Nehemiah
Sylvest & Lenora Jayne Sylvest
II. Nehemiah Sylvest was born Jan. 3, 1846, possibly near Pearl River, Louisiana, since his parents lived their first married lives together down in that area. It was a freight station in those days, hence the name Pearl River Station. The move to Washington Parish was before 1850, because the Federal Census of that year lists this Sylvest family. The next written record is of his father homesteading a tract of land from the State of Louisiana in 1862. It was probably from their home built on this homestead that Nehemiah went a courting.
He was married May 9, 1872 to Lenora Jayne Sylvest, the daughter of Emanuel and Nancy Sylvest, who resided in the Fisher community. This ceremony was performed at the bride’s home by Judge J.J. Slocum, and witnessed by F.M. Sylvest and S.W. Bickham, Recorder of Washington Parish for many years.
Lenora Jayne was born Feb. 24, 1855 and passed away in 1935. Nehemiah passed away Feb. 2, 1916. They lie buried at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery, of which they were charter members at its inception in 1907. Nehemiah’s funeral sermon was delivered by Rev. Walker, Pastor of the Franklinton Baptist Church at that time. Records of the birth, marriage and of his death were taken from Nehemiah’s old family bible in the possession of Vince Sylvest, a grandson. The birth of Lenora Janyne was located in the Old Andrew Welch Family Bible in the possession of Frank and Lela Welch Quinn descendants in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Andrew married Mary Elizabeth Sylvest, sister to Lenora.
Nehemiah and Lenora Jayne established their first home at the community of Bullock, South of Franklinton and West of the river. His older brother, Francis Marion, and his wife owned land and cattle there. In the early months of 1882, Nehemiah moved his wife and five children to their new home site where they were both to live and die. They spent their first winter in the large smokehouse with its dirt floor. The wolves would chase their dog into the door of the house many times each night. The weather was cold and severe all during that winter. In the Summer following, his neighbors gathered to raise the huge double pen log house which at the time was very modern. It is still standing at this writing in 1967.
Nehemiah was a very public spirited citizen and demonstrated his interests in helping to establish schools and churches. The first public school in Washington Parish was established a couple miles South of his home on the present Franklinton to Covington Highway. It was constructed of logs with one room. A mud chimney and fireplace was also added the second Summer. Later he was interested in establishing Gorman High School about a mile North of his home and on the present Arcola Road. It was also the first high school in the Parish. The first Parish Corn Club was organized at Gorman High School. It was from this Corn Club that the Great Washington Parish Free Fair got its start. Pictures of the first meeting of the Corn Club are still in circulation. Gorman High School was moved to Franklinton and its name changed to that of the city.
He labored in promoting higher education for his own family by entering two of his older children in a boarding school at Gillsburg, Mississippi. James William and Nancy Winnie lived at the home of their Great Aunt for several terms. We do not have the name of the relative but she was a sister to their Grandma Martha. Nehemiah made several trips there to bring food supplies such as potatoes, corn and slabs of bacon. He took his younger son John D. along on a couple of the trips probably trying to impress upon him the values of higher education.
Seven other children were born to Nehemiah and Lenora after they moved to their new home on the Western edge of Gum Swamp. The road passing immediately in front of their house later became known as the Sylvest Settlement Road. The road connects the Amite and Arcola Roads about five miles west of Franklinton. Nehemiah owned land which joined land owned by his in-laws. Lenora Jayne’s brother, Joseph Emanuel Sylvest owned the farm or homestead adjoining them on the North. This was also a division line between folks of the Fisher and hence Methodist community and Bethel and hence Baptist community. Probably the line was over drawn during those early years.
Nehemiah and Lenora Jayne were instrumental in organizing the Bethel Baptist Church where he served as Sunday School Superintendent for several years of its life.
Twelve children were born to Nehemiah and Lenora Jayne:
A. James William Sylvest was born April 8, 1873, died
1936. Married Lenora Green.
B. Nancy Winnie Sylvest was born January 22, 1875, died
1941. Married George Seymore Brumfield.
C. Martha Viola Sylvest was born Dec. 5, 1876, died Dec.
15, 1947, married John Lee Smith.
D. John Dolphus Sylvest was born Feb. 18, 1879, died
Jan. 18, 1965., married Minnie Ora Fendlason.
E. Thomas Christopher Sylvest was born Aug. 13, 1881,
died July 26, 1962, married Frances Edna Davis.
F. Ontee Sylvest was born Dec. 3, 1883, died _____. Married William Bush.
G.
Lenora Washtella
“Tella” Sylvest was born Oct. 24, 1885, died Aug. 30, 1961, married George
Oliver Brumfield.
H.
Walter Jerome Sylvest
was born Feb. 2, 1888, married Etta Nancy Owens.
I.
C.W. McCune “Homer”
Sylvest was born Oct. 11, 1890, died Dec. 23, 1925, married Alba Creel.
J. Myrtis Agnes Sylvest was born Dec. 7, 1892, died
Sept. 13, 1953, married Joseph Oscar Roberts.
K. Cluster Nehemiah Sylvest was born Jan. 2, 1895, married Lucille Snyder.
L. Stevenson Ard Sylvest was born Jan. 28, 1897, died _____, married Annetta May Cox.
A. James William Sylvest was born April 8,
1873, at the community of Bullock. He
was nearing the age of ten when his parents moved to their permanent domicile
on Gum Swamp. He attended a boarding
school at Gillsburg, Mississippi to receive some of his early education. He boarded with his Grandma Martha’s sister
or his great Aunt at Gillsburg. James
Sylvest became known as Will or J.W. Sylvest.
He was a short stout man and wore a mustache during most of his later
years. He was one of the Pioneer
Dairymen of the Franklinton area. He
established his home at Clifton, Louisiana, where his family was active in the
Clifton Baptist Church. He was married
Nov. 30, 1898 to Lenora Green who was born Jan. 15, 1882. James William Sylvest passed away in 1936 of
an apparent heart attack. It was a
sudden death. He and Lenora lie buried
at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery, South of Franklinton. Ten
Children were born to J.W. and Lenora Sylvest:
1.
J.U. Sylvest was born
Nov. 6, 1899.
2.
Joseph Burke Sylvest,
born June 14, 1901, died Jan. 23, 1965.
3.
Electa Lenora Sylvest,
born Aug. 19, 1902.
4.
William Sterling
Sylvest, born Aug. 29, 1904.
5.
Elsie Jeni Sylvest,
born Aug. 25, 1907.
6.
Lynn D. Sylvest, born
Aug. 26, 1909, died 1925.
7.
Sadie Ann Sylvest, born
Nov. 15, 1911.
8.
Walter Atwell Sylvest,
born Feb. 15, 1915.
9. James William Sylvest, born Mar. 9, 1917, died ___ 1964.
10. Harold Maynard Sylvest, born Sept. 20, 1919.
1.
J.U. Sylvest was born Nov. 6, 1899, the first born to James William
Sylvest and Lenora Green Sylvest. He
was married to Freddie Pigott who was born Jan. 18, 1916. The ceremony was performed March 7, 1937.
a. Gilda Ava Nell Sylvest was born _____. She was married to Mike Sawczak. He died in a car wreck on May 8, 1967 while
driving alone from his home in New Jersey to Philadephia, Pennsylvania.
b. Everett Larry Sylvest was born Feb. 3, 1947. He was married March 22, 1964 to Jaun
Bankston, the daughter of Chess and Melba Creel Bankston of the Stony Point
Community West of Franklinton.
J.U. and Freddie operate a Black Angus cattle farm
one Mile North of Franklinton on Route 6.
They are active in the work of First Baptist Church of Franklinton. He has been an active promoter of the great
Washington Parish Free Fair most of his lifetime.
2.
Joseph Burke Sylvest
was born June 14, 1901 and died Jan. 23, 1965 at Montgomery, Alabama. He lies buried at Wetumpka, Alabama. He was married Oct. 28, 1927 to Mary Lou
Green of Selma, Alabama. She was born
Jan. 8, 1908. He owned and operated a
Feed and Seed Business on a wholesale and retail level as a livelihood. He was active in the Baptist State
Convention business of the state of Alabama from the First Baptist Church of
Montgomery. He was a member of the
Baptist Hospital Board and served as its chairman until his fatal illness. He was a Deacon and served as chairman of
the finance committee of his church for several years. He graduated from Auburn Institute which is
today Auburn University of Auburn, Alabama.
His business was located at 129 Coosa Street, Montgomery, Alabama, P.O.
Box 589. They have five children.
a.
Carolyn Ruth
Sylvest was born July 28, 1930. She is
a graduate of Auburn University and was married Dec. 23, 1952 to Robert Henry
Collins III who was born Feb. 4, 1930.
They have four children.
1.
David Robert Collins
born Jan. 11, 1960
2.
Nancy Claire Collins
born Feb. 9, 1961
3.
Julie Carolyn Collins
born May 27, 1965
4.
Stephen Griffin Collins
born July 10, 1967
b.
Jean Annis Sylvest was
born May 6, 1933. She is a graduate of
Auburn University and was married to Edward Virgil Welch on June 11, 1955. Edward was born Jan. 19, 1933. They have three children.
1.
Wendy Carol Welch born
July 8, 1956.
2.
Jennifer Jean Welch
born Feb. 5, 1957.
3.
Edward Virgil Welch Jr.
born Dec. 30, 1961
c.
Joseph Burke Sylvest
was born May 5, 1937. He married
Patricia Martha Sweet on August 7, 1961. Patricia was born on Nov. 3,
1939. They have three children.
1.
Joseph Burke Sylvest
III was born March 28, 1963
2.
Laurie Kathleen Sylvest
was born July 20, 1966
3.
Charles Patrick Sylvest
was born Feb. 7, 1968.
d.
Linda Louise Sylvest
(twin) was born May 15, 1944. She was
married on April 29, 1967 to Frank Fasio Hutto, who was born Sept. 20,
1943. They have one child.
1.
Adrienne Hutto was born
_____ 1968.
e.
Glenn Byron Sylvest
(twin) was born May 15, 1944. She was
married on Dec. 23, 1967 to Muriel Diane Davidson, who was born Sept. 27, 1946.
3. Electa Lenora Sylvest was born Aug. 19,
1902. She is the namesake of her mother
and grandmother. She was married Nov.
23, 1922 to Walter Addison Burris, one of the earliest dairymen in the
Franklinton area. They own their home
and dairyfarm on Route 6, North of Franklinton, La. Electa and Walter have four children.
a. Kenneth James Burris was born Feb. 12, 1924. He served our country in World War II as an
Electronics Technician in the U.S. Army.
He was married to Jean Knight on June 28, 1957, who was born July 22,
1929. They have one child.
1.
Jeannie Kaye Burris was
born Oct. 15, 1957. She was married on
____ William Beaushew, who was born on _____.
They have one child.
a.
Derek Ian Beaushew was
born June 1, 1984.
b.
Karl Hampton Burris was
born March 4, 1927. He was married on
June 17, 1950 to Versie Viola Hodges, who was born on June 19, 1929. They have three children.
1.
Deborah Lynn Burris was
born Oct. 23, 1952. She married Richard
Weld. They have two children.
a.
Samantha Burris Weld
b.
Simon Richard Weld
2.
Karl Hampton Burris Jr.
was born Sept. 29, 1956. He was married
on March 10, 1987 to Laurie Hamilton Bickham, who was born on Jan. 6,
1960. They have one child.
a.
Jordan Scott Burris
3.
Marianna Electa Burris
was born July 28, 1964. She was married
on July 2, 1983 to Kyle Russell Fontenot, who was born on _____. They have one child.
a.
Hunter Burris Fontenot
was born on Oct. 31, 1987.
c.
Mary Lenora Burris was born March 14, 1930. She was married on April 14, 1948 to Leavell Crain, who was born
_____. They have two children.
1.
Dennis Lavell Crain was born Dec. 6, 1949. He married on _____ to Patsy Turrell. They have one child.
a.
Tara Leigh Crain who was born May 16, 1972. She married on _____ to Andy Sphere. They have one child.
1. Lacie
Leigh Crain who was born Aug. 21, 1992.
2.
Bruce Walter Crain was born Dec. 4, 1953.
d.
Walter Allen Burris was born Nov. 27, 1935. He was married on April 23, 1961 to Sue Crain, who was born April
4, 1940. They have two children.
1.
Teresa Sue Burris was born Jan. 14, 1962. She married Brian Corkean.
They have one child.
a. Dustin
Daniel William Corkean, who was born April 19, 1981. He married David L. Young.
They have one child.
1.
Mathew David Allen Young was born Aug. 9, 1990.
2.
Walter Allen Burris, Jr. was
born January 14, 1966. He married
Jeannine Varnado. They have twins.
a. Payton Ali Burris was born Aug. 28, 1996.
b. Kenzie Kay Burris was born Aug. 28, 1966.
4. William Sterling Sylvest was born Aug. 29,
1904. He was married at Avinger, Texas,
on April 2, 1942 to Era Faye Lemmon, the daughter of Isaac Rudian Lemmon of
Jefferson, Texas. He is in the timber
and sawmill business as a livelihood.
They own their home there where they are active in the work of the Mount
Hill Baptist Church. They have two
children.
a.
Jo Ann Sylvest was born Sept. 18, 1943.
She is a graduate of Jefferson, Texas High School. She was married on March 23, 1967 to Joe
Richard Pixley who was born July 13, 1943.
They have one child.
1.
Richard Brett Pixley was born Aug. 19, 1969.
b.
Linda Gayle Sylvest was born Feb. 5, 1946. She was married on July 3, 1964 to James Glover Simmons, who was
born on Feb. 5, 1944. They have two
children.
1.
James Derek Simmons was born Sept. 6, 1968. He was married on Dec. 12, 1989 to Tammy Wormington. They have one child.
a. Logan Nathaniel Simmons who was born June
10, 1996
2.
Lance William Simmons was born May 18, 1971. He married on Aug. 9, 1992 to Deanne Teague.
5.
Elsie Jeni Sylvest was born Aug. 25, 1907. She was married Oct. 2, 1926 to Edward G. Kleisch. They own and operate a dairy farm between
Clifton and Warnerton, Louisiana. They
have four children and are active in the work of the Clifton Baptist Church at
Clifton.
a.
William Frank Kliesch was born November 4, 1928. He was married on Dec. 13, 1961 to Mary
Virginia Reid who was born Sept. 26, 1927.
He is an M.D. with offices in New Orleans. He has purchased the farm home of his dreams seven miles West of
Franklinton and a mile North of the blacktop.
They have three children.
1. Thomas Karl Kliesch was born Sept. 24,
1962. He was married on _____ to Sharon Grace Bounds, who was born April 4, 1987. They have two children.
a.
Karly Elizabeth Kliesch was born Dec. 21, 1991.
b.
Kristyn Brook Kliesch was born Nov. 10, 1993.
2. William
August Kliesch was born Sept. 12, 1963.
3. John
Francis Kliesch was born March 11, 1968.
b.
Betty Ann Kleisch was born Dec. 19, 1930. She is a graduate of Franklinton High School and is a registered
nurse with training at the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing at New Orleans,
Louisiana. She was married April 17,
1958 to Nathan Waverly Smith the son of Murl Smith of Corpus Christi,
Texas. They own their home in Orange
where Nathan works at his profession.
They have three children.
1.
Kreggor Murl Smith was
born Sept. 29, 1959. He was married on
August 11, 1984 to Kimberly Bonnin who was born on Nov. 24, 1962. They have three children.
a.
Krista Smith was born
Jan. 16, 1987.
b.
Kaycie Smith was born
April 21, 1989.
c.
Kody Smith was born
Sept. 3, 1992
2.
Claire Ann Smith was
born Sept. 29, 1961. She married Cullin
Smith who was born May 6, 1962. They
have one child.
a.
Joshua Smith was born
April 25, 1987.
3.
Brandt Nathan Smith was
born Oct. 10, 1964. He was married on
June 30, 1990 to Gloria Blake who was born May 9, 1964. They have one child.
a.
Savanna Smith was born
Sept. 7, 1995.
c.
Janet Elsie Kliesch was born Jan. 9, 1931. She finished high school at Franklinton and is an Interior
Decorator by profession. She was
married to Ben Appleby, son of Melvin Appleby of Pasadena, Texas. Ben is a purchasing agent and they own their
home in Rosefield, Texas, a suburb of Houston.
They have two children.
1.
Jane Lynn Appleby was
born May 22, 1961.
2.
Blake Edward Appleby
was born July 15, 1963.
d.
Nancy Jeni Kliesch was born Nov. 9, 1937. She finished high school at Franklinton and her B.S. degree from
L.S.U. with Pre-Medical studies. She is
an M.D. from L.S.U. Medical School of New Orleans.
6.
Lynn D. Sylvest was born Aug. 26, 1909, died 1925.
7. Sadie Ann Sylvest was born Nov. 15, 1911. She finished high school at Franklinton. She was married to Robert Hugh Bateman who was born July 27, 1906 the son of Robert Hugh and Emma Magee Bateman of Franklinton. Sadie and Robert operate a dairy farm on the Hackley Road out of Franklinton. They are active in the work of First Baptist Church. They have three children.
a. Robert Cary Bateman was born Sept. 10, 1932. He finished high school at Franklinton and served in the U.S. Army as a member of the ground forces during the Korean War. He was married Oct. 25, 1955 to Marie Antoinette Gennaro who was born Jan. 12, 1937. They have three children.
1. Robert Cary Bateman Jr., born Oct. 15, 1958. He was married Nov. 30, 1985 to Maureen Keegan, who was born _____. They have two children.
a. Robert Michael Bateman was born Feb. 4, 1988.
b. Samuel Paul Bateman was born Jan. 14, 1989
2. Juhn Marie Bateman was born Oct. 7, 1960. She was married on Jan. 2, 1982 to Richard Green, who was born _____. They have two children.
a. Richard Carey Green was born Aug. 27, 1984.
b. Anne Marie Green was born Aug. 17, 1986.
3. Rodney Michael Bateman was born April 15, 1962. He was married on _____ to Cecily Ellzey, who was born on _____. They have one child.
a. Marjori Elizabeth Bateman was born May 11, 1992.
b. Hugh Elton Bateman was born Oct. 31, 1937. He is a graduate of Franklinton High School and attended L.S.U. and received his degree from Southeastern in Hammond. He was married on Dec. 22, 1959 to Patsy Nell Meador who was born Dec. 27, 1939. They have one child.
1. Blaine Edward Bateman was born Nov. 27, 1960. He was married on Aug. 4, 1984 to Margrett Davenport, who was born _____. They have one child.
a. Richard Edward Bateman was born Nov. 3, 1995.
c. Donald Raymond Bateman was born Dec. 30, 1944. He was married on Mar. 1, 1969 to Jane Marie Boudreaux, who was born _____. They have one child.
1. Stacy Michelle Bateman was born Nov. 8, 1979.
8. Walter Atwell Sylvest was born Feb. 15, 1915. He was married on July 3, 1934 to Jane Jamison. Atwell is a carpenter by trade and lives in Montgomery, Alabama. They have two children.
a. Walter Howard Sylvest was born July 27, 1941.
b. Jerry Sylvest was born May 15, 1955.
9. James William Sylvest was born March 9, 1917, died Sept. 20, 1964 at Wetumpka, Alabama. He lies buried there. He was married April 8, 1939 to Grace Gath. They operated a beef cattle farm as a livelihood near Montgomery. They are active in the work of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery. They have three children.
a. Rita Elizabeth Sylvest was born July 17, 1941. She is a graduate of Auburn University of Auburn, Alabama. She was married on Nov. 28, 1960 to Frank Randy Eubank who was born Sept. 5, 1941. They live at Irving, Texas, near Dallas. They have one child.
1. Frank Randy Eubank was born Sept. 1, 1961.
b. Farrell Louise Sylvest was born Nov. 6, 1944. She is a graduate of Huntington, Alabama. She was married on June 6, 1966 to Jon Michael Burroughs, who was born on Oct. 25, 1942. They have one child.
1. _____ daughter 1969
c. Jimmie Sylvest was born Oct. 12, 1951.
10. Harold Maynard Sylvest Jr. was born Sept. 20, 1919. He is a Franklinton High School graduate of the year 1936. He was married March 25, 1940 to Myrtle Talley. They are members of the Cloverdale Baptist Church at Montgomery, Alabama. They operate a poultry processing plant as a livelihood at Montgomery. They have four children.
a. Harold Maynard Sylvest was born Dec. 17, 1941. He was married on June 21, 1963 to Mary Margaret Folds, who was born on Nov. 19, 1944. They have four children.
1. Angelia Lynn Sylvest was born Nov. 10, 1966
2. Harold Maynard Sylvest III was born _____ 1970.
3. Mary Sylvest was born _____. She was married on ___ to Tommy Aplin, who was born on ___.
b. Lenora Lynn Sylvest was born on Dec. 22, 1943. She was married on Aug. 30, 1963 to Howard Burton Upchurch who was born on Aug. 14, 1941. (?) She was married on ___ to Marvin Lewis III, who was born ___. They have one child.
1. Cynthia Lewis was born ___ 1970. She was married on ___ to Bruce Garrett who was born ___.
c. Gwendolyn Alice Sylvest was born July 27, 1956.
d. Christine Kay Sylvest was born Dec. 31, 1958. She was married on ___ to Nathan Lester, who was born on ___. They have two children.
1. Chelsea Elizabeth Lester was born May 7, 1991
2. William Brandon Lester was born Aug. 12, 1996.
B. Nancy Winnie Sylvest was born Jan. 22, 1875. She was able to receive some education by attending a Boarding School at Gillsburg, Mississippi for several terms. While there she lived in the home of her great Aunt on her father’s side. The name or other information has not been found. She was married on Oct. 20, 1898 to George Seymore Brumfield who was born in 1886 and died in 1935. Nancy Winnie died in 1941 and they are buried at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery. Seymore Brumfield was an earlier days dairyman in the Franklinton area. He also Truck Farmed some selling his own produce from house to house. He was known by some as the Watermelon King of Washington Parish for several years. He took an active part in promoting the Great Washington Parish Free Fair for several years of his life. He was present at its organization at Old Gorman School in the year 1909.
1. Jack Brumfield was born July 16, 1899. He attended Gorman School and later Bethel which too has long since been let pass with the times. Jack was married Dec. 1, 1927 to Willie James who was born Dec. 2, 1903. Willie is the daughter of Louis and Louvenia James of Franklinton. Jack attended a meat cutters training school and was, with his brother Aubrey, one of the first trained men in the area. He has worked at his trade during most of his lifetime as a liveliehood. Jack and Willie own their home and are active in the work of the First Baptist Church of Franklinton. They have one child.
a. Bettye Jean Brumfield was born Nov. 1, 1930. She is a graduate of Franklinton High School.
2. Linda Brumfield was born Dec. 13, 1900. She was married May 14, 1921 to Richard Pope who was born in 1903, the son of Ernest and Ophie Pope of Sheridan. They own their home near Sheridan and are active in the work of the Southern Baptist Church at Pine, Louisiana. Richard died July 14, 1963 and is buried at the Simmons Cemetery in the Sheridan community. They have three children.
a. Charles Harlem Pope was born Aug. 26, 1922.
b. Edward “Buddy” Pope was born Nov. 20, 1924.
c. Ernest Henry Pope was born July 13, 1928.
3. James Dudley Brumfield was born Oct. 10, 1902 and died July 23, 1946, the victim of a car wreck. He lies buried at Bethel Cemetery. He was married to Hazel Joan King, the daughter of Rev. Alvin C. King, a Baptist Minister. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Richardson, a Baptist Minister in Poplarville, Mississippi on March 26, 1928. Hazel moved to Shreveport after her husband’s death. She lived only a few years and died from a lingering illness. She lies buried at Shreveport. They have five children.
a. James Paul Brumfield was born Dec. 6, 1928. He served our country during the Korean Conflict and while stationed there met and married a native girl from Naygaya, Japan. They have two children.
1.
2.
b. Winnie Nell Brumfield was born July 13, 1930. She was married to Harry K. Chalmiers of Chicago, Illinois and they reside at 501 Oriole Lane, Shreveport, Louisiana 71105. They have one child.
1.
c. Carolyn Joan Brumfield was born Aug. 30, 1933. She was married to Roy Henderson. They live at Independence, Louisiana. They have one child.
1.
d. Eva Wayne Brumfield was born March 9, 1940.
e. Peggy Jane Brumfield was born Feb. 1, 1943.
4. Eva Brumfield was born Aug. 19, 1904. She is a registered nurse. She was married June 13, 1953 to Al Howes, the son of Matthew J. and Jennie Rutter Howes. They live in Independence, Louisiana where she worked for many years at the Lallie Kemp Hospital and Al operated a truck type of store route. They have no children.
5. Aubrey Brumfield was born Sept. 14, 1906. He was married on Aug. 12, 1937 to Margaret Cooper who was born May 24, 1920, the daughter of H.P. and Anna Cooper of Prichard, Alabama. Aubrey is a trained meat cutter and worked most of his time around Franklinton, but later moved to Baton Rouge. They have three children.
a. Joanne Brumfield was born May 24, 1938. She finished high school at Franklinton and attended Northwestern State College at Natchitoches, Louisiana. She was married March 25, 1960 to Ervin Lewis Jr., son of Ervin Lewis Sr. of Baton Rouge. She has three children.
1. Sheila Ann Lewis was born Nov. 5, 1961.
2. Jeanette Kathleen Lewis was born Jan. 11, 1965
3. Aubrey Scott Lewis was born Jan. 27, 1966.
b. Annette Brumfield was born June 11, 1941. She finished high school at Franklinton then attended L.S.U. and completed a Business course in Accounting. She is a registered C.P.A. She was married on May 18, 1963 to Chadwick Phillips who is also a C.P.A. They live at 1157 East Lakeview Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810. They live in Oak Hills Subdivision in South Baton Rouge. They have no children.
c. Gloria Jean Brumfield was born Feb. 9, 1943. She graduated from Franklinton High School in may of 1962. She is a hair stylist with training from Manuel Cooper in Baton Rouge and Charles of the Ritz in New York. She was married to Monte Ray Forrest who is also a hair stylist. They live at 5036 Prescott Road in North Baton Rouge. They have no children.
6. Jessie Brumfield was born Aug. 17, 1908. She finished high school at Franklinton and was married to Gus LaBorde the son of Caroline and Gus P. LaBorde of Bogalusa. They live at 900 Front Street in Bogalusa, Louisiana. They have no children.
7. Ontee Brumfield was born Oct. 27, 1911. She is the namesake of her great-grandmother back in Portugal. She was married March 20, 1937 to Perry Gordon Parmer, son of Edward and Susan Parmer of Greenville, Mississippi. Perry is a Baptist Minister. They work and worship with the Southern Baptist Convention. They have one child.
a. Perry Gordon Parmer was born April 10, 1943.
8. Malcolm Brumfield was born Feb. 18, 1914. He finished high school at Franklinton. He later married on April 25, 1947 to Ruth Prine, the daughter of J.C. Prine of Mount Vernon, Alabama. He served our country during World War II and soon after making the Normandy Invasion he met his own blood brother in a fox hole. They were totally unaware of where each other was participating in the fight. Clifford, his younger brother, was equally surprised at the meeting. His military experience also included the Battle of the Bulge. He was very nearly captured by the Germans. They have three children.
a. Linda Sue Brumfield was born Feb. 25, 1948.
b. Michael Brumfield was born Dec. 16, 1950.
c. Nancy Janay Brumfield was born Dec. 16, 1952.
9.
Clifford Brumfield was
born April 2, 1916. He died from a
heart condition July 27, 1958 and lies buried at Bethel with his parents. He was married in 1951 to Lucille Fortenberry,
the daughter of Ben Fortenberry of Bogalusa, Louisiana. He served four years with the U.S. Marine
Corps prior to World War II and was redrafted back to fight in that war. He made the Normandy Invasion and came upon
his brother Malcolm in a foxhole soon after landing. He was in the heaviest fighting of the Battle of the Bulge and
was almost captured by the Germans. He
was almost overcome with shock when he met his brother in such a far off and
desolate place. They have no children.
C. Martha Viola Sylvest was born Dec. 5, 1876 and died Dec. 15, 1947. She was married March 8, 1895 to John Lee Smith by Rev. Tom Bennett. John Lee Smith was born at Ellisville, Mississippi near Laurel in 1872. His mother died at his birth and a tree fell on his father when he was still but two years old. His uncle had a kind heart for the lonely boy and though he had no family, he managed to care for him until he was big enough to do farm work. After some time he left Ellisville with the lad and worked a few years in Richland Parish in North East Louisiana. In a few years John Lee Smith came down the Bogue Chitto River to a Magee place North of Franklinton, and after a year or two his uncle died. John came to the farm of Calvin Sylvest looking for work or a place to live and found both of them. After about three years he came on down Gum Swamp to the farm of Nehemiah Sylvest who had married Calvin’s sister, Lenora. Within a few years he fell in love with one of Nehemiah’s girls and they were married. Her name was Martha Viola, but shortened to Ola by those who loved her most. John and Ola settled further South on the Covington Road and within a few years he owned a section of land and carried on rather large farming operations. They were charter members of the Bethel Baptist Church within a mile of their farm. The little Bethel School was the one attended by their older children. Ola passed away Dec. 15, 1947 and John died Feb. 21, 1951 and they lie buried at Bethel. They have ten children.
1. Maude Smith was born Dec. 9, 1895. She was married at her parents home on Oct. 14, 1917 to James Obed Bickham, who was born Oct. 23, 1894 and died March 23, 1991. He was the son of Giles and Edith Bickham by Rev. Thomas Corkern. Jim, as he became known to those who loved him best, worked as a railroad shop mechanic in Bogalusa until his retirement. They established their home in the Bethel Community South of Franklinton on Route 4, Box 273, 70438. They were active in the work of Bethel Church where Jim served as a deacon. James Bickham They have four children.
a. LaRue Bickham was born July 26, 1919 at Bogalusa, Louisiana. She finished Bogalusa High School before entering Louisiana College in Pineville where she majored in Home Economics. She was married to Wyatt Fleming on May 26, 1942, the son of Dr. and Mrs. W.A. Fleming of Bogalusa by Rev. J. Pat Horton, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bogalusa. They have served in the public school system of Bogalusa as a livelihood, and are active in the work of Superior Avenue Baptist Church where Wyatt serves as a Deacon. They have five children.
1. Ruth Ann Fleming was born Dec. 25, 1943. Ruth was married on ___ to Douglas F. Horne who was born ___.
2. James Wyatt Fleming was born Nov. 13, 1945. He was married in August 1969 to Celeste Ann Minckler who was born ___. They have one child.
a. Karyn Alisa Fleming was born March 22, 1971.
3. Jeanette LaRue Fleming was born June 23, 1948. She was married on ___ to William Oneal Polk who was born ___.
4. Judy Ellen Fleming was born Oct. 18, 1950.
5. Rebecca Shirley Fleming was born April 15, 1955.
b. James Lee Bickham was born April 13, 1920 at Bogalusa, Louisiana. He graduated from the Public school system of that city and earned his B.S. degree at Louisiana College in Pineville. He then moved to Mississippi Southern at Hattisburg where he earned his Masters. He teaches Science in the Bogalusa High School. He was married on June 19, 1943 to Jo Mary McGowan of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The ceremony was performed by Rev. C.M. Baggett. This Bickham family is active in the work of the Superior Avenue Baptist Church where James serves as a Deacon. They have four children.
1. Nancy Jo Bickham was born March March 7, 1944. She was married on Aug. 13, 1966 to Ralph W. Shaw Jr. who was born Oct. 31, 1939.
2. Regina Lee Bickham was born Feb. 19, 1948.
3. James L. Bickham Jr. was born Feb. 7, 1950.
4. Christopher Truett. Bickham was born Dec. 30, 1954.
c. Truett Bickham was born Nov. 23, 1922 at Bogalusa. He graduated from Bogalusa High School with the Lumberjacks and is a Methods Engineer at Charlottesville, Virginia. He was married on Sept. 15, 1942 to Evelyn Augusta Pertalion of Bogalusa who was born on July 28, 1924. They have four children.
1. Bruce Michael Bickham was born July 30, 1944.
2. Janet Leslie was born Oct. 25, 1947. She was married on ___ to Charles Dana Gardner who was born June 22, 1947. They have one child.
a. Charles David Gardner was born Sept. 16, 1969.
3. Deborah Lynn Bickham was born Aug. 20, 1949. She was married on ___ to Paul Dean Hicks who was born Aug. 23, 1949.
4. Martha Denise Bickham was born July 24, 1950. She was married on ___ to Wally N. Cox who was born ___. They have one child.
a. Christopher Shane Cox was born June 17, 1970.
d. Karl Bickham was born March 28, 1928. He graduated from Bogalusa and served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He now lives in the Bethel Community South of Franklinton. He is employed by the Southern Bell Telephone Company as a cable repairman. He was married to Lois Fontenot of Bogalusa, who was born July 14, 1934. They have three children.
1. Karl Linsley Bickham Jr. was born Sept. 17, 1952.
2. Karla Marie Bickham was born Jan. 14, 1955.
3. Konnie Raye Bickham was born Dec. 29, 1956.
2. Fleet Smith was born Nov. 9, 1897. He was married to Velma Varnado, who was born ___ 1900, the daughter of Jap Varnado, of McComb, Mississippi. The ceremony was performed by Rev. John Henry Smith, the pastor of Bethel Baptist Church. Fleet worked as an electrician at the Bogalusa Paper Mill until his retirement. After his parents passes away he acquired their old home and most of the land, which has been his home since that time. Fleet and Velma were active in the work of the Bethel Baptist Church. They have no children. They have no children.
3. Miah Smith was born Nov. 29, 1899. He married on June 29, 1928 to Viola Jenkins on __ . Viola is the daughter of Willie Jenkins of Franklinton. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Buck Carrol, a Baptist Minister at Franklinton. After graduating from the Franklinton High School, he went to work for the Post Office at Bogalusa. He worked there until his retirement in the mid-fifties when they moved to the home they prepared near his father’s old place South of Franklinton. They were active in the Bethel Baptist Church. They have one child.
a. Charles Miah Smith was born Aug. 24, 1930 at Bogalusa. He finished high school there and entered L.S.U. at Baton Rouge, where he earned his B.S. in pre-med. He transferred to L.S.U. Medical School in New Orleans for his M.D. He finished in 1955 and established his office in Sulphur, Louisiana. He is serving as a general practitioner.
4. Rubye Smith was born Nov. 25, 1902. She was married on Jan. 11, 1925 to Claude Brumfield at Magnolia, Mississippi by J.J. Mayfield. Rubye was active in the First Baptist Church at Franklinton.
a. Gerald Brumfield was born Oct. 22, 1925. He was married April 24, 1948 to Hazel Young, the daughter of J.N. Young of Franklinton. This marriage was ended April 4, 1950. Gerald is employed by the local R.E.A. He married in June 1957 to Beatrice Neilson. They have no children.
b. Delores Brumfield was born Sept. 12, 1933 at Franklinton. She was married Sept. 2, 1952 to William Cook of Mississippi. They have three children.
1. Susan Lynn Cook was born Feb. 3, 1953.
2. William Michael Cook was born Mar. 28, 1954 at Moss Point, Mississippi.
3. Robin Delores Cook was born Oct. 14, 1964.
5. Hubert Smith was born Nov. 14, 1903 and died Aug. 12, 1904.
6. Hulon Smith was born April 20, 1905. He finished high school at Franklinton and Baylor University School of Pharmacy. He has worked at his profession in Beaumont, Texas since that time. He was married on Oct. 21, 1930 to Odessa Jenkins of Cooper, Texas by the Rev. Harry Knowles in Houston, Texas. They make their home in Beaumont.
7. Gordon Smith was born Sept. 1, 1907 and died Oct. 24, 1963. He graduated from high school in Franklinton and was married to Willie Simmons of Ponchatoula on July 15, 1933. He owned for a time a part of his father’s farmland. He was also active in the Cotton market pool and managed the local warehouse at Franklinton, Louisiana. Gordon passed away suddenly of a heart condition on Oct. 24, 1963. He lies buried at Bethel Cemetery with so many other relatives. They have one child.
a. Kathleen Viola Smith, more popularly known as “Kathie” was born Jan. 17, 1952. She is a sophomore at this writing at the Franklinton High School in the Fall of 1967. She is the namesake of her grandmother, Martha Viola Smith.
8. Maxine Smith was born Oct. 10, 1909. She finished high school in May of 1927 and was married on July 4, 1934 to Howard Foster of Bogalusa, Louisiana by Rev. Simps of Poplarville, Mississippi. She owns her home at 460 Hopkins Blvd., Biloxi, Mississippi. They have three children.
a. Marilyn Sue Foster was born April 29, 1935. After finishing high school, she entered training and became a registered nurse.
b. Donna Ruth Foster was born Dec. 27, 1936. She was married April 21, 1956 at Biloxi, Mississippi to Edmund Janus, son of John L. Janus of Biloxi. He is employed by the Sealtest Creamery. They have two children.
1. Cynthia Ann Janus was born Jan. 25, 1959.
2. Jonathan Mark Janus was born Sept. 30, ___.
c. Howard Stephen Foster was born April 14, 1940. He died in a car wreck Jan. 20, 1962, trying to be a good Samaritan. He is buried at Bethel.
9. Donna Smith was born Jan. 2, 1912 and died Jan. 16, 1993. She finished high school before entering Baptist Bible Institute. After her graduation from the institute, he was married on Aug. 1, 1941 by Rev. W.E. Winstead, a Baptist Minister from Jackson, Mississippi to Rev. Hilery B. Speights, who is a minister in the Southern Baptist Convention. They pastured the church at Jackson, Tennessee for several years before moving South in Mississippi. Rev. Hilery B. Speights was born on Feb. 22, 1908 and died on Nov. 29, 1987. They have three children.
a. John Hilery Speights was born June 13, 1943.
b. Frank Keith Speights was born Aug. 19, 1946. He was married on May 10, 1970 to Frances Kristina.
c. Donnie Smith Speights was born Feb. 16, 1948.
10. Woodrow Smith was born Nov. 7, 1913 and died June 15, 1982. After finishing high school, he worked a while in Texas where he met and married on Aug. 4, 1939 to Valda Lewis who is from Kountze, Texas where Woodrow was employed at the time. She was born __. They have one child.
a. JanLavelle Lincome Smith was born May 6, 1934.
11. Ruth Smith was born Nov. 14, 1919. She finished high school and entered training at the Southern Baptist Hospital in New Orleans. She graduated as an R.N. She was married on June 15, 1942 to Harvey Flowers by Rev. Oaks. They make their home at West Point, Mississippi, where he operates a clinic. They have three children.
a. Martha Ruth Flowers was born July 29, 1943. She was married on __ to Tom C. Bourne who was born ___. They have one child.
1. Susan Leigh Bourne was born April 27, 1967.
b. Harvey Alan Flowers was born May 28, 1946.
c. John Gordon Flowers was born April 13, 1954.
D. John Dolphus Sylvest was born Feb. 18, 1879
at the community called Bullock about six miles South of Franklinton and
between the Covington Road and the Bogue Chitto River. He died at Denham Springs, Louisiana on Jan.
28, 1965. He was married on June 28,
1905 to Minnie Ora Fendlason, the daughter of John A. Fendlason and Lillian
Paul Stringfield Fendlason. They
established their first home on a very small acreage about five miles South of
Franklinton and very near the Bethel Baptist Church of which they were charter
members at its organization in 1907.
They lived at the place until several of their children were born and on
Feb. 16, 1916, two weeks to the day after his father’s sudden death, they left
their home community and moved to Pineville, Louisiana. The move was prompted by that city being the
home of the only accredited Baptist College in the state. Circumstances prevented all but three from
even being enrolled in the college and only the younger son was able to gain a
degree. After seven years and on
Minnie’s birthday, March 1, 1923, they moved to a poor hill farm in
Natchitoches Parish, five and one half miles South of Provencal. It was from this high school that all ten living
children graduated. Three died in
infancy and were laid to rest in Pineville.
Their remains were later moved to the Provencal Cemetery where a
suitable marker identifies the spot.
This quarter of a Section farm remained the home of this Sylvest couple
until the last of their children had settled elsewhere. In September of 1951, they moved to a small
place east of Baton Rouge, in the Zoar community. Later they moved to the subdivision Southdowns in Southern Baton
Rouge. This was their final happy
abode. Minnie Fendlason was born March
1, 1885 and died Dec. 3, 1965. Ten
children were born plus the three who died in infancy.
The three boys
who died in infancy were first buried at Pineville and later moved to the
Provencal Cemetery.
1. Dixie Edna
Sylvest was born June 28, 1906 at Franklinton.
She first attended Bethel Public School near her home. She moved with her family to Pineville in
February of 1916 and for seven years attended the public schools of Rapides
Parish. She attended Bolton High School
until her last year of high school when her family again moved. She finished high school at Provencal in May
of 1923. She first attended Louisiana
College at Pineville, but later transferred to Louisiana State Normal College
at Natchitoches where she earned her B.S. degree. Later she did graduate work at L.S.U. in Baton Rouge. She taught in Natchitoches Parish until the
early fifties when she and her family moved to Baton Rouge and she continued to
teach in the elementary grades of East Baton Rouge Parish. She was married July 29, 1930 to Walter J.
Moss Jr., of Bellwood, Louisiana by Rev. Monroe Roberts, Pastor of the Bellwood
Baptist Church. Walter worked as an
electrician at Ethyl Corporation until his early retirement because of poor
health. The Walter Moss home is located
at 1970 Rice Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802. They have one child.
a. Edna Beth Moss
was born Sept. 12, 1944 at Minden, Louisiana.
She graduated from Istrouma High School at Baton Rouge, Louisiana in May
of 1962. She has attended L.S.U. where
she is majoring in Music. She was
married on June 14, 1969 to Tommie Jack Finkelstein, who was born on June 10,
1942 and died on July 11, 1975. They
had one child.
1. Elizabeth Ann Moss was born March 2, 1973
and died on July 11, 1975.
2. Artie Ora
Sylvest was born Feb. 4, 1908 at Franklinton, Louisiana. She began her schooling at Bethel and continued
after her family moved to Pineville.
She finished high school at Provencal in May of 1926. She first attended the Louisiana State
Normal College at Natchitoches, but left her schooling to begin work at East
Louisiana State Hospital at Jackson, Louisianaa. She has worked there for over thirty years at this writing in
September of 1967. She was married to
Vivian Rochelle Varnado on May 26, 1933 by Rev. S.G. Pope of Centerville,
Mississippi. Vivian is the son of
Florence Gill Varnado and Luther Varnado of Jackson, Louisiana. He was born June 27, 1904 at Tangipahoa,
Louisiana. Vivian has been employed at
the Ethyl Corporation Plant in Baton Rouge for over thirty years. Artie and Vivian are active in the work of
the First Baptist Church of Jackson where Vivian was converted only about
1960. They own their home there and
show a great deal of interest in maintaining the antiquities of small town home
life. Artie has her heart in the young
peoples’ work of the Jackson Church. They have no children.
3. Vince Edward
Sylvest was born Dec. 4, 1909 at Franklinton.
He finished high school at Provencal then went to Chicago to the Coyne
Electrical School where he finished as a practical electrician. He was married to Florence May Spear on June
29, 1931. This marriage ended in
divorce in January of 1962. He was
married again to Mary Lee Gleason, the widow of Charles W. Gleason of Minden,
Louisiana. Mary is a native Baton
Rougean. This ceremony was performed
Jan. 29, 1962 by Rev. Spurgeon J. Sylvest, a brother. Vince worked for over twenty years as an electrician at Ethyl
Corporation from which he was retired on disability about July 29, 1962. He had three children by the first union.
a. Ralph William
Sylvest was born May 19, 1932 at Provencal.
He was married by Rev. Charles Lamb, a Baptist Minister, to Ivy Marie
McLin of Baton Rouge. The ceremony was
performed at her home on Feb. 2, 1952.
Ivy was born Aug. 12, 1933.
Ralph operates a Car Repair shop as a livelihood in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana. They have four children.
1. Robert William
Sylvest was born Nov. 10, 1952. He was
married on July 18, 1971 to Denise Melvin who was born Oct. 31, 1952. They have three children.
a. Billie Ann
Sylvest was born July 25, 1972. She was
married on April 14, 1990 to Michael D. Sons who was born ___. They divorced on July 2, 1996. They have two children.
1. Michael Bradley Sons was born June 24, 1990.
2. Katelyn Joyce
Sons was born April 4, 1994.
b. Christopher
Sylvest was born Oct. 14, 1970. He is
not married, but has two children by Kara Hilbun.
1. Corey Grant
Sylvest was born July 27, 1992.
2. Jennifer Jo
Sylvest was born May 28, 1994.
c. Diana Marie
Sylvest was born Aug. 5, 1976. She was
married on May 17, 1997 to John W. Donaldson who was born Dec. 25, 1976. They have one child.
1. Tyler Coby Donaldson was born Dec. 16, 1997.
2. Edward Steve Sylvest was born April 1,
1954.
3. James Elton
Sylvest was born April 19, 1956.
4. Ida Marie
Sylvest was born July 17, 1962.
b. Robert Edward
Sylvest was born April 8, 1938 at Mount Hermon. He finished high school at Istrouma in Baton Rouge in May of
1956. He joined the U.S. Navy in late
Summer of that year and served until the heat of the Viet Nam war drove him
home. He was married to Sadie Louise
Perkins, the daughter of Seal and Wesley Perkins of Watson, Louisiana. The ceremony was performed by their Pastor
Rev. Jesse R. White at Emanuel Baptist Church on the Arnold Road East of
Watson. The marriage ended in 1965 as
Robert was attempting to extricate himself from the Viet Nam war. He works with his brother in the car repair
business. He has two sons.
1. John Ward
Sylvest was born Oct. 4, 1962 in Baton Rouge.
He was married on Dec. 15, 1989 to Michelle Marie Dunaway who was born
Nov. 6, 1971. They have two children.
a. Cody Sylvest
was born June 4, 1991.
b. Justin Sylvest
was born Aug. 27, 1994.
2. Nita Sylvest
was born in 1966.
c. Tharen Arline
Sylvest was born Oct. 10, 1940 on Route 1, Mount Hermon, Louisiana. She finished high school at Istrouma in May
of 1958. She then attended Louisiana
College for one year. She transferred
to L.S.U. where she earned her B.S. degree.
She was married to Malcolm Vass of Baton Rouge, on Aug. 30, 1963 by Rev.
H.B. Dean, Pastor of Weller Avenue Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Malcolm is an R.O.T.C. graduate from L.S.U.
and is serving in the U.S. Army in the infantry. They have three children.
1. Susannah
Brooke Vass was born Dec. 27, 1966 at Frankfurt, Germany. She was married on ___ to Darrel Cox who was
born ___. They have two children.
a. Anna Katherine
Cox.
b.
2. Joanna Leslie Vass
was born Oct. 8, 1969.
3. Amy Christin
Vass was born July 29, 1972.
4.
Johnnie Chloe Sylvest was born July 19, 11911. She began school in Pineville and graduated
from high school in Provencal in May of 1929.
She entered training as a nurse at Our Lady of the Lake School of
Nursing and is a registered nurse today.
She has worked at the Baton Rouge General Hospital and Our Lady of The
Lake besides special duty on many cases.
Her last full time employment has been with the Louisiana State
University Infirmary. She was married
on Sept. 21, 1938 to Carl Houston Harris, the son of Henry Harris of Livingston
Parish. The ceremony was performed by
Rev. John Daniel Brown, Pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. They own their home at 2501 Glendale Avenue,
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808. He has
been employed most of his working years with the Gulf State Utilities Company
as an Electrical Engineer. They have
two daughters.
1. Andrew Harris
Abbott was born April 27, 1976.
2. Matthew Wayne
Abbott was born April 27, 1976.
5.
Frank Emanuel Sylvest was born Dec. 11, 1913 at
Franklinton. He began his education at
Pineville and moved to Provencal where he graduated from high school in May of
1930. He had the misfortune of losing
sight of one eye in his youth and because of this was called into limited
service during World War II. He did not
go overseas. After the war, he entered
L.S.U. and earned a degree in Agricultural Economics. He has served as State Health Inspector for Jackson Parish since
soon after his graduation. He was
married on June 29, 1954 to Tommie Louise Holt at Coushatta, Louisiana. Tommie was born at Robeline, Louisiana Oct.
12, 1927. Tommie works in the Jackson
Parish Welfare office. They call
Jonesboro, Louisiana home where they own their home and are active in a local
Southern Baptist Church. They have no
children.
6.
Spurgeon James Sylvest was born July 23, 1914 at
Franklinton, Louisiana. He was the last
child born before his family moved to Pineville, Louisiana. He graduated from Provencal High School in
May of 1932. He worked in Baton Rouge
for a year or more and then became a welder by trade and worked at his trade
for several years. He was called into
the ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention and entered the New Orleans
Baptist Theological Seminary from which he graduated in 1947. He was married by Rev. J.C. Haley, a Baptist
Minister, to Netha Blanche Burleson on Jan. 17, 1939. Netha was born March 11, 1921, the daughter of George Burleson of
Kisatchie, Louisiana. They have three
children.
1. Mark Allen
Hall was born Sept. 21, 1963. He was
married on June 7, 1958 to Sonya Jones Cassidy. They divorced in 1994.
They have one child.
a. Christopher Allen Hall was born Jan. 26,
1993.
2. Donna Carol
Hall was born Oct. 21, 1965. She was
married on Oct. 10, 1987 to John Arthur Britz Jr. who was born ___. They have two children.
a.
Brian Nicholas Britz was born Oct. 8, 1988.
b.
Brandi Nicole Britz was born April 23, 1997
1. Carl Anthony
Sylvest was born Jan. 28, 1965.
2. Andrew Terry
Don Sylvest was born May 29, 1986.
7. Pauline Elizabeth Sylvest was born July 16, 1919 at Pineville. She graduated from Provencal High School in May of 1937. Later she entered nurses training at the Our Lady of The Lake Hospital School of Nursing in Baton Rouge. Her sister was still in training when she began. Upon graduation she entered the U.S. Army Nurses Corp. She was married by Rev. T.T. Williams, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church where they have remained members. The ceremony was performed Sept. 23, 1943. She was married to Michael O’Keefe, the son of Ernest O’Keefe, of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Mike as worked most of his time for an agricultural Chemical concern in Clarksdale. Pauline did special duty nursing for some time and then joined the Mississippi State Board of Health Department. They own their home at 1611 Sansing Street, Clarksdale, Mississippi 38614. They have three children.
a. Laurie Ann
O’Keefe was born Jan. 18, 1948 at Memphis, Tennessee. She is attending college at this writing in 1967. She was married on April 10, 1980 to Phillip
Glen Cauthen who was born July 8, 1952.
They have no children.
b. Michael
Patrick O’Keefe was born Aug. 1, 1949 at Clarksdale. He is attending college at this writing. He was married on April 21, 1971 to Glenda
Sue Graves who was born April 21, 1949.
They have one child.
1. Carrie Greer O’Keefe.
c. Margaret Jane
O’Keefe was born Dec. 15, 1951 at Clarksdale.
She was married on Oct. 23, 1968 to Jerry Ray Strickland. They divorced. They have one child.
1. Samuel O’Keefe Farren was born July 3, 1996.
8. Thomas Ard Sylvest was born Sept. 17, 1925 at Provencal. He finished high school there before entering L.S.U. for one year prior to entering the service during World War II. He served for the duration or until 1945 and upon returning again entered L.S.U. where he remained to earn his degree in Agricultural Economics. Tom was married to Eloise Marie Therese Sobert, the daughter of John D. Sobert at St. Therese Chapel in Abbeville, Louisiana Aug. 5, 1953. They own their home at Port Sulphur, Louisiana, where he is in the personnel Department of the Freeport Sulphur Company. They moved to Gramercy, Louisiana in 1968 where they continued to raise their seven children.
a. Thomas Ard
Sylvest Jr. was born June 7, 1954. He
was married on Sept. 10, 1988 to Kathleen Jewel Breaux who was born Dec. 5,
1959. They have no children.
b. John Sobert
Sylvest was born April 29, 1955. He was
married on Aug. 16, 1980 to Veronica Louise Hebert who was born July 21,
1959. They have four children.
1. Joshua Thomas
Sylvest was born March 31, 1982.
2. Rebecca Louise
Sylvest was born Dec. 16, 1983.
3. Phillip John
Sylvest was born March 3, 1986.
4. David Joseph
Sylvest was born Nov. 1, 1994.
c. Mary Margaret
Sylvest was born July 29, 1957. She was
married on Aug. 29, 1981 to Steve David Folse who was born April 7, 1955. They have three children.
1. Genevieve
Celeste Folse was born July 19, 1982.
2. Kimberly Marie
Folse was born Sept. 29, 1983.
3. Michelle
Claire Folse was born Feb. 7, 1987
d. Catherine Ann
Sylvest was born June 14, 1959. She was
married on May 29, 1982 to Robert Rudolph Schaff who was born Oct. 11,
1957. They have three children.
1. Heidi Elizabeth Schaff was born Nov. 28,
1984.
2. Nicholas Adam
Schaff was born March 2, 1987.
3. Caroline Marie
Schaff was born Nov. 5, 1992.
e. Teresa Louise
Sylvest was born March 30, 1961. She
was married on Jan. 22, 1983 to Larry Miles Pousson who was born Feb. 17,
1959. They divorced ___2000.
They have four children. Teresa
was then married to Anthony “Tony” Dershak.
Tony has three children from a previous marriage. (Listed 5, 6 & 7)
1. Sarah Teresa
Pousson was born Nov. 16, 1985.
2. Benjamin Joel
Pousson was born Sept. 24, 1990.
(Adopted on ___.)
3. Mark Pierre
Pousson was born Jan. 7, 1994.
4. Erin Elizabeth
Pousson was born Sept. 19, 1996
5. Aaron Dershak
was born Sept. 13, 1977.
6. Christopher
Dershak was born Nov. 10, 1980.
7. Kristen
Dershak was born Nov. 10, 1980.
f.
Patrick Joseph Sylvest was born Nov. 30, 1963. He was married on April 28, 1990 to Susan
Elaine Gartley who was born May 17, 1963.
They have two children.
1. Matthew James
Sylvest was born Feb. 1, 1992.
2. Nicole Marie
Sylvest was born Feb. 13, 1995.
g. Paul Jude
Sylvest was born July 12, 1965. He was
married on Jan. 28, 1995 to Cynthia Duval Sylvest who was born on May 23,
1969. They have three children.
1. Lauren Claire
Sylvest was born Oct. 7, 1996.
2. Courtney Lynn
Sylvest was born March 4, 1998.
3. Katie Renee
Sylvest was born March 14, 2001.
9. Ruth Germaine Sylvest was born May 15, 1927 at Provencal. She finished high school at Provencal and then began work with her sister, Artie, at the East Louisiana State Hospital at Jackson. She was married by Rev. Edwin Edward Sylvest, a first cousin to her father and Pastor of the First Methodist Church of St. Francisville, Louisiana on July 15, 1947, in the Church Parsonage to Charles Martin Dear, the son of Charles Martin Dear of Jackson, Louisiana. He was born at Enterprise, Louisiana where they are active in the work of First Baptist Church. They have three children.
a. Charles Martin
Dear Jr. was born June 6, 1949 at Clinton.
He finished high school at Jackson in May of 1967 and has entered
Louisiana Baptist College at Pineville.
He was awarded a merit scholarship.
He was married on ___ to Paulette.
They have one child.
1. Christopher
Dear was born ___. He was married to
Kathy.
b. Marilyn Odessa
Dear was born Aug. 23, 1953 at Clinton, Louisiana.
c. Serena Janette
Dear was born March 24, 1962 at Clinton, Louisiana. She was married on ___ to Charles Hunter. They have one child.
1. Veeka
10. Royce Elton Sylvest was born April 22, 1930 at Provencal. After finishing high school, Royce signed for a stretch in the U.S. Navy. He made one trip aboard ship to shell the coast of North Korea and was happy that this was his full military duty. Upon arriving home from the Navy, Royce entered Louisiana College where he remained to earn his B.S. degree. This seemed rather ironic that only the youngest of this family of Sylvest children was to graduate from Louisiana College when John Dolphus had moved across the state for this purpose. Forty years had passed but a dream had come true for John D. and Minnie Sylvest. Royce majored in Music and became a qualified Song and Church Music Director. When he was awarded his degree, he then went to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to gain a Masters Degree in the subject. He was ordained to the full Gospel Ministry on May 7, 1967 at First Baptist Church of Jonesboro. He was married Sept. 21, 1956 to Martha Andress of New Orleans. They have two sons.
a. David Allen
Sylvest was born Oct. 14, 1958. He was
married on ___ to Kaylon Jo.
b. Daniel Andrew
Sylvest was born Dec. 3, 1963. He was
married on ___ to Claire. They have two
children.
1. Lauren Lee
Sylvest was born Feb. 26, 1995.
2.
E.
Thomas Christopher Sylvest, more affectionately known as
“Chris” was born Aug. 12, 1881 and died July 26, 1962. He was married July 31, 1910 to Frances Edna
Davis who was born April 11, 1891, the daughter of Lauderdale Fletcher Edward
David and Emma Price Davis of Hattisburg, Mississippi. Soon after his father’s death, he became
owner of the old home place where he spent his remaining years. They were active in the work of the Bethel
Baptist Church where he served as Deacon for more than thirty years and as Song
Leader for most of that time. He had a
very resonant Tenor voice. He farmed as
a livelihood in a general way and entered the flourishing Dairy Business in the
1920s. He followed this until his
retirement when he turned the dairying business over to his younger son. They have two sons.
1.
Ulman Sylvest was born July 24, 1911. He finished high school at Franklinton in
May of 1928. He was married Nov. 1,
1935 by Rev. Bryant a Baptist Minister on the Homochitto River Bridge near
Moselle, Mississippi to Marie Bishop of Moselle. They lived in Hattisburg for a few years before following some of
her family to the state of Oregon where he worked as an electrician in an
electrically powered saw mill. They own
a small acreage on the Sylvest Settlement Road West of Franklinton and just
North of his father’s old place. The
address is Route 3, Franklinton, Louisiana 70438. Ulman and Marie had one son.
a. Tommie Lane
Sylvest was born Nov. 7, 1937 at the Methodist Hospital in Hattisburg. He died in a car wreck West of Amite, on
Dec. 1, 1957. He is buried at Bethel.
b. Thomas
Christopher Sylvest Jr. was born July 30, 1917. He finished high school at Franklinton and was married Nov. 20,
1941 by Rev. Barnhill, a baptist minister to Nell Colmer of Hattisburg,
Mississippi. The ceremony was performed
in the bride’s home. T.C., as he is
most affectionately known, has followed in his father’s footsteps in the Dairy
Farming. He acquired his father’s old
place, which in turn belonged to his grandfather, Nehemiah. The address is Route 3, Box 301,
Franklinton, Louisiana 70438. They are
active in the work of Bethel. They had
one son.
1. Ronald Wesley
Sylvest was born March 29, 1945. He
finished high school at Franklinton in May of 1963 as a merit student. He was awarded a scholarship to L.S.U. where
he enrolled in the Fall of 1963. He
died Jan. 5, 1965 from injuries received in a car wreck on Dec. 16. He lies buried at Bethel.
F.
Ontee Sylvest was born Dec. 3, 1883. She is the namesake of her own grandmother
back in Portugal or an Aunt as legend has it.
She attended Gorman School the first high school in Washington
Parish. She was a tall and rather
slender girl and this lends to one kind effort on her part in rescuing two lost
little McDaniel children while she was on her way home. She heard the children crying and decided to
turn aside to find the cause. A boy and
a girl in their first year were going away from their home. Ontee was alert enough to the situation that
she slipped them through a barbed wire fence and to home. The little boy grew up to be Spencer
McDaniel and in turn named one of his children “Ontee.” He is listed in this story and humbly requested
that this bit be told in her honor.
She was
married Dec. 24, 1902 to William Bush of Bogalusa, Louisiana. The early married years of this couple were
spent in Bogalusa where they operated a small general store. During their later years they acquired a
Section of Land astride the Bideco River eighteen miles Southeast of Ponchatoula,
Louisiana. They were able to sell
timber as a livelihood during their final years. They have one son.
1.
Toxie Lee Bush was born Nov. 28, 1903 at Bogalusa,
Louisiana. He is a graduate of Bogalusa
High School and of L.S.U. He spent the
productive years of his life in the teaching profession in the public school
system of our state. He was a High
School Principal most of that time. He
was married by Dr. Roy C. Angel, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge,
to Effie Mullins. Effie is the daughter
of Mr. & Mrs. W.R. Mullins of Baton Rouge.
They owned their home on Cherokee Street in Baton Rouge where Effie grew
up. Toxie and Effie have two children. They live on the Bideco River, Southeast of
Ponchatoula, Louisiana where they also own land.
a. Toxie Lee Bush
Jr. was born July 1, 1932. He was
married Dec. 26, 1956, to Jane Damron, the daughter of Eugene F. and Marcile
Dockery Damron of Baton Rouge. Toxie
Lee is a practicing attorney in Abbeville, Louisiana. Jane Damron Bush is a graduate of L.S.U. with a major in
voice. They own their home at 308
Greenwood, Abbeville, Louisiana
70510. They have four children.
1. Toxie Lee Bush
III was born Sept. 26, 1957.
2. Catherine Jane
Bush was born Jan. 11, 1960.
3. Timothy Bush
was born Aug. 18, 1963.
4. Christopher
Eugene Bush was born March 1970.
b. Effie Lynn
Bush was born Feb. 19, 1937. She earned
her degree at L.S.U. and was married to Edward Fred Williamson Jr., the son of
Fred E. Williamson of Baton Rouge. Fred
earned an electrical engineering degree at L.S.U. He works at his profession at the Crown Zellerbach Corp. Plant in
Bogalusa, Louisiana. They live at 329
Border Street, Bogalusa, Louisiana 70427.
They have two children.
1. Amy Williamson
was born May 1967.
2. Karl Edward
Williamson was born June 9, 1964.
G.
Lenora Washtella, more affectionately known ass Tella, was
born Oct. 24, 1885. She went to school
at Gorman and was married June 9, 1907 by Rev. J. Rolly Schillings to George
Oliver Brumfield who was born Aug. 5, 1878 and died in New Orleans, Louisiana
on April 28, 1941. Tella passed away
Aug. 30, 1961. Her funeral was
conducted by her Pastor, Rev. Howard, at Bethel Baptist Church where she lies
beside her husband. She had been a
charter member of the church where she was a member throughout her lifetime. They have two sons.
a. Max Oliver
Brumfield Jr. was born April 24, 1937.
After finishing high school he served in the U.S. Navy for three
years. He was married to Bettie Jean
Pope by a Justice of the Peace, Mrs. Patterson in Denham Springs, Louisiana on
June 29, 1959. Bettie Pope was born
Sept. 27, 1941 the daughter of James F. and Zula Barron Pope. Their address is P.O. Box 132, St. Bernard,
Louisiana. They have two children.
1. Karen Lee
Brumfield was born Feb. 29, 1960.
2. Max Oliver
Brumfield III was born June 29, 1964.
b. Martha Ann
Brumfield was born March 9, 1942. After
high school she was married to Larry E. Davis on Aug. 27, 1961, by Rev. Minor
R. Dixon, a Baptist Minister at Bethel Baptist Church. He was born Nov. 8, 1938 the son of Ray P.
of Houston, Texas. He is a barber in
Shreveport, Louisiana. They have three
children.
1. Leslie Eugene
Davis was born May 17, 1962.
2. Dee Ann Davis
was born May 28, 1964.
3. Lee Erwin
David was born Oct. 29, 1972.
4. Bert Nehemiah
Brumfield was born Aug. 1, 1915. He is
a graduate of Franklinton High School and Southeastern Louisiana College at
Hammond, Louisiana with a B.S. degree.
He was married by Dr. Richard Whittington, Pastor of the Coliseum Place
Baptist Church of New Orleans, on Dec. 14, 1940 to Mildred Hazel Foy. They have three children and live in Metairie,
Louisiana.
a. Lenora Sue
Brumfield was born March 2, 1942. She
was married Dec. 1962 to Douglas Hubbard of Biloxi, Mississippi who was born
Sept. 22, 1942. They have one child.
(No. 1) They divorced. Lenora Sue married on Jan. 22, 1967 to Leon
Adrian Bailey who was born Oct. 23, 1942.
They have two children. (2
&3)
1. Kristen Lea
Hubbard was born July 17, 1963.
(Kristen was adopted by her step-father.) She was married in 1985 to Robert Capps who was born Nov. 5,
1963. They divorced. She then married on Feb. 1, 1997 to Steven
Michael Pitts who was born Sept. 14, 1969.
a. Candace Lynn
Capps was born June 30, 1986.
b. Brandon
Douglas Bailey was born Feb. 28, 1991
c. Deanna Lenora
Pitts was born May 19, 1998
2. Duane Lee
Bailey was born April 13, 1968. He was
married on May 4, 1996 to Kim Murphy who was born Feb. 14, 1972. They have two children.
a. Dillon Patrick Bailey was born Dec. 12,
1998.
b. Meaghan Milley Bailey was born Aug. 2, 2000.
b. Bert Nehemiah
Brumfield Jr. was born Oct. 7, 1943. He
was married on May 22, 1966 to Tanya Lamborne who was born Sept. 23, 1944. They have two children.
1. Shana Leigh
Brumfield was born Dec. 30, 1966.
2. Michael Wayne
Brumfield was born July 12, 1969.
c. Donald Keith
Brumfield was born Jan. 1, 1962. He was
married on Nov. 22, 1988 to Sharon Gidcumb who was born on Sept. 27, 1965. They have two children.
1. Michael
Lawrence Brumfield was born Aug. 16, 1989.
2. Julia Ann
Brumfield was born Oct. 23, 1997.
1. Truman Walter
Sylvest was born May 14, 1918. He
attended L.S.U. and was called into the U.S. Army during World War II. He made the Normany Invasion where he was
soon wounded out of the conflict for the duration. He was married in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana to Irene Barrios on Feb. 19, 1943.
Irene is the daughter of L.P. Barrios.
They own their home in Denham Springs, Louisiana. Irene works at her profession as a
registered nurse. They have four
children.
a. Barbara Jean
Sylvest was born Jan. 19, 1946. After
finishing high school she entered Southeastern Louisiana College at Hammond,
Louisiana. She was married April 8,
1967 to Glen Barry Wesley of Hammond and Greensburg. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Otis Wesley of Greensburg. The ceremony was peformed in the Immaculate
Conception Catholic Church in Denham Springs.
They have three children.
1. Becky Irene
Wesley was born May 16, 1968. She was
married on June 15, 1991 to Warren Paul Murrell III who was born June 8,
1967. They have three children.
a. Savannah Kate Murrell was born Oct. 19,
1992.
b. Jackson
Beckett Murrell was born April 4, 1996.
c. Brooks Wesley
Murrell was born Feb. 18, 1999.
2. Amanda (Mandy)
Lyn Wesley was born May 2, 1970.
3. Holly Jean
Wesley was born May 6, 1976. She was
married on ___ to Jason Doucet who was born ___. They have one child.
a. Neve Paige Doucet was born March 4, 2000
b. John Truman Sylvest was born Feb. 7, 1947. He was married on Feb. 15, 1969 to Margaret
Richard. They divorced. He married on May 1, 1982 to Diana Stubs who
was born Nov. 21, 1954. They have two
children.
1. John Warren
Sylvest was born April 28, 1983.
2. Lauren Sylvest
was born March 7, 1987.
c. James Warren
Sylvest was born June 23, 1940. He was
married on Dec. 16, 1972 to Karen Marie Chelette. They divorced. He was
married on Aug. 16, 1988 to Sarah Yvonne Peterson who was born March 17, 1940.
d. Janice Irene
Sylvest was born Jan. 1, 1954. She was
married on June 4, 1977 to Douglas Charles Krema who was born April 5,
1949. They have two children.
1. Emily Ann
Krema was born Nov. 28, 1980.
2. Wesley Charles
Krema was born Nov. 8, 1983.
2. James Quinten Sylvest was born Feb. 14,
1920. He has earned a M.E. Degree from
L.S.U. He was married March 25, 1948 to
Ruth Elizbeth Hopper by her Father Rev. John O. Hopper, Pastor of Zoar Baptist
Church, East of Baton Rouge. James and
Ruth have vested their lives in the Educational System of the state of
Louisiana. They have three children.
1. Robert Truett
Sylvest was born Nov. 16, 1950. He was
married on May 28, 1992 to Danielle S. Wyss who was born Jan. 13, 1960. They have two children.
a. Julie Lauren
Sylvest was born April 18, 1998.
b. Michelle
Christine Sylvest was born Jan. 22, 2000
2. James Phillip
Sylvest was born March 18, 1953 and died Oct. 30, 1955.
3. Annette
Elizabeth Sylvest was born Dec. 9, 1955.
3.
Florence Annette Sylvest was born Oct. 28, 1926 at
Weatherford, Texas. She holds a B.S.
Degree from Louisiana College. She was
married at the Parkview Baptist Church in Baton Rouge on Dec. 27, 1947 to Rev.
Minor R. Dixon, a Minister of the Southern Baptist Convention. They have led churches in Louisiana and
Mississippi. They have two children.
a.
Reginald Minor Dixon was born May 29, __. He was married to Janice Roland. They divorced. He was married to Deborah Ashford. They divorced. They have
one child.
1.
Aaron Ashton Dixon was born Oct. 11, 1977. He was married in 1997 to Angell Hymel. They have one child.
a. Ashton Dixon
was born ___.
Reginald married on Feb. 24, 1996 to Tonia Salassi who was born Aug. 4, 1964. They have one child.
2. Stuart Salassi Dixon was born Sept. 7, 1983.
b.
Patricia Ann Dixon was born May 8, 1956. She was married on May 28, 1976 to Keith
Howard Day Sr. who was born Nov. 15,
1955. They have two children.
1. Keith Howard
Day Jr. was born Nov. 17, 1979.
2. Amanda
Mannette Day was born March 20, 1984.
1. Charles
Durwood Sylvest was born May 5, 1922.
After finishing high school at Istrouma, he entered the U.S. Army during
World War II and came home to earn a B.A. degree from L.S.U. He was married on
Feb. 22, 1941 to Amelia Doris Gaudin, the daughter of Alvin Gaudin at St.
Anthony Catholic Church in Baton Rouge by Father Wilfred Knoblock. Charles and Doris have become Baptist and
work with the First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. They own their home at 4940 Whitehaven Avenue, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, 70808. They have three
children.
a. Jerry Dale
Sylvest was born Nov. 8, 1941. She is a
graduate of Baton Rouge High School and attended L.S.U. She was married on July 7, 1959 to Roger
Luis Del Rio who was born Sept. 19, 1940, the son of Ray Del Rio. He also attended L.S.U. They have four children.
1. Elizabeth Del
Rio was born April 25, 1960. She was
married on Nov. 22, 1986 to Jack Christian Winters who was born Aug. 6,
1962. They have three children.
a. Jack Louis
Winters was born June 22, 1987.
b. Julia Marion
Winters was born Aug. 24, 1995.
2. Randal Ray del
Rio was born March 1, 1969. He was
married on July 14, 1995 to Kristin Suzanne Petrie who was born Jan. 9, 1971.
3. Bradley
Charles del Rio was born June 15, 1970.
He was married on June 1, 1996 to Dawn Marie Fogarty who was born Feb.
27, 1969.
4. Dori Amele del
Rio was born March 23, 1973.
b. Charles
Durwood Sylvest Jr. was born June 2, 1944.
He graduated from Lee High School in Baton Rouge before entering L.S.U.
for a term or two. He then transferred
to Southwestern University at Lafayette for a year.
c. Ronald Dane
Sylvest was born Feb. 22, 1954. He is a
student at Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge.
1. Goldie Agatha
Roberts was born Sept. 26, 1916. She is
a graduate of Ponchatoula High School and of training as a Registered
Nurse. She served our country during
World War II in the U.S. Army Nurses Corp. and most of her time overseas. She was married Jan. 27, 1945 by Chaplain
Father James P. Galvin at Essex, England to Milton Thomas Klumpp, the son of
E.J. Klumpp of Mobile, Alabama. Tom is
a golf pro at the Springhill Municipal Park.
They own their home at 261 Dilston Street, Springhill, Alabama. They have four children.
a. Thomas Milton
Klumpp Jr. was born Oct. 8, 1946.
b. Joseph Emil
Klumpp was born July 12, 1949.
c. Ann Velestine
Klumpp was born Dec. 4, 1951.
d. John Roberts
Klumpp was born
2. Winnifred
Lenora Roberts was born March 13, 1919.
She is a 1936 graduate of Ponchatoula High School. She attended Southeastern Louisiana College
at Hammond and earned her B.A. degree.
She has taught school in Iberville and East Baton Rouge Parishes in the
elementary divisions. She was married
by Rev. Woods, Pastor of Ponchatoula Baptist Church on June 6, 1943 to Allen
Beauregard Landry, the son of Caliste and Angelo Landry of White Castle,
Louisiana. Allen was born there on Nov.
11, 1915. Winnie as she is most
affectionately known taught also in Calcasieu Parish for a year or two. They own their home on Clayton in North Baton Rouge. They have four children.
a. Goldie Andre
Landry was born Feb. 28, 1945. She was
married Sept. 19, 1965 to Gordon Scott Viers by Rev. Charles McCullen at
Brookstown Baptist Church in Baton Rouge.
Gordon is the son of Gordon Ray and Dorothy Smerling of Baton
Rouge. He was born Sept. 3, 1945, and
reborn into Christ on Wed. June 28, 1967 where he was baptized at Central
Baptist Church on Greenwell Street where they are active. He is serving in the U.S. Air Force at
present.
b. Jo Allen
Landry was born Feb. 10, 1947. She was
married on __ to Jerry Thacker. They have one child.
1. Koby Allen
Thacker
c. Myrtis Cecile
Landry was born July 31, 1948.
d. Allen
Beauregard was born July 12, 1952.
1. Lawrence Elwyn Sylvest was born Jan. 17,
1926 at Alva, Florida. He graduated
from high school in Franklinton in May of 1943 and he immediately entered the
service of the U.S. Army. He was
married at Bethel Baptist Church on July 23, 1949 by his Pastor Rev. J.D.
McCollister to Nell Frickie, the daughter of George Frickie of
Franklinton. Lawrence and Nell are
active in the Bethel Baptist Church.
They own a farm home just off the Arcola Road on Route 3, Box 298 B,
Franklinton, Louisiana 70438. They have
four children.
a.
Lawrence “Larry” Elwyn Sylvest was born Sept. 18, 1950.
b.
Kathy Lenora Sylvest was born Dec. 1, 1952.
c.
Jeraldine “Jerry” Sylvest was born Nov. 3, 1956.
d.
Rhonda Nell Sylvest was born Dec. 6, 1962.
2. Billie Gene Sylvest was born Sept. 15,
1928. He finished high school at
Franklinton in Mary of 1945 and was married to Jeanette Fisher the daughter of
John Fisher on Feb. 15, 1954. They are
active in Bethel Baptist Church where he serves as a Deacon. He is employed by the local telephone
system. They own their home South of
Franklinton on Route 4, Box 254, Franklinton, Louisiana 70438. They have two children.
a.
Marian Elizabeth Sylvest was born Jan. 1, 1956.
b.
Frankie David Sylvest was born Oct. 9, 1959.
3. Sammie J. Sylvest was born Oct. 16,
1932. After finishing high school at
Franklinton he served in the U.S. Army for a period. He was married to Helen Mulina the daughter of Lester Mulina by
Rev. John Causey, Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church. The ceremony was performed on July 11, 1954. Sammie works for the Gulf States Utilities
Company in the Electrical Dept. in Baton Rouge where they own their home just
off the Hooper Road 8889 Corlett Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70811. They have four children.
a.
Kim Leo Sylvest was born Nov. 5, 1953. (Adopted)
b.
Kenneth Wayne Sylvest was born Oct. 17, 1955.
4. Joe Floyd Sylvest was born March 17,
1934. He graduated from Franklinton
High School and entered the U.S. Army for one stretch. He was married to Charlotte Ann Woodward,
the daughter of F.E. Woodward of 6226 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana
70100 They were married Jan. 13,
1961. They have two children.
a.
Belva Jean Sylvest was born April 7, 1962.
b.
Roxann Sylvest was born Sept. 10, 1963.
5. Freda Marie Sylvest was born May 23,
1938. After high school she worked as a
secretary for a couple of years. She
was married to Enoch Welch by Rev. John Causey, Pastor of Bethel Baptist
Church. He is the son of Milo Welch and
Ruth Knight Welch. Milo Enoch is a
Baptist Minister of the Southern Baptist Convention. He studied for two and one half years at the New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary. They have two
children.
a.
Lynn Marie Welch was born June 28, 1957.
b.
Stephen Enoch Welch was born April 14, 1960.
L. Stevenson Ard Sylvest was born Jan. 28,
1897. He first attended Gorman High
School and entered the U.S. Army during World War I. On his return from the service he went to Florida with his
brother, Cluster. It was there that he
met his wife. He was married by Rev.
W.F. Nolte on June 7, 1925 to Annetta May Cox, the daughter of Robert M. Cox of
Fort Meyers, Florida. He owned some
land and raised a few cattle as a livelihood.
Ard died ___ and is buried at Fort Meyers. They have one son.
1. Robert Stephen Sylvest was born Nov. 27,
1927. He is a career man in the U.S.
Navy and was married to Martha Borah of Minnesota. They have two children.
a.
Janice Roberta Sylvest was born June 14, 1949.
b.
Richard Allen Sylvest was born June 3, 1951.