Mary Elizabeth South

Born: November 9, 1830 in Breathitt Co, Kentucky

Died:  March 16, 1900 in Breathitt Co, Kentucky

Buried:  Marcum Heights, Breathitt Co, Kentucky

Married- Steven Asbury Trimble July 7, 1863 in Franklin County, Kentucky.  Son of William Trimble  and Eleanor O'Hair.  He was born December 3, 1825 in Wolfe Co, KY and died October 15, 1864 Hazel Green, Wolfe Co, KY

 

Being a large slave owner, his father, William Trimble was a Southern Sympathizer. This fact caused confrontation with Federal Troops on occasions when they would go through this mountainous area.  Tombstone name is "Asbury Trimble"

This couple waited 13 yrs to marry because Elizabeth promised her dying mother that she would not marry until her youngest sister was grown. On April 13, 1864, their son, South Trimble was born. Soon afterward the Union soldiers came looking for Asbury.  The captain asked what the baby's name was. Elizabeth held her baby and said, "His name is South, just like my five brothers and every man in the Southern Army".
The year after they were married, Asbury, a strong Confederate sympathizer, was hurrying to put some Negroes to work at the tannery at Hazel Green when he was shot and killed.  Also any details of the circumstances of his death, which I understand occurred in the house of his father, William Trimble. Asbury was the father of South Trimble, leader of the legislature during the Goebel dispute and later Clerk of the US house of Representatives (1911-1919, 1931-1947)
Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 1887, Franklin Co.
 

OBIT:  Mrs. Mary E. (South) Trimble was born in Breathitt County, Ky., and is a daughter of Jerry W. and Mary M. (Cockrell) South. Her father was born in Madison County, Ky., July 10, 1805, moved to Breathitt County in 1827, and commenced to mine for coal; remained until 1859; was elected keeper of the penitentiary in January 1858; moved to Frankfort, and took charge of the same March 3, 1859.  He held that position until 1863, when he moved to Woodford County, Ky and farmed until 1871.  In the latter year he was again elected by the Legislature to be keeper of the penitentiary, and held the position until his death, April 15, 1880, which occurred quite suddenly in the Senate chamber at Frankfort. He had been sick, and get well enough to walk around, and went up to shake hands with the senators, for he was acquainted with all of them. After shaking hands all round he sat down in a chair, and died instantly.  In 1840 he represented Breathitt and Morgan Counties in the Legislature one term, and in 1843 was elected to the Senate and served one term also. He was magistrate in Breathitt County for a number of years, and was a man whom every one who knew loved and respected. His father, Samuel South, was born in Maryland, immigrated to Kentucky in quite an early day, and settled in Boonesboro when he was only fifteen years old.  He was a general in the war of 1812, and served three years in the Legislature for Madison County. He was then elected State treasurer, and filled that office ten years. Miss Mary E. South married A. S. Trimble, of Wolfe County, Ky., July 7, 1863. He was the fourth son of William and Nellie (O'Hair) Trimble, and was shot at home during the war in 1864. One child blessed this union, A. South Trimble, who married Carrie B. Allan, of Houston, Tex., daughter of Henry and Fannie (Morgan) Allan, and became the father of one child, Frank. Mrs. Mary E. (South) Trimble is a member of the Christian Church, and so is her son, whose wife is a Catholic. Mrs. Trimble has 227 acres of good land, which are well cultivated.