Saving Earnest Starnes

Earnest Starnes was the son of George Pressley Starnes and his wife, Rosa Harvell Starnes. He was the oldest of their 10 children.  He was the grandson of  Allen McDaniel "Mack" Starnes and his first wife, Julia Catherine Furr Starnes.  Mack Starnes was the controversial son of Nathan T. Starnes, "the Stanly County Starnes". Nathan T. stands out because Union County was the home of the Starnes hive, although quite a few of them centered in Cabarras and Mecklenburg Counties as well, Nathan T. was the one to settle in Stanly. Now, in the 20th century, several descendants of the Union and Cabarrus group, all related from many generations back, came to settle in Stanly County as well.

Nathan T. Starnes would list his parents as "Frederick and Sally" on his second marriage license. My second Great Grandfather, Frederick Fincher Starnes would also list his parents as "Frederick and Sally" on his second marriage license to Abigail, the widow of John C. Starnes, a son of Nathan T. Starnes.  I believe Finch and Nathan might have been brothers. Finch stayed close to his father in the early years of his marriage, and at this time his father was married to an "Elizabeth", too young to have been Finch's mother. Many family trees have Nathan T. Starnes as being a brother to Finch's father Fred instead of Finch. This is a bug that I have not quite worked out.

So it was with great interest that I read this 1908 article about Ernest Houston Starnes nearly drowning. His father was often seen as "Press" Starnes and his whole name is seen recorded as either George Preston Starnes or George Pressley Starnes.




The Montgomerian
(Troy, North Carolina)9 Jan 1908, Thu • Page 3







But Ernest survived and is shown in the 1910 census living with his parents and sister Isabelle in the Bethel Church Section of Cabarrus County.

ame:	George P Starnes
Age in 1910:	24
Birth Year:	abt 1886
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1910:	Bethel Church, Cabarrus, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Rosa Starnes
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age George P Starnes 24 Rosa Starnes 26 Ernest H Starnes 4 Isabel Starnes 2

By 1920, the family had grown and had moved to Ridge Road in the Almond Community of Stanly County.

Name:	Earnest H Starned [Earnest H Starnes]
Age:	14
Birth Year:	abt 1906
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1920:	Almond, Stanly, North Carolina
Street:	Ridge Road
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Son (Child)
Marital Status:	Single
Father's name:	George P Starned
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's name:	Rosa L Starned
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Native Tongue:	English
Able to Speak English:	Yes
Occupation:	None
Attended School:	Yes
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age George P Starned 36 Rosa L Starned 38 Earnest H Starned 14 Isabell Starned 11 Matthew Starned 8 William F Starned 7 Glenn F Starned 4 [4 11/12]  Printis Starned 2 [2 1/12]

Before the next census would arrive, Ernest would marry Mary Moore and have two sons.

A time later, Ernest would lose his own little boy.


The Albemarle Press
(Albemarle, North Carolina)17 Sep 1925, Thu • Page 5

Name:	Earnest Starnes
Birth Year:	abt 1906
Gender:	Male
Race:	White
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Marital Status:	Married
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Home in 1930:	North Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Map of Home:	View Map
Street address:	Austin Street
Dwelling Number:	218
Family Number:	219
Home Owned or Rented:	Rented
Home Value:	4
Radio Set:	No
Lives on Farm:	No
Age at First Marriage:	18
Attended School:	No
Able to Read and Write:	Yes
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Able to Speak English:	Yes
Occupation:	??Ters
Industry:	Cotton Mill
Class of Worker:	Wage or salary worker
Employment:	Yes
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Earnest Starnes 24 Mary Starnes 24 Ralph Starnes 1

Ralph, just a year old here, was Ernest Ralph Starnes.






Ernest would register for the draft and raise his family among many other families that left the farms and obtained their sustenance from the Cotton Mills that had sprang up all over the South. This one in Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina.

Name:	Ernest Houston Starnes
Gender:	Male
Race:	White
Relationship:	Self (Head)
Birth Date:	22 Jun 1905
Birth Place:	Stanly, North Carolina
Residence:	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Registration Year:	1940
Household Members:	Name Ernest Houston Starnes Mary Starnes

Ernest Houston Starnes was born on June 22, 1905. He died on May 1, 1987 at the age of 81. 
His wife Mary Moore Starnes was born on September 9, 1905 and died on November 23, 1998.

Both are buried at Salem United Methodist Church in Millingport, Stanly County, NC. 

They were the parents of:

1925 - Jesse James Starnes
1928- Ernest Ralph Starnes
1932- Elbert Cleveland Starnes
1935- Collie Lentz "Bud" Starnes
1937- William Travis Starnes
1939- Mary Vernell Starnes Barringer



Two of the sons of Ernest Houston Starnes, Ernest Ralph and Collie Lentz, appeared in the 1961-62 Hills City Directory.