Elmira or Elmyra Trotter

(1821-1863)

At a Glance

Elmira (sometimes spelled Elmyra) Trotter married Jesse Anderson Lunsford. She is the mother of Burwell School students Virginia Elmira Lunsford  and Elizabeth Frances Lunsford .

Story

Fannie and Virginia's mother, Elmira Trotter Lunsford, is buried in the Lunsford family cemetery approximately one mile south of Roxboro. This cemetery is also the burial site of her husband Jesse Lunsford as well as his parents, Joseph Lunsford and Elizabeth Howard Lunsford (the paternal grandparents of Burwell students Frances and Virginia.) The location of this cemetery is as follows:

Joseph Lunsford Cemetery, on Lucy Garrett Road across from intersection with Billy Hicks Road.

Directions: From Roxboro, take Old Durham Road to Lucy Garrett Road, Cemetery is on right.

Access: Inside massive stone wall near road.

Notes: Stones are laying down and covered by periwinkle and ivy. There are several fieldstones but only three marked by carved tombstones.

The inscription on Elmira’s gravestone and footstone reads:

“Elmira TROTTER

was born Feb.18th.1821

married

Jesse A Lunsford

Nov.10th.1842

and died [broken stone – appears to be “March”] 2nd, 1863

leaving eight children

Elizabeth Frances

Joseph Addison

Virginia Elmira

Ira Thomas

George Allen

Jesse Jones

Rebecca Ella

and

John Calvin Calhoon [sic] Lunsford

She said on her deathbed

if it was the will of the Lord

to take her she would be

better off and repeatedly said

Bless the Lord

Remember friend as you pass by

as you are now so once was I

as I am now so you will be

prepare for death and follow me

Blessed are they that die in the Lord”

Note: Photographs of Elmira’s broken gravestone, in two pieces, were obtained from findagrave.com. The date of marriage on the top piece of the stone appears to be hidden in the grass as it lays on the ground. The text of that portion of the stone showing the marriage date, however, was included in the posting by the findagrave researcher [1].

Biographical Data

Important Dates

Elmira or Elmyra Trotter was born on February 18, 1821, in North Carolina [2]. She died on March 2, 1863.

Occupations

• Housekeeper.

Relatives

• Spouse: Jesse Anderson Lunsford (1819-1893), married on November 10, 1842. Person County
  Children:
  
  • five sons, Joseph Addison Lunsford (b. 1846), Ira Thomas Lunsford (b. 1851), George Allen Lunsford (b. 1853), Jesse Jones Lunsford (1856-1947) and John Calvin Calhoon [sic] Lunsford (b. 1863).
  • three daughters, Elizabeth Frances Lunsford (1844-1919) , Virginia Elmira Lunsford (1848-1881)  and Rebecca Ella Lunsford (b. 1858).
• Other: Joseph Lunsford Jr (father-in-law, 1799-1855).

References

1. http://www.findagrave.com/
2. United States Census of 1860.