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Note: 1900 Census of Columbus County, Welches Creek Township shows Elender, Ellen, and Lois in the household of their Great-grandfather William Byrd. I know they lived with him but I can only assume both of their parents had passed away as the reason.
Elvia Elizabeth Jernigan's Story In a conversation with my Great-aunt Lois, who was my Grandmother Ellen Byrd Stevens' sister and the daughter of Elvia Elizabeth Jernigan, she told me that her and Grandma Ellen were raised by their Great-grandfather William Byrd after their mother's death. I don't know the cause of Elvia Elizabeth Jernigan's death but she apparently died fairly young. Aunt Lois said their father's name was William Lambert and that he drowned. They also had a sister, Elender who died young.
In a later visit with Bud Byrd, who was my Grandmother's cousin, he showed me and some of my family were my Byrd ancestors were buried. Unfortunately I can't remember the location other than Welches Creek area. There were no tombstones and it was in the woods. Elvia has a small fence around her grave. Bud Byrd took a sling blade with him and cut a path for us through the woods to the grave site.
He told us that William Lambert was Italian and that he use to walk to the Byrd house to see Elvia after dark. Once one of her brothers covered himself with a sheet and waited for "Bill" to come along. It was very dark without the artificial light we have today. When Bill got close, Elvia's brother jumped out and chased Bill. Scared Bill pretty bad. Bud said that was the fastest Bill had ever run.
Recently I had a conversation with my Aunt Elsie Stevens Stubbs. She told me what she could remember. I had not been able to fit William Lambert with Elvia Elizabeth Jernigan and their three daughters. Now I know why. William Lambert was married to someone else. My Great-grandmother had fallen in love with this dashing Italian and followed her heart.
Before you judge, listen to this story. She use to go out in the fields with the old mule to plow after she'd had her daughters and found the Lord. She had gotten saved and Baptized in the Holy Ghost. She'ld get out there plowing and praying and the Holy Ghost would come upon her and she'ld be out there shouting and dancing in the field in the Holy Ghost.
Aunt Elsie also said that Aunt Lucy and Cousin Lucy helped raise my Grandmother Ellen and Great-aunt Lois. She also recalls Grandma saying we were related to the Blue family, possibly Buie family located on drive from Hallsboro to Wilimington, somewhere along that route. The Byrd name that Grandma Ellen and Aunt Lois used as their maiden names came from their Great-grandfather William Byrd, son of Alexander Byrd. William's daughter Anna Jane Byrd married Calvin Jernigan and they were the parents of Elvia Elizabeth Jernigan. (Tammy Stevens Buffkin, May 4, 2004)
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