A mysterious man by the name of Earl Clyde Carroll showed up in the mountains of Bedford
Co., PA to work in the coal mines..circa 1929-1931. He was basically a shady person, or
very private, never telling anyone much about himself. He then against her parents wishes
married Mabel Showalter. He listed on his marriage licenses he was born in Memphis, TN.
His listed his parents as Daniel Anderson Carroll and Gretta May Ellsworth. He bought her
wedding ring in York or Lancaster, PA. He was born circa 1906-1908. He was a bootlegger
and a coal miner. He refused to talk about his past or his family. Durning their short
marriage he took Mable to Long Island, NY and worked for a Sawyers family. They then
moved to Totz, KY and while there a baby died. His name was Ralph Gerald Carroll and he
was born in Pennsylvania on May 1, 1934 and died in Totz, Ky on July 24, 1934. The
funeral home was in Harlan and he was buried in Totz. They moved back to Bedford Co., PA
and Earl Clyde Carroll died in April 25, 1938 of blood poisoning. Mabel never notified
any of his family. Around 1950-1970 a cousin of Mabels seen an ad in some sort of
newsletter that someone was looking for him. This was probably his family. Mabel never
replied. His family could of been from PA or TN.... or both. He seems to have ties to
Ky. Any clue to my mystery man would be greatly appreciated. He always told Mabel that
he was born in Memphis but they never really lived there was just traveling when he was
born. Mabel did meet some cousins in TN and all she could remeber is they lived in the
south central part of the state.