Elizabeth  came to Portsmouth, Ohio while still a young woman, where she worked for a family by the name of Brown.  It was there that she met Carter Prince and they were married and presumably both she and Carter continued to work for the Browns.  After Mrs. Brown died, they were both asked to stay on but Carter was very jealous of Elizabeth and took her away to live at Buffalo Creek, WV.  Elizabeth loved music and dancing but Carter would not allow any music in the house.  According to Rosella Thompson Ash, Carter was 9 when the Civil war broke out.

  Elizabeth lost touch with her mother and brother Jeff for some reason.  She moved to White's Creek WV for Carter's health, as he lost his eyesight while yet a young man.  One day a "Drummer" came through the county selling "Wonder of the World" linament and told her about a jeff Sparks living in Ceredo, WV, which was about 15 miles away.  (This happened during the big flood of 1884.)  All her children remember seeing their Uncle Jeff for the first time.  Elizabeth saw him coming from a far distance and knew his walk.  In later years, she told this story time after time.  Jeff brought their mother Annie Ryster Sparks, to see Carter & Elizabeth, and she lived with them for many years.  My mother (Dorothy Prince Griffin) can remember Uncle Jeff visiting her and her step-parents Ross & Mary Ann Prince in Nebraska, and he was as erect as a young man, with a moustache and black piercing eyes.  (The preceding was told to Dorothy Prince Griffin by Aunt Emma Prince Thompson.)