Block 40. A Stitch in Time

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

A stitch in time. . . Block 40 of the circa 1931 Friendship Quilt in the Museum of the Itawamba County Historical Society

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.

PHILLIPS, Lee, Block 40

Lee Phillips, farmer, age 32, is listed on the 1920 census in Mantachie with wife Nada, 2_?, and daughter Veneer, 1 year and 10 months.

Another possibility for Lee Phillips is the two-year-old son of Deputy Sheriff Levi Phillips and Vater B. Phillips. In 1930, according to the census, they were enumerated on Main Street, Fulton.

RADEN, C. Mr., Block 15 and Block 40

This may be Clifford Raden 1888 - 1949, buried in Bourland Cemetery according to Burton-Cruber.

Clifford G. Raden is listed on the 1930 census in Beat 3 on Fulton-Barr's Ferry Road. Clifford, a farmer, was 42. With him are wife Essie L., 33, and sons Hubert E., 17, and Dillard M., 9.

RADEN, C. Mrs., Block 15 and Block 40

This may be Essie Raden born 1893, wife of Clifford Raden. Both have markers in Bourland Cemetery according to Burton-Cruber.

Essie L. Raden, 33, is listed on the 1930 census as the wife of Clifford G. Raden.

See information at Mr. C. Raden above.

ROBERTS, Q.C. Mr., Block 40

Querles Clayton Roberts was born 1901 the son of Robert Leander Roberts and Ester Chittom Roberts. Q.C. Roberts and his wife Verna Roberts lived in Mantachie.

Querles C. Roberts, 28, is listed as a blacksmith on Tupelo-Guntown Road, Mantachie, on the 1930 census. With him were wife Verna L., 21, daughter Lou G., 6, and son Nolan C., 1. [The 1930 index lists Mr. Roberts as Ouerls C. Roberts.]

Thanks to IHS member Joe Sheffield for help in transcribing this name from the quilt.

ROBERTS, Q.C. Mrs., Block 40

Mrs. Querles Clayton Roberts is Verna Lucille Young. They married 1923 and lived in Mantachie. On the 1930 census, Vernia L. Roberts is 21 years old.

See additional information at Mr. Q.C. Roberts above.

Thanks to IHS member Joe Sheffield for help in transcribing this name from the quilt.

SENTER, Beatrice, Block 40

Beatrice Senter was a school teacher. Listed in a residence on Main Street, Fulton, on the 1930 census, Beatrice, 30, lived with her father George J. Senter, 72, and sister Belle, 49.

SHEFFIELD, Z. Mrs., Block 40

Mrs. William Ezell "Zeke" Sheffield was Ruth Alice Boren Sheffield, the mother of IHS member Joe Sheffield.

There is a circa 1918 photograph of Zeke Sheffield at Itawamba History Review, September 26, 2009.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Zeke Sheffield are buried in Lee Memorial, Tupelo, Lee County, Mississippi.

See additional information at Ezell Sheffield, Block 31.

WHITEHEAD, J.C., Block 40

On the 1920 census, Judon C. Whitehead, 27, is listed as a bookkeeper for a local bank. His wife Lola, 22, is enumerated as a public school teacher. The Whiteheads lived in Fulton.

By the 1930 census, the family consisted of Judson C. Whitehead, 37, banker, wife Lela B., 33, a school teacher, and son Judson C., 9. They were enumerated as residing on Clifton Street in Fulton.

WILSON, W.H. Mr., Block 40

Walter H. Wilson, merchant, is listed on the 1930 census of Itawamba County as residing on Bankhead Highway # 78 in Beat 5, District 12. Walter H. Wilson, 38, and Ola Wilson, 31, clerk, were both listed as lodgers in the household of Martha A. Bowen.

The only other information found on this family is within the article by Bob Franks at Itawamba History Review, September 14, 2008, which notes a W.H. Wilson business listing in Fulton in the 1950s. The Mr. Wilson on Block 40 is thought to be one of the owners of Wilson and Wilson, groceries and dry goods store. A business card thought to be dated between 1930 and 1958 is shown in that article.

WILSON, W.H. Mrs., Block 40

Most likely this is Ola Wilson, 31, identified as a clerk along with Walter H. Wilson, 38, merchant on the 1930 census. They were lodgers in the household of Martha A. Boren on Bankhead Highway # 78 in Beat 5.

See information above for Mr. W.H. Wilson.

It is possible that "Wilson and Wilson" were a husband and wife team, Walter and Ola Wilson.

YOUNG, C.M., Block 40

Curtis M. Young, a stave cutter, is named on the 1930 census of Fulton. Living on Mattox Street and working at a stave mill, Curtis M. Young was 43 years old. He was born in Arkansas. In his household were son Curtis R. Young, 10, and his mother, John R. Young, 65. [The census image is clear --- John R. Young, female, age 65, is listed as the mother of Curtis M. Young.]

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

During the Winter of 2009 - 2010 members of the Itawamba Country Historical Society are preparing a new Friendship-Memory Quilt. In late Spring the quilt will be finished at a series of public quilting bees at the Society's facility at the corner of Church Street and Museum Drive, Mantachie, Mississippi. Once completed, the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt will be raffled off to a lucky winner.

You can help with this project by subscribing to the quilt (have your names embroidered on the quilt for donations of $10 per name), buying raffle tickets for $1 each, or by volunteering to help finish and quilt the project.

You do not have to be a member of the Itawamba Historical Society to participate in this quilting project --- but we welcome new members anytime.

Telephone 662-282-7664 for information about the quilt project or about the Itawamba Historical Society.

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.