Family Legacy of Elihu Handy Elmore and Nellie Ratliff Elmore
While it is recognized that our names came from the slave owners representing various plantation owners, we are the extremely PROUD descendants of our ancestry forefathers and foremothers. And, we are coming together again to Celebrate - having a celebration of what God has done in our ancestors and thru us. See you there!
Much of the following information was provided by Andrea Wilson Hilliard in the 2000 Family Reunion History Booklet. Supplementary information was done by Sheena Wilson Coleman over time since 2000.
Elihu was born on about July 1874 on Lagonda plantation in Louisiana. His parents Daniel and Addie Elmore had about nineteen children. This is still being researched. He was 19 years of age when he met Nellie on Hope (Delmas Plantation) Plantation known by some as Delmas Plantation. It was owned by Mrs. A. Delmas . It was next to an oak tree that hung gently over into the Atchafalaya River. Nellie was born on about January 1875 on hope Plantation After a substantial courtship, they were married in 1896 nex to the oak tree from which they first met. Out that marriage came ten children:
Elihu was born on about July 1874 on Lagonda plantation in Louisiana. His parents Daniel and Addie Elmore had about nineteen children. This is still being researched. He was 19 years of age when he met Nellie on Hope (Delmas Plantation) Plantation known by some as Delmas Plantation. It was owned by Mrs. A. Delmas . It was next to an oak tree that hung gently over into the Atchafalaya River. Nellie was born on about January 1875 on hope Plantation After a substantial courtship, they were married in 1896 nex to the oak tree from which they first met. Out that marriage came ten children:
Elhu was a day laborer farmer. He could read and write and was known to be taught by his parents Daniel and Addie Elmore. He lived in a rental home on the plantation with his family. The home had three rooms: the main room, and two bedrooms. This home housed twelve people. Elihu also worked on a farm refinery in Port Arthur, Texas in 1922. Note: many of the Elmore siblings migrated to Port Arthur, Texas for employment
He worked at the Pattersonville Sawmill now named Patterson, Louisiana. He taught his children to read and write after he would return from the fields in which he worked. He would give them homework on their slate and when he returned home that afternoon their homework was expected to be completed. Once he checked and went over it with them, he would give them another assignment for the next day. . After Elihu :Handy” would retire for bed, the children would stay up late playing their favorite game. They did not have wallpaper, but they used newspaper as their wallpaper. Their game would go like this: one of the children would say I'm thinking of a word that begins with a letter "M" and ends with letter "N" , if no one would guess the word, then another clue was given, such as saying "Ma" and ends with the letter"N". The word would bey Mason. Once one of the children would guess the word they would take over and give another clue. Sadie Elmore Wilson recalled her brothers and sisters playing this well into the late night hours.
Elihu moved his family across the river in town because he did not want his children to travel on the boat twice a day across the Atchafalaya River to attend school. He was a member of the New Salem Baptist Church. After marrying Nellie, he joined Saint Luke Baptist Church where his wife was a member. Her family was one of the founders of Saint Luke Baptist Church.
Elihu was a tall and dark skinned man. He wore a hat and overalls. His voice as deep and soft and he was know to have a mustache. He could sing and so could his children. The Elmore Family had a piano in their Patterson home, and he played the piano well.
This history is work in progress, we welcome all addendum to our family legacy.
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