The date of birth on Noah's WWI Registration Card 816, Form 697, No. 25 dated 5 JUN 1917 is 29 AUG 1887, which differs from the grave marker date of 29 AUG 1890.

Recently, I discovered a document in my grandparents' Bible with the same birthdate of 29 AUG 1890.

Noah was the son of Rosella Presley. Rosella raised all of her children as a widowed, single mother, a farmer, and giving her children her last name of Presley.

Noah is my great grandfather. I have maintained this memorial for years and do not want this memorial to transfer as it includes much family history that only I would have known as told by my grandparents, parents and other close relatives.

Noah's name has been posted as Noah P. Presley and Noah E. Presley. The census records also show both the P and the E for middle names. On the 1940 census, the name Noah P Presley is listed. Noah was also known as "Pa Presley".

Just a couple of days ago, I discovered a document and Noah's name was signed "Noah E Presley".

Noah's children from his first marriage did not have the tombstone made. It is believed the children from the second marriage had the tombstone made.

Noah married Susan Izora Griffin on 10 JUL 1910 and had nine children.
They are:
Sumpter David Griffin
James Whitford Presley
Trannie Eackford Presley (correct spelling on his school record is "Eckford")
Vona Mae Presley
Oma Sedera Presley
Goble Thurston Presley
Ruble Arthur Presley SR
Gordon "Dock" Presley (twin)
Sales Presley (twin)

These are not "calculated" relationships as the old Find A Grave has defaulted with the Asterisks.

The children listed for Noah and Susan are actual and these are not half-siblings. They are each and every one full blood siblings. The half siblings are from Noah's second marriage, to Christine.

Per the 1920 US Census, Sumpter, Whitford, and Eackford were listed as "stepson". This is incorrect information. On the same census, it lists Eackford as a "laborer" at age 12. This is also incorrect.

Noah Presley was father to nine children with his first wife and father to six children with his second wife. There are NO "correct" records of Noah EVER being a "step" father. There are NO family records that record anything different. Noah was the biological father to ALL of his PRESLEY children born and/or raised in and around East Tupelo, MS.

Noah and Susan lived in East Tupelo, where they raised their children. Noah was Mayor of East Tupelo, taking office 7 JAN 1936, which is the year of the deadly tornado hit in Tupelo. Noah was also City Marshal, which would now be Chief of Police. Noah drove a school bus and also had a general store and the sign outside the store states "Noah P Presley Groceries".

East Tupelo and Tupelo were officially merged into one city in 1946.

The store was at the northeast corner of East Main and Canal Street, in East Heights. The store location served as C&E Dry Cleaners (Carl and Earl Long) and later became Longs Laundry. Truman McNeece purchased the dry-cleaning business from the Long's and also had a coin laundry in the same building.

Noah was a member of the St. Mark Methodist Church, where his funeral services were held.

After Susan passed away in 1939, Noah remarried a younger woman named Mary "Christine"/"Chris" Houston Roberts Presley on 7 DEC 1940. Noah began a second family of six children with Chris. One of their notable children was Harold Ray Presley, former Sheriff of Lee County who died while on duty in a shootout in a barn in July 2001. Harold Ray shot and killed the criminal, but later died from the gunshot wound he received during the confrontation.

Noah and Christine's six children are:
Eva Joyce Presley
Arnold Edward Presley
Larry Wayne Presley
James Roy Presley
Harold Ray Presley
Norma Fay Presley
These six children were "half-brothers and half-sisters" to Noah's children with Susan.

Noah had several brothers: Walter, Calhoun "Cal" and Jessie D. (for Duncan) or "Dee" McDowell, Mack, Joseph and sisters, Robbie Presley Stacy, Minnie Belle Elizabeth "Essie" Presley, and Minnie Eudocia "Docia" Presley Steele.

Noah was a brother to Jessie Dee McClowell, Elvis Presley's grandfather, thus making Noah his grand Uncle. As a child, I always heard "Uncle Noah", thus the generation was not recognized as grand uncle or great uncle, just uncle. I don't know if this is a southern thing, or Scottish, but this was also true on the McCoy side of my family.

I have heard within my family that Noah bought Elvis his first guitar. I have seen in a book that his parents bought the guitar. It could have been gifted from/through Noah.

The Presley's of East Tupelo were a tight knit group. Many of them lived on the same block, Kelly Street, and I was told by my grandmother, Ethel Presley, that they shared a milk cow.

During the April 1936 Tupelo Tornado, Ethel Presley told me that Elvis and his parents were at Noah's house, as he had built in the backyard a type of above ground shelter. Noah was mayor of East Tupelo at that time. Ethel told my mother the story about the 1936 tornado and how they Gladys and Elvis went into the shelter. Ethel also stated that she could see the 1936 tornado from her porch on Kelly Street. The tornado landed to the NW of Kelly Street.

When Elvis was born, Noah's daughter-in-law, Ethel*, was one of three people present. Ethel was second to arrive and then the doctor was sent for when the mid-wife and Ethel determined a difficult birth would ensue.

*Ethel is my grandmother, she and Eack raised me; Noah is my great-grandfather.

I knew Noah and was in Tupelo in September 1969 with Eack, Ethel, my mother and brother.

At the time of Noah's death, he had 32 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren, per his obituary.

Noah would be very proud of all his descendants, but exceptionally proud of his grandson, Brandon Presley, PSC-N. Dist., Mississippi, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2021. Brandon was the mayor of Nettleton 2001-2007. Brandon was elected President of NARUC as of November 2019.

Noah also has a descendant that graduated USMA West Point and another that a 1993 first round draft pick for the NY Mets. His descendants also include doctors, nurses, teachers, school board members and state education administrators.

Most recently, April 2022, Noah was memorialized in the Oren Dunn Museum in Tupelo as part of the exhibits for the 1936 Tupelo Tornado and Elvis Presley's heritage. Lee Faulkner provided the photo of Noah Presley for the exhibits.

NOTE: I have been able to either create the memorial or come to manage most of the Presley family members memorials with the exception of just a few. I cannot provide verification of the facts nor edit those memorials that I do not manage. A special word of thanks to those that were kind enough to transfer family members to me, Suzanne E Presley.

FACT:
This is part of Tupelo history:
Tom Hussey was a planter in NE Mississippi, owning nearly 7,000 acres. Tom purchased the 69 acres that would later become the 69 acres that comprised East Tupelo, MS, which would be incorporated into Tupelo, MS, later in time. Tom was married to a Fort Worth resident, however, after attempting to live in NE Mississippi, she shortly returned to Fort Worth, TX. They never divorced. Tom died in 1929.

FACT:
Tom Hussey looked after Noah as a father would on a young man. When Tom would ride past the Griffin household to get to his cows in the pasture, he often had Noah with him. Noah and the future Mrs. Noah Presley (Susan Griffin) began a friendship. At Tom's urging, and after the third child, out of wedlock, Noah married Susan. This is how the "out of wedlock" children get misconstrued as "not Noah's". Noah was about five years younger than Susan. If you are from the old South, you would know that courting and relationships started at a young age. A young age can be defined as around age 13.

RUMOR:
Some sources claim Noah's father is believed to be Tom Hussey, although I have not seen proof. Based on the FACT that Rosella was married, Tom would not have been Noah's father since Tom was also married. They were good family friends.

Find A Grave Memorial #32742554 NOAH EDWARD PURCELL PRESLEY originally created 8 JAN 2009 by Donna, transferred to and maintained by Suzanne E Presley, great granddaughter of Noah.

Last update 24 APR 2023