Individual Details
Caroline Elizabeth L Drake
(24 Jul 1847 - 13 Feb 1940)
Carrie Drake Samford
Descendant of the Drake family of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and Warren and Nash Counties, North Carolina, and the Williams, Bryant, and Bertie families of Virginia and North Carolina (Americans of Gentle Birth and Their Ancestors by Hannah Pittman).
She moved to Auburn, Alabama, as a child and married the Hon. William J. Samford, later governor of Alabama, who was a descendant of the Samford and Dowdell families of Alabama, Keene and Rogers families of Maryland and Virginia, the Turberville and Isbell families of Virginia and South Carolina.
The couple married at the Drake home, 449 N. Gay St., Auburn, Alabama. The antebellum Drake-Samford house, as it was called, later served as a private school, Lee Academy, in the 1960s-70s. It was demolished in 1978.
Tuscaloosa NEWS, Feb. 13, 1940, page 1:
Mrs. Samford Dies at 93.
Widow of Governor Influenza Victim
OPELIKA, Ala., Feb. 13--(AP)--Mrs. Caroline Elizabeth Samford, 93-year-old widow of Alabama's 31st governor, William J. Samford, died today of complications resulting from an attack of influenza.
A son of the noted woman, William H. Samford, member of the Alabama Court of Appeals, died only last week.
Mrs. Samford, since the death of her husband in 1901, had been the energetic and inspiring head of one of Alabama's most distinguished families. She was talented and until stricken by the fatal illness enjoyed playing musical instruments.
Mrs. Samford was born in Nash County, North Carolina, July 24, 1847. She was the fifth child of Dr. John Hodges Drake, and Polly Richard Susan (Williams) Drake, and moved to Auburn, Ala., in 1857 when only 10 years of age.
She was the sister of the late Dr. John Hodges Drake, III, surgeon at Auburn College for more than 50 years.
At the age of 18, Mrs. Samford was married to William J. Samford, Oct. 31, 1865, shortly after his return from service in the Confederate Army where he commanded a company in the 46th Alabama Regiment.
To them were born nine children: the late Judge William H. Samford, of the Court of Appeals, Montgomery; Thomas Drake Samford, United States district attorney, Opelika; the late Mrs. Jamie Samford Dowdell; Richard Lewis Samford, Opelika; Mrs. Caroline Samford Giles, Opelika; Mrs. Mary Samford Wooten, wife of Dr. B.A. Wooten, University of Alabama; Mrs. Susan Samford Smith, Mobile. A son, Crawford L. Samford, died in infancy.
William J. Samford became governor in 1900, and died during his term in 1901. For 50 years Mrs. Samford had made her home at Opelika.
"Funeral services for Mrs. Samford will be conducted from the First Methodist Church here at 11 a.m. tomorrow."
Descendant of the Drake family of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and Warren and Nash Counties, North Carolina, and the Williams, Bryant, and Bertie families of Virginia and North Carolina (Americans of Gentle Birth and Their Ancestors by Hannah Pittman).
She moved to Auburn, Alabama, as a child and married the Hon. William J. Samford, later governor of Alabama, who was a descendant of the Samford and Dowdell families of Alabama, Keene and Rogers families of Maryland and Virginia, the Turberville and Isbell families of Virginia and South Carolina.
The couple married at the Drake home, 449 N. Gay St., Auburn, Alabama. The antebellum Drake-Samford house, as it was called, later served as a private school, Lee Academy, in the 1960s-70s. It was demolished in 1978.
Tuscaloosa NEWS, Feb. 13, 1940, page 1:
Mrs. Samford Dies at 93.
Widow of Governor Influenza Victim
OPELIKA, Ala., Feb. 13--(AP)--Mrs. Caroline Elizabeth Samford, 93-year-old widow of Alabama's 31st governor, William J. Samford, died today of complications resulting from an attack of influenza.
A son of the noted woman, William H. Samford, member of the Alabama Court of Appeals, died only last week.
Mrs. Samford, since the death of her husband in 1901, had been the energetic and inspiring head of one of Alabama's most distinguished families. She was talented and until stricken by the fatal illness enjoyed playing musical instruments.
Mrs. Samford was born in Nash County, North Carolina, July 24, 1847. She was the fifth child of Dr. John Hodges Drake, and Polly Richard Susan (Williams) Drake, and moved to Auburn, Ala., in 1857 when only 10 years of age.
She was the sister of the late Dr. John Hodges Drake, III, surgeon at Auburn College for more than 50 years.
At the age of 18, Mrs. Samford was married to William J. Samford, Oct. 31, 1865, shortly after his return from service in the Confederate Army where he commanded a company in the 46th Alabama Regiment.
To them were born nine children: the late Judge William H. Samford, of the Court of Appeals, Montgomery; Thomas Drake Samford, United States district attorney, Opelika; the late Mrs. Jamie Samford Dowdell; Richard Lewis Samford, Opelika; Mrs. Caroline Samford Giles, Opelika; Mrs. Mary Samford Wooten, wife of Dr. B.A. Wooten, University of Alabama; Mrs. Susan Samford Smith, Mobile. A son, Crawford L. Samford, died in infancy.
William J. Samford became governor in 1900, and died during his term in 1901. For 50 years Mrs. Samford had made her home at Opelika.
"Funeral services for Mrs. Samford will be conducted from the First Methodist Church here at 11 a.m. tomorrow."
Events
| Birth | 24 Jul 1847 | Nash County, North Carolina | |||
| Marriage | 31 Oct 1865 | Auburn, Lee County, Alabama - William James Samford |  | ||
| Death | 13 Feb 1940 | Opelika, Lee County, Alabama | |||
| Burial | Rosemere Cemetery, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama | |  |
Families
| Spouse | William James Samford (1844 - 1901) |
| Child | William Hodges Samford (1866 - 1940) |
| Child | Thomas Drake Samford Sr. (1868 - 1947) |
| Child | W. M. Jamie Samford (1870 - 1902) |
| Child | Richard Lewis Samford (1872 - 1947) |
| Child | Susan George Samford (1875 - 1965) |
| Child | Caroline Elizabeth Samford (1879 - 1984) |
| Child | Crawford Alexander Samford (1884 - 1885) |
| Child | Walter Robert Samford (1886 - 1948) |
| Child | Mary Katherine Samford (1890 - 1962) |
Notes
Marriage
or Macon County, AlabamaBurial
PLOT Section 33 Grave 32Endnotes
1. Find a Grave Memorial 13438701.