Monday, January 4, 2016

Reverend Frank James Durr
circa 1940

The three are "dressed to the nines." They have the look of satisfaction after a good church service. Rev Frank James Durr, Sr, was the pastor of Saint Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hattiesburg, MS, during the early 1940s. Next to him is his wife Luddie Bell Cain. The couple had one son together, Frank, Jr, who died in France, 1944, serving in World War II. I am not sure of the identity of the other woman.

How does Frank connect to my family?
Frank b. about 1905, was the son of Mack Durr and Mary Hooks
Mack and my great grandfather, William Durr, were brothers.

The photograph is courtesy of Lady Divine.

12 comments:

Kristin said...

They are really dressed to the nines. Before and after church photos are good for that.

Suzassippi said...

Rev. F. J. Durr delivered the annual sermon at the 1946 annual African Methodist Episcopal Conference. He was appointed to the Temperance, First Year, Presiding Elder's Assessments, and Resolutions committees (Hattiesburg American, October 26, 1946).

LindaRe said...

Dainty hand gloves, something we don't see today...I wished my immediate family had taken our before or after church photos.

LindaRe said...

Thank you, happy to have this. Hmmm, Rev Frank's first cousin, my grandfather Mike was a corn whiskey making, drinking bootlegger. I suppose grandpa avoided Rev Frank and his sermons.

Suzassippi said...

Perhaps so. My mother tells the story of her grandmother playing "Pollyanna" with the kids one day and her brother, a pastor, drove up the lane. She yelled, "Good Lord, here comes Marvin, put those dice away!" This from a seriously straight-laced woman.

LindaRe said...

LOL. Uncle Scott was a Pentecostal preacher who didn't approve of TV watching. You could hear him singing, our signal to turn the TV off, before his arrival.

Beth said...

They were dressed up and looking happy! Love the stories, made me smile!

Suzassippi said...

None of us are so different, are we? :)

Saundra Williams Blackman said...

Linda, Being a native of Hattiesburg, I was surprised to discover that there was an AME Zion Church located there. I wonder what happened to it? I'm fairly certain that it's no longer there. (I'll research further.) Thanks for this tidbit of information. Saundra

LindaRe said...

Saundra, I googled St Mark AME of Hattiesburg and didn't find the church. I thought about your people and wondered if they were acquainted with Rev Frank.

Unknown said...

Hello Suzassippi, this is mind boggling Reverend F.J. Durr is my Great Grandfather, his only son F.J. Durr Jr. was my grandfather and my mother Frankie Durr was his only child. F.J. Durr Jr. was killed in WWII. Luddie Durr my great grandmother lived in Brookhaven Mississippi until she passed. Revered Durr also pastored Bethel AME in Brookhaven Mississippi. I am Pastor as well currently residing in California...thanks for sharing.

Keith Tillman

LindaRe said...

Keith Tillman, It is a pleasure to met you. I would love to chat about our common ancestry. LRudd at aol dot com