Mary Eliza Battle was born 1829 at her father's plantation "Cool Spring" in Edgecombe County, NC, the 2nd of 6 known children (2 boys/ 4 girls) born to wealthy Judge James Smith Battle and his wife, Sarah "Sally" Harriot Westray.
She was the paternal grandchild of Jacob Battle & Penelope Langley, and gr-grandchild of Elisha Battle & Elizabeth Ruth Sumner, early settlers to Edgecombe who built "Cool Spring" Plantation. She was the maternal grandchild of Samuel Westray & Sarah "Sallie" Bradford Turner of Nash County, NC.
Mary was 28 years old when she married the 39-year old widower and wealthy planter, William Francis Dancy, on January 15, 1858 and became mistress of his newly built mansion at 511 St. Andrew Street in Tarboro. (Built ca. 1855.) The Dancy-Battle families had already been aligned as Mary's older sister Cornelia had married William's younger brother, John Sessoms Dancy. She, sadly, died shortly after the marriage.
The couple would have two sons: Francis Little Dancy (1859), who died in infancy; and Francis "Frank" Battle Dancy (1860).
It must have been a shock to the newlywed when her husband of two short years died suddenly in 1860, leaving her alone and 6 months pregnant. Her son, Frank, was born 3 months after they buried her husband.
Mary continued on, raising her only child, and then 9 years later she found love again when she married the widower, Dr. Newsome Jones "N.J." Pittman of Tarboro. At this second go round for them both, she was 38 years old, and he 49. Mary left the "Dancy House" and moved into Dr. Pittman's large urban estate (now destroyed) on Main Street, where she instantly became stepmother to his two daughters (Kate & Minerva) from his first marriage. Dr. Pittman became the only father young Frank Dancy ever knew.
The couple would have two more daughters: Elizabeth Battle Pittman (1868-1899), and Cornelia Bradford Pittman (1874-1954), who later married John W. B. Battle of Nash County.
Mary was widowed for the second time when Dr. Pittman passed in 1893, at age 74, after sharing over 25 years of married life together. Mary survived another 12 years, passing in 1905 at age 76.
She was the paternal grandchild of Jacob Battle & Penelope Langley, and gr-grandchild of Elisha Battle & Elizabeth Ruth Sumner, early settlers to Edgecombe who built "Cool Spring" Plantation. She was the maternal grandchild of Samuel Westray & Sarah "Sallie" Bradford Turner of Nash County, NC.
Mary was 28 years old when she married the 39-year old widower and wealthy planter, William Francis Dancy, on January 15, 1858 and became mistress of his newly built mansion at 511 St. Andrew Street in Tarboro. (Built ca. 1855.) The Dancy-Battle families had already been aligned as Mary's older sister Cornelia had married William's younger brother, John Sessoms Dancy. She, sadly, died shortly after the marriage.
The couple would have two sons: Francis Little Dancy (1859), who died in infancy; and Francis "Frank" Battle Dancy (1860).
It must have been a shock to the newlywed when her husband of two short years died suddenly in 1860, leaving her alone and 6 months pregnant. Her son, Frank, was born 3 months after they buried her husband.
Mary continued on, raising her only child, and then 9 years later she found love again when she married the widower, Dr. Newsome Jones "N.J." Pittman of Tarboro. At this second go round for them both, she was 38 years old, and he 49. Mary left the "Dancy House" and moved into Dr. Pittman's large urban estate (now destroyed) on Main Street, where she instantly became stepmother to his two daughters (Kate & Minerva) from his first marriage. Dr. Pittman became the only father young Frank Dancy ever knew.
The couple would have two more daughters: Elizabeth Battle Pittman (1868-1899), and Cornelia Bradford Pittman (1874-1954), who later married John W. B. Battle of Nash County.
Mary was widowed for the second time when Dr. Pittman passed in 1893, at age 74, after sharing over 25 years of married life together. Mary survived another 12 years, passing in 1905 at age 76.
Mary Eliza Battle was born 1829 at her father's plantation "Cool Spring" in Edgecombe County, NC, the 2nd of 6 known children (2 boys/ 4 girls) born to wealthy Judge James Smith Battle and his wife, Sarah "Sally" Harriot Westray.
She was the paternal grandchild of Jacob Battle & Penelope Langley, and gr-grandchild of Elisha Battle & Elizabeth Ruth Sumner, early settlers to Edgecombe who built "Cool Spring" Plantation. She was the maternal grandchild of Samuel Westray & Sarah "Sallie" Bradford Turner of Nash County, NC.
Mary was 28 years old when she married the 39-year old widower and wealthy planter, William Francis Dancy, on January 15, 1858 and became mistress of his newly built mansion at 511 St. Andrew Street in Tarboro. (Built ca. 1855.) The Dancy-Battle families had already been aligned as Mary's older sister Cornelia had married William's younger brother, John Sessoms Dancy. She, sadly, died shortly after the marriage.
The couple would have two sons: Francis Little Dancy (1859), who died in infancy; and Francis "Frank" Battle Dancy (1860).
It must have been a shock to the newlywed when her husband of two short years died suddenly in 1860, leaving her alone and 6 months pregnant. Her son, Frank, was born 3 months after they buried her husband.
Mary continued on, raising her only child, and then 9 years later she found love again when she married the widower, Dr. Newsome Jones "N.J." Pittman of Tarboro. At this second go round for them both, she was 38 years old, and he 49. Mary left the "Dancy House" and moved into Dr. Pittman's large urban estate (now destroyed) on Main Street, where she instantly became stepmother to his two daughters (Kate & Minerva) from his first marriage. Dr. Pittman became the only father young Frank Dancy ever knew.
The couple would have two more daughters: Elizabeth Battle Pittman (1868-1899), and Cornelia Bradford Pittman (1874-1954), who later married John W. B. Battle of Nash County.
Mary was widowed for the second time when Dr. Pittman passed in 1893, at age 74, after sharing over 25 years of married life together. Mary survived another 12 years, passing in 1905 at age 76.
She was the paternal grandchild of Jacob Battle & Penelope Langley, and gr-grandchild of Elisha Battle & Elizabeth Ruth Sumner, early settlers to Edgecombe who built "Cool Spring" Plantation. She was the maternal grandchild of Samuel Westray & Sarah "Sallie" Bradford Turner of Nash County, NC.
Mary was 28 years old when she married the 39-year old widower and wealthy planter, William Francis Dancy, on January 15, 1858 and became mistress of his newly built mansion at 511 St. Andrew Street in Tarboro. (Built ca. 1855.) The Dancy-Battle families had already been aligned as Mary's older sister Cornelia had married William's younger brother, John Sessoms Dancy. She, sadly, died shortly after the marriage.
The couple would have two sons: Francis Little Dancy (1859), who died in infancy; and Francis "Frank" Battle Dancy (1860).
It must have been a shock to the newlywed when her husband of two short years died suddenly in 1860, leaving her alone and 6 months pregnant. Her son, Frank, was born 3 months after they buried her husband.
Mary continued on, raising her only child, and then 9 years later she found love again when she married the widower, Dr. Newsome Jones "N.J." Pittman of Tarboro. At this second go round for them both, she was 38 years old, and he 49. Mary left the "Dancy House" and moved into Dr. Pittman's large urban estate (now destroyed) on Main Street, where she instantly became stepmother to his two daughters (Kate & Minerva) from his first marriage. Dr. Pittman became the only father young Frank Dancy ever knew.
The couple would have two more daughters: Elizabeth Battle Pittman (1868-1899), and Cornelia Bradford Pittman (1874-1954), who later married John W. B. Battle of Nash County.
Mary was widowed for the second time when Dr. Pittman passed in 1893, at age 74, after sharing over 25 years of married life together. Mary survived another 12 years, passing in 1905 at age 76.
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