| Birth* | 12 Oct 1866 | Elmira was born at Tallapoosa Co., Alabama, on 12 Oct 1866. |
| | She was the daughter of Rev. Lewis Peek Culpepper and Margarette R. Joyce Bateman. |
| Census* | 22 Jun 1870 | Elmira was in the on 22 Jun 1870 census at Opelika, Lee Co., Alabama. |
| Census | 1880 | She was listed as a resident in the census report at Clay Co., Alabama, in 1880. |
| Marriage* | 7 Apr 1887 | She married Richard Reddick Rutland at Chambers Co., Alabama, on 7 Apr 1887.1 |
| Married Name | 7 Apr 1887 | As of 7 Apr 1887, her married name was Rutland. |
| Census | 1900 | She was listed as a resident in the census report at Chambers Co., Alabama, in 1900. |
| Death* | 10 Nov 1949 | She died at LaGrange, Troup Co., Georgia, on 10 Nov 1949. |
| Burial* | | Her body was interred at State Line Cemetery, Chambers Co., Alabama. |
| Biography* | | Lewis P. Culpepper recorded his daughter's birth in his Bible: "Elmira was born Oct the 12th 1866." She was known as "Mira." The 1910 census (ED 14, Sheet 6, Pct 1, #117) of Hickory Flat, Chambers Co., AL records the information that Elmira was 44 years old and she and R. R. Rutland had been married for 23 years and she had had 6 children, three of whom were still living in 1910. Only five of these children have been accounted for at this time. Elmira's father, Lewis P. Culpepper, was also staying with the family. The following is from a 17 Jun 1979 letter from Mrs. Melvin (Essie Bryant) Moore, Mira's granddaughter: Grannie lived with my mother [Mrs. E. L. (Dennie Rutland) Bryant] and father [Earnest Bryant] from the time they were married until her death. She spent her life doing things for us. I never knew her to go any place other than to Aunt Mollie's and to her son's and daughter's homes except to the movies. My father worked at a theater for a time and we were invited by the owner to come as often as we wanted to. Grannie enjoyed going very much. She was an excellent seamstress and cook. She took pleasure in putting finishing touches on our clothes and making our favorite dishes. I suppose that she knew how to do just about everything around a home. I remember that she would build a fine chicken coop, make soap, repair the sewing machine, and fix the clock. She was totally unselfish. I shall never forget one thing that she did for me. During the depression, I outgrew my winter coat. I had a good distance to walk to school and this particular winter was very severe. With no hesitation, she got her coat out and began to work. She cut her coat up and made one to fit me! Grannie was very unpretentious. From the time I first remember her until her death (about 26 years) she never changed the way she dressed. All of her dresses were made very plain with long sleeves and reached to her ankles. She always wore an apron when she was at home. She wore a very plain black hat a few times, but usually she wore a bonnet. When Grannie returned from a visit to Aunt Mollie's [Mira's sister, Mary E. Culpepper Rutland] or to her daughter Hassie's, my sister and I had great fun unpacking her bag. She always had little surprises for both of us tucked in among her clothes. I wish that you could have known her. She was a great lady.
There is no record of Elmira's burial in State Line Cemetery in the 1990 edition of A Survey of Cemeteries in Chamber's County, Alabama. Mrs. Charles (Margaret Whatley) Lee wrote 26 Nov 1978 that Mira and her husband, R. R. Rutland didn't have any engraving on their stones. |