Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Gardner, Lelia J. Norfleet, 1948 

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LELIA JACKSON NORFLEET GARDNER 

   Mrs. Lelia Norfleet Gardner, widow of Abraham Littleton Gardner, died 
Wednesday morning, October 20, at the home of her daughter, Dr. Emily Gardner 
of Richmond, after a long period of declining health.

   "Miss Lelia," as she was known to many residents of Franklin, was born on 
January 9, 1860, and was one of the town's oldest inhabitants.  She was the 
daughter of the late Alexander Wilson Norfleet, pioneer Franklin merchant, and 
Indiana Edwards Norfleet of Southampton County.  To her belonged the 
distinction of being the oldest living alumna of Chowan College, from which 
she graduated in 1876.  Following her graduation she taught for several years.

   She was twice married, her first husband being Henderson T. Parker of 
Murfreesboro, N.C., who lived less than a year.  On July 14, 1892, she married 
Abraham Littleton Gardner, who died in 1933.

   Mrs. Gardner had seen Franklin grow from an unincorporated village with a 
few frame building and unpaved streets and sidewalks to its present size, and 
she had taken a keen interest in all phases of its growth.  She was a member 
of the Franklin Baptist Church, the Franklin Book Club, Agnes Lee Chapter of 
the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and a charter member of the Franklin 
Music Club.

   In October, 1942, Mrs. Gardner sustained a broken hip, and has since that 
time lived with her children, Rev. E. Norfleet Gardner of Henderson, N.C. and 
Dr. Emily Gardner of Richmond.  However, until two years ago she had continued 
to spend several months annually at her home on Clay Street.

   Surviving her besides her son and daughter are a step-daughter Mrs. Wade H. 
Pierce of Danville; two grandchildren, Mrs. Robert M. Hathaway of Richmond and 
Miss Alice Ruth Gardner of Henderson, N.C.; two step-grandchildren, Joe Bynum 
Gay, Jr., of Franklin and Mrs. R.W. Edwards of Richmond; two great-
grandchildren, Robert M. Hathaway, 2d, of Richmond and Joe Bynum Gay, 3d, of 
Franklin; and one brother, Herbert L. Norfleet of Havana, Cuba, and Miami 
Beach, Fla.  Preceding her to the grave were her sisters, Mrs. Susie Norfleet 
Rawls of Carrsville, Mrs. Gertrude Norflette Harte of Hickory, N.C., and Mrs. 
Emily Norfleet Parker of Franklin; her brothers, Wilson J. Norfleet of 
Franklin, Dr. Robert G. Norfleet of Norfolk, and Dr. Julian A. Norfleet, also 
of Norfolk; a stepdaughter, Mrs. Annie Lee Gardner Gay and a stepson, A.L. 
Gardner, Jr., both of Franklin.

   The body of the deceased was brought from Richmond to Franklin and taken to 
the home of her niece, Miss Mary V. Parker, on High Street.  Funeral services 
for Mrs. Gardner were conducted from the Franklin Baptist Church on Thursday 
afternoon at three o'clock by Rev. Randolph L. Gregory, Rev. R.D. Stephenson 
and Dr. Sparks W. Melton.  Interment was in the family plot in Poplar Spring 
Cemetery, witht the following serving as pallbearers: Alexander W. Parker, 
J.R. Teague, E.F. Parham, John C. Parker, Franklin Edwards, Beamon Story, 
R.J. Tucker, Burton J. Ray and John M. Camp.


Lelia Jackson (NORFLEET PARKER; Mrs. Abraham L. {II}) GARDNER, former teacher, 
b. 9 Jan 1860, Franklin, d. 20 Oct 1948, at daughter's home, Richmond, 
interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Section 1, Plot 5*), Franklin, 
   21 Oct 1948, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Oct. 22, 1948 

*Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project,
   Poplar Spring list:
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/poplar1.txt 

Additional information: 

Her first husband- the first to be buried in Poplar Spring Cemetery, according 
   to Miss Fannie Webb's "Recollections..."- is with her parents in Plot 7. 

Her second husband's obit ("Tidewater News," Sep. 22, 1933, p. 1), with his 
   marriage records appended, is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/g635a3ob.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/g635l3ob.txt