Dr & Mrs William T Grigg

Recently while browsing ebay I ran across a Cleveland County family portrait for sale. Not being one to let local history get away I placed my bid, won the photograph and am happy to share it with you. The back of the photo is inscribed "Dr. Grigg, Mrs. Grigg and 5 of their children", and was taken at the MacArthur Studio in Shelby. If my short study of the Grigg family rings true, this photograph was taken in late 1903 or early 1904. Little Marvin was born in August 1903 and appears as a baby on his Mom's lap in the photo

I believe this to be the family of Dr. W. T. Grigg, a son of Spencer Grigg & Amanda Lee Grigg, who was living in the #2 Township of Cleveland County, NC, when the 1900 Federal Census was enumerated in June of the same year by Mr. Elijah B. Hamrick.

Household #210 consisted of:
Grigg, W. T., age 37
Grigg, Lavenia, age 26 (had borne 5 children in 10 years of marriage, 4 survived)
Grigg, Horace, age 6
Grigg, Claude, age 3
Grigg, Maud, age 3 (Maud & Claude were twins born in July 1896)
Grigg, Quay, age 7 months
White, Grover, age 14 who was bound to the family
Hudson, Noah, age 23, a border
Hudson, Mamie, age 18, a border who was Noah's wife of 2 years.

22 April 1910, Charles Fortenberry, enumerator, found the family living on a farm in the #9 Township of Cleveland County:
Grigg, Willie T., age 47, Physician & Farmer
Grigg, Ellen L, age 36, married 19 years, had born 7 children 6 of whom survived
Grigg, Jasper H, age 16
Grigg, Claud, age 13
Grigg, Maud, age 13
Grigg, Womble Q, age 10
Grigg, Marvin A, age 6
Grigg, Ruth, age 3
Grigg, Romelia C, age 54, single & sister of W. T.

9 January 1920, Willis B. Williamson, enumerator, counted the family still in the #9 Township of Cleveland County, in "Lawndale Town":
Grigg, Willie T., age 57, Medical doctor
Grigg, Lavenia, age 46
Grigg, Jasper H, age 26, single, teacher
Grigg, Claude, age 23, single
Grigg, Maude, age 23, single, teacher
Grigg, Quay, age 20
Grigg, Marvin, age 16
Grigg, Ruth, age 13
Grigg, Ella, age 8 years 2 months
Grigg, Callie, age 60, single, sister of W. T.

3 May 1930, Ellen S. J. Lackey, enumerated the family the the #9 Township of Cleveland County:
Grigg, William T., age 67, Medical doctor, general medicine
Grigg, Lavenia Ellen, age 56
Grigg, Romelia Cal, age 73, single, sister of W. T.
Grigg, Eloise, age unable to read, listed as daughter
Grigg, Marvin Atkins, age 27, son, an electrician
Grigg, Evalina, age 27, listed as daughter, but actually daughter-in-law
Grigg, Marvin Jr, age 9 months, listed as son but actually grandson.

That same year, 1930, in Kings Mountain, NC, on Railroad Avenue the following household was enumerated on 15 April by Zella B Garrett:
Finger, Fred Bell and his family
Grigg, Claude, age 33, Boarder, states he was married at age 27, no wife listed, Supt of public schools

Mrs. George A. Hoyle, enumerator, found J. Horace in the 4th block of Shelby, Township #6, Cleveland County, but neglected to give the month and day of 1930:
Grigg, J. Horace, age 36, first married at age 27, Supt of County Schools
Grigg, Edith W, age 32, age of first marriage 19
Grigg, Dorothy, age 5
Whisnant, Loula, age 64, mother-in-law

Final resting places:

Palm Tree Methodist Church, Lawndale, Cleveland County, NC

Grigg, Callie September 26, 1855 July 16, 1939 sis/o WTG

Grigg, Dr. W. T. October 26, 1862 November 23, 1956
Grigg, Lavenia Ellen Smith October 12, 1873 May 14, 1962

Grigg, Infant November 27, 1931 November 29, 1931 s/o Marvin

Grigg, Evelina Lee October 3, 1902 March 9, 1988
Grigg, Marvin Atkin August 2, 1903 March 10, 1978

Grigg, Elizabeth Blanton October 21, 1929 August 9, 1996
Grigg, Marvin Atkin, Jr. (living)

Grigg, Spencer M. December 20, 1811 March 16, 1894

Sunset Cemetery, Shamrock Section, Shelby, Cleveland County, NC

Grigg, Jasper Horace June 29, 1893 September 17, 1983 WW I
Grigg, Edith Whisnant February 20, 1898 October 31, 1986

Sunset Cemetery, Old Section, Shelby, Cleveland County, NC

Whisnant, Loula Houser June 14, 1866 June 12, 1945

Many, many questions remain:
Who did Maude, Ruth & Ella marry? Where are they buried? What happened to Claude's wife? Where are they buried? Womble Quay, such a beautiful little boy, where did he disappear to? I'll keep searching and please let me know if you can add anything about this family.