Sunday's Obituary - Frances Maude Herrin Brooks

Hattiesburg American - 6/14/1973

Frances Maude "Fannie" Herrin

Born on August 2, 1894

Daughter of

Simeon "Sim" Herrin and Mary Mathilda "Mollie" Bynum

Sister to

Ida, Ora, Lucy, Sallie, Prentiss Everett "Prent" and Buford Herrin

Wife of

Charles Samuel Brooks

Mother to

Gaston Wheeler, Gertrude Mamie, Mary Evelyn, Alson, Samuel,
Walter and Oliver Howard

Died on June 9, 1973

Buried in the Union Baptist Church Cemetery

Covington County, Mississippi

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Barbara.

In Memory of "Wit"

Mildred "Wit" Bynum - October 1944

The above photograph appeared in the October 10, 1944 edition of The Cadet which was the official publication of the Pearl River College in Poplarville, Mississippi.

Below the photograph, the following was printed:

Transcription:

Mildred Bynum, another attractive and outstanding Sophomore, known as "Wit," comes from Prentiss and is a graduate of Clem High School.  Now majoring in commerce, Mildred plans to continue her schooling after leaving P. R. C., but she has not decided where.

"Wit's" chief likes are the Marines, eating and Brookie [her best friend]; her dislikes are stingy boys, silly people, asparagus, and getting up early; her ambition is to marry a rich man and to own a dog farm; her greatest desire is to travel.  Mildred's hobby is collecting pennies.

Mildred is assistant circulation manager of The Cadet and secretary to President R. D. McLendon. She takes part in all campus activities.

Following her 1945 graduation from Pearl River College in Business Education, "Wit" decided to attend Mississippi Southern where she earned a teaching degree.  She taught in several Mississippi high schools before accepting a position in a small rural community in Louisiana.

"Wit" did not marry a marine or a rich man.

She married a local boy from a small rural community who had just returned from serving in the United States Army.

"Wit" did not own a dog farm.

But 'She Always had a Dog.'

"Wit" never had the opportunity to fulfill her greatest desire to travel.

Raising five children while working outside the home for many years did not allow for much travel.

"Wit" continued to like eating.

Coconut pie was one of her favorites.

"Wit" lost contact with her best friend, Brookie, over the years.

But she kept many mementos from their college days.

"Wit" never overcame her dislike of 'stingy' boys (or girls, for that matter) and 'silly people.'

She did, however, overcome her dislike of asparagus and 'getting up early.'

"Wit" continued her hobby of collecting pennies.

She added dimes to her collection and would often roll her coins before depositing them in her bank account.

Wit's last collection of pennies

"Wit" was born on July 22, 1926.

She passed from this life on January 25, 2012.

She would have been eighty-nine years old today.

I never knew the "Wit" mentioned in the 1944 article, though I caught glimpses of her from time to time.

I knew her as 'Mama.'

Wedding Wednesday - Terrell and Hester Bynum Celebrate Golden Anniversary, 1972

Thomas Terrell Bynum and Hester Pearl Morris Bynum

Hattiesburg American - 8/7/1972

Thomas Terrell Bynum was the son of James Benjamin Bynum and Annie Jane Sumrall.  He was a brother to my maternal grandfather, John Buel Bynum.

Bynum Woods in Central Louisiana

Hattiesburg American - 8/27/1940

Jesse Atherton Bynum

Born on May 23, 1797

Northampton County, North Carolina

Son of

Turner Bynum and Mary Atherton

Brother to

Turner, Jr., Francis Atherton, Elizabeth, Emily, Drury/Drewry,

Wade Hampton and Jeptha Atherton Bynum

Husband of

Maria Funston

Emeline Bray*

Died on September 23, 1868

Buried in the Rapides Cemetery

Pineville, Rapides Parish, Louisiana

Photograph by FindAGrave member, Thomas Fisher

Jesse Atherton Bynum attended Princeton College where he studied law. Following his studies, he practiced law in Halifax County, North Carolina and was a member of the House of Commons of North Carolina in 1823, 1824 and 1827-1830.  In 1833 he was elected as a Democrat to the 23rd Congress where he served three more terms; ending in 1841.  

He married his first wife, Maria Funston in 1835 while still living in Washington. Maria died eighteen months after their marriage.

Towards the end of his last term in Congress, Jesse Atherton Bynum made the decision to retire from public life and move to Rapides Parish, Louisiana.  It was in Rapides Parish where he met the widow of Sterling Bray, Emeline Bray*.  Her maiden name is believed by some to be Gill.  They married on June 28, 1839.

No children were born to either marriage.

Jesse Atherton Bynum's 3great grandfather, John (b. ca. 1616), was my 8great grandfather.

Our Bynum lineage is as follows:

John (1616)

>John (1664)

>>William (1690)

>>>Drury (1725)

>>>>Turner (1753)

>>>>>Jesse Atherton (1797)

John (1616)

>James (1660)

>>James (1690)

>>>William (1728)

>>>>Old William (1763)

>>>>>Benjamin Franklin (1810)

>>>>>>Prentice Montgomery (1846)

>>>>>>>James Benjamin (1875)

>>>>>>>>John Buel (1895)

>>>>>>>>>Mildred Bynum Edmonds (1926)

>>>>>>>>>>D.E.B.

Sources:

Biographical Directory of the U. S. Congress

Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet from Genfiles

Sunday's Obituary - Felix Jefferson Bynum

Hattiesburg American - 5/30/1974

Felix Jefferson "Fel" Bynum

Born on May 21, 1888

Son of

Prentice Montgomery Bynum and Nancy Caroline "Nanny" Rawls

Brother to

Aurelia "Rilla" Margaret, Mary Mathilda "Mollie", James Benjamin,

Ida Burtie, Prentice Buford, John Franklin, Charity "Pearly", Robert Everett,

Willard William and Nannie Nita

Died on May 29, 1974

Buried in Rawles Cemetery

Lamar County, Mississippi

Felix Jefferson Bynum was my maternal great-great uncle through my great grandfather and his half brother, James Benjamin Bynum.

Jeff Davis County Leaders On the Ball - 1952

The following article appeared in the January 2, 1952 edition of the Hattiesburg American in Hattiesburg, Mississippi:

Hattiesburg American - 1/2/1952

John Bynum, County Superintendent of Education, was my maternal grandfather.

Lumber Industry Puts Sumrall MS on the Map

Hattiesburg American - 7/4/1976

Daniel Sumrall and Mary Rebecca "Becky" Pouncey were my great-great grandparents through their daughter, Annie Sumrall Bynum; grandson, John Buel Bynum; great granddaughter, Mildred Bynum Edmonds.

Tombstone Tuesday - Ludie McIver Messer

Ludie Emaline McIver

Born on October 5, 1905

Daughter of

Evander Wilder McIver and Lillie Tufford

Sister to

Donald, Robert Lee, Arabelle Philips, Minnie, Flora Jane, 

Matthew Ranson and Coy Howard

Wife of

Clifford Messer

Mother to

Donald Clifford, Patsy, Kenneth and Frederick

Died on March 15, 1989

Buried in Highland Cemetery

Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi

Ludie Emaline McIver Messer was my maternal grand aunt.  Her sister, Flora Jane McIver Bynum, was my grandmother.

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Stephen Rogers.

Sentimental Sunday - A Triostar and a Prayer

Stromanthe sanguinea ‘Triostar’

Triostar is a member of the prayer plant family and is native to the rain forests of Brazil.  At dusk the leaves fold up like hands held upright in prayer.  

I brought this plant home with me following my mother's funeral in January of 2012.  It was given in her memory by Sallie and Leon B.

Three years later, this plant is still as beautiful as it was on the day of my mother's funeral.  It reminds me of one of her handwritten prayers I found while going through her belongings.

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight

and give your angels and saints charge over those who sleep

Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ

Rest your weary ones

Bless your dying ones

Soothe your suffering ones

Pity your afflicted ones

Shield your joyous ones

And all for your love's sake

Amen

Psalm 103:1-5

Isaiah 58:13-14

Mildred Bynum Edmonds

1926-2012

Family Recipe Friday - Granny Bynum's Sweet Potato Balls

Flora Jane McIver Bynum

Granny B's recipe for Sweet Potato Balls brings back such wonderful memories for me.  Every time we made the trip to Mississippi to visit my grandparents we arrived to find a platter of these delicious treats waiting for us.

I have only attempted to make them once and while they tasted great, they certainly didn't look like Granny B's.  The trick is knowing when to scoop them out of the deep fat.  If you wait too long they will burst open.

Sunday's Obituary - Christine Campbell Bynum

Hattiesburg American - 5/29/1965

Cora Christine Campbell

Born on July 8, 1917

Daughter of

Daniel Campbell and Inez Mathis

Wife of

Daniel Gordon Bynum

Mother to

Rankin Glynn, Bennie Faye, Annette and Diane

Died on May 29, 1965

Buried in the Military Baptist Church Cemetery

Sumrall, Lamar County, Mississippi

Christine Campbell Bynum's husband, Gordon, was a brother to my maternal grandfather, John Buel Bynum.