John Washington Wells born 21 January 1886 in Hamilton Co., Florida son of Jacob Holden Wells and Mary Beard Freeman. Mary Beard Freeman Wells born 18 August 1848 died 3 September 1933. Perhaps, the paupers grave at Limona cemetery that you mention is that of Mary Beard Freeman Wells. A death certificate might reveal whether she was buried there. John W. Wells & Clara Vashti Hiers were married 10 November 1910 in Savannah, Georgia. They had Sarah Frances, John Desmond and June Ouida Wells. They made their home in Palm River, Hillsborough Co., Florida.

Yes, the unmarked pauper's grave at Limona is that of Mary Beard (Freeman) Wells. Ouida told me the story of her death, wake, funeral and burial. "Jack" as he was always called, and Clara, married at her sister's home at 409 W. 40th St, Savannah, GA. They were both living in Tampa, she had come down to live with and help out her brother and sister-in-law, who had opened a boarding house/hotel (the Hiers Hotel); one of the boarders was Jack, and that's how they met. He took her to Walterboro to officially, formally ask her father for her hand. Without pulling out my notebook, I recall her father had about 23 children by his two wives, so he was not hesitant to give his blessings. They went to Savannah and married at Clara's sister's home. It was Depression era, times were awful, they moved around trying to find work and help out other family members with crops and illnesses, and Tampa-Walterboro visits were frequent. Several of Jack & Clara's infants who did not survive are buried at Walterboro. You did not list their first child, John St. Elmo Wells, b. 10-8-1911 in Savannah, GA and died 10-20-1912 in Savannah, GA, where he is buried. Frankie was born in Statesboro, GA, John DESMOND in Savannah (he just passed last year), and Ouida was born at Lewis' Tent City, St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co, FL. The family counts eleven stillborns between Desmond and Ouida. We found two cemeteries in Walterboro where the Hiers family are buried but the most notable is the cemetery just off the interstate and down the road from the church. Clara's grandfather, Solomon Jefferson Hiers donated the land and $ for both, so there is a little sign at the cemetery entrance gate in thanks of his gift. Clara's father was George Harlie Hiers (spelled Harlie, tho other family members w/that name spell it Harley). Row after row of Hiers buried there.The museum that is now housed in what was the old jail has a lot of history books for purchase and the volunteers are great. We went to the library but, as fate would have it, they were in the process of moving into a new building and all the genealogical/historical info was packed & stored for six months. This has been a couple of years now, but at that time, they did not have computers. One of Ouida's granddaughters named her son Jordan, after Mary Frances Jordan, Clara's mother, wife of George Harlie. The book has her name as Mary Elizabeth, but it was Mary Frances, as Clara named Frankie (Frances) after her mother. I have a copy of Clara's Family Bible and some of the family photos. I had a double connection in Walterboro, as my first husband has family there also, the Chaplin family. I study that line for our children. I have the book "Tombee, Portrait of a Cotton Planter," by Rosengarten, that contains much of the Chaplin history and explains the St. Helena Island-Walterboro connection, and also helped with Walterboro history on both lines. Small world. What is your connection to the Hiers? Sue At 04:08 AM 10/16/02 -0400, you wrote: >John Washington Wells born 21 January 1886 in Hamilton Co., Florida son of >Jacob Holden Wells and Mary Beard Freeman. Mary Beard Freeman Wells born 18 >August 1848 died 3 September 1933. Perhaps, the paupers grave at Limona >cemetery that you mention is that of Mary Beard Freeman Wells. A death >certificate might reveal whether she was buried there. > >John W. Wells & Clara Vashti Hiers were married 10 November 1910 in Savannah, >Georgia. They had Sarah Frances, John Desmond and June Ouida Wells. They made >their home in Palm River, Hillsborough Co., Florida. > > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, >go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Hi Suebod, You are so blessed to know so much about your heritage! I can't even get past my grandparents on any side! I have hearsay, bits & pieces. So hear goes, maybe someone out there knows this family.... My grandma was b. Pency Mae Davis 1907, Baker Co. Fl. Her mother is believed to have been an Altman. I have no idea who she was, but do know she had a 2 sisters, Rhoda, Ada & brother John Altmans??? Rhoda lived in Plant City in 1936. Hicks was her last name then, heard she married a few times. She had her grandma/ mother?? living w/ her then. This old (at least 97-100 y.o) woman died within the next few years. I'm told she was a Cherokee indian, whom m. an Altman. i 'm told they never had problems w/ indians on their homestead cuz of her heritage. That's about the extent of my knowledge... except i was told she lived to be 109. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this. Tery Bell ----- Original Message ----- From: "suebod" <suebod@tampabay.rr.com> To: <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 10:16 AM Subject: Re: [FLHILLSB] Fernandez, Hiers, Jarrell, Llanes, Miller, Nelson, Noyes, Pu... > Yes, the unmarked pauper's grave at Limona is that of Mary Beard (Freeman) > Wells. Ouida told me the story of her death, wake, funeral and burial. > > "Jack" as he was always called, and Clara, married at her sister's home at > 409 W. 40th St, Savannah, GA. They were both living in Tampa, she had come > down to live with and help out her brother and sister-in-law, who had > opened a boarding house/hotel (the Hiers Hotel); one of the boarders was > Jack, and that's how they met. He took her to Walterboro to officially, > formally ask her father for her hand. Without pulling out my notebook, I > recall her father had about 23 children by his two wives, so he was not > hesitant to give his blessings. They went to Savannah and married at > Clara's sister's home. It was Depression era, times were awful, they moved > around trying to find work and help out other family members with crops and > illnesses, and Tampa-Walterboro visits were frequent. Several of Jack & > Clara's infants who did not survive are buried at Walterboro. > > You did not list their first child, John St. Elmo Wells, b. 10-8-1911 in > Savannah, GA and died 10-20-1912 in Savannah, GA, where he is buried. > Frankie was born in Statesboro, GA, John DESMOND in Savannah (he just > passed last year), and Ouida was born at Lewis' Tent City, St. Petersburg, > Pinellas Co, FL. The family counts eleven stillborns between Desmond and Ouida. > > We found two cemeteries in Walterboro where the Hiers family are buried but > the most notable is the cemetery just off the interstate and down the road > from the church. Clara's grandfather, Solomon Jefferson Hiers donated the > land and $ for both, so there is a little sign at the cemetery entrance > gate in thanks of his gift. Clara's father was George Harlie Hiers (spelled > Harlie, tho other family members w/that name spell it Harley). Row after > row of Hiers buried there.The museum that is now housed in what was the old > jail has a lot of history books for purchase and the volunteers are great. > We went to the library but, as fate would have it, they were in the process > of moving into a new building and all the genealogical/historical info was > packed & stored for six months. This has been a couple of years now, but at > that time, they did not have computers. > > One of Ouida's granddaughters named her son Jordan, after Mary Frances > Jordan, Clara's mother, wife of George Harlie. The book has her name as > Mary Elizabeth, but it was Mary Frances, as Clara named Frankie (Frances) > after her mother. I have a copy of Clara's Family Bible and some of the > family photos. > > I had a double connection in Walterboro, as my first husband has family > there also, the Chaplin family. I study that line for our children. I have > the book "Tombee, Portrait of a Cotton Planter," by Rosengarten, that > contains much of the Chaplin history and explains the St. Helena > Island-Walterboro connection, and also helped with Walterboro history on > both lines. Small world. > > What is your connection to the Hiers? Sue > > > At 04:08 AM 10/16/02 -0400, you wrote: > >John Washington Wells born 21 January 1886 in Hamilton Co., Florida son of > >Jacob Holden Wells and Mary Beard Freeman. Mary Beard Freeman Wells born 18 > >August 1848 died 3 September 1933. Perhaps, the paupers grave at Limona > >cemetery that you mention is that of Mary Beard Freeman Wells. A death > >certificate might reveal whether she was buried there. > > > >John W. Wells & Clara Vashti Hiers were married 10 November 1910 in Savannah, > >Georgia. They had Sarah Frances, John Desmond and June Ouida Wells. They made > >their home in Palm River, Hillsborough Co., Florida. > > > > > >============================== > >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > >go to: > >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >