Forget Me Not: Annie McClendon Simmons, 1942

Annie was a "pioneer citizen" according to her obituary. Those words grab my interest and make me wish I could have sat down and heard stories from the past.

 

Annie Idelia McClendon Simmons

18 November 1864 – 10 July 1942

Daughter of David Jackson McClendon & Eliza Jane Smith

Wife of Edward Alexander Simmons

 

My 1^st Cousin 3x removed

 

County Loses Pioneer Citizen

 

Funeral For Mrs. Simmons to be Held Saturday Morning

 

The community lost another of the pioneer citizens when Mrs. Annie McClendon Simmons, age 77, widow of the late Edward A. Simmons of the Progress community, passed away at 5:30 a. m., Friday at a local hospital here.

 

The funeral will be held from the Progress Baptist church at 11 a. m. Saturday, and interment will follow in the church cemetery.

 

Mrs. Simmons had spent practically all her life in Progress community, where she was a long time member of Progress Baptist Church. About a year ago, due to feeble health and advancing age, she became a member of the household of her daughter, Mrs. C. V. Webb, of Fernwood. About two weeks ago she became ill and was moved to the hospital.

 

The survivors include two sons, W.  W. Simmons of Cleveland, Miss., and George E. Simmons, of Magnolia, one daughter, Mrs. C. V. Webb of Fernwood; two sisters Mrs. A. E. McGee of Franklinton La., and Mrs. A. S. Fortenberry of Denver; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

 

Davis Funeral Home in charge.

Enterprise - Journal, McComb, MS

10 July 1942, page 6

Newspapers.com

 

Forget Me Not: Albert O. Brumfield, 1956

This obituary gives lots of genealogy information but I wish it told more about Albert himself. 

 

Albert Oliver Brumfield

13 October 1884 MS – 9 August 1956 MS

Youngest child of Joseph Warren Brumfield & Courtney Jane Simmons

Husband of Ruby Simmons

 

A. O. Brumfield Passes at 72 – Rites Sunday

 

Final rites were conducted Saturday at 10 a. m. for Albert Oliver (Ab) Brumfield, 72, who died at his home in the Walker’s Bridge Community Thursday at 8:15 p. m. following a lengthy illness.

 

Mr. Brumfield was a retired employee of the Mississippi State Highway Department. He was the son of Joseph W. and Jane Simmons Brumfield.

 

Pallbearers were Meade Brumfield, Thad Brumfield, Stanley Brumfield, Jamie Brumfield, Joe Reid Brumfield and Robert E. Lee. Honary pallbearers were members of the Mississippi State Highway Department.

 

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Ruby Brumfield; five sons, Pat H. Brumfield, Mike C. Brumfield of McComb; George Albert Brumfield of Moss Point; Robert Lee Brumfield, New Orleans; Albert O. Brumfield, Jr., Tylertown; six daughters, Mrs. Paul B. Wayne of Florence, Mrs. Sammy Mineo of Scranton,Pa., Mrs. James Woodward, New Orleans, Mrs. J. W. Magee, Ponchayoula, Miss Ruby and Pearl Brumfield of Natchez; three sisters, Mrs. W. D. Fortenberry, Magnolia, Mrs. Fletcher Brumfield [Mattie Hannah Brumfield], Miss Mag Brumfield [Maggie Mae Brumfield], both of Tylertown; two brothers, Frank Brumfield [Frank Richard Brumfield] and D. J. Brumfield [Dewitt Jackson Brumfield], both of Magnolia; 18 grandchildren also survive.

 

Internment was held in the Brumfield Cemetery at Walker’s Bridge with Hartman Funeral Home of Tylertown in charge of arrangements.

 

 

Source: A. O. Brumfield Passes at 72 – Rites Sunday (McComb, MS, Enterprise – Journal, 13 Aug 1956) 3; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed Feb. 2023.  

 

 

 

 

 

December 7 Birthdays, 3 Sailor Brothers

Ferman Esco Fortenberry & Nellie Mae Simmons had six sons; five of them had December birthdays and three of them were born on December 7. Four of those sons were also in the US Navy.

I saw this newspaper clipping on Facebook but I do not have the original source. I believe it was printed during World War II when the brothers were actively serving. I have a grandnephew, born December 7th, who may be interested in this blog post.

Where and when was this printed? If you know, please share.

 

Ferman Esco Fortenberry & 

Nellie Mae Simmons

Children:

Victor Everett Fortenberry b 11 Feb 1915

Ferman Elmo Fortenberry b 5 Dec 1916

Adrian Woodrow Fortenberry b 7 Dec 1918

William Jackson Fortenberry b 7 Dec 1920

Donald Curtis Fortenberry b 7 Dec 1924

Homer Clyde Fortenberry b 16 Dec 1926

 

Believe It or Not – These sailor sons of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Fortinberry, of Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston, all have the same birthday, and to top it all, it is December 7, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, that none of them will ever forget. It was at Pearl Harbor that Adrian, a fire controlman on the ill-fated Helena, received the painful burns about the face and body when the Japs first attacked. He is completing six years in the Navy; is married to the former Miss Wanda Werbickl, of Brooklyn, N. Y. His younger brother, Jack (center), is a carpenter’s mate, second class, in the Navy’s construction Battalion, Alaska. These two brothers received their education in Progress, Miss., schools. Donald, right, attended Clarkston High, and entered the Navy last March, and is now a seaman first class. His boot training was at Bainbridge, Md., and at Norton Heights, Conn., he attended signalman’s school, and now is a signalman in the Armed Guard on the Atlantic. Their father was a gunner’s mate in the Navy from 1909 – 1913, and an uncle had 30 years in the Navy. So it’s no wonder a fourth brother, also born in December, and although married and having two children, is preparing to enter the Navy soon. 

Related Posts:

• Ferman Esco Fortenberry Obituary
• William Jackson Fortenberry in the Census

Forget Me Not: Burrell Sheldon Fortenberry, 1951 MS

This gentleman was born in Pike County, MS and later lived in Georgia. His obituary lists his siblings but does not name his wife or children.

Do you know their names?

Burrell Sheldon Fortenberry

Photo from WikiTree

27 June 1890 MS – 10 Jan 1951 MS

Son of William Jackson Fortenberry & Canolia A. Simmons

Forget Me Not

Sheldon Fortenberry, Native of Progress, Expires in Georgia

Pike County friends and relatives received with regret news of the death in McDonough, Ga., of Sheldon Fortenberry on January 10. Funeral services were held there with burial in the McDonough cemetery.

The deceased was a native of the Progress Community, a son of W. Jack Fortenberry. In recent years he had operated factories in Atlanta and McDonough for the manufacture of gin saw filing equipment. Last August he suffered a heart attack and never fully recovered.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters: also three brothers and two sisters, including Dr. Andrew Fortenberry, Morgan City, La.; Furman Fortenberry, Atlanta, Ga.; Glenn Fortenberry, McDonough, Ga,; Mrs. Myrtis Dodds, Meadville, Miss., and Mrs. Wanzie Tuttle, Knoxville, Tenn.

Sheldon Fortenberry, Native of Progress, Expires in Georgia. (McComb, MS, Enterprise-Journal, 17 Jan 1951) 2; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed June 2020). 

Forget Me Not: Ferman Esco Fortenberry, 1952 GA

 

 

 

Ferman Esco Fortenberry

18 June 1886 MS – 9 June 1952 GA

Son of William Jackson Fortenberry & Canolia A. Simmons

Husband of Nellie Mae Simmons

My second cousin, 3x removed

Forman Fortenberry, Pike Native, Passes in Clarkston, Ga. Funeral services were held Tuesday in Clarkston, Ga., for Forman Fortenberry who died there Monday night after a lingering illness. Burial was in the cemetery there. 

 

He was born and reared in the Silver Springs church community, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. Jack Fortenberry, and spent most of his life in Pike County as a useful citizen.

 

For the past 15 years, he had lived in Clarkston, near Atlanta, where he and five of his sons had developed a large building and contracting business.

 

He is survived by his widow, who was Miss May Simmons of the Progress community, and by six sons, Everette of Canton, Miss., and Adrian, Jack, Elmo, Donald and Clyde, all of Clarkston.

 

In the large family of brothers and sisters, only four now remain, Dr. Andrew Fortenberry of Morgan City, La.; Mrs. Myrtis Dodds, Meadville, Miss.; Glenn Fortenberry of Progress; and Mrs. Wanzie Tuttle, Chattanooga, Tenn.

 

 

Source: Forman Fortenberry, Pike Native, Passes in Clarkston, Ga. (McComb, MS: Enterprise-Journal, 11 June 1952) 7; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed June 2020).

Forget Me Not: Canolia A. Simmons Fortenberry, 1925 MS

Canolia A. (Simmons) Fortenberry

1858 MS – 1925 MS

Wife of William Jackson Fortenberry

Mrs. Fortenberry Dies at Brandon.

Beloved Osyka Woman Falls into Final Sleep at Daughter’s Home.

Mrs. W. J. Fortenberry of Osyka, aged 68 years, and widely known and held in very high esteem throughout Mississippi, died at 11:30 o’clock Saturday night, February 7, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. O. L. Simmons, at Brandon, after an illness that had extended over a period of several weeks. Mrs. Fortenberry had been at a local hospital and had been taken to the Simmons home for further treatment. 

The funeral will be held at the Silver Springs Baptist Church at Osyka Monday, February 9, at 11:30 a. m., with services by her pastor, Rev. A.J. Davis od Tylertown and Rev. J. H. Lane of McComb.

Besides her husband, who himself is ill at the Simmons home at Brandon, Miss. Mrs. Fortenberry is survived by six sons as follows:

Dr. A. J. [Andrew Jackson] Fortenberry of Canton,

F. E. [Fermon Esco] Fortenberry of Atlanta, Ga.,

E. B. [Victor Eurel, possibly] Fortenberry and

C. L. [Charlie Lane] Fortenberry of Monticello, and

H. G. [Henry Glen] Fortenberry of Natchez; 

And by five daughters,

Mrs. J. C. Denmore [Lelia Paline Fortenberry] of Franklinton, La., 

Mrs. A. M. Dodds [Myrtis Jane Fortenberry] of Eddiston, Miss.,

Mrs. Henry Steinbrenner [Sarah Louise Fortenberry] of Brandon and

Miss Wanzie [Jimmie Wanzie] Fortenberry of Osyka.

She leaves also several grandchildren and many other relatives and family connections.

NOTE:

Children not mentioned in this obituary:

Josie Lee Fortenberry, 6 Nov 1899 – 9 Nov 1900

Burrell Sheldon Fortenberry, 1890 - 1951

Source: Mrs. Fortenberry Dies at Brandon (Jackson, MS: Clarion-Ledger, 8 Feb. 1925) 12; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed August 2020.

Double Funeral: Alford & Simmons, 1942 MS

This obituary holds double the information. But there are unanswered questions also. R. L. Simmons died first. What happened to him? There is nothing about his cause of death. Was Mrs. Alford there because her son-in-law died or because of the family gathering? And, then, what was the cause of her death? How did her poor daughter make it through the grief of losing her husband and mother within hours of each other? I checked other issues of the newspaper but found nothing else about this family tragedy.

 Double Funeral Services Held at Progress Church

Mrs. J. D. Alford and R. L. Simmons Are Laid to Rest

Joint funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock at the Progress Baptist Church for Mrs. J. D. Alford and R. L. (Rob) Simmons [Robert Lee Simmons], one of her sons-in-law, in whose home she died. Mr. Simmons death preceded Mrs. Alford’s passing only a few hours.

The Rev. Wyatt R. Hunter, the Rev. J. E. McGraw, the Rev. F. W. Gunn and the Rev. A. A. Pardue officiated at the rites.

Immediately following the funeral services the body of R. L. Simmons was interred in the Progress cemetery and the body of Mrs. J. Doe Alford was moved to her old home now occupied by her son, C. A. Alford, interment pending the arrival of her son, D. C. Alford of Washington, D. C. and her daughter, Mrs. Luther Byrne of Selma, California, and burial followed in Silver Springs cemetery.

Mrs. Alford. Mrs. Luminda James Fortenberry, was 86 years of age. She was born December 22, 1856 at Progress, where she was raised during her entire lifetime. In 1874 she was married to the late J. Doe Alford. [My records show her name as Olevia Luminda Fortenberry Alford and her husband as Jeptha J. Alford.]

Serving as pallbearers were Fred Fortenberry, D. T. Alford, Rex Simmons, Walter F. Simmons, Jr., Bonney Schilling and C. A. Simmons. 

Mrs. Alford leaves the following sons and daughters, G. H. Alford [George Howard Alford], Mrs. R. L. Simmons [Lillie Dale Alford Simmons], Y. S. Alford [Yarborough S. Alford] and C. A. Alford [Claude Anding Alford], all of Progress; D. C. Alford [Delis Collier Alford], Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Luther Byrne, Selma, California; Mrs. Hollis Ball, Columbia, Miss., and the late Mrs. G. O. Simmons [Carrie Lee Alford  Simmons] of Progress. Another son, L. A. Alford [Luther Alvin Alford], of Newark, New Jersey, passed away several years ago. She leaves 38 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren. This was the first time that all her children had been together in 40 years.

Early in life she became affiliated with the Baptist Church and remained a faithful member of until her death. As was said by one of the ministers at the funeral service, “She hath done what she could.”

Catchings Funeral Home was in charge.

Mr. Simmons. A farmer of the Progress community, Mr. Simmons was a member of the Silver Creek Masonic Lodge. He was born on February 12, 1876, at Progress where he also resided during his entire lifetime. He was married to the former Miss Lillie Alford.

Serving as pall bearer were members of the Silver Creek Masonic Lodge. Following the services the body lay in state in the old home and interment followed in the Progress cemetery.

He leaves his wife [Lillie Dale Alford Simmons]; two sons, Lt. Joe Simmons and Lt. Clyde Simmons of Camp Rucker, Alabama; two brothers, G. O. Simmons and W. T. Simmons, a sister, Mrs. G. H. Alford, all of Progress; one brother, Judge E. J. Simmons, Magnolia, and a sister, Mrs. L. V. Brock of McComb.

Mr. Simmons was a son of the late Dr. W. F. and Annie Hall Simmons of Simmonsville, now the Progress community, and was a member of the Progress Baptist church.

Ginn Funeral Home of Tylertown was in charge.

Source: Double Funeral Services Held at Progress Church. (McComb, MS: Enterprise-Journal, 8 Dec 1942) 1; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed December 2018.

Obituary: Mittie Fortenberry Simmons, 1940 MS

Mittie Fortenberry Simmons

15 July 1894 MS – 24 August 1940 MS

Daughter of William Jackson Fortenberry & Canolia A.  Simmons

Wife of Ora L. Simmons

Photograph from Find A Grave

Memorial #165881938

Last Rites for Mittie Simmons

47-Year-Old Wife of Ora L. Simmons Died at Hazelhurst Home. Mrs. Mittie Fortenberry Simmons and daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jack Fortenberry, of the Silver Springs community, died at her home in Hazelhurst on Saturday, August 24, after an extended illness.

Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. J. B. Cain, of Hazelhurst, and the Rev. A. E. Pardue, of the Magnolia Baptist church, in the Baptist church of Hazelhurst. Internment followed in the Magnolia cemetery. 

Besides her husband, Mrs. Simmons is survived by two daughters, Mitzie Lee and Pattie, and two sons, Ora, Jr. and Andrew Glen; four sisters, Mrs. Lelia Denman, Franklinton, La.; Mrs. Myrtis Dodds, Meadville; Mrs. Sara Steinbrenner, Atlanta, Ga., and Mrs. Wanzie Tuttle, Birmingham, Ala.; five brothers, Furman, Glenn, Sheldon Fortenberry, of Atlanta, Ga., Dr. Andrew Fortenberry of Morgan City, La.; Victor Fortenberry, Washington, D. C.; and Lane Fortenberry of Detroit, Mich.; one sister-in-law, Mrs. E. J. Simmons, of Magnolia; and a brother-in-law, Hansford L. Simmons of McComb. 

Source: Last Rites for Mittie Simmons (McComb, MS: McComb Daily Journal, 27 Aug 1940) 1; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed July 2018.

George Washington in Our Family

George Washington lived 1732 – 1799. My family is not related to our first president. However, we do have several members named after George Washington. Our first president must have been a hero to these families.

George Washington Brumfield        1830 – 1865 son of J K Brumfield & H Youngblood

George Washington Cutrer              1899 – 1977 son of Isaac Omer Cutrer & F Smith

George Washington Fortenberry    1842 – 1910 son of C K Fortenberry & N Simmons

George Washington Mark                1878 – 1938 son of William Mark & Elidia R Ritter

George Washington Simmons          b 1820        son of Willis Simmons & Jane Goslin

George Washington Westmoreland            1832 – 1906     husband of Adeline J Brown

George Washington Wolf                 1842 – 1920 son of Frederick Wolf & Louisa Goetz

The Terrible Hurricane in South Mississippi, 1882

Hurricanes are in our news. While we have been learning about Texas, Louisiana and Hurricane Harvey and Florida bracing itself for Hurricane Irma I read this account of a Hurricane in Mississippi in 1882 that caused trouble for my family.

The years pass but many things remain the same.

Pike County. The unfortunate victims of this calamity are, so far as we have heard, as follows: J. P. Welch, W. J. Fortenberry [William Jackson Fortenberry, 1853-1928], W. S. Ellzey [Willis S. Ellzey, 1857-1946], Jeptha Simmons, Alexander Green, Raymond Alford, Mrs. Shillings, Eli Alford, Ellis Varnado, Jordan Dykes and Rhoda Smith, a colored woman. These persons lost their houses, fences, timber and some stock. Nearly all of them received some personal injuries, and the only particulars we have obtained are in regard to Mr. Fortenberry and Mr. Alford.

Dr. W. F. Simmons was at Mr. Fortenberry’s on a professional visit when the storm occurred, and just previous to that awful visitation, Mrs. Fortenberry [Canolia A. Simmons, 1858-1925] had given birth to a child – a girl [Myrtis Jane Elizabeth Fortenberry b 18 April 1882]. Several ladies were present, and manifested some alarm at the threatening elements. The force of the wind struck the house, first breaking the glasses, then taking off the roof, after which the walls fell in. Dr. Simmons knew no more for some time, for he was knocked senseless by falling timbers. After he became conscious, he found himself under the debris of the building, and with powerful exertions extricated himself. The he began a search among the ruins to see who was hurt. He found Mrs. Fortenberry still in bed, and safe. The foot of the bed-stead was broken down, and she was slightly bruised. One lady had the infant in her arms, and was sealed in a rocking chair when the storm came. Dr. Simmons found her and the babe wedged in among the timbers, and it took about 15 minuted hard work to extricate her. When she was released from the perilous condition she was found to be bruised considerably, but the infant was not injured at all. Mrs. Fortenberry and the ladies were injured also but not seriously.

Mr. Raymond Alford’s family were all injured, and Mrs. Alford seriously, by some gashes on her forehead and other parts of her head. She remained unconscious from Tuesday until last Friday, when she realized her condition. The fright and wounds have had a terrible effect upon her. Her condition is regarded as being very critical.

A mule was blown some distance from Mr. Alford’s place, and a broad-axe was taken up by the wind an carried 50 yards.  A dead crane was found in the track of the storm with its neck and both legs broken. Other dead birds were also found.

Farm fowls were carried off and feathers scattered in all directions. Some of the fowls have been found and they present the appearance of having been picked or deprived of their plumage. Bark was taken off the young pines and oaks and the large timber were all blown down. Some of the largest trees after they had fallen show signs where they have been forced by the wind, as though they had been dragged a distance of from five to fifteen feet. In some places the grass had been actually torn up by the roots.

Source: The Terrible Hurricane in South Mississippi on the 24^th. (Jackson, MS: The Clarion-Ledger, 3 May 1882) 2; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed Sept. 2017.