William Dillard Eldridge was born in Tennessee. On the death of his daughter Thelma he showed he was born in Wilder in Fentress County, Tennessee. In the majority of known records he is shown as Dillard and on the marriage of his daughter Jessie Marie he is shown as William Dillard. His headstone shows he married on 3 Jul 1927. On the registration of his death his wife showed his parents as being John Eldridge and Sara Bowman.
William, shown as Dillard, is recorded in the 1940 US census for Anderson County, Tennessee with is wife Ottie showing they were at Mccreary County, Kentucky in 1935. In the 1930 census they are with his daughter Rosemary from his earlier marriage. William has not been found in the 1900 or 1910 census. He is assumed to be the William D Eldridge in the 1920 census for Fentress County, Tennessee with a wife Effie L and daughter Cora L, though Cora may be step-daughter as Effie Copeland married W D Eldridge on 3 Jan 1915 in Overton County Tennessee and she may be the Miss Effie Copeland who had earlier married in Overton County on 11 Dec 1910.
William is thought to be related to the Eldridge family shown at John Eldridge or Zachariah Eldridge or one of the descendant branches of either.
Updated 10 August 2018
William Dillard Eldridge (1886-1951) m 1915 Effie Copeland (1895- ) | | | (female) Eldridge (1919-1919) | Rosemary Eldridge (1921-2017) | m 1943 Paul Edwin Nighswander (1909-1996) | | | Frank Nighswander ( - ) | Tom Nighswander ( - ) | Dewayne Nighswander ( - ) | m 1927 Ottie Mae Black (1907-1980) | Thelma Eldridge (1939-1939) Zelma Lee Eldridge (1939-1939) Dillard Eugene Eldridge (1940-2003) m ( ) Rachel Marie Crabtree (1944- ) | | | Linda Eldridge ( - ) | m ( ) (Unknown) Crabtree ( - ) | m 1976 Kenneth Wade Coffey ( - ) | m ( ) Ronnie Wilson ( - ) | Dillard Ray Eldridge (1962-2018) | m 1983 Karen Gibson ( - ) | | | | | Dustin Eldridge ( - ) | | m ( ) Tasha Patton ( - ) | | | | | | | Nicholas Tyler Eldridge (2008-2009) | | | Lucas Eldridge ( - ) | | | | | Gene Eldridge ( - ) | | | Bobby Eugene Eldridge (1967- ) | m ( ) Anita Jane (Unknown) ( - ) | Billy Dean Eldridge ( - ) | m 1990 Angela Jeanette Flynn ( - ) | | | | | Stephen Tyler Eldridge (1992-1996) | | Kristen Danielle Eldridge (1995- ) | | | m ( ) Kathy (Unknown) ( - ) | Jessie Marie Eldridge (1943-2014) m 1958 Arnold Perry (1937-1984) | | | Roscoe Timothy Perry (1960-1960) | Elvena Marie Perry (1961- ) | Vicky Carlene Perry ( - ) | Marvin Estle Perry (1964- ) | Sandra Lou Perry (1967- ) | James Doyle Perry (1973- ) | Idella Eldridge (1944-2009) m ( ) Ciscero Crabtree (1936-2007) | | | Cicero Darren Crabtree (1961- ) | Michael Dewayne Crabtree (1963- ) | Susan Elaine Crabtree (1969- ) | Idella Marie Crabtree (1970- ) | Luther Charles Crabtree (1974- ) | Sarah Elizabeth Crabtree (1978- ) | Jeffery Crabtree ( - ) | Chris Crabtree ( - ) | Bobby Dean Eldridge ( - )