“Son of a Slave”
by Cindy Casey
“In 1810, Moses Eldridge was born into slavery and was owned by Daniel B. Eldridge of Rural Hall, NC. Daniel Eldridge also
owned Necy, who eventually became Moses’ legal wife. They had the following children........”
Writing a simple sentence like this takes for some, years of digging and researching. For others, the sentence may never be
written. Why? The answer is sometimes not so simple. For African-Americans, the lack of record keeping, loss of records,
reluctance to share oral history, etc. usually prevent families from successful research. But the Robert Eldridge family has been
successful in their research because they documented the known, embraced the unknown (oral history), and used it as a road
map to continue searching. I applaud their success and hope their story will ignite a wave of determination of other African-
American families to document their heritage!
The Eldridge family has graciously given me permission to write their story. The love and longevity of their family has kept it alive,
their oral history maintained and their ancestry well documented.
Robert Arthur and Mary Clark Eldridge
Thanksgiving 1998
Not many families can brag that their parents are still living and over 100 years old. Recently, the children of this lovely couple
spent another Thanksgiving with their parents, who have been married for 82 years. Mary Clark Eldridge was born in Chapel Hill,
Prince George’s County, MD and is 101 years old. Her parents were John Clarke and Lizzie Miles, but as she lost her mother as a
baby, she was raised by foster parents. Robert Eldridge, age 105, lives in the Washington area and relies on his sons Taliaferro
and Vasco to transport him to visit his wife.
Robert was born in 1893 in a log cabin “so threadbare you could see straight through the floor.” He was the last of 13 children. His
father, Arthur Jerry Eldridge was born into slavery in 1845 in Stokes County. His parents were Moses and Necy (Nicey) Eldridge.
Arthur struggled to feed his children by sharecropping tobacco and preaching to nearby congregations. Robert’s mother was
Nannie Taliaferro who was born in 1855 in Virginia. She died in 1894 in Rural Hall, NC from pneumonia when Robert was one year
old, so little is known about her. (Nannie had a brother named Spotswood Taliaferro who fought in the Spanish-American War.
After the war he remained in the Phillipines where he became a wealthy Sugar Plantation owner.)
In 1911, Robert’s eldest brother, William, who by that time had received a college education and living in Washington, DC., wrote
home to Rural Hall, N.C. “If you will help me take care of father, then I’d like for you and father to come live with me.” Robert and
his father Arthur, packed all their belongings in a brown burlap bag, closed up the cabin and took the train north.
Robert began working as a dishwasher at the Crown Lunch Room and was soon promoted to waiter. It was during this time he met
his future bride “Miss Mayme.” On the weekends he would hire a horse and buggy and go courting. Robert worked hard, went to
night school, and eventually was employed at the U.S. Printing Office. In 1917 the first of their eight children were born. Today
they have 14 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.
The following is some genealogical information on the Eldridge Family. If you can provide any information on this family, please
don’t hesitate to do so. You may contact Eldon and Mary (‘Jackie’ Eldridge) Haymon, 5115 11th St N.E., Washington, DC 20011-
6407. Phone 202-529-7065 eljac@erols.com
1860 Forsyth County, N.C. Federal Census:
ELDRIDGE, Daniel B. 24 m farmer VA
Amanda A. 23 f NC
Alice G. 3 f NC
Mildred F. 2 f NC
In 1860 Daniel B. Eldridge owned 21 known slaves. On the manufacturing schedule he claimed 6,000 pounds of tobacco along
with a great deal of livestock, grain, etc. He listed the following adult slaves as living at his plantation in Buffalo Creek area.
(Present day Rural Hall/Germanton area):
1-40f / 1-30m / 1-30 f / 1-25 m / 1-17m / 1-17m / 1-16f / 1-14f / 1-14 f/ 1-12m / 1-12m / 1-11m
Listed at his Belews Creek Home were the following slave children:
(Belews Creek is in Walkertown, where Moses is found in the 1870 census)
1-8f / 1-8f / 1-7m / 1-6m / 1-5f / 1-4f / 1-3f/ 1-1m / 1- 6 mos f
The Co-Habitation/Marriage Bond Records of Forsyth County lists the following:
Moses Eldridge to Necy Eldridge - Owner Daniel B Eldridge
Cohabitating since 1852 and Registered Aug. 27, 1866
1870 Forsyth Co., NC Federal Census - Middlefork Township - Walkertown
55/55 MOSES, Eldridge 60 m b Day Laborer NC (b. 1810)
Nicey (Mica) 40 f b Keeping house (b. 1815)
David 22 m b
Sophia 18 f b
Sarah 16 f b
Anna 14 f b
Thomas 10 m b
Dina (Dinnah) 8 f b
Nancy 6 f b
Clementine (Climassy) 2 f b
Juda 16 f b
OAKS, Robert 18 m b laborer on farm
Son Authur Jerry Eldridge, not mentioned in this census, was born Mar. 14, 1845 and died in 1918 in Rural Hall, NC.
Author and his first wife, a _____ Pinkney (1848 - 1877) had the following children:
William b Oct 12, 1872 mar. Maggie Rumley b. Sept 7. 1874 -- 2nd wife: Lindzie Rumley
Paul and Silas, twins born Jan 20, 1877. Silas died in 1877.
Alexander b. Aug. 25, 1878 d. July 23, 1962. Married Blanche OAKS* March 18, 1902.
*It should be noted that the Robert Oaks who was listed in the 1870 census with the Moses Eldridge family, and the Blanche Oaks
who married Alexander Eldridge may be connected. In 1870, there was a Henry Oaks family listed as follows:
OAKES, Henry 26 m b Farmer NC
Mary E 28 f b housekeeping NC
Sarah J. 14 f b at home NC
Author’s second wife, and Robert’s mother, was Nannie Taliaferro was born ca. 1855 in VA and died 1894 in Rural Hall, N.C.
They were married in 1877.
Family of Robert Arthur and Mary Clark Eldridge:
Robert Arthur Eldridge was born April 11, 1893. On July 29, 1916, he married Mary Elizabeth Clarke, who was born March 17,
1897. They had the following children:
1. Ernestine Eldridge b. April 13, 1917 d. Aug. 15, 1919
2. Robert Arthur Eldridge, Jr. b Dec 29, 1920
3. Araminta Elizabeth Eldridge b. July 28, 1922
4. Vasco Pinkney Eldridge b. Dec 22, 1924
5. Taliaferro Clarke Eldridge b. Sept. 4, 1928
6. Earle Francis Eldridge b. Aug. 3, 1932
7. Mary Jacqueline Eldridge b. Aug. 29, 1935
Other black Eldridge families listed in the 1870 Forsyth Census were:
• Eliva Eldridge age 20, a domestic servant in the Fulp Household.
• Eldrige, Robert, age 26 farmer VA
Fannie age 19 keeping house NC
Willie age 1
John 1/12
Anna age 9
A Rachel Morris age 20 also lived in this household