Church Record Sunday - John Buel Bynum

Certificate of Recognition presented to John Bynum in recognition of worker in Prentiss Baptist Church, 1970-1971.  Presented this 26 day of September 1971.  Presented by Robert L. Sheffield.

Sunday's Obituary - Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds

From the April 10, 1972 edition of the Monroe News Star in Monroe, Louisiana:

Monroe News Star - 4/10/1972

Friday's Faces From the Past - Lena's Photographs

Photograph #3

The third of many photographs found in the belongings of my great grand aunt, Lena Rhoda Steele McLelland who was born and raised in Limestone County, Texas.  She and her husband, James "Jim" A. McLelland moved to Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana between 1900 and 1910 where they lived the remainder of their lives.

I believe most of 'Lena's Photographs' are of relations in the Steele, Chisum and McLelland families who lived in the Limestone County, Texas area. 

Any help with identification would be appreciated.

To view other photographs from this collection click on 'Lena's Photographs' under Tags on the right-hand side of the blog.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Snow Day on the Island

Bruce A. Edmonds - Snow Day early 1960s

Tombstone Tuesday - Margaret Evelyn Bynum

Margaret Evelyn Bynum

Born on February 16, 1919

Daughter of

James Benjamin Bynum and Annie Jane Sumrall

Sister to

John Buel, Minnie Frances, Narvel Houston, Thomas Terrell, Robert Earl,

Bertha Rebecca, Annie Roberta "Bertie", Bessie Lee Anna, Nancy Arella,

Daniel Gordon, Howard Ben and Mary Lois Bynum

Died on November 13, 1935

Buried in the Military Baptist Church Cemetery

Sumrall, Lamar County, Mississippi

Hattiesburg American - 11/15/1935

Mappy Monday - Prentice M. Bynum Land

On February 21, 1892 Prentice Montgomery Bynum purchased 156.88 acres of land near Sumrall in Lamar County, Mississippi.

The property was located in Township 005N; Range 015W; Section 18.  The original survey was conducted by Deputy Surveyors, Virgil Swezy and James Drips and approved by Thomas Freeman, Surveyor General.

Bureau of Land Management

Bureau of Land Management

Sunday's Obituary - Earl Bethea Sumrall

Hattiesburg American - 12/7/1959

Earl Bethea Sumrall

Born on June 15, 1888

Son of

Daniel Sumrall and Mary Rebecca Pouncey

Brother to

William Thomas, Mary Elizabeth, Frances "Fanny", Annie Jane,

Mary Margaret, Daniel Peter, Lilly, Berry Erastus "Raz",

Hattie, Addie and Allie Mae Sumrall

Husband to

Nancy Almeda "Nannie" Rutland

Father to

Roxie Lee, James Wilmer and Willard David Sumrall

Died on December 5, 1959

Buried in Highland Cemetery

Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi

Friday's Faces From the Past - Lena's Photographs

Photograph #2

The second of many photographs found in the belongings of my great grand aunt, Lena Rhoda Steele McLelland who was born and raised in Limestone County, Texas.  She and her husband, James "Jim" A. McLelland moved to Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana between 1900 and 1910 where they lived the remainder of their lives.

I believe most of 'Lena's Photographs' are of relations in the Steele, Chisum and McLelland families who lived in the Limestone County, Texas area.

Any help with identification would be appreciated.

To view other photographs from this collection click on 'Lena's Photographs' under Tags on the right-hand side of the blog.

Those Places Thursday - Rose Hill Cemetery

Photograph taken by FindAGrave member, Becky Smith-Schee

Rose Hill Cemetery is located in the community of Sycamore in Clark County, Arkansas.  FindAGrave shows 462 burials in this cemetery.  Of those 462, the following are from my Edmonds/Smith lines.

Laura Smith Edmonds was my paternal great grandmother.

Fannie Pearl Edmonds Halsell was the daughter of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Arthur Halsell was the husband of Fannie Pearl Edmonds.

Paul Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Silas Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Charles Douglas "Charlie" Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.  Ruth Crouch was the wife of Charlie Edmonds.

Martha Rebecca Edmonds Coulter Sandifer was the daughter of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Samuel Lee Edmonds was the son of Ruth Crouch and Charlie Edmonds.

Betty Fay Edmonds was the daughter of Ruth Crouch and Charlie Edmonds.

Francis "Frank" Wesley Edmonds was a brother to my paternal great grandfather, William Newell Edmonds.

Mary Elizabeth "Mattie" Pannell Edmonds was the wife of Frank Edmonds.

The following children of Frank and Mattie Pannell Edmonds are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery:

Genie Edmonds Williams, 1883-1945 (m. John E. Williams)
Minnie Edmonds, 1895-1895
Infant Edmonds, 1904-1904
Frances Vesta Edmonds Broadley, 1906-2004 (m. John Broadley)

The following grandchildren of Frank and Mattie Pannell Edmonds are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery:

Clarence Williams - son of Genie Edmonds Williams
Carl Williams - son of Genie Edmonds Williams
Golden Thomas Williams - son of Genie Edmonds Williams
Emily Odell Edmonds - daughter of James Thomas Edmonds
Mary Jewell Edmonds Childres - daughter of Edward H. Edmonds

Wordless Wednesday - Bynum House

Home of John and Flora McIver Bynum

Sentimental Sunday - Tribute to My Father

My Father

Sunday's Obituary - Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman Fairbanks Disch

Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman

Born on June 13, 1874

Daughter of 

Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman and Virginia "Ginny" Smith

Sister to

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Wife of

Henry Osborne Fairbanks

Dr. Henry J. Disch

Mother to

Dr. Russell Usher, Thomas Osborne and Henrietta Fairbanks

Willie Joseph and Mary E. Disch

Died on October 21, 1932

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

The Naming of Oral Baptist Church

P. M. Bynum

The first pastor, Jimmy Johnston, asked the attendants at the first conference, "What shall be the name of our church?"

Prentice Montgomery Bynum answered, "Oral Baptist Church."

When the pastor asked P. M. Bynum to tell them the meaning of the name, he replied, "Spoken, not written."





The following article appeared in the October 31, 1936 edition of the Hattiesburg American in Hattiesburg, Mississippi:

Prentice Montgomery Bynum was my maternal great-great grandfather.

Friday's Faces From the Past ~ Coy McIver Family

(LtoR) Viola "Toby", Sandy and Howard Coy McIver

Coy McIver was the son of

Evander Wilder McIver and Lillie Tufford

Wordless Wednesday - Reunion of Survivors

Reunion of Survivors from the Battle of San Jacinto

Alfonso Steele - far right

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Monroe News Star - 7/20/1945

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Born on September 17, 1876

Daughter of

Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman and Virginia "Jennie" Smith

Sister to

Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman

Wife of

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele

Mother to

Edna, Mary Allye, Clara Lucille and Lena Juanita Steele

Foster Mother to

Teddy Stockman

Died on July 19, 1945

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Sibling Saturday ~ Bruce and Punch Edmonds

Bruce and Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds

sons of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Friday's Faces From the Past ~ Sadye Smith Nolen

Sadye Smith Nolen

(1898-1957)

Daughter of

Francis Marion "Frank" Smith and Nettie Watson

Sister of

Isom, Jennie, Mollie, Jessie, Clayon,

Buck and Sidney Smith

Wife of

Marvin Bishop Nolen, Sr.

Mother of

Marvin Bishop Nolen, Jr.

Sadye Smith Nolen was my third cousin, 3x removed.

Note:  The story of Sadye Nolen, The Bunk Car Lady can be found here.

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele (1915-1982)

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele was born on November 4, 1915 in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

She was the fourth child born to the marriage of Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman.

Her siblings were Edna who died in infancy, Mary Allye, and Clara Lucille.

1920 U. S. census

1930 U. S. census

(LtoR) Mary Allye, Lena Juanita and Clara Lucille Steele

On April 29, 1938, Nita married William Smith Peck, III.  William was born on June 11, 1916 to the marriage of William Smith Peck, Jr. and Barbara Estelle Woodward.

1940 U. S. census

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele Peck died on March 26, 1982.  She is buried in the family cemetery on the Ferry Plantation in Sicily Island.  William Smith Peck, III died on February 24, 1987 and is entombed at the Highland Park Mausoleum in Sicily Island.

Two children were born to Nita and William.

William "Will" Smith, IV, 1939-1989 (m. Stirling Elizabeth Files)
Betty Florence, 1944-2010 (m. Jack Shaffer)

Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele Peck was my paternal great aunt.

Wedding Wednesday ~ Edmonds and Tinney

Monroe Morning World - 3/2/1964

James Thomas Edmonds, III was the son of James Thomas Edmonds, Jr. and Mary Catherine Cole.  His paternal grandparents were James Thomas Edmonds, Sr. and Minnie Anding.

He married a second time to Delores Ann Harveston.

James Thomas Edmonds, III was my 2nd cousin.

Margaret "Peggy" Collins (1821-1890)

Margaret "Peggy" Collins was born in Covington County, Mississippi on February 21, 1821.

She was one of many children born to the marriage of Stacy Collins and Sarah Anderson.

Stacy Collins' Bible on display in the Jones County Library in Laurel, Mississippi

Her siblings included:

Nancy
Sarah "Sallie"
Betsy
Vinson Allen
Mary
Simeon
Stacy, Jr.
Riley James
Jasper Jones
Newton
Warren Jacob
Christopher
E. Warren

The 1830 U. S. census shows the Stacy Collins family living in Jones County, Mississippi.  Jones County was formed in 1826.  The area of Covington County where the Collins family lived was part of the land used to form Jones County.

Following her marriage to Benjamin Franklin Bynum, Sr. circa 1838, Peggy and her family made their home in Jones County.

1850 U. S. census

1860 U. S. census

1870 U. S. census

1880 U. S. census

Margaret "Peggy" Collins Bynum died circa 1890.  Benjamin Franklin Bynum, Sr. died circa 1886.  The location of their burial places has not been documented.  Family records show them buried at the Old Gaines Bush Place in Calhoun, Jones County, Mississippi.

The following children were born to the marriage of Benjamin and Peggy Bynum:

Minerva, 1840-1860
Dicey E., 1842-1872 (m. William A. Mauldin)
Benjamin Franklin, Jr., 1844-1862
Prentice Montgomery, 1846-1906 (m. 1. Frances Welch; 2. Nancy Rawls)
Zachary T., 1848-?
Sarah Elizabeth, 1850-1922 (m. Marion Columbus Valentine)
Celeta Margaret, 1853-1917 (m. Jefferson Thomas Herrington)
Morgan Lafayette, 1856-1929 (m. Mahalia Jane Bush)
Gustavus Adolphus, 1860-1907 (m. Dicy Herrington) 

Margaret "Peggy" Collins Bynum was my maternal 3great grandmother, through her son Prentice Montgomery Bynum; grandson, James Benjamin Bynum; great grandson, John Buel Bynum; great-great granddaughter, Mildred Bynum Edmonds.