place of burial Dixion (Dixon), By Cotton-Bratton, Weatherford, Texas
  Filed 7 February 1928
  
  I see that the informant on this death certificate is Sallie Grubbs.  I do not know who this is.  The only name I know that might relate to this is the name of his first wife, reported as S A.  Her first name might have been Sarah.  But it appears she died before 1893, when Elisha married his second wife, Laura.  The note on his memorial on Find a Grave says he was married to Sallie Grubbs, but this does not rell us anything more than we know.  The wife whose burial is linked to him is named Susan A Grubbs.
  
  Updates I submitted to his incomplete profile on Find a  Grave were added, and the updated memorial is included here.
  
  Elisha Columbus Grubbs
  Birth Feb 1, 1851 Georgia, USA
  Death Jan 18, 1928 Weatherford, Parker County, Texas, USA
  husband of Sallie Grubbs, son of T.C. & Thombalson Grubbs
  Spouse Susan A. Grubbs (1856 - 1891)
  Children James Richard Grubbs (1889 - 1941)
  Burial Dixon Cemetery, Parker County, Texas, USA
  Created by Bill Warren Oct 20, 2014
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #137539042, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=137539042

Sources

• 1. Texas Death Certificate
  • Full information on Texas death certificate
• 2. 1860 Federal Census, Drew County, Arkansas
  • 9 July, Veasey Township, PO Lacy, page 12, Hse/Fam #558
• 3. 1870 Federal Census, Drew County, Arkansas
  • 7 September, Veasey Township, PO Lacy, page 17, Hse/Fam #140
• 4. 1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
  • 12 June, Township 1, District 133, page 13B,  Hse #112, am #117
• 5. 1930 Federal Census, Drew County, Arkansas
  • 5 April, Crook Township, District 9, page 2B, Hse/Fam #34
• 6. 1880 Federal Census, McLennan County, Texas
  • 14 June, District 116, page 13 (scan 222A), Hse/Fam #110
• 7. Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000
  • Certificate #3707
• 8. Ancestry Trees
  • Roy Family, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/17490876/person/18013944433
• 9. 1910 Federal Census, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma
  • 7 May, Fitzhugh Township, District 253, page 12B, Hse #239, Fam #240
• 10. Texas Marriage Certificate
• 11. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 12. Texas, Select County Marriage Index, 1837-1977
• 13. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #61252899
• 14. 1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
• 15. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
• 16. 1940 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  • 10 April, Anadarko, District 8-6, page 9A, 506 West Louisiana St, Hse #185 Owns $2800
• 17. 1920 Federal Census, Grady County, Oklahoma
  • 10 January, Tuttle, District 191, page 6B,  Oak St, Hse/Fam #110
• 18. Oklahoma, County Marriage Records, 1890-1995
• 19. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007