David H. Trout (1846-1898) Bio

Birth: 7 August 1846, probably in Frederick County, Maryland
Marriage: summer 1880 to Mary Elizabeth Upchurch
Death: 24 April 1898 in Clay County, Texas


My family tradition holds that David H. Trout was born 7 August 1846, though no one had recorded where. The tombstone my family put in at Buffalo Springs Cemetery in Clay County bears that date.ⁱ Through subsequent research, I can confirm that the 1846 part is in the correct neighborhood (the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses all estimate a birthdate of 1847), and that he was born in Maryland—most likely in Frederick County, near Woodsboro. I have not yet been able to officially document the specific August birthdate. He was the second of the ten known children of John Henry Trout and Catherine Dorcus, both Frederick County natives.

Sometime between the ages of 23 and 34, he alone of his siblings left Maryland and ended up in Dallas County, Texas. He appears on the census in June of 1880 as a boarder and laborer in the home of William and Mary Jordan, presumably as a farm hand.ⁱⁱ Living near the Jordans as documented by the census were the James and Eliza [Jordan] Upchurch family, including their 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. Born 16 April 1860, she was the second of their three daughters.ⁱⁱⁱ

David Trout and Elizabeth Upchurch (whose full name was Mary Elizabeth, but sometimes went by Elizabeth or Bettie) were married that summer, sometime between June and September.^iv They became parents for the first time in May 1881 to a pair of stillborn twin baby girls they named Cora and Ella Nora.^v Their third child, Maud, was born in 1883 and survived^vi but was sadly followed by another stillborn baby, John A. Trout, in 1885. Their fifth and final child was James Wesley Trout in 1887, my great-grandfather.^vii

Unfortunately, that is the last documentation I have been able to find so far on the family. David died on 24 April 1898, most likely in Clay County, Texas. Although Mary Elizabeth did not die until 16 May 1906,^viii I have not had any success locating her on the 1900 census.

Research is ongoing for David and his family. This is what I know so far. 

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iFind A Grave, Inc., Find a Grave, digital image ( http:// www . findagrave . com: accessed 25 January 2013), photograph, “gravestone for David H. Trout (1846-1898), Memorial #72257315 , records of the Buffalo Springs Cemetery, Buffalo Springs, Texas;” photo by Gerri Cozart Paine.

ii"United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M29K-Z16 : accessed 9 March 2013), David Trout in household of William Jordan, Justice Precinct 7, Dallas, Texas; citing sheet 329C, family 212.

iiiFind A Grave, Inc., Find a Grave, digital image ( http:// www . findagrave . com: accessed 9 March 2013), photograph, “gravestone for Mary E. Trout (1860-1906), Memorial #72087644, records of the Buffalo Springs Cemetery, Buffalo Springs, Texas;” photo by Gerri Cozart Paine.

ivThis is an estimation—the 1880 Census was taken in June and they were not yet married. However, their first children were born in May 1881. Calculating for the approximately 9 months of pregnancy, this puts their marriage date sometime between late June and September 1880.

vThe information on David and Mary's three stillborn children comes from an unpublished hand-drawn family tree and family group sheet sent around to various members of the Trout family in the 1980s or 90s.

vi"Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JDT6-YW5 : accessed 05 Feb 2013), Maud Stephens, 24 Jul 1952; citing reference cn 32266, State Registrar Office, Austin, Texas.

vii"United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XP51-ZTP : accessed 25 Jan 2013), James Westly Trout, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publications M1939, M1936, and M1937; FHL microfilm 4161310.

viiiFind A Grave, Inc., Find a Grave, digital image ( http:// www . findagrave . com: accessed 9 March 2013), photograph, “gravestone for Mary E. Trout (1860-1906), Memorial #72087644, records of the Buffalo Springs Cemetery, Buffalo Springs, Texas;” photo by Gerri Cozart Paine.