Friday, February 12, 2010

Block 36. A Stitch in Time

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

A stitch in time. . . Block 36 of the circa 1931 Friendship Quilt in the Museum of the Itawamba County Historical Society



BEAN, Joy, Block 36

Joy C. Bean is listed on the 1930 census of Beat 3 Itawamba County as the 18 year-old daughter of farmer John Bean, 45, and Fannie V. Bean, 44. The Bean household also included Joy's sisters Jewel, 16, Prudy, 14, and brothers William, 12, John, 9, and Malford, 6. Their house was located along County Line Road.


BENSON, H.F., Block 36

Homer F. Benson was the son of Marcus C. Benson and Daisy D. Benson of Fulton. The 1920 census shows the Benson household to consist of Marchie Benson, 46, a lawyer, wife Daisy D., 39, sons Homer F., 16, John C., 13, Marcus G., 4, and daughter Mary N., 9.


Homer Benson 1903 - 1971 is buried at Hillcrest Masonic Cemetery; his parents, Marcus C. Benson 1873 - 1921 and Daisey D. Benson 1880 - 1960 are buried at New Home Cemetery according to Burton-Cruber.


BOREN, Dr., Block 36 and Block 40

Dr. Fletcher C. Boren was born in the 1870s and served the medical needs of the Mantachie area for more than fifty years. He is pictured in an article at Itawamba History Review, December 9, 2008.


According to the SSI Death Index, Fletcher Boren was born March 18, 1877 and died in May 1971.


Fletcher C. Boren was the son of Richard and Mary Mitchell Boren of Itawamba County. On the 1900 census of Beat 2, Fletcher is listed as 23 years old along with his parents, Richard M. Boren, 73, a farmer born in Tennessee, Elizabeth Boren, 68 born in South Carolina, brother Robert, 27 and a sister Leona, 20.


Kermit McFerrin, IHS member, states that Dr. Boren is buried in Mantachie Cemetery.


See additional information at Beatrice Boren, Block 11.

BOURLAND, W.C., Block 36

Thanks to IHS member Joe Sheffield for assistance with the W.C. Bourland family.


William Chester Bourland 1890 - 1983 was the Postmaster of Fulton Post Office around 1950. He was the son of William Baylis Bourland and Edora Elzira Rutledge Bourland, farmers from Cardsville.


On the 1900 census, William C. is listed as a 10 year old in the household of his parents in Beat 3 Itawamba County.


On the 1910 census, William C., 20, is also listed in the household of his parents in Beat 3.


On the 1920 census of Cardsville, Chester Bourland, 29, was listed with his father William B, 63, his mother Edra E., 58, his sister Ida, 40, and his brother Henry S., 19.


William Chester Bourland married Reba Mary Dilworth. Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland 1896 - 1973, was the daughter of Benjamin W. Dilworth and Alice Kirkpatrick Dilworth. Reba Mary Dilworth Bourland had daughters Mary and Martha.


BROWN, D.W., Block 36

Dilliard W. Brown, 36, a lawyer, is listed on the 1930 census of Beat 5, Itawamba County. His household was located on Fulton-Smithville Road # 25 and included his wife Charley M. Brown, 32, and son Charles D. Brown, 9.


COMER, Tom, Block 36

Tom H. Comer, 26, a salesman in a grocery store, is listed on the 1930 census of Fulton. His wife, Letha, 24, was the only member of his household in 1930.


According to the SSI Death Index, Tom Comer, born April 3, 1903, was living in Fulton when he died in April 1975.


COX, W.M., Block 36

In 1930, W.M. Cox, 62, is listed as a merchant on the Belden-Chesterville Road, Beat 3, Belden Village, Lee County. On the census with him is wife Rye Cox, 51.


JUMPER, L. Mrs., Block 36

Loraine Jumper was the wife of the Reverend Mr. Leonard Jumper; see entry above.

Most remember Mrs. Jumper, however, as "Susie" Jumper. See additional information at Elder

Leonard Jumper, Block 27.

KENT, H.B., Block 36

On the 1910 census of Tremont Precinct, Burl Kent, 28, a farmer and his family lived on Tremont-Pikeville Road. In the household were enumerated wife Lela, 23, and sons Lavon, 4, and Laverne, 2.


In 1920 the census enumerated Burlie Kent, 38, farmer of James Creek. Listed with Burlie are wife Lela, 35, daughter Ruby, 1 year 9 months, and sons Vaughn, 13, Laverne, 11, Joe, 8, and Bill, 8 months. The household was located on New Russellville Road.


The 1930 census of Beat 4 lists this family on the Smithville-Tremont Road as composed of Henry B. Kent, 48, wife, Lela V., 43, sons Laverne, 21, Joseph, 19, and William, 10 and daughters Ruby M., 13, and Jesina, 4.


Burton-Cruber records H.B. Kent 1881 - 1948 buried in the Stevens Cemetery. Next to him, according to the Leland Ford transcription of Stevens Cemetery is buried Lela V. Kent, 1886 - 1973.


LOVE, G.B. Rev., Block 36

According to the Oak Hill United Methodist Church history (1903 - 2003), G.B. Love served as pastor from 1924 - 1927. Oak Hill UMC started as a Methodist Episcopal Church South and their centennial project history booklet is posted online. During the years 1925 - 27, the Reverend Mr. Love received a record number of new members into Oak Hill UMC, 47 members.


NANNEY, C. Mrs., Block 36

Annie Nanney, 40, was the wife of farmer Clifford Nanney, 47, Beat 2, who resided on Guntown-Fulton Road. The 1930 household of Clifford and Annie Nanney included children Clyde N., 16, Cleveland, 14, Willie M., 12, Elsie F., 10, and Mollie C., 7.


PEARCE, D.M. Mrs., Block 36

A "Mr. D.M. Pearce" of Route 4 Nettleton in 1912 is mentioned in Settlers, Summer 2006 issue.


It is most likely that the name on quilt block 36 is Francis A. Pearce, wife of David M. Pearce listed on the 1930 Mantachie census on Tupelo-Guntown Road. The household consisted of Mr. Pearce, 60, a farmer, his wife Francis A., 65, son Alford R., 35, and daughters Ruby E., 32, and Nettie J., 26. Nettie J. Pearce was enumerated as a public school teacher.


SHEFFIELD, A.R. Mrs., Block 36

Two possibilities for this name were presented in the 1930 census. A more in-depth study of the families of Itawamba County will probably reveal other candidates for Mrs. A.R. Sheffield.


Mrs. A.R. Sheffield could be Annie Sheffield, wife of Evert Sheffield, a farmer in Beat 3.


Mrs. A.R. Sheffield is more likely Annie R. Sheffield, wife of Fulton attorney Issie L. Sheffield. The Sheffields lived on Clifton Street and the 1930 household consisted of Issie L., 42, Anna R., 40, Isic J., 19, Fannie R., 15, Virginia D., 13, Marta L., 10, Hazel W., 7, Lewis M., 5, mother-in-law Lucinda A. Walker, 70, and servant Bob Wilson, 69.


If you have additional information about any of the names on this quilt square, please post a comment below. Your help is needed to "write" the story of this almost eighty-year old quilt.

A stitch in time . . . The 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt

Help appliqué the birds on the squares of the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt; help embroider names on the quilt; help quilt the king-sized cover at a series of public quilting bees at the Itawamba Historical Society, Corner of Church Street and Museum Drive, Mantachie, Mississippi.

Can't appliqué? Can't embroider names? Can't quilt? Then come to the Historical Society and learn.

Can't come to learn these time-honored crafts? Then donate $10 per name to have you family recorded on the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt or donate $1 per raffle ticket for chances to win the finished quilt.

SOURCES:

Family information from Memories from Itawamba County: A Friendship Quilt circa 1931 --- A Stitch in Time by Terry Thornton with assistance from Members of the Itawamba Historical Society, Itawamba Settlers, Quarterly Journal of the Itawamba County, Mississippi, History and Genealogy. Winter 2009, Pages 143-61.

Square from 1931 Friendship Quilt photographed by Terry Thornton, September 3, 2009, Bond's House Museum, Itawamba Historical Society, Mantachie, Mississippi.


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