Caswell County Genealogy
 

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McAden, Semora Stella

Female 1871 - 1919  (48 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name McAden, Semora Stella  [1
    Birth 20 Mar 1871  Person County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Female 
    Reference Number 21722 
    Death 18 Aug 1919  Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Burial Lebanon Christian Church, Semora, Caswell County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I21310  Caswell County
    Last Modified 11 Mar 2024 

    Father McAden, James Morrison,   b. 16 Oct 1823, Caswell County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Nov 1896 (Age 73 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Hamlet, Caroline Elizabeth,   b. 16 Mar 1842   d. 28 Apr 1883 (Age 41 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage 30 Jul 1865  Person County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Reference Number 260961 
    Notes 
    • North Carolina, Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
      Name: James M McAden
      Gender: Male
      Spouse: Caroline E Hamlett
      Spouse Gender: Female
      Bond Date: 25 Jul 1865
      Bond #: 000108224
      Marriage Date: 30 Jul 1865
      Level Info: North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
      ImageNum: 003286
      County: Person
      Record #: 01 098
      Bondsman: W S White
      Performed By: W R Webb, Minister of the Gospel
    Family ID F1771  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Taylor, Winfield Scott,   b. 14 Jun 1869   d. 3 Sep 1957 (Age 88 years) 
    Marriage 1894 
    Reference Number 261074 
    Children 
    +1. Taylor, Swannie Wilson,   b. 17 Apr 1896, Caswell County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Nov 1976, Reidsville, Rockingham County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    +2. Taylor, Morrison McAden,   b. 10 Jun 1897, Caswell County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Sep 1957, Roxboro, Person County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 60 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     3. Taylor, Winfield Scott Jr.,   b. 8 Oct 1900, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Apr 1979, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F9455  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 11 Mar 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 20 Mar 1871 - Person County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 18 Aug 1919 - Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Lebanon Christian Church, Semora, Caswell County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Notes 
    • It is for Semora Stella McAden that the Caswell County, North Carolina, community of Semora is named, with the name first assigned to the US Post Office that served the community (which earlier was called Red House, and before that Campbell's Crossroad).
      _______________

      Semora is an unusual name. The post office (and thus the surrounding community) was named after the daughter of the first postmaster: Semora Stella McAden (1871-1919). McAden family tradition holds that she actually was misnamed. McAden relatives in Texas were consulted with respect to her name and are thought to have suggested "Senora." However, as a result of poor or elaborate penmanship, an extra loop was added to the "n" resulting in "m" and Semora instead of Senora.
      _______________

      Some researchers show that Semora Stella McAden was married twice: to brothers Winfield Scott Taylor (1869-1957) and Henry Arnold Taylor (1856-1941). However, the marriage to Henry Arnold Taylor has not been confirmed. Note that both men lived many years after the death of Semora Stella McAden in 1919.
      _______________

      Colonial Commerce Once Thrived Through Area Where Power Plant And Its Lake Will Be Built [The Bee (Danville, Virginia), 13 April 1963]

      A few miles west of the McGehee homestead [Burleigh Plantation], at Semora, stands perhaps the only log post office in North Carolina. Mrs. Caroline McAden Winstead has been postmaster since 1942.

      Mrs. Winstead is a fifth generation descendant of the Rev. Hugh McAden, who established churches throughout the Cape Fear region and died here in 1781. He was buried at nearby Red House Church. His epitaph reads "Rev. Hugh McAden, Pioneer Missionary to North Carolina in 1755, the first Presbyterian missionary to settle in the State. Pastor in Duplin County, 1757-1769, pastor of Red House and other churches from 1763 to the day of his death, January 20, 1781."

      British General Cornwallis camped at the site of Red House Church just three days after McAden's death. History relates that Cornwallis ordered his troops to dig up and mutilate remains of the missionary and then burn the church before departing.

      The first Red House Church was erected in 1750, was rebuilt in 1806, and the present handsome structure was erected in 1913.

      James M. McAden, great-grandson of the missionary, was Semora's first postmaster. The office was established in 1877 and the community given the name of McAden's young daughter, Semora. Mrs. Winstead's father, John Henry McAden, was also postmaster, as was his widow following his death.

      Semora was the crossroads of two major stage lines, one running east and west and the other rom Danville south to Milton, Semora and on to Roxboro.
      _______________

      1880 United States Federal Census
      Name: S. S. Mc Aden
      Age: 9
      Birth Year: abt 1871
      Birthplace: North Carolina
      Home in 1880: Milton, Caswell, North Carolina
      Race: White
      Gender: Female
      Relation to Head of House: Daughter
      Marital Status: Single
      Father's Name: James Mc Aden
      Father's Birthplace: North Carolina
      Mother's name: C. E. Mc Aden
      Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina
      Occupation: At School
      Household Members: Name Age
      James Mc Aden 56
      C. E. Mc Aden 38
      L. E. Mc Aden 14
      J. H. Mc Aden 13
      E. M. Mc Aden 11
      S. S. Mc Aden 9
      C. T. Mc Aden 7
      C. I. Mc Aden 4
      R. E. Hamlett 19

      1900 United States Federal Census
      Name: Semora S Taylor
      Age: 29
      Birth Date: May 1871
      Birthplace: North Carolina
      Home in 1900: Milton, Caswell, North Carolina
      Race: White
      Gender: Female
      Relation to Head of House: Wife
      Marital Status: Married
      Spouse's Name: W S Taylor
      Marriage Year: 1894
      Years Married: 6
      Father's Birthplace: North Carolina
      Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina
      Mother: number of living children: 2
      Mother: How many children: 2
      Household Members: Name Age
      W S Taylor 30
      Semora S Taylor 29
      Swannie W Taylor 4
      Morris M Taylor 2

      1910 United States Federal Census
      Name: Senora S Taylor
      Age in 1910: 38
      Birth Year: abt 1872
      Birthplace: North Carolina
      Home in 1910: Semora, Caswell, North Carolina
      Race: White
      Gender: Female
      Relation to Head of House: Wife
      Marital Status: Married
      Spouse's Name: W S Taylor
      Father's Birthplace: North Carolina
      Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina
      Household Members: Name Age
      W S Taylor 40
      Senora S Taylor 38
      Sevannie W Taylor 14
      Morrison M Taylor 12
      Winifield S Taylor 9
      Stella Hamlett 60

      North Carolina, Death Indexes, 1908-2004
      Name: Semora M Taylor
      Race: White
      Age: 49
      Date of Birth: 1870
      Date of Death: 18 Jul 1919
      Death County: Caswell
      Death State: North Carolina
      Source Vendor: NC State Archives. North Carolina Deaths, 1908-67

      North Carolina, Death Certificates, 1909-1975
      Name: Semora Mcaden Taylor
      Gender: Female
      Race: White
      Age: 48
      Birth Date: 20 Mar 1871
      Birth Place: Person, North Carolina, United States
      Death Date: 18 Aug 1919
      Death Location: Milton, Caswell
      Father's Name: James M Mcaden
      Mother's name: Caroline Hamlet

  • Sources 
    1. Details: The Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina, Jeannine D. Whitlow, Editor (1985) at 374 (Article #473 "James Morrison McAden" by Mary McAden Satterfield).

    2. Details: Taylor Family Website.