Annie Rachel Livingston
August 14th 1918 – July 25th 2006
Early Life
Annie Rachel Livingston was born in 1918 in Troy, Montgomery County, North Carolina, to Fannie Mae Livingston and Horace Ceaser Poole. She was raised by her mother and grandparents, Mary and Alexander Livingston, as she did not meet her father until she was 66 years old. She had one brother, Bradley Livingston, who also never knew his father.​
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Annie spent the first nine years of her life in Troy, sharing a home with her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. She and her family lived in a four-room house that was never painted, had no attic, and was warmed by a wood stove. Their laundry was done in the yard using a big tub, and their home was lit by oil lamps. She shared a 12x14 room with three beds and minimal furniture. Despite the modest upbringing, Annie found joy in the simple things. She loved square dancing and playing with dolls—though she would get mad when her uncle Tom messed with them. Her family traveled by horse and buggy from Troy to Norwood, NC. With any money she had as a child, she would buy candy and ice cream, recalling that candy cost just five cents and pencils were a penny each. She never had pets but deeply admired her grandmother Mary, who she believed was the best cook. Annie especially loved her grandmother’s biscuits. The only cookies she had growing up were simple sugar cookies, and for Christmas, she would receive stockings filled with sweets and candy. They never had a Christmas tree, but sometimes, she would celebrate at her uncle Carson’s house.
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Father: Horace Poole
Mother: Fannie Mae Livingston
Half Brother: Bradley Livingston
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Husband: Hugh Kennie Eury
Children: Alvin Eury, James Eury, Carvin Eury
L to R: Annie, Lillie Mae, Fannie Mae (holding baby Erion), George Richardson, James Thomas, Betty (holding baby Frances), Nancy Jane Morton (Neighbor), Mary Frances Singleton, Abbie Gale Singleton, Alexander Livingston
L to R: Irene Claudia Mae Yarborough, Annie Livingston, Lillie Mae Livingston
Birth Certificate
Annie's original birth certificate says born on September 13th, 1918 instead of her always saying she was born on August 14th, 1918. It is unknown if this was a typo by the registration office of Montgomery County or if Annie and her family was unaware which month she was actually born in.
Birth Certificate
Education and Young Adulthood
Annie attended Norwood Elementary School, walking to school each day. Her favorite subjects were spelling and arithmetic, while geography was her least favorite. She received plenty of homework from her teachers but never participated in school sports. She recalled attending the circus as a child but never took any major trips or vacations. She did not attend high school. Annie went on her first date at age 14 with Lacey Caudle.
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Annie Livingston to the Left of Teacher (2nd Grade at Norwood School)
L to R: Annie Rachel Livingston and Martha Hughes
Annie Rachel Livingston in Norwood
Marriage and Family
Annie met Hugh Kennie Eury while they were both living in Norwood, just a couple of blocks apart. Their romance moved quickly, as she later wrote: "We danced some together at a neighbor's house on a Saturday night. After that, it went fast. We ran away and got married one morning with another couple on October 4th, 1933, in Chesterfield, South Carolina. I was scared someone would find out before we could get married. I was so young, but we made it just fine. We had to sneak around to be together because my mother didn't believe in me dating. On our first date, he borrowed a car, and we went for a ride. He soon proposed to me in the living room." Together, they had three sons: Alvin (born 1934), James (born 1936), and Carvin (born 1939).
Hugh and Annie did not have a honeymoon. After returning from Chesterfield, they first lived with Hugh’s uncle, Willie Hill, and his wife in the countryside. Their first home alone together was a two-room apartment above the Eddins family home on Cottonville Road in Norwood. In 1937, they moved to Concord, North Carolina, where Annie got her first job working at Cannon Mills Plant No. 10. Hugh enlisted in the Army in 1944 but was discharged after four months due to an undisclosed condition. Upon his return, the couple ran a small grocery store beside their home on Swink Street in Concord. Their home was a short walk from Hartsell School, where all their children attended.​
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L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Alvin, Hugh, Carvin, Annie, James
L to R: Hugh, Carvin, James, Alvin, Annie
L to R: Annie and Hugh Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Annie and Hugh Eury
Annie Eury in front of Hartsell School
L to R: Louise Sparks and Annie
L to R: Annie and Louise Sparks
L to R: Louise Sparks and Annie
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Annie Eury in front of Grocery Store
L to R: Annie and friend
Annie Eury
Hobbies, Favorites, and Personal Reflections
Annie had a deep love for quilting and always dreamed of traveling across North Carolina to visit historic homes and antique shops. She had many favorite things that reflected her personality and interests:
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Favorite Colors: Green and blue
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Favorite Book: The Bible
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Favorite Movie: The Love Bug
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Favorite Song: One Day at a Time
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Favorite Sport: Baseball
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Favorite Vacation: Florida, January 1956
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Favorite Holiday: Fourth of July
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Favorite Season: Spring
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Favorite Flowers: Tulips
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Favorite Candy: Fudge
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Favorite Cookies: Oatmeal cookies
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Favorite Ice Cream: Butter pecan
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The first thing Annie learned to cook was potatoes and beans. While she wasn’t a great cook when she first got married, she quickly learned and became skilled in the kitchen. She fondly remembered receiving a watch as a gift at age 14, which remained one of her most cherished childhood presents.
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Annie often reflected on the influence of her grandmother, Mary, saying she was always quiet but never idle, a trait Annie admired and carried forward in her own life.
L to R: Fannie Mae and Annie
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Annie, Hugh, Louise Sparks
L to R: Hugh and Annie Eury
L to R: Hugh, Annie, Alvin
L to R: Annie and Margaret Sechler Cox
L to R: Barbara Livingston, Annie, Rebeth Livingston
L to R: Rebeth Livingston, Annie, Viola Livingston
Carvin's Death
Tragedy struck the family in 1958 when Carvin, their youngest son, was killed in an automobile accident while serving in the military overseas in Germany at the age of 19. This loss devastated the family.
Obituary, December 18th 1958, Charlotte Observer, Page 12
L to R: James, Charles Vest (Carvin's friend), Alvin, Hugh
Carvin and girlfriend Joyce Elaine Lee in Germany (Electoral Palace Fountain in Trier) a few months before Carvin's death
Carvin in his military uniform
Later Years
After their children had grown and moved out, Hugh and Annie relocated to 31 Barbie Road to be closer to them. In 1969, Hugh died unexpectedly of a heart attack at home. ​​
Annie and Hugh Eury
L to R: Annie and mother Fannie Mae at her house
L to R: Annie and mother Fannie Mae
L to R: Annie and mother Fannie Mae
L to R: Annie and mother Fannie Mae
L to R: Fannie, Shane (Great Great Grandson), Cynthia Eury (Great Granddaughter), Annie (Daughter), Phillip (Great Great Grandson)
Annie and mother Fannie Mae
Annie and Hugh Eury
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Annie and Granddaughter Angela
L to R: Annie and mother Fannie Mae
L to R: Annie and mother Fannie Mae
L to R: Alvin, Fannie Mae, Roger, Annie
Meeting Her Father
Out of respect for her mother, Fannie Mae, Annie never met her father, Horace Poole, while her mother was alive. However, in 1984, after Fannie’s passing, Annie’s granddaughter, Shelia, set out to find him. When they finally met, the reunion was cordial, and Annie was able to meet her half-sisters as well. Though she had spent most of her life without knowing him, this meeting brought her a sense of closure and connection to a family she had never known.
Annie and father Horace Poole
Final Marriage and Death
Annie did not remarry until 1984, when she wed Gilf Carpenter (1916-1989). By the time of her passing in 2006, she had outlived both her husbands and all of her children. She was laid to rest beside Hugh at Carolina Memorial Park in Concord, North Carolina. Annie Rachel Livingston will always be remembered as a strong and loving woman, deeply devoted to her family and faith.
L to R: Roger, LuAnn, Lois, Alvin, Shelia, and Annie Eury
1970's Eury Family
Annie and Gilf Carpenter can be seen singing at 25:30
Annie and father Horace Poole
Annie and Granddaughter Angela
Annie and Gilf Carpenter
Annie and Gilf's Wedding
Annie with her family (Late 1970s)
Annie and Gilf can be seen at several different points throughout Harve Deaton's birthday party