Individual Details
Prince Alexander FURR
(25 Jan 1888 - 15 Sep 1968)
From 1925 to 1929 Prince Alexander Furr and his sons Belvin, Marvin, Rayvon and Thaddeus performed as a string band sponsored by Nehi beverages.
Prince Furr, a machinist in the local mills in Albemarle, taught his son Belvin to play the fiddle in 1921. The next year his son Marvin began to play the mandolin (later switching to the fiddle). His son Thad began the tenor banjo in 1923 and in 1924 Rayvon took up the mandolin. The family traveled to perform at fiddlers’ conventions, rallies, parties and dances. In 1925, Prince was working at the local Nehi bottling plant. A visit by the district manager led to the band taking a trip to Kansas City to perform in the Nehi booth at a national convention of soft drink manufacturers. Over the next few years, they continued to travel for the company. The association with Nehi ended in 1929. The band became a more modern dance band, added new members, and became known as Prince Furr and his Orchestra. In 1933, the family band ended. Three of the brothers, led by Belvin (known as Pee Wee), formed a big band called the Tar Heel Club Orchestra.
Prince Furr, a machinist in the local mills in Albemarle, taught his son Belvin to play the fiddle in 1921. The next year his son Marvin began to play the mandolin (later switching to the fiddle). His son Thad began the tenor banjo in 1923 and in 1924 Rayvon took up the mandolin. The family traveled to perform at fiddlers’ conventions, rallies, parties and dances. In 1925, Prince was working at the local Nehi bottling plant. A visit by the district manager led to the band taking a trip to Kansas City to perform in the Nehi booth at a national convention of soft drink manufacturers. Over the next few years, they continued to travel for the company. The association with Nehi ended in 1929. The band became a more modern dance band, added new members, and became known as Prince Furr and his Orchestra. In 1933, the family band ended. Three of the brothers, led by Belvin (known as Pee Wee), formed a big band called the Tar Heel Club Orchestra.
Events
Families
Spouse | Dora May HUNEYCUTT (1889 - 1912) |
Child | Gladys Virginia FURR (1908 - 1997) |
Child | Sula May FURR (1910 - 1911) |
Spouse | Carrie Ila BYRD (1893 - 1971) |
Child | William Belvin "Pee Wee" FURR (1913 - 2004) |
Child | Odessa FURR (1914 - 1914) |
Child | Marvin Deamus FURR (1915 - 1984) |
Child | Thaddeus Alexander "Thad" FURR (1917 - 2012) |
Child | Rayvon Elbert FURR (1918 - 2007) |
Child | Jettie Bell FURR (1920 - 1984) |
Child | Irene Janet FURR (1921 - 1997) |
Father | Marshall Filmore FURR (1867 - 1947) |
Mother | Laura Jane MORTON (1869 - 1906) |
Sibling | Rella FURR (1889 - 1972) |
Sibling | William Robert FURR (1891 - 1961) |
Sibling | Alva Alma "A.A." FURR (1893 - 1971) |
Sibling | Pallie Lillie FURR (1895 - 1966) |
Sibling | Roy Lee FURR (1897 - 1973) |
Sibling | Sarah Jane FURR (1899 - 1973) |
Sibling | Marshall Byran FURR (1900 - 1976) |
Sibling | Charlie C. FURR (1902 - 1903) |
Sibling | Pattie E. FURR (1906 - 1906) |
Notes
Marriage
Marriage license for Prince A. FURR and Carrie BYRD
"State of North Carolina
Stanly County Office of Register of Deeds
Oct. 19th 1912
"To any Ordained Minister of any Religious Denomination, or any Justice
of the Peace of said County:
Lo__lla Byrd [first name illegible] having applied to me for a LICENSE
for the marriage of Prince A Furr, of Albemarle N.C., aged 24 years,
color white, the son of Marshall Furr and L. J. Furr, the father now
living, the mother dead, resident of P____ton N.C., and Carrie Byrd, of
Albemarle N.C., aged 18 years, color white, daughter of Thos Byrd and
Martha Byrd, the father living, the mother living, resident of
Montgomery Co. N.C.
J.M. Boyett, Register of Deeds"
"Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by: Kristi N. Brown (KBrown@access1.net)"
Death
ALBEMARLE — Chris Alexander Furr, 80, of Rt. 1, Albemarle, died Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Stanly County Hospital. He was born Jan. 25, 1988, the son of the late Marshall F. and Laura Morton Furr. He was a retired textile employee. Surviving are his wife, Carrie Byrd Furr; four sons, William Delvin Furr of Albemarle, Marvin D. Furr and Thaddeus Furr, both of Rt. 1, Albemarle, and Raymond Furr of Rt. 1, New London; three daughters, Mrs. Avery Gobble of Rt. 1, Albemarle, Mrs. Jettie Morton of Fayetteville, and Mrs. Ray E. Brantley of San Bernardino, Calif.; seven brothers, Alva A. Furr, James Furr, and Tommy Furr, all of Albemarle, Ray Furr and Byron Furr, both of Newton, and Jack Furr and Claude Furr, both of New London; five sisters, Mrs. Rilla Bost, Mrs. Earl Haward, Mrs. Thurston Burleson, and Mrs. O. E. Brown, all of Albemarle, Mrs. Don Bonbullock of New London; and a half-sister, Mrs. Rowaldn Morris of Albemarle. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. at West Albemarle Baptist Church by the Rev. Riley Rutledge and the Rev. C. R. Hinton. Burial will be at Fairview Memorial Park. The body was taken to the home of a son, Marvin Furr, Troy Rd, Albemarle, today at 1 p.m. where it will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes before the funeral services.Endnotes
1. North Carolina Birth Index, 1800-2000 [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005.
2. North Carolina County Marriages, 1762-1979. Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org.
3. North Carolina Death Certificates, 1909-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina..
4. United States Social Security Death Index.
5. findagrave.com.