It’s Family Time~The Short-Lived Life of a Second Cousin

Childbirth today is a common everyday occurrence but back in the mid-1800 that was not the case. The mothers of those days risked their lives to have babies and many of them lost their life. Statistics show that in the 1880’s the mortality rate for pregnant women was one in every eight women 

Medicine was sadly lacking, there was no anesthesia thus opuim was mainly used to reduced the pain. Common thought was that women must suffer the pain of childbirth.

Mid-wives instead of Doctors cared for most of the women, in their home, in conditions very undesirable for childbirth.

Such was likely the case with Sophia Miller Furr.

Sophia Miller was born in 1822 to George Jacob Miller, Jr. and his wife Catherine “Katy” Dry. She was their “middle child and only daughter” between an older and younger brother. At age 19, on 20 April 1841, Sophia Miller married Solomon Furr. 

Their first and only child, a son, Franklin Henry Furr was born 21 Jan 1842. While I don't have a death date, we know that Sophia died at or shortly after the birth of her son Franklin Henry Furr. Franklin Henry Furr survived, married, and raised a large family passing away on 19 December 1911 in Polk County, Arkansas.

In 1844, Solomon Furr, widow, remarried. He took as his wife a young lady, age 17, by the name of Avaline Brown. To this union were born 2 daughters. Avaline Brown Furr was last enumerated in the 1860 census dying sometime between 1860 and 1870. Dr. Solomon Furr remained single after her death until 3 March 1894 at the age of 71 he married Mrs. Martha Jane Cox Scott.

Dr. Solomon Furr died 27 August 1895.

Death of Dr. S. Furr.
Dr. Solomon Furr, a well known citizen of No. 9, died last Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock from a stroke of paralysis which he received last Friday. He told his wife he felt sleepy, when she told him to stir about. He went out to the barn, and while there was stricken. He lingered until Tuesday when he died. Dr. Furr leaves a wife and three children, two sons and one daughter, Mrs. S. C. Bost The two sons are out west. Dr. Furr was about 75 years old. The remains were interred in the Furr burying ground.
[The Concord Times, Concord, North Carolina, 29 Aug 1895, Thu., Page 3, Column 2.]

Sophia Miller Furr is my 2nd Cousin 4 times removed.

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1. "North Carolina, Marriages Index, 1741-1868," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 10 August 2020), Marriage: Solomon FURR and Sophia Miller, Bond Date: 20 Apr 1841.

2. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com: accessed  10 August 2020); Memorial page for Lieut Solomon Furr; (29 May 1822-27b Aug 1895); Find a Grave memorial # 18373237, Citing Furr Family Cemetery; Mount Pleasant, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, USA.

3. 1850 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page: 474A (Stamped); Line 26,, Dwelling 1107, Family 1107, Household of Solomon FURR; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 10 August 2020); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 622.

4. 1860 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Subdivision East of NC RR, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page: 92 (stamped); Line 7, Dwelling 956, Family 956, Household of Solomon FURR; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 10 August 2020); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 890.

5. Solomon Furr, compiled military record (2nd Lt., Company B, North Carolina 7th Infantry Regiment), U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 (Provo, Utah: www.ancestry.com), N/A.

6. 1870 Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Township 9, Cabarrus, North Carolina, Page: 545A (stamped); Line 32, Dwelling 50, Family 57, Household of Solomon FURR; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 10 August 2020); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 1126.

7. "Death of Dr. S. FURR," Obituary, [The Concord Times, Concord, North Carolina, 29 August 1895, Page 3, Column 2; Digital On-Line Archives, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/: viewed 29 August 2020).