Elizabeth Ann DeCosta
Elizabeth Ann DeCosta was born more than 180 years ago on July 13th, 1839 in Screven County, Georgia to her Father Anthony DeCosta and Mother Elizabeth Wilder.
** Interesting events that occurred around the World during Elizabeth's birth year of 1839 included.
" On January 9th, 1839 the French Academy of Sciences announces the daguerreotype photography process. ( The first photographs ever taken. )
• On March 9th, 1839 the Prussian government limits the work week for children to 51 hours !!
• On July 8th, 1839 future American industrialist John D. Rockefeller is born in Richford, New York.
• On September 6th, 1839 the Cherokee Constitution is ratified in what is now Eastern Oklahoma after having been forcibly removed from their homes in the Southeast during the Trail of Tears.
• On December 6th, 1839 the Whig Party in the United States.at its first ever National convention, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania nominates former U.S. Army General William Henry Harrison to be its candidate for President of the United States in the upcoming 1840 election.
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After the death of her Father Anthony in 1850, the DeCosta family move to Eastern Hillsborough County in Florida..
Elizabeth Ann at the age of 15 marries Alachua, Florida native Columbus C. Stafford in the town of Shiloh @ Hillsborough County on December 24th, 1854. Together the couple have three children during the course of their marriage. ( Lafayette, Mary Jane, and Columbus "Buddy" Stafford Jr.)
Stafford Patriarch, Columbus supports his family in the field of farming. ( According to state Census records from 1860 his estates value is $7,000 which is the equivalent to more than $217,000 in 2019 )
On May 15th, 1862 during the American Civil War, Columbus would enlist with the Confederate States Army in Company B, Florida 7th Infantry Regiment where he serves under Captain Gettis.
According to his military roster, while in Loudon, Tennessee, Mr Stafford loses his life on February 27th, 1863 after having developed pneumonia. He is buried there and never meets his youngest Son and namesake Columbus Stafford Jr.
Six weeks later on April 10th, 1863 in the matter of the late Columbus Staffords estate, Elizabeth Stafford petitions for and is granted a security in amount of $18,000.
( I discovered several newspaper announcements from 1867 where Elizabeth Ann auctions off much of her late Husband Columbus estate which we will share in the comments section below )
According to Census records from 1870 Elizabeth Ann the widowed head of household supports her family of 3 children as a farmer. By 1880 Elizabeth lives with her youngest Son Columbus Stafford Jr.
On February 14th, 1883 Mrs Stafford loses her only Daughter, Mary Jane Carney a young Mother of two at the age of twenty one. ( We recently honored Mary Jane here on this page )
Elizabeth Ann would live quietly in Hillsborough County for the remainder of her life... She never remarries
Mrs. Stafford would pass away at the age of 67 on Saturday, May 18th, 1907
Elizabeth Ann Stafford... Beloved Mother and Wife