Mary Elizabeth Battle [14307]

  General Notes:

Daughter of Joseph Sumner Battle & Mary Ann Horne. One of 8 children born to the couple, she and brother George Cullen Battle and sister Martha Lane Battle were raised by wealthy Edgecombe planter, Jesse A. Powell, when both her parents died ca. 1847. She married the widower, John L. Bridgers on 04 Apr 1867 when she was 23-years old and moved into his gracious home, "The Grove", in Tarboro, NC. Mother to Marcus Milton (1868), Loulie (1870), Whitney Luther (1873) and Mary Horne Bridgers (1882). Left a widow at age 40 in 1884, she never remarried and passed in 1918 at age 74.



Note: 2nd Wife of Col. John Luther Bridgers, Sr.

  Research Notes:

Mary Eliza Battle was born in Edgecombe Co, NC, the 7th of 8 known children born to planters, Joseph Sumner Battle & Mary Ann "Marianna" Horne/Horne.

She was the paternal grandchild of Jethro Battle & Martha Lane (daughter of Raleigh "founder", Joel Lane); and the maternal grandchild of Josiah Ruth Horn/Horne & Frances "Fannie" Thorp/Thorpe of Edgecombe. Her family roots in Edgecombe can be traced back on both sides of the family to Nansemond, VA where her early ancestors came first from England, and eventually to North Carolina in the early 1700's.

Her father died in 1847 when she was just 3 years old, and her mother soon married wealthy Edgecombe County planter, Jesse Harrison Powell, as his 4th wife. She and her brother George Cullen Battle (1841-1891), and younger sister, Martha Lane Battle (1846-1888) were then raised by Powell.

Mary Eliza was 28 years old when she married the 46-year old widowed Civil War hero and attorney, John L. Bridgers, on April 4, 1867. She instantly became mother to his 3 children, and moved into his gracious home "The Grove", in Tarboro, NC.

She soon became mother to 4 known children: Marcus Milton (1868), Loulie (1870), Whitney Luther (1873) and Mary Horne Bridgers (1882).

By the late 1870's, John's fortunes began to change, and his was forced to sell off parcels of the "The Grove" plantation (originally 296 acres), and new homes sprouted up around the homestead, gradually changing the plantation from rural to an urban setting. The family finally left the homestead around 1881 and they built a Victorian Cottage nearby, that still stands today (2007), and was later inhabited by her two unmarried daughters (Loulie & Mary).

Mary Eliza was left a widow at age 40 in 1884, when her husband of 17 years died at age 62. She never remarried, and she and her descendants remained in the now historic "Bridgers House" at 1201 St. Andrew Street, where she died in 1918 at age 74.


Family links:
Children:
Marcus Milton Bridgers (1868 - 1935) *
Loulie Bridgers (1870 - 1948) *
Mary Horne Bridgers (1882 - 1964) *

Spouse:
John Luther Bridgers (1821 - 1884) *

* Reverse Relationships:] body=[This relationship was not directly added to this memorial. Rather, it is calculated based on information added to the related person's memorial. For example: if Joe Public is linked to Jane Public as a spouse, a reciprocal link will automatically be added to Jane Public's memorial.
] fade=[on] fadespeed=[.09]"Point here for explanation

Note: 2nd Wife of Col. John Luther Bridgers, Sr.

  Burial Notes:

Calvary Church Cemetery

  Noted events in her life were:

• Picture: Head Stone of Mary Elizabeth Battle Bridgers.

Mary married John Luther Bridgers Sr. [111] [MRIN: 54] on April 4, 1867. (John Luther Bridgers Sr. [111] was born on November 29, 1821, died on January 22, 1884 and was buried in Tarboro, Edgecombe, North Carolina, USA.)