The marker for Elizabeth Trout and her husband in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard.
As a tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Trout’s standing the community, the Daily Evening Sentinel ran a lengthy obituary on December 28, 1893. “Death of Mrs. Trout. A Prominent Carlisle Woman Passes Away. She was one of the French Huguenots—Her husband as Commissioner Helped to Build the Court House and Jail---A Busy Life Ended.
“Mrs. Elizabeth C. Trout died at her home in the Trout building on West Main street, shortly after 5 o’clock last evening aged about 80 years. Two years ago she was accidently burned and never fully recovered from the shock, and for the past six months her condition had been quite serious. The immediate cause of death was heart disease and the end had been anticipated some days past. She is survived by one sister, Eva C. Callio, of North Bedford street...
The deceased was the widow of the late William H. Trout, formerly one of Carlisle’s prominent citizens and business men, and for a half century hers has been one of the most familiar of Carlisle homes. She had a most remarkable history. She was a native of France and one of a family of seven children. They belonged to the French Huguenots or French Protestants, and when she was but ten years old they were driven by persecution from France and fled to this country and settled in Carlisle. When they came to this place her sister Eva, familiarly known as “Clem,” was an infant in the cradle.
Elizabeth lived for some years with the Knox family and while there, in 1835, married Mr. Trout. Immediately after the wedding the couple left on the old fashioned stage-coach for Cincinnati. About a year later they returned, and Mr. Trout started in the business of hatter and finally succeeded in building up an extensive business. Their hat store was then in Irvine’s Row, but in 1853 it was removed to the Knox building, now the Trout building, as Mr. Trout afterward purchased it. He died in 1858, leaving all his property to his wife for life….She was a woman of great industry, strong willed and remarkable endurance. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church from youth and very active in church work. Her husband had been one of the trustees of the church. She frequently spoke of the terrible persecutions she had witnessed when a child in France. The family were Lutherans but joined the Presbyterians upon their arrival in this country. The only survivors are her sister Eva C. and Mrs. Ellen Callio of Pomfret Street, a niece by marriage…”
When the Septennial Census of Carlisle was taken in 1814, it included the names and occupations of all the borough’s taxables. Nineteen of them, including two women, were identified as weavers, and at least half of them were born in Ireland.