The Bond That Keep Family Together

There isn't that many photographs of my maternal grandmother Josephine Richardson Harrell and her siblings. This photo was taken at her home in Amite, Louisiana. It appears that she, her sister Rosabell Richardson Moore, and her youngest daughter Delores was attending someone's funeral or a church service. They're all dressed in white that indicated it was first Sunday, when the women dress in white for communion service or like I said a funeral. 

Treasuring Family Photographs

Alexander Harrell and his offsprings
Courtesy of Monteral Harrell and Isabel Harrell Cook

My Harrell side of the family is very blessed with photographs, and thanks to my first cousin Montreal Harrell for sharing her collection she inherited after her father passed away. Often , family members do not like to share their photographs. During  the family gathering we can pull out our photograph collection and reminisce on the special times we shared with family and friends throughout the years. 

Technology has made it so much easier to share photographs these days. Everyone has a camera on their phone and can instantly take , pictures of a photograph and make a copy of it. I did a little I used photoshop to create a graphic design with Grandpa Alexander and eight of his thirteen children. That's not a bad number to say the least. Many people wish they had photographs of their ancestors.

As a family historian and genealogist I really appreciate how Monteral manages her collection. She understand how important it is to preserve the images and most importantly sharing them with others family members who value the images. Many family old photographs are tucked away in shoe boxes, in dusty dark attics, and  chester drawers. Every pictures has a story to tell. 

Ernest and Mary McKay Boykin of Fluker, Louisiana

Ernest and Mary McKay Boykin
Photo Courtesy: Sharon Boykin

During the time that my dad transitioned, my cousin Sharon shared family images with me. One of the pictures she shared with me was of our paternal grandparents. My grandfather Ernest was born in 1908 and died in 1978 in Fluker, Louisiana. 

He and grandma Mary were the parents of; Ernest Boykin, Jr., Florence, Walter, Lonnie, Francis, Jerry, and Ellis.  Grandfather Ernest worked at Kent Piling Co in Fluker, La.  He lived in Tangipahoa Parish all of his life. His parents Jake and Martha Burton Boykin were natives of Tangipahoa Parish all of their lives as well. 

His U.S. WWII Draft Young Men Card from 1940-1947 stated where he was employed at.  Before working at Kent Piling Co, he was a farmer. According to the 1940 United States Federal Census, he obtained a 3rd-grade education.  I wanted to see who their neighbors were, I found families with the surnames of; Walls, Thomas,  Ards, and Foust. 

Grandma Mary was born in 1904 in Mississippi.  She was the daughter of Charlie and Florence McKay Williams.  The family lived in Beat 5, Pike County, Mississippi on Chatawa Road. She had a brother named William McKay. Charlie worked at the Saw Mill as a wage earner. He rented his home and was unable to read or write. 

Florence was born to Alex and Rebecca Ann Bates Williams in 1858 in Amite County, Mississippi. Alex and Rebecca both died in 1927.  Great-grandma's Florence siblings were; Jerry, Florence, Ada, Amanda, and Rosa Williams.  Florence father Alex was born in 1857 in Mississippi. Alex and Rebecca were married in 1877. Alex was listed in a mulatto in the 1920 United States Federal Census. 

In 1920 he lived on Magnolia Road on a farm. His mother and father both were born in Mississippi. Alex owned his farm, and he couldn't read or write according to the census.  I checked ancestry public trees to see if I could find anyone who is searching the same names. I did find someone with the last names; Powell, Robinson, Guice, Harness, Russell, Hebert Family Trees with Alex and Rebecca in them.

The Obituary of Sis. Ella Miller Burton Leonard

Ella Miller Leonard

Sis. Ella Miller Leonard was born to the late Henry and Leath Taplin Miller on June 11, 1904 in Mississippi. She was converted at an early age and grew up in the Church of God in Christ in Amite, Louisiana.

She was married to Bro. Charlie Burton, Amite, Louisiana. To this union one child was born. Later she married Bro. George Leonard, Sr., she move to our community  and united with the Mt. Canaan Baptist Church. Here she served in every available capacity wholeheartedly and well. She was a member of the Senior Mission. Senior Choir, and served as Matron of the Junior Choir was long as her health allowed.

Mama Ella was a lovable person. She was person all emulate. She never complained and was a person everyone choose to have as a friend and willing to be a friend to all. She never pushed herself forward, but always stayed in the background, working and praying, doing whatever she was called upon to do the Master.

Today we are silent to pay tribute to a person who has lived among us as " one who went about doing good" and who always put Christ first in everything she did.

She departed this life Sunday, February 15, 1970. She leaves to mourn-her husband, Mr. George Leonard, Sr., one daugther, Mrs. Henriette Vernon, three stepdaughters--Mrs. Bonnie Jackson, Mrs. Mary L. Blevins, and Mrs. Sylvia M. Dillon; one stepson, Mr. George Leonard, Jr; three sisters-Mrs Ruth Miller, Mrs. Lucinda Fields and Mrs. Lillie Cryer; two brothers--Mr. Samuel Miller, Mrs. Chellis Miller; five grandchildren; one great grandchild and a host of relatives and friends.

Source: The Obituary Collection of  late Clotidle Aaron Zanders and  late Deloris Levy.  A special thanks to Pastor Raymond Foster of Amite, Louisiana for sharing the collection with Antoinette Harrell.

Hiram Brumfield of Kentwood, Louisiana

Hiram Brumfield

Hiram Brumfield was born in 1882 in Tangipahoa Parish. He was married to Dixie Brumfield. Dixie died on Jan 21, 1938. In 1910 he and his wife only had two children, Edcor and Daisy. Hiram is listed as a mulatto. Hiram couldn't read or write but he had sharp business skills and was self-employed. In the early 1900s he made regular rounds and was very dependable in his wagon that could have been  possibly the earliest garbage collector in Kentwood.  He raised pigs and he would gather discarded food and scraps to feed his pigs.  He  passed away on September 18, 1956 and was buried at the original Sweet Home cemetery according to his daughter Daisy Brumfield.

The Brumfield's has a long genealogical history in Kentwood, Louisiana and they are a large family. Names of Brumfield's in Kentwood included; Jim, Mattie, Melvin, Della Mae, James, Doris, Nathaniel, Mamie, Ira, Pecola, Irena, Arlie May, Walter, Hazel, Shellie, Doris, Dock, Lucinda, Oscar, Dixie, Minnie, Jim, Rosa, Eula, Collie, Lizzie, Chas, Merridth, Bailey, Robert, Lulsa, John, Fannie, Alma, Vernie, Selma, Kermit, Willie, Wessie, Bessie, and Laura are just a few names found in the U.S. Census.

WWII Registration Card

Hiram Brumfield

The History and Legacy of Reginald Cotton, Sr.

 Reginald Cotton was born to the late Joseph and Lillian Cotton in Morgan City, Louisiana on November 14, 1923. He served as head coach of Kentwood High School from 1949-1954. He coached at West Side High School from 1954-1960. He also coached at Amite High School from 1969-1980. He served as assistant principal at Amite High School until he retired in 1980. He was a respected, dedicated teacher,  principal and, coach for 31 years. He was loved by his student, teachers, principal and the community.

Mr. Cotton served three years as and corporal in the U.S. Marines. He was honorably discharged in 1946. In 1980, he was elected School Board Member of District B which encompassed the Velma and Kentwood area. He was serious about the educational plight, not only in his district but the entire parish. In the last election, he ran un-opposed and was therefore elected for a second 6-year term. He passed away on December 5, 1986.