My Aldridge family line goes back to Francis Aldridge and Henretta Ritter Prince of North Carolina, supposedly the parents of Francis Aldridge born 1764 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. So far this is unverified. Henretta’s parents are said to be Edward and Hannah Prince. Francis and Henretta supposedly had six children: Elijah, Margaret “Peggy,” Delilah, Francis, Isham and Prince William.

Francis, born 1764, served in the Revolutionary War with a North Carolina Regiment. He married Margaret Cole in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1789 and they had their first few children there before moving to Kentucky, possibly Fayette County, where the rest of their children were born. After Margaret died around 1802 - 1804, Francis married Mary “Polly” Harper in 1805 and they moved to Pulaski County, Kentucky, where Francis died in 1845. Francis and Margaret had seven children: David, Elijah, Nancy, Margaret "Peggy," Francis B., Rebecca and Thomas.

Some of Francis and Margaret’s children stayed in Kentucky and some moved to Indiana and from there to other states. Elijah, my ancestor, moved from Indiana to Iowa and finally to California.

Elijah married Jane White of Kentucky in 1812, probably in Montgomery County. Of their twelve children, nine lived to adulthood: David, Hamilton, Charles, Caroline E., Nancy Jane, Franklin A., Jonathan W., Sarah Margaret, and Rebecca Ann. Three died young: Alvin, Mary and William. The grandchildren moved also, to Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, California and Oregon. Elijah and Jane both died in Watsonville, California, and are buried there in the Pioneer Cemetery.

Elijah and Jane’s daughter Caroline, my ancestor, married Elbridge Mabrin Whitted of North Carolina, Indiana and Iowa, and their family moved to Florida in the 1880s. Their children scattered as well, but most of them remained in Florida where many descendants live today.



Related Links
Aldridge family, main page