Tombstone Tuesday - Edward Dorsey Smith, Sr.

Edward Dorsey Smith, Sr.

Born on March 3, 1870

Son of

James Luther Smith and Henrietta D. Smith

Brother to

Virginia "Jennie", Catherine "Kate", James William "Buck"

and Francis Marion "Frank"

Husband of

Helen Jackson

Father to

Marion, Edward Dorsey, Jr., Luther Gordon "Bully" and Thelma

Died on April 2, 1940

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Tombstone Tuesday - Francis Marion Smith

Francis Marion "Frank" Smith

Born on November 24, 1867

Son of 

James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith

Brother to

Virginia "Jennie", Catherine "Kate", James William "Jim", and Edward Dorsey

Husband of

Nettie Watson

Father to

Isom James, Jennie, Mollie, Jessie, Clayton Francis, William Edward "Buck",

Sadye and Sydney

Died on July 7, 1953

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Tombstone Tuesday - James William Smith

James William Smith

Born on December 10, 1862

Son of

James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith

Brother to

Virginia "Jennie", Catherine "Kate", Francis Marion "Frank"

and Edward Dorsey

Husband of

Mary Kendrick

Father to

Lillie Mae, Kate, James William, Jr., Laura, Henry Newman,

Nettie, Charles Gordon "Charlie", Augustus Edward "Gus"

and Jack

Died on July 23, 1936

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

James William Smith was a brother to my paternal great-great grandmother, Virginia "Jennie" Smith Blackman.

Tombstone Tuesday - Kate Smith Chisum

Catherine "Kate" Smith

Born on September 24, 1859

Daughter of

James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith

Sister to

Virginia "Jennie", James William "Buck", Francis Marion "Frank",

and Edward Dorsey

Wife of

Thomas Jefferson "Tom" Chisum

Mother to

Thomas Jefferson, Jr., Mary Eva, Jessie, 

Edward Walling "Big Walling" and Emmett DeWitt "Big Emmett"

Died on April 23, 1936

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Having finished life's duty

She now sweetly rests

Catherine "Kate" Smith Chisum's sister, Virginia "Jennie", was my paternal great, great grandmother. Her husband, Tom Chisum, was a brother to my paternal great, great grandmother, Lucinda Chisum Steele.

Tombstone Tuesday - James Luther Smith

James Luther "J. L." Smith

Born on November 9, 1830

Saratoga County, New York

Husband of

Henrietta

Father to

Virginia "Jennie", Catherine "Kate", James William "Buck",

Francis Marion "Frank" and Edward Dorsey

Died on January 25, 1911

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

James Luther "J. L." Smith was my paternal 3great grandfather through his daughter Virginia Smith Blackman; granddaughter, Mary Virginia Blackman Steele; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

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

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

Clara Lucille Steele (1902-1993)

Clara Lucille Steele was born on September 23, 1902 in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

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

She was a sister to Edna who died in infancy, Mary Allye and Lena Juanita "Nita" Steele.

On June 17, 1921, Lucille married John Wesley "Wes" Ogden, Jr. in Sicily Island.

Wes was born in Clarion, Pennsylvania on April 10, 1894 to the marriage of John Wesley Ogden, Sr. and Sarah Ellen Shaw.

Al Steele gave Lucille the nickname of 'Dick' when she was just a young girl. Close friends and extended family members knew her as Dick all of her life. Even with a boy's nickname, she was one of the most lady-like women I have ever known.

Her overwhelming love for family extended to friends and neighbors.  One of my favorite memories was the sight of 'Aunt Dick' and her friends sitting in her front yard enjoying their daily visits.

Following the 1972 death of her brother-in-law, Bruce Edmonds, Lucille was appointed to fill his position as the School Board member for Ward One, Sicily Island.  She continued to hold this office through 1978.

Clara Lucille "Dick" Steele Ogden died on February 1, 1993.  John Wesley "Wes" Ogden died on February 9, 1952.  Both are buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.

The following children were born to the marriage of Lucille and Wes:

Sarah Virginia, 1922-2006 (m. Charles Spann Caston, Jr., 1916-2000)

Evelyn Steele, 1926-2003 (m. Robert "Bob" Stanton Rife, Jr., 1920-2006)

(LtoR) Charles Caston, Sarah Virginia Caston, Ann Caston, Lucille, Charles Wesley, Evelyn Steele Rife, John Rife, Bob Rife and Stan Rife. 

Lena Rhoda Steele (1877-1960)

Lena Rhoda Steele was born on December 22, 1877 in Limestone County, Texas.

She was the sixth child born to the marriage of Francis Marion "Frank" Steele and Lucinda Chisum.

Lena's siblings included the following four sisters and one brother:

Lula
Lydia Frances
Louella "Ella"
Isham Alfonso
Mary Allye

1880 U. S. Census

Lena married James A. "Jim" McLelland circa 1895 in Limestone County, Texas.  Jim was born on October 23, 1870.

After their marriage, Jim and Lena made their home in Limestone County before moving to Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana prior to 1910.  

Lena wanted to move to Sicily Island to be closer to her brother, Isham Alfonso, who had moved there about twelve years earlier.  Jim was content to stay in Texas.

The story goes that Lena told Jim she was moving to Sicily Island whether he moved with her or not.  Jim remained adamant that he was not moving but Lena would not yield.  She packed up her belongings and asked Jim to take her by wagon to the train station.  

Jim, believing she would not go through with her plans, agreed to take her to catch the train.  Lena's belongings were loaded on the train and at the very last minute, Jim jumped aboard with nothing but the clothes on his back.

Over the years, Lena would often tell this story and Jim would only smile; never denying the circumstances under which he ended up in Louisiana.

Lena seated on the left

McLelland House - 2010

James A. "Jim" McLelland died on February 23, 1955.  Lena Rhoda Steele McLelland died on October 6, 1960.  Both are buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Monroe News Star - 2/24/1955

Monroe Morning World - 10/8/1960

Virginia Jane "Jennie" Smith (1856-1876)

Virginia Jane "Jennie" Smith was born in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana on March 14, 1856.

She was the daughter of James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith and a sister to Catherine "Kate", James William "Buck", Francis Marion "Frank", and Edward Dorsey "Dorse".

1860 Census

1870 Census

On November 15, 1872, Jennie married Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman.  The wedding was held in the home of her parents and was officiated by the local Justice of the Peace.

Witnesses to the marriage were E. F. Keenan, James Kelly and James H. Young.

Jennie and Frank made their home in Harrisonburg, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana where two daughters were born to them.

Henrietta "Nettie", 1874-1932 (m. 1. Fairbanks; 2. Disch)
Mary Virginia "Mollie", 1876-1945 (m. Steele)

Virginia Jane "Jennie" Smith Blackman died on December 2, 1876, just a few short months after giving birth to Mollie.  She is buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Tombstone Tuesday - Edna Steele

Edna Steele

Daughter of

Isham Alfonso and Mary Virginia Blackman Steele

Born February 27, 1899

Died August, 1899

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Sleep on sweet baby 

and take thy rest.

God calls away

when He thinks best.

Tombstone Tuesday - Isham Alfonso Steele

Isham Alfonso Steele

November 20, 1870 - December 4, 1934

Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

How desolate our home bereft of thee

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele (1870-1934)

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele was born in Kosse, Limestone County, Texas on November 20, 1870.

He was the son of Francis "Frank" Marion Steele and Lucinda Chisum and the brother of Lula, Lydia Frances, Louella "Ella", Mary Allye "Madie", and Lena Rhoda Steele.

At the age of eighteen, Al Steele left Texas and headed to Louisiana where he would join his uncle, Thomas Jefferson Chisum who had moved to Louisiana several years earlier.  The trip on horseback took two weeks to complete.  Once Al arrived in Sicily Island he went to work for his uncle as a clerk in his general merchandise store.

On April 13, 1898 he married Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman and made Sicily Island his home.   Children born to this marriage were Edna, Mary Allye (Edmonds), Clara Lucille (Ogden), and Lena Juanita (Peck).  Al and Mollie also raised Theodore "Teddy" Stockmon after the death of Teddy's mother.

Around 1890 Al Steele had his wife's grandfather, James Luther Smith, build a house for him and Mollie.  The house originally had four bedrooms with a front and back porch.

Al and Mollie pictured with daughters Mary Allye and Clara Lucille

Additions were made to the house several years later, including a partially raised storm cellar that sat to the side of the house.

This house remained standing until it was destroyed by a fire in the early 1990s.

I grew up in this house and spent many fun-filled days playing out around the pecan trees that my great-grandfather, Al Steele planted back in the late 1800s.




Al built and operated a general merchandise store before selling it and moving to Childress, Texas in about 1910.  The family remained in Childress for a year before moving back to Sicily Island.

After returning to Sicily Island, Al Steele purchased 140 acres of land from Mr. Allie Hopkins where he built another house and farmed the land.

Around 1917 Al moved his family back to the house in town and built another general merchandise store.  This store was later owned and operated by Al's son-in-law, Wes Ogden.

Wes Ogden store

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele passed from this life on December 4, 1934.  Thomas Jefferson Chisum died three hours after his nephew who had followed him from Texas to Sicily Island, Louisiana many years before.

Al Steele is buried alongside his wife in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

 

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman (1876-1945)

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman was born in Harrisonburg, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana on September 17, 1876 to the marriage of Virginia "Jennie" Smith and Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman.

Jennie died when Mollie was only two months old and Frank died two years later.







Mollie and her older sister, Nettie, were reared by their maternal grandparents, James Luther "J. L." and Henrietta Smith.

Nettie and Mollie Blackman

Nettie and Mollie Blackman

At the age of twenty-one, Mollie married Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele, of Limestone County, Texas.

The ceremony was held on April 13, 1898 in the home of  J. L. and Henrietta Smith and was performed by Rev. T. H. McClendon.  Witnesses were J. D. Usher, C. W. Fairbanks, and J. H. Knight.

The following children were born to the marriage of Mollie and Al Steele:

Edna, 1899-1899
Mary Allye (Edmonds), 1900-1969
Clara Lucille (Ogden), 1902-1993
Lena Juanita (Peck), 1915-1982

Mollie and Al Steele also reared Theodore "Teddy" Stockmon Steele (1909-1980) following the death of his mother, Laura Margaret Stockmon.  Although the 1920 census lists Teddy as an adopted son, he was never legally adopted by Mollie and Al Steele.

Mollie Blackman Steele with granddaughter, Evelyn Ogden

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele passed from this life on July 19, 1945.  She is buried alongside her husband in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Mollie Blackman Steele was one of my paternal great-grandmothers.

Mary Allye Steele (1900-1969)

Mary Allye Steele was born in Sicily Island on March 4, 1900 to the marriage of Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman.














She was the second child born to this marriage and was a sister to Edna, Clara Lucille and Lena Juanita Steele.

On March 29, 1926, Allye married Bruce Edmonds who was born on January 23, 1904 in Whelen Springs, Clark County, Arkansas.



Allye and Bruce originally lived in a little house on the street that runs behind the current location of the Post Office.

After the deaths of Al and Mollie, they moved into the old Steele house located behind the bank.

In the 1950s Allye and Bruce swapped houses with their only child, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds and his wife, Mildred Bynum Edmonds who were living with four of their children in a smaller house next door.

Allye had a great love for animals which was always evident by the number of cats and dogs she took in and tended.

Some of the most beautiful roses could be found growing along the fence row beside her house.  On the opposite side of the house were huge Magnolia trees with sweet smelling blooms and large branches upon which her grandchildren loved to play.


Allye's other hobbies included playing bridge with friends and playing the piano.

She once attempted to teach her youngest granddaughter how to play the song, "There is No Place Like Home".  While this granddaughter never became a concert pianist, she did take the song to heart.



Mary Allye Steele Edmonds passed from this life on August 12, 1969.  She is buried alongside her husband, Bruce Edmonds, in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.