I did not know there was a diptheria epidemic in that area in 1882. Does anyone know how widespread it was? Bobbi Estes -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 11:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [VAPITTSY-L] Re: Pittsylvania area connections, Eanes/Keatts/Coble/Moorefield/Barrow This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/3AC.2ACE/1385.6.1.1 Message Board Post: Mary, just a couple of the sad stories: David C. Keatts b. 20 Nov 1820 d. 10 Apr 1907 married Mary Ann Eliza Gregory b. 16 Dec 1838 d. 29 Oct 1930 on 14 Nov 1856. (They would be your 3rd great grandparents). David had a brother Richard C. (your 3rd great-grand uncle) married Susan E. Bennett 10 Sep 1857 and by 1879 they had 9 children. During the Diphtheria Epidemic of 1882 in Pittsylvania County they lost 5 of their 9 children within a week and 3 on the same day. Martha age 11 died August 29th, Susan age 22 died August 31st, James age 16 died September 3rd, Richard age 7 died September 3rd, Henrietta Jane (Etta) age 5 died September 3rd. The story goes James took care of his little sister Etta and she thought the world of him. On the night of September 2nd James was sick and could not get out of bed. Etta crawled in the bed with him and the next morning they were both gone. At the cemetery there are 5 graves in a row but only 4 headstones. James and Etta share a headstone with James markings on the right and Etta's on the left. Richard was in the process of building what would have been at the time a mansion. After the loss of his children it took him years to complete and the results was a large shack. Only one child was born to Richard and Susan after the epidemic, Emma V. about 1884 and Susan Bennett Keatts died July 16, 1890. David and Richard had another brother, John Randolph Keatts (another great-grand uncle) married Ottaway Ann Bennett 21 Dec 1854 and in Dec 1855 were blessed with a daughter Mary C. Less than a year later Ottaway died 29 Jul 1856 and in Aug Mary C. died. As for Black Sheep, not sure if David C. was. He was the only Keatts to move to Henry County, where Alvis was born and settled in Eastern Pittsylvania County (the only Keatts to move to that part of the county). Had he not done this chances are his grandchildren would have never met the Eanes', Moorefield's, or Brumfield's, who were all settled on that side of the county. If you're interested in what I have on the Keatts, and Gregory's email me [email protected] and I will send you the pictures I have. I don't spend much time on message boards and rarely respond to postings. I'm sure you want to know my connection to the Keatts. My wife's mother was the daughter of David Thomas Keatts, Nora May Keatts brother so your great great grandmother was her great aunt. Also David C. and Mary Ann Eliza had a daughter Melissa Jane that married Samuel Boyd Haley and son Samuel Boyd, Jr. married my great aunt on my mothers side. Take Care, Noell Jones ==== VAPITTSY Mailing List ==== Miss some messages? Visit the threaded mailing list archives at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/VAPITTSY