From The Charlotte News Afternoon paper,

Tuesday, July 14, 1953

Sam M. Kissiah Dies;

Rites to Be Tomorrow

Funeral for Sam M. Kissiah, 74, of 322 Katonah Ave. will be held at 4 P. M. tomorrow at Duncan Memorial Methodist Church. Mr. Kissiah died suddenly this morning at a local hospital.

The Rev. H. R. Abernathy, pastor of the Apostolic Evangelist Holiness Church will officiate, assisted by Rev. C. C. Murray, pastor of Duncan Memorial Chuch.

The place of burial has not yet been decided upon.

He had been in declining health for a number of years, but became seriously ill suddenly. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and had operated a grocery store in the Moore's Chapel section until his retirement several years ago.

Surviving are his wife Mrs. Ruby Allen of Charlotte; two daughters, Mrs. J. H. Benton of Mint Hill and Mrs. Earl Bishop of Charlotte; three stepsons, David Allen, Joe Clark Allen, and Dennis Smith of Charlotte; four step-daughters, Mrs. Willie Guy, and Mrs. Luday Lawson, Spartanburg, S.C., and Mrs. Virginia Roberts and Miss Catherine Allen of Charlotte; four sisters, Mrs. Melvin Rogers of Charlotte, Mrs. Jannie Kiser of Kannapolis, Mrs. Lessie Harrie of Harris Station, S. C., and Mrs. Dorcus Steavrids of Miami, Fla.; two brothers, Tom C. Kissiah of Danville, Va., and James Willard Kissiah of Charlotte; and thirteen grandchildren.

The body will be taken from the Hankins-Whittington Funeral Home tonight to the residence to remain until 3 P. M. tomorrow.

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His last name is sometimes spelled Keziah or Kisiah.

Samuel was the son of Isaac Caldwell Kissiah (b. ca. 1857) and Mary Ann Hartis. Isaac and Mary had at least the following children: James Willard Kissiah, Thomas C. Kissiah, Sarah Jane Kissiah Kiser, Lessie Kissiah Thompson Harris. His stepmother was Martha Kissiah. Samuel was first married to Addie Turner.

Isaac Caldwell Kissiah was the son of Thomas Allison Kissiah and Elizabeth Annie "Betsy" Shelby, Samuel Kissiah's paternal grandparents.

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Name:Samuel Melton Kissiah

Event Type: Draft Registration

Registration Year Range:1917-1918

Event Place: Spartanburg County no 1, South Carolina, United States

Gender: Male

Birth Date: 15 May 1879

Birthplace: , , United States

Nationality: United States

Affiliate Publication Title:World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards

Affiliate Publication Number:M1509

GSFilm number:1877681

Digital Folder Number:005152412

Image Number: 01965

Spouse is listed as Corrie Stamey Kissiah, Fairmont, Spartenburg, S.C.

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Samuel Keziah in household of Caldwell Keziah, "United States Census, 1880"

Name: Samuel Keziah

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1880

Event Place: Providence, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States

Gender: Male

Age: 1

Marital Status: Single

Occupation:

Race (Original):

Ethnicity: American

Relationship to Head of Household: Son

Birthplace: North Carolina, United States

Birth Date: 1879

Spouse's Name:

Spouse's Birthplace:

Father's Name: Caldwell Keziah

Father's Birthplace: North Carolina, United States

Mother's Name: Mary Keziah

Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina, United States

Page: 507

Page Letter: B

Entry Number: 1275

Affiliate Film Number:T9-0972

GS Film number: 1254972

Digital Folder Number: 004243284

Image Number:00444

Household, Gender, Age, Birthplace

Self Caldwell Keziah M 24 North Carolina, United States

Wife Mary Keziah F 25 North Carolina, United States

Son Thos. Keziah M 3 North Carolina, United States

Son Samuel Keziah M 1 North Carolina, United States

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Samuel Kissiah in household of Corrie Smith, "United States Census, 1910"

Name: Samuel Kissiah

Birthplace: North Carolina

Relationship to Head of Household: Cousin

Residence: Union, Union, South Carolina

Marital Status: Widowed

Race :White

Gender: Male

Immigration Year:

Father's Birthplace: North Carolina

Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina

Family Number: 67

Page Number: 4

Household, Gender, Age, Birthplace

SELF Corrie Smith F 32y North Carolina

DAU Willie E Smith F 16y North Carolina

DAU Lulu C Smith F 15y North Carolina

SON Augustus S Smith M 13y North Carolina

SON Perry M Smith M 10y North Carolina

SON James D Smith M 6y North Carolina

COUSIN Samuel Kissiah M 31y North Carolina

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S M Kissiah, "United States Census, 1920"

Name: S M Kissiah

Residence: , Greene, North Carolina

Estimated Birth Year: 1881

Age: 39

Birthplace: North Carolina

Relationship to Head of Household: Self

Gender: Male

Race: White

Marital Status: Married

Father's Birthplace: North Carolina

Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina

Film Number: 1821297

Digital Folder Number: 4442127

Image Number: 00474

Sheet Number: 27

Household, Gender, Age, Birthplace

SELF S M Kissiah M 39y North Carolina

WIFE Carra Kissiah F 43y North Carolina

SON Guss Kissiah M 24y North Carolina

SON Dan Kissiah M 16y North Carolina

DAU Elsia Kissiah F 5y North Carolina

Dates and names are a little off but close, but I am sure this SM Kissiah is Sam as he is living beside his father IC Kissiah if you look at the actual record.

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Name: Sam M Kissiah

Event: Census

Event Date: 1930

Event Place: Upper Hominy, Buncombe, North Carolina

Gender: Male

Age: 52

Marital Status: Married

Race: White

Birthplace: North Carolina

Estimated Birth Year: 1878

Immigration Year:

Relationship to Head of Household: Head

Father's Birthplace: North Carolina

Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina

Enumeration District Number: 0063

Family Number: 324

Sheet Number and Letter: 17B

Line Number: 55

NARA Publication: T626, roll 1677

Film Number: 2341411

Digital Folder Number: 4608272

Image Number: 00039

Household, Gender, Age, Birthplace

Head Sam M Kissiah M 52 North Carolina

Wife Cora Kissiah F 53 North Carolina

Daughter Elsie Kissiah F 16 South Carolina

Stepson Wayne Smith M 5 North Carolina

[NOTE: I believe this should say step-grandson, Wayne Smith, the son of James Dennis Smith would have been age 5 in 1930.]

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Name: Sam M. Kissiah

Titles and Terms:

Event Type:Death

Event Date: 14 Jul 1953

Event Place: Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina

Birth Year: 1879

Birth Year (Estimated):

Burial Date: 15 Jul 1953

Burial Place: Charlotte, N. C.

Cemetery: Evergreen

Funeral Home:

Residence Place:Charlotte, Mecklenburg, N. C.

Address:

Gender: Male

Age: 74

Marital Status: Married

Race (Original): White

Occupation: Groceryman

Birth Date: 15 May 1879

Birthplace: Meck. Co., N. C.

Father's Name:Cull Kissiah

Father's Titles and Terms:

Father's Birthplace:

Mother's Name:Mary Ann Hartin

Mother's Titles and Terms:

Mother's Birthplace:

Spouse's Name:Ruby

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His daughter's death record:

Luvada Keziah Benton, "North Carolina, Deaths, 1931-1994"

Name: Luvada Keziah Benton

Titles and Terms:

Event Type: Death

Event Date: 05 Apr 1972

Event Place: Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina

Birth Year: 1897

Birth Year (Estimated):

Burial Date: 06 Apr 1972

Burial Place: Mecklenburg City

Cemetery: Shiloh Truelight Ch.

Funeral Home:

Residence Place: Charlotte, NC

Address:

Gender: Female

Age: 74

Marital Status: Widowed

Race (Original): White

Occupation:

Birth Date: 31 May 1897

Birthplace: Nc

Father's Name:Sam Keziah

Father's Titles and Terms

Father's Birthplace:

Mother's Name: Addie Turner

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According to Sam Kissiah's death certificate, he was married to a Ruby at the time of his death. He had a cousin-in-law Ruby Helms who married an unknown Kissiah on her death certificate. Ruby was the daughter of John Helms and Nealy Broome. Nealy married 2nd to Sam's uncle James Willard Kissiah. Sam's obit confirms that Ruby's children from her 1st marriage are listed as his stepchildren. Ruby is listed as Ruby Helen Kissiah in his will, don't know if that is a typo on Helen for Helms.

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He had a stepdaughter listed as Mrs. Luday Lawson of Spartanburg, S.C. and Virginia Roberts of Charlotte. A sister Lessie Harris and:

Dorcas Stavrides

Wife

United States Census, 1920

birth: 1887 North Carolina

residence: 1920 Miami, Dade, Florida, United States

spouse: Evanglos Stavrides (of Turkey)

Dorcas E Stavrides

Florida, Death Index, 1877-1998

death: January 1961 Dade, Florida, United States

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