"Elisha was a farmer and a minister. He had 4 children. His first child by first wife Lauretta died at child birth. He was 42 years of age at the time he married Rebecca Bowers who was 24 years old. He legally separated from his third wife, Susan Wells, 16 Aug 1913. Note that in the the 1910 census for Sulphur Spring, Carroll, Virginia that Susan was not in the household of Elisha and his 3 sons". The following is paraphrased from the book "The Stonemans An Appalachian Family and The Music That Shaped Their Lives." The marriage of Elisha to Rebecca seems to have been a happy but tragic one. Their first child, a son was stillborn. Then they had three sons. The latter, Talmer, was born the day his mother died. Elisha now had 3 children to raise. As an old mountain song aptly states "motherless children have a hard time when mother's dead". Elisha was a very strict and stern father and somewhat tough on his sons. The one who stepped up to provide a mother figure was Bertha, Stephen Drake Stoneman's daughter. After 7 years as a widower Elisha married again. This time to his sister-in-law Susan Bowers who had two children from previous mariage. The difference in age led to a generation gap that children of Elisha stated that Susan was a trollop and could not understand how two sisters can be so different. The marriage lasted until 1913 at which time per mutual agreement they officially separated. What happened to Susan is unknown. Elisha was later described as an elderly octogenarian almost totally devoid on humor. Later the depression brought more woe to Elisha and his son Ernest. Debt resulted in both losing all of their property and having to depend on aid from neighbors and family to survive. The depression took it's toll. Elisha went to live with his son Boyd in Elbert, West Virginia where he spent his last days. One can only guess what effect his tragic life attributed to his descendants memories of him. He died of cadio-mocular disease with chronic otites media". His Death Certificate noted that he last worked in 1929. The certificate was signed by Dr. Whitney the Doctor that delivered James Boyd French the great grandson of Elisha. In the 1920 Census for Carroll County (Blair Voting District) his son Ernest and wife Hattie were living with Elisha. In the 1850 Census he was living with his father at age 30. In the 1910 Census for Sulphur Springs Managerial District Ernest Van Stoneman was living in the household of Elisha. In the 1930 Census Elisha was living in Sulphur Springs District of Carroll County by himself at age 81. Elisha's home in Iron Ridge community, now fallen down, is located at coordinates 36.714931 -80.930817. Two brothers Elisha C. and Garland Augustus Stoneman married two sisters Lauretta Jane and Elizabeth Montgomery.