Gertrude Emma (Essie) Pretlow

  General Notes:

See general notes on her mother for 1900 census facts where her mother and brothers, John and Sam, are living with the family.

The 1910 Federal Census for Franklin, Southampton Co., Va., District 119, page 197A records William J. M. Holland (42) with his wife Gertrude E. (38) and children Stanley T. (13), Mariah P. (10), William J. M. Jr. (7), and Joel C. (5) living on High Street. William and Gertrude have been married for 15 years and have had 27children of whom 4 are still living. Also in the household is brother-in-law John E. Pretlow (28). William is a Merchant in a General Retiail Store while John is a salesman in the General Retail Store.

Apparently by 1920 Essie has died in that William's wife is listed as Marilda ... however, that must be a mistake because the 1930 census has his wife listed as Essie: The 1920 Federal Census for Franklin, Southampton Co., VA, District 213, page 191B, dated January 7, 1920 records William J. M. Holland (52) with his wife Marilda (48) and children Stanley T. (22), Mariah P. (19), William (17), and Joel C. (15) living at 201 High Street. William is an Undertaker with his own shop. The 1930 Federal Census for Franklin, Southampton Co., VA, District 14, page 151A, dated April 4, 1930 records W. J. M. Holland Sr. (62) with his wife Essie P. (58) and Joel C. Holland (24) living at 201 High Street. William is a Mortician of General Service.


Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries
ESSIE GERTRUDE ESMERALDA PRETLOW HOLLAND
FRANKLIN - A funeral service for Mrs. Essie* Pretlow Holland is scheduled for Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in W.J.M. Holland & Sons Funeral Chapel, by her pastor, the Rev. St. Elmo Nauman, and Dr. Ira D. Hudgins of the Franklin Baptist Church. Burial will be in Poplar Spring Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be W.J.M. Holland III, Samuel W. Holland, Stanley T. Holland Jr., William Coward, Dr. William Tucker, Gillette Bryant Jr., Lon Davis and Dr. Roy T. Matthews.
Mrs. Holland, 94, the widow of W.J.M. Holland Sr., died Tuesday at 1 a.m. in Southampton Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.
A native of Southampton County, she was a daughter of James Thomas and Mrs. Maria Rawls Pretlow.
She was the oldest member of Franklin Congregational Christian Church and its Women's Fellowship.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Maria H. Matthews of Franklin; two sons, Stanley T. Holland Sr. of Franklin and Joel Cook Holland of Murfreesboro, N.C.; 10 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren.

"Essie" Gertrude Esmeralda (PRETLOW; Mrs. William J.M. Sr.) HOLLAND, Southampton Co. native, d. 27 Dec 1966, Franklin, age 94, interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Annex 2, Plot 164**), Franklin, 29 Dec 1966
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Dec. 29, 1966, p. 11

Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project,
Poplar Spring list: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/psanx2.txt
* Original text of obit, as published, gave her name as "Effie" in error
Additional information: William Joseph Moore Holland, 26, s, So.Co., So.Co., s/o Joseph Godwin and Martha A. Howell Holland, Undertaker
m. 06-27-1894 Franklin, Va. by Rev. J.L. McCutcheon
Gertrude Esmeralda Pretlow, 22, s, So.Co., So.Co.,
d/o James Thomas and Mariah L. Rawls Pretlow
(MB8:223; transcribed & annotated by Bruce Saunders:

Gertrude married William Joseph Moore (Bill) Holland, son of Joseph Godwin Holland and Martha A. Howell, circa 1894 in Southampton Co, VA. (William Joseph Moore (Bill) Holland was born on 12 Dec 1867 in Virginia, died on 18 Oct 1942 in Franklin (Southampton Co.), VA and was buried in Plot 164 - Poplar Spring Cemetery - New Annex.)