Wordless Wednesday Charlie Benson 1878 - 1962

Son of James Benson and Laura Mae Pierce
Husband of Lula Young and Dora Henderson
Father of Joanna, Nannie, Nathaniel, Louada, R W, Laura, Charlie Ray, and Helen

How does Charlie connect to my family?
Charlie's daughter, Joanna, married Smylie Arthur Coleman.
Smylie was the son of Henry Coleman and Eudora "Dora" Markham.
Eudora and my maternal grandmother, Alice Markham Marshall, were siblings.

Photograph courtesy of Cory Broadnax
Direct Descendant of Charlie Benson

Wordless Wednesday Henry and Naomi Adams Pierce

Naomi Adams (1891-1965) and husband Henry Pierce (1886-1971)

How does the couple connect to my family?
Their son Julius Pierce married my 2nd cousin, Ernestine Coleman.
Their daughter Helen Marie Pierce married my 2nd cousin 1x removed, Paul Scott.

Photograph Courtesy of Nathaniel Thomas

Tombstone Tuesday Toddling Sisters

In Memory of Cora
Daughter of William & Mattie Pierce
Born Sep 11 1887
Died Aug 21 1889

In Memory of Ludabelle
Daughter of William & Mattie Pierce
Born Jul 10 1898
Died Jul 20 1900

Burials at Calvin Blue Cemetery
Copiah County, MS

Photographs Courtesy of Willie L Robinson

Graduation Season

This is a high school graduation photo of Cousin Clara Scott Black. She graduated between 1959-1961 from Progress School in Lincoln County, MS.

1941-1996
Daughter of Philip Scott and Josie Pierce
Wife of Earl Black
Mother of Daphne, Patrick and Keith

Tombstone Tuesday - William Pierce

William Pierce
May 5 1864
Dec 16 1937
Only Asleep

Son of Laura Mae Benson
Husband of Mattie Mattier-DuPree
Father of Henry, Cora, Ora, Mamie, William Jr, Josephine, Lulabella, George, Ulysses, David, Sally, and John Arlynch

William's daughter Josephine married my mother's 1st cousin once removed Philip Scott.

Buried at St Paul MB Church on the River
Photograph Courtesy of Willie L Robinson

Churches in the Family St Paul MB Church on the River

Pierce cousins are members of this church. The oldest headstone found in the church cemetery is William Pierce who was born in 1862, died in 1937. The church is located in Copiah County, Mississippi.

According to Cousin Karen Pierce, there are two St Paul Missionary Baptist churches in the area, one in Brookhaven and the other one in Caseyville. The one in Caseyville was located near the Homochitto River, which was where they held baptisms. To differentiate between the two churches, they called the one in Caseyville, St. Paul Church on the River.

Photograph courtesy of Carl and Karen Pierce
St Paul Missionary Baptist Church on the River Cemetery

Wordless Wednesday (almost) - Alex Adams Family

Alex Adams with his wife, children and grandchildren in front of the home he built in Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi.
Back Row: Naomi, Beulah, Clark, Letha
Front Row: Alex Adams b. 1859, grandson George (Letha's son), Alice Washington Adams b. 1857, sitting on Alice's lap, granddaughter Lillie (Beulah's daughter)

Naomi's daughter, Hazel Marie Pierce, married my mother's 2nd cousin Paul Scott.
Naomi's son, Julius Virgil Pierce, married my mother's 1st cousin once removed Earnestine Coleman.
Letha's daughter, Estella Williams, married my mother's 1st cousin Emmitt Coleman.

Adams family photograph from the collection of Veronica Ramsey Swift, direct descendant of Alex and Alice. The photograph is dated November 13, 1908. Thank you Karen E. Pierce for sharing.

Naomi Adams Pierce and her husband Henry Pierce

Photograph Courtesy of Nathaniel Thomas