1880. Eliza C Carroll is age 63 and lives in Magnolia with her daughter Rebecca.

Dr. James Milton Carroll wrote a long letter about the family history of the early Carroll’s in 1924. It is based in part on visits he made to Sampson County in 1895. He says, regarding, Catherine Elizabeth (Lamb) Carroll: “I met Eliza, wife of Lewis Carroll, and from her got very much information concerning the Carroll family. She is the oldest one of the family now living. She knew well our father and grandfather and our grandfather’s relatives. She now lives in Magnolia, NC.”

The father referred to by Dr. J M Carroll was John Carroll, Lewis’ uncle.

1 Nov 1818. Catherine Elizabeth Lamb was born in Sampson County. The date comes from her tombstone. The place is not known with quite as much reliability. From property records, you would conclude that her father, John Lamb, continued as a property owner in New Hanover County until the early 1820’s when he began acquiring land in Sampson County. On the other hand, her mother, Rebecca (Bass) Carroll, lived in east central Sampson County near Turkey and it seems more likely that John met and married her there rather than that she had had come to live near him in New Hanover County In any event, John was present in Sampson County in the 1820 Census, which is why I lean to the idea that he was there before the records of his acquiring property would indicate.

5 Jan 1832. This is the date given everywhere as her marriage to Lewis Carroll. The problem is she was age 13 years and 2 months. It calls into question whether her tombstone incorrectly recorded her birth date or was mis-transcribed or whether this 1832 date is incorrect.

26 Dec 1835. The oldest child of Lewis and Catherine is born: Mary E Carroll. We know her date of birth also from her tombstone.

So what does Census say:

1820 Census. John Lamb is living in Sampson County and there are three young females all under the age of 10 present in his household. I believe one of them was indeed Catherine Elizabeth.

1830 Census. John Lamb lives in Sampson County and three young females are present the oldest of which was age 10-15. This too may well have been Catherine.

1840. Clearly, Lewis and Catherine ave married and she is the female age 30-40.

1850. Lewis is listed in Sampson County as age 40, a farmer with 16 slaves. His wife Catharine, age 30, is living with him and daughters 14-year-old Mary, and 12-year-old Rachel and five other children.

1860. Lewis Carroll, farmer, age 52 lives in Turkey District, Sampson County. His wife Catherine (nee Lamb, as annotated for Sampson County) is 42.

1870. Lewis Carroll is present in Turkey, NC with "Kate" age 52.

1880. Eliza C Carroll is age 63, a widow as husband Lewis died in 1872, and lives in Magnolia with her daughter Rebecca Hamblen.

1900 Census. Eliza C Carroll, born Nov 1818, lives in Magnolia still with her daughter Rebecca who has now married John Stoakes.

So with this many observations from Census, there is never total consistency among them as to someone’s precise age -- but certainly 1860, 1870 and 1880 and definitely 1900 all support the idea that she was born in 1832 and I don’t think there is any doubt that daughter Mary E was born in 1835 -- when Catherine was at most 17. There is no doubt she married young.

6 Apr 1906. Catherine died. The information as to her death and birth dates is from her tombstone, beside her husband in a very small family plot south of Clinton in Sampson County. I have found what seem to be precise directions to its location, but have never been able to find it. We even, with permission, one time, drove back into the fields where we thought it must be -- but with no luck.

Dr. James Milton Carroll wrote a long letter about the family history of the early Carroll’s in 1924. It is based in part on visits he made to Sampson County in 1895. He says, regarding Catherine Elizabeth (Lamb) Carroll: “I met Eliza, wife of Lewis Carroll, and from her got very much information concerning the Carroll family. She is the oldest one of the family now living. She knew well our father and grandfather and our grandfather’s relatives. She now lives in Magnolia, NC.”

The father referred to by Dr. J M Carroll was John Carroll, Lewis’ uncle.

Catherine Elizabeth Lamb was born 1 Nov 1818 in Sampson County and died there 6 Apr 1906. The information as to her death and birth dates is from her tombstone, beside her husband in a very small family cemetery south of Clinton in Sampson County. Catherine Elizabeth has quite an interesting group of ancestors including Philip David one of the earliest recorded Jews in Wilmington, here when the town was founded in 1739 and John Basse who married a Native American princess in 1638 and whose father Nathaniel Basse was present in Virginia by 1619.

I almost went bonkers when I first found this line. The Fennell tree on NHC Webpage shows Mary Carroll, daughter of Lewis Carroll and Elizabeth Lamb. A search of Genealogy Library found Lewis Carroll and Catherine E Lamb, she being a descendant of the Pilgrims.

There were no relevant dates on the Fennell tree but...the dates for Carroll/Lamb are very similar to the dates of the parents of Mary Carroll's husband...same generation and timeframe.

Everything on her ancestors came first from the "Pilgrims" book: "Lineages of Hereditary Society Members, 1600's-1900s Sons and Daughters of Pilgrims, Volume III". Aha, it turns out the word Pilgrims here includes early VA residents. Nathaniel Bass arrived in 1619.

1820. I believe both of Lewis' parents have died; the guardian for he and his sisters is his uncle John Carroll. The 1820 Census lists the household of John Carroll which includes himself age 45+, his wife presumably age 26-45 and these younger persons: 1 male under 10, 3 10-16, 1 16-26 (who is also 16-18) and 3 females under 10, 2 10-16 and 1 16-26. The youngest of these children are no doubt John’s own but Lewis age 12 and his two sisters seem quite possibly to be present too.

1840. Lewis Carroll lives in Sampson County. He is 30-40, his wife 20-30. Two very young females and one very young male live with them as do one female 15-20 and one female 60-70. The latter, I believe, is possibly Priscilla Bass, Catherine Elizabeth's grandmother.

1850. Lewis is listed in Sampson County as age 40, a farmer with 16 slaves. His wife Catharine, age 30, is living with him and daughters 14-year-old Mary, and 12-year-old Rachel and five other children.

1860. Lewis Carroll, farmer, age 52 lives in Turkey District, Sampson County. His wife Catherine (nee Lamb, as annotated for Sampson County) is 42. Nine children are present in the household, but not daughter Mary who has married and moved out. Rebecca 16, Francis M 20, James L 18, Amma B 14, George W 10, William J 8, C F 6, H S 2, Maria A 11 (?). Immediately next door is Rebecca Lamb 72.

1870. He is there with "Kate" in the 1870 Census, he is now 62, she 52.

Here are the directions to the Carroll Cemetery. Take 421 South out of Clinton for 1 mile, turn left at Bill Peterson farm, go 7 miles, turn right for 3 miles. Lewis Carroll 24 Mar 1808 - Aug 1873 (since his will was proved in Nov 1872, I think they meant Aug 1872); Catherine Carroll 1 Nov 1818 - Apr 1906. Also buried here is Margaret Bundy 1820-1882.

LDS Film 553554. Deed books 35-36. In three separate deeds dated 3 Nov 1868, Lewis and Catherine Carroll give land to their three sons: Francis M, James L and Amma B. All lots are described as on the East side of Six Runs on or near the run of Big Branch. 133 acres to Francis, 105 to James and 125 acres to Amma B.

LDS film 1578983, Original NC Wills. The will of Lewis Carroll was written 16 Jul 1872. He leaves most everything to wife Eliza (also said to be Catherine E) during her natural life or widowhood and then after that: to son George W the land above the road on Clear Run Branch adjoining A B Carroll's land. To son William J land adjoining G W Carroll's. To son C Tate land adjoining Wm J Carroll and others. To three youngest sons: Geo W, Wm J and Cornelius T furnishings. Other personal property to his two daughters: Rebecca P Merriman and Moriah A Southerland. As to the rest of his children: Mary E Croom, Rachel C Royal, Frank M, James L and Amma B -- have already been taken care of.

I believe the life of Lewis Carroll can be well documented and there is no question he was the son of Jesse Carroll Jr. and father of Mary Eliza Carroll and husband of Catherine Elizabeth Lamb.

Lewis Carroll was born 24 Mar 1808 in Sampson County where he lived his entire life and was a farmer. This birth date is given in a transcription of his tombstone and the date of Aug 1873 is given for his date of death (according to the transcription). I think he died Aug 1872 since his will proved later that year. Lewis married Catherine Elizabeth Lamb 5 Jan 1832.

An LDS citation for Lewis also says 24 Mar 1808.

His will was written 16 Jul 1872 and probated 16 Nov 1872. He provides for his wife Eliza, 6 sons and 2 daughters and then mentions 3 more daughters and two more sons, already provided for. One of the latter daughters is Mary E Croom.

A Sampson County book with tombstone transcriptions gives the location of the Lewis Carroll cemetery. I am certain we have found it, but it is back a dirt road to an old farmhouse (probably once his) behind a more modern house. We have never seen anyone outside at that house to seek permission to go back to that cemetery, someday we will.

The cemetery is located west of a county road a little west and parallel to Six Runs and I believe Lewis Carroll spent his entire life living in that immediate area.