52 Ancestors -- #12: Andrew Turner Holland

Andrew Turner Holland, son of Leroy Thomas Holland and Amanda Elizabeth Scott, was born May 12, 1877 in Anderson County, South Carolina. He was the 10th child of 11—Eliza Ann, Marion Scott, John Newton, Thomas N., William Harrison, John Louis, Brown Lee, Maggie Idora, Elijah Jeffers, Andrew, and William Charles Holland.

Andrew’s young life was shattered when at the age of seven months his mother died on December 18, 1877. She was only in her mid-30s. Andrew’s father didn’t stay single long. Less than two years later, Leroy married Cindarilla Darliska Amanda Hall, daughter of Aaron Hall and Clementine Ann Norris, on August 3, 1879 in Anderson. Together they had three children—Aaron Hall, Lawrence Lafayette, and Joe Norris Holland.

On June 1, 1880, five year old Andrew lived with his family in Broadway, Anderson County, South Carolina.

On September 10, 1883, Andrew’s sister Eliza Ann died at the age of 27. She was buried at Neal’s Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Anderson.

Times were hard for the Holland family in 1890. Two of Andrews’s brothers died within two weeks of each other—William on March 26 and Brown on April 5. Adding to their suffering, Leroy struggled to make a living and was forced to borrow money to support his family. Unfortunately, he lost his land in Anderson County when he was unable to pay his debts. He had a friend in Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia, so around January 1891 Leroy loaded the family up, moved to Georgia, and bought land in Whitfield County. Once the family was settled in their new home, Andrew found the work too tough so he hitchhiked back to South Carolina where he started working for Asbury Churchwell Latimer, a Democrat from South Carolina. Latimer served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1893 to 1903 and then as a Senator until his death in 1908.

On May 4, 1892, Andrew’s father died in Whitfield County, Georgia. He was buried at Deep Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.

By 1899, Andrew was living in Washington, DC so I’m assuming that he followed Representative Latimer there around 1893 when he was elected to the House. I have no proof to back up that assumption however. On July 1, 1899, I found Andrew listed in the Official Register of the United States, Containing a List of the Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military, and Naval Service. It appears that he worked as a civilian for the War Department as a messenger in the Office of the Surgeon General—Medical Department at Large. He was compensated $600. Andrew was still there on July 1, 1901. In 1903, he was an assistant messenger and was compensated $720.

On June 18, 1900, Andrew was 23 years old, single, lived in a boarding house, and worked as a government clerk.

In looking at early 1900s city directories for Washington, DC, it appears that Andrew moved around a lot. He lived at 312 C Street NW in 1900. In 1901, he lived at 633 I Street NW. In 1903, he lived at 913 NY Avenue NW.

Andrew was at Walter Reed General Hospital from November 30 to December 24, 1904 according to a register of U.S., Returns from Military Posts, 1806-1916.

In 1905, Andrew lived at 913 Newark Avenue NW in Washington, DC. The address in 1905 is so similar to the address in 1903 that I wonder if it’s a transcription error and that he lived in the same house during that time period.

Death notice for Alice Davis Holland, WashingtonTimes, October 22, 1908

On August 18, 1906, Andrew married Evelyn E. Padgett, daughter of George Thomas Padgett and Mary C. Rockett, in Washington, DC. Andrew was 29 years old and Evelyn was 31. Together they had one daughter, Alice Davis Holland, born in Washington, DC in 1907, exact date unknown. Little Alice died of cholera infantum on October 20, 1908 and was buried at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC.

City directories again show frequent moves. In 1907, Andrew lived at 207 B Street NE. In 1909, he lived at 304 C Street NE. And in 1913, Andrew lived at 1200 C Street SW, Washington, DC.

Death notice for Andrew Holland, WashingtonTimes, March 19, 1915

On December 20, 1914, Andrew’s stepmother Amanda died in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was buried at Italy Cemetery in Italy, Ellis County, Texas. A little over two months later, his brother Elijah died on March 4, 1915 in Dalton. Elijah was buried at Deep Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. We’ve always heard that deaths come in threes and sadly 14 days after Elijah’s death, Andrew, age 37, died on March 18, 1915 at 605 Maryland Avenue SW in Washington, DC. He was buried (plot R26/36) beside his infant daughter at Congressional Cemetery on March 21, 1915. Both Andrew and Alice are in unmarked graves. His death was reported in The Washington Times on March 19, 1915: HOLLAND—On Thursday, March 18, 1915 at 3 p.m., Andrew T., beloved husband of Evelyn Holland (nee Padgett). Funeral from residence of Mr. Padgett, 208 6th street NE, Sunday, March 21 at 3 o’clock. Relatives and friends invited (Belton, S.C. papers please copy).

Our family knew that Andrew had moved and died in Washington, DC but no one knew what happened to him otherwise. He was always in the back of my mind. It took several years but I finally found Andrew and his family in historical newspapers digitized and stored on the Library of Congress website. I’m thankful for this free resource that the Library of Congress provides. Andrew’s life had a sad ending but at least we know that he had a young family and was loved.