Edward Augustus Frisby (1884-1930)

by Aris Baker

Edward Augustus Frisby was born on January 17th, 1884 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Bessie Blounton from Bacon Castle, VA, and his father, Stephen Frisby from Philadelphia, PA, raised Edward in a non-religious household. He was the youngest of four children and the only son. Edward Frisby attended preparatory school but pursued no further education beyond that. Edward was enlisted in the Navy on September 5th, 1902, and re-enlisted for WW1. Before re-enlisting, Edward worked as an elevator lift operator and a cook. At some point before 1910, Edward married Annetta Canada. Annetta worked as a servant in a white household in Rhode Island early in their marriage. It wasn’t until November 15th, 1915, that Edward officially re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy at Fort Monroe. where he was assigned as a Mess Attendant as a Petty Officer 3rd Class. Edward remained in the U.S. Navy through 1920, when he was stationed on the USS Stockton as a cabin steward. Edward and Annetta had several children, Laura born in 1911, Florence, born in September 1913, Edward Jr., who passed away at 7 months old in 1916, and Annetta C., born in 1917. Annetta and the children lived at 901 Fremont Street while Edward served on the USS Stockton. At some point between 1920 and 1929, Annetta Canada Frisby died and Edward left the Navy.

He married Ella Victoria Brown on February 15th, 1929, in Portsmouth, Virginia. The couple lived with Edward’s youngest daughter Annetta on Effingham Street, Portsmouth. Edward Augustus Frisby passed away on October 31, 1930 from chronic myocarditis at the Norfolk Naval Hospital and was buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Portsmouth, VA.

Sources:

“United States Census, 1900”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M37Z-RNK : 13 January 2022), Edward A Frisby in entry for Stephen Frisby, 1900.

United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPX3-32L : accessed 29 November 2022), Annette Frisby in household of Francis T Evans, Newport Ward 2, Newport, Rhode Island, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 55, sheet 24A, family 6, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1437; FHL microfilm 1,375,450.

“United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CC8S-8T2 : accessed 29 November 2022), Edward A Frisby, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 12, sheet 10B, line 83, family 296, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2473; FHL microfilm 2,342,207.

“United States Census, 1920”, database with images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SP8R-P35 : 4 February 2021), Edward A Frisby, 1920.

“United States Census, 1920”, database with images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJJD-7X7 : 4 February 2021), Annetta Frisby in entry for Annetta Frisby, 1920.

“United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949”, database with images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZC-3FF : 26 April 2021), Edward Agustus Frisby, .

“Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVRW-PNH3 : 16 August 2019), Edward Agustus Frisby, 31 Oct 1930; from “Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850,” database and images, Ancestry(http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Portsmouth, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.

“Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVRQ-R523 : 16 August 2019), Edward A Frisby, 29 Feb 1916; from “Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850,” database and images, Ancestry(http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.

“Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940”, database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR94-JSB : 29 January 2020), Edward Augustus Frisby, 1929.

“Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBY-CKSW : 20 February 2021), Edward Augustus Frisby in entry for Robert Wise and Florence Elizabeth Frisby, 27 Jul 1969; from “Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850,” database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Norfolk, , Virginia, United States, certificate 69 025045, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.