The History of Evergreen compiled by Sherry Gresham Gritzbaugh "..............And this community of Evergreen's hilly red countryside, fertile and beautiful the tallest trees grow that I have ever seen and the wonderful memories so bountiful." On or about the eighteenth day of February, eighteen hundred ninety Evergreen Baptist Church was constituted with the usual covenant and articles of faith. According to the Concord Baptist Association the founding members were Eld. J.C. Jones, chairman, J. B. Tubb, clerk, P.A. Moore, A. Kitchens and S. P. Leggett. Constituent members: Deacon, Absolum Cason Hamm and wife, Mrs. Pally Gresham Hamm, John R. Ray and wife Mrs. Lucinda Jane Fitts Ray, Mrs. Rebecca Belmira Feazel Redden Gresham, Mrs. Lucinda Jane Fitts Ray, J. F. Puckett, Harrison C. Ray, J.J.C. "Jim" Gilbert, Mrs. Mattie Ray Hicks, John E. Thomas & wife Wilhelmenia "Willie Elmer" Feazel Thomas, Theopholiust H. Ray and wife Margarette Edwards Ray. Evergreen Community being of good farm land and beautiful country had attracted many pioneer settlers which were also among the first families: Tobbie Moore, Garrett Rea, Bill Rea, Bob Rea, William "Bill" Reeves Gene Reeves Mac Huffman Dave Austin Joseph "Joe" Shaw Will McDaniel, Ernest Copeland, Ed Fomby, Wess Pilott, Milam Walker Bob Britton, Odis Wynn, Wiley Anderson Luke Rea, Sr. Willie Reeves L.C. Bagwell Tom Taylor Robert Simpson Lem Brooks Jim Fomby, Sr. S.P.B. Boles Lump Fomby Will Shaver Parker Beasley Weldon Charlie Britton Newt Poland M. Allen Gresham Tom Rea James "Jim" Rea Luke Rea, Jr. Ross Reeves Henry Lowery Joe Sutton Nealy Slatons Jim Fomby, Jr. Will Smith, Jack Hattiway Clem Barham Archie Cruse Manuel Britton Jim "Buck" Wynn Brooks Most of the founding members were still living in 1909 when the composition was written by the Concord Baptist Association. J. F. Puckett was deceased. John E. Thomas was killed after he was licensed to preach. Eld. J. L. Thompson was ordained by Evergreen Baptist Church, also J.H. Jordan, who did well for a while, but in 1906 he had moved to Arkansas and preached heresy, for which the church withdrew fellowship from him. Theoopholiust Rea first appeared in Union Parish records on Sept. 9, 1883 when he acquired land from the estate of Mrs. Adeline Moore. In 1890, he sold one acre of land to the Union Parish School Board. Garrett Rea/Ray was a school teacher & taught at the one room school at Evergreen for about three years when he was elected Superintendent. Miss Sada Carey also taught at Evergreen. The names of the other educators are unknown to the compiler. In 1925 the school board sold the one acre to Evergreen Baptist Church. The Evergreen community did not have a cemetery when the infant child of Mittie Nancy Ray and her husband Wiley Anderson lost an infant on January 10, 1897. This is the oldest grave in the Evergreen Cemetery which was not part of the original acre purchased by the school board or church. On June 21, 1899 a second grandchild of Theopholiust was buried on June 21, 1899. She was the infant daughter of Ada Jordan and W. T. Ray. The cemetery soon became the burial place for Gilbert, Brooks, Glass, Cole, Ham Taylor and Jones. Evergreen was now a community cemetery. Margaret Edwards Rea/Ray died in 1903. Theopholiust lived until 1914. Reazen H. Rea inherited the land and cemetery. When he died in 1965, Mrs. Hattie Rea Austin, Mr. Durwood Rea, Mr. Otis Rea, and Mrs. Laverne Reeves legally donated the land the cemetery was on to Evergreen Baptist Church. The fence for the cemetery was purchased by the money from the oil leases, Mr. Ross Reeves bought and paid for the paint to brighten up the fence, Cortez "Jake" Gresham, Jim Austin, Ross Reeves, Mrs. Hattie Rea Austin, Mrs. Inez Austin Simpson, Mrs. Florence Simpson, and Benny Simpson were among those who donated their time and labor. Mr. T. T. Fields donated enough land to make the cemetery into a square. The picture behind the choir and pulpit was painted by Mr. Randy Reeves in memory of his grandmother, Mrs. Lois Reeves. Donations were made by members, friends and former members for perpetual care of the cemetery. With the fence around the enlarged area the cemetery is almost twice as large as it once was. There is a designated parking area in front of the cemetery. The community of Evergreen dates back to the days of isolated settlements in the Middle Ford area. Before the church was built, families would sometimes worship in private homes. Cool seasons the church was heated by a wood burning stove. In the summer, fans were passed out. Often Sunday school met outside under a cool breeze. The building for the first church was constructed for the school. John E. Thomas sawed lumber for the walls of the first church and school before his death in 1898. Some of those foot wide planks are still in use today. The building was on rock foundation, the side had two windows. This one room building had a dirt floor. Planks were placed on blocks from trees. This is where the children of Evergreen studied. On Sunday it became Evergreen Baptist Church. The building has been described as being thirty by thirty-six feet, with a pulpit, two doors, and three long plank benches on each side. Family groups would come to church in wagons drawn by horses. Often dinner would be held on the ground. Sometimes they would meet and sing. As a child growing up in the Evergreen Community the old-timers often spoke of the fun and deep meaningful worship they shared at these gatherings. Around 1904 the second building was erected. It still served as both a school and church. This building had eight windows and one side door with double doors in front. In 1937 a storm blew this building down. It was patched up and still used as a church. In 1920 the schools of Evergreen, Buckley and Mt. Patrick were consolidated and Union Gin School was built. It was after this that the school board sold the one acre to Evergreen Baptist Church It was not unusual for the pioneer families to walk three miles to attend church services. Many fond memories will always linger as the first three churches were financed by the people of the community and built by their own labor. The new building is a cinder block-building which was contracted out to Glenn Holloway. Willie Simpson and two helpers lay the blocks. Rannie Terrell of Farmerville, contracted the pouring of the cement slab for the church. The members built the church with two experienced carpenters to guide them, Earl Simpson and Ross Reeves. By the time the church was completed, members, former members, friends and business made donations that paid for the church in full. The building is thirty-two by sixty feet. Willie Reeves donated the slab and a carpet runner down the floor isle to the pulpit, while his family donated the carpet inside the church. The church signs were made and donated by Waymon and Violet Glass. The pulpit was donated by Mr. Horton. Mrs. Cassie Poland donated black walnut wood which was cut by Joe Reeves for the pulpit. Mr. Horton was heir of the property which was known as "The old Brooks Place." A large table and two flower stands were made by hand. There are different levels built for the choir and refinished seats from the old Bernice Theater were donated by Mr. & Mrs. Henry Colvin of Bernice. Elmer Spencer and Hubert Reeves drove many miles collecting for the church. When the compiler wrote this history in 1969 the oldest living members were her great grandmother, Mrs. Mittie Nancy Rea Anderson and Mrs. Ellen Ray Lowery. Mrs. Anderson was the widow of Wiley Anderson. Mrs. Lowery was the widow of Daniel Lowery. Both were the granddaughters of Theopholiust H. Rea. When this history was written in 1969 the deacons were Marshall Moore, Willie Reeves, Hubert Reeves, Fred Reeves and L.C. Bagwell who also kept the cemetery records for twenty-five years. Past deacons were Theopholiust H. Rea, Marcelleous Allen Gresham, Jim Glass and William "Bill" Reeves. Willie Reeves and L.C. Bagwell were ordained at the same time in August of 1932 during a revival held by Carlos Rockett and Duff Smith. Fred Reeves and Marshall L. Moore were ordained at the same time by Rev. Ira Aulds. Evergreen is unique in her history, as many descendants of the founding fathers still worship and live in the Evergreen Community.

Hazel---Yes, I very well remember Stanley and Thelma....Stanley was my first cousin (Martha Heard Firzgerald was his mother) and Thelma was a cousin further down the line....Her dad and my mother were first cousins.....Great Aunt Martha Grafton was a sister to my grandmother, Mary Webster Heard. I remember that they told of counting cousinship before they would approve of that two marrying..... Further news on our family. Cull Senn (Annie Heard Senn's baby child) who was ca 83 died the 3rd of February and was buried at Spearsville. Tuesday the 13th , his wife Esther died and is being buried beside him. She was brought to his funeral in a wheel chair and only lasted 10 more days. From Ephraim Q. and Mary Webster Heard there were 32 grandchildren and there are only 5 of we first cousins left. Victor A. LaFave of ElPaso, Tx (Brooksie Mae Heard LaFave) who is 80, Elaine Heard Elliott who will be ?? in March (Charles E. & Pinkie Weldon Heard); then Mary Margaret Selig-Trahan will be 78 in March(Emma/Maria Ophelia Heard Selig) ; Mary Alyce Heard Roberson(same parents as Elaine) who will be 78 in May and my brother Thomas Heard Selig(same parents as mine) who turned 70 last December. mary margaret ----- Original Message ----- From: HAZEL W. CRAIG <hwctodd@aeneas.net> To: <LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 7:06 PM Subject: Farmerville Gazette url > Thank you very much for the Farmerville Gazette web site. > > Mary Margaret your Down Memory Lane were my footsteps in the 30's. > Did you know Stanley Fitzgerald and wife Thelma Grafton?? They were my > GodParents.. They kept me in 1929 while my mother was at Ruston having > surgery. > I started 1st. grade that fall with Mrs. Clarice Thaxton as teacher. She > was the best. > > Hazel Welch Craig.. >

Thank you very much for the Farmerville Gazette web site. Mary Margaret your Down Memory Lane were my footsteps in the 30's. Did you know Stanley Fitzgerald and wife Thelma Grafton?? They were my GodParents.. They kept me in 1929 while my mother was at Ruston having surgery. I started 1st. grade that fall with Mrs. Clarice Thaxton as teacher. She was the best. Hazel Welch Craig..

Those wanting to keep current on Union Parish happenings will be delighted to find that The Gazette has now gone online. The url is http://www.farmervillegazette.com. Roy

Thank you Roy for letting us know about this website. This is a very good thing to have. mary margaret selig-trahan ----- Original Message ----- From: <RoyL0126@aol.com> To: <LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 4:52 PM Subject: Farmerville Gazette Now Online > Those wanting to keep current on Union Parish happenings will be delighted to find that The Gazette has now gone online. The url is http://www.farmervillegazette.com. > > Roy >

Hi gang, I've added three cemeteries, thanks to Gene Barron and Gina Sherrard - Antioch, Canaan, and Pearson three marriages thanks to Shawn Martin - Seals/McAdams, Taylor/McAdams, McAdams/??? three "memory lane" stories, thanks to Maradee Cryer, Sherry Gritzbaugh, and Charles McGough A book (!!) - thanks to Roy Austin - it's in the Parish History Section - Jonathan Milner, Pioneer Preacher, 1834 - 1919 Another history of Shiloh church, thanks to Shawn Martin Still have 38 obits waiting in the wings, thanks to Roy Austin, Shawn Martin, and Gina Sherrard - will try to get to them tomorrow night. Karen

As a subscriber of Gresham Anyway You Spell It edited by Carol Grisham Byrom, I received Vol. 16 No. 1, Jan. 2001 issue today and learned that Mrs. Mary Jane Steinhagen had passed away in September. Her Gresham/Grisham/Grissom lineage sheet was published again on page 2. Many Union Parish, Louisiana researchers descend from Jeremiah Grisham. For those who would like a copy of this issue you could E-mail the editor at: CarolByrom@AOL.com or send a fax to (817) 626-2315. Back issues are available at eighteen dollars per volume. It is remarkable that Jeremiah Grisham, John Ferguson and Mr. Huey all served in the Revolutionary war. Jeremiah was born on or about 20 September 1753 in Virginia. Jeremiah lived to be one hundred years old. All three of these Revo. War soldiers came to Louisiana from Chester County, South Carolina and left many descendants in North Louisiana. Sherry Gresham Gritzbaugh

In a message dated 2/12/01 12:20:54 PM, Gritzbaugh@aol.com writes: << The interesting thing about the Middlefork Swamp road which Maradee mentioned in her memories was the bridge that seperated Union and Lincoln Parish. The Lincoln Parish road had been blacktoped. >> I well remember this wooden bridge but never knew it was the Parish line. As a child I feared crossing it because it was so ricketty. My cousin, Dr. Sammy Liggin, likes to tell a story of how his father, John Lewis Liggin and several of his brothers (one was my grandfather William Thomas LIggin) would hide in the woods near this bridge and wait for a young man who was going down the road to "court" his young lady. They would start making strange sounds and spook the young man who would start to run, sometimes all the way home . Below is an exerpt from a family history that my mother wrote from the writings of John Lewis Liggin. .................................................................. This beginning of school was the summer of 1887. "I had passed my sixth birthday. My parents thought it time I had some schooling. My mother had taught me the alphabet at home. So with my Blue Back Speller I made my way a mile or more to school. all the other children were older than I, and had attended school before. I was the only real beginner." What school was this? Several families had cleaned up the old Liggin log house, long vacant, made a few crude benches, and hired Ollie Culpepper, a sixteen year old girl, and cousin to the Liggins, for a teacher. She was understanding and sympathetic when the older pupils laughed at the little boy. Before long little John Lewis was the favorite of all, delighting them with his oral spelling, and reading from the Blue Back Speller, the only book he had. TEACHERS IN THE EARLY SCHOOL YEARS The following winter a young 18 year old man named Clarence Ives came to teach, boarding with the sheepman, Levi Liggin. Young Ives was later to have a distinguished career as an educator, to become Dean of the College of Education at LSU. Years later when Clarence Ives and John Lewis Liggin met as retired teachers, Professor Ives would say, "Here is my old frined Lig," I taught this fellow his ABS's." ......................................................................... Maradee Liggin Cryer

Roy - Thanks for the info and the antecdote!!! - Leah

Shawn - Thanks for your info! I never did understand why the family had business and ties in both places !!! - Leah

Not only was El Dorado sometimes closer, but I believe that Arkansas either did not have a waiting period (as did Louisiana) or the marrying age was lower. I've heard tell that when a young couple was going to elope the man would have the girl get out of the car and walk across the state line. Once on the Arkansas side, she would get back into the car and off they'd go to El Dorado. I believe it had to do with carrying a minor across state lines and all the legal issues associated. Roy

Jack, In some cases El Dorado was closer than going to Farmerville. Also, it could have had something to do with the thrill of going to a bigger city to get married. Both of my grandparents were born and raised in Union Parish, LA, but they got married in Union Co., AR. I just check the marriage records for Union Co., AR on the website and found several DeShazo and Milam marriages and a lot of Brasher, Brashier, and Brasier marriages. Good luck in your search. Shawn Martin

Does anyone have any recollection of any Brasher or DeShazo families? Also, why did many couples go to Eldorado, Arkansas to get married? My grandfather Milam married Mittie Ola Brasher about 1914, I am sure either in Marion near there but can't find a record although a find an earlier marriage in Marion. Thanks! Jack Milam

Dear List, You guys are wonderful. It may take me to the end of March to get everything you've sent onto the archives, but it will get there believe me! Gina, bless her heart, is now sending the obits with the subject line: "Incoming!!" And you won't believe what all Roy Austin just offered up - he's going to keep me busy to the end of summer! Karen

I have a lot of Union Parish memories, since I still live in Union Parish, at Spencer of the southeast corner of the Parish. What I am remembering is my grandfathers place at Shiloh. My Grandfather and grandmother, Minor and Mittie Reagan, lived about a quarter mile east of the Shiloh Church toward Farmerville. I remember the Allbritton store very well. There was a family of Graftons that lived between grandfather's house and the church. I can't remember their names. When I stayed with them in the summers mobile grocery store, in a truck, that stopped by once a week. Grandmother had a sister Lyda Moore(her husband was Joe Moore) that lived a couple of miles northwest of Shiloh. I remember one summer my uncle Marvin Reagan and I real excited because uncle Joe and aunt Lyda were having a pond built. I also remember riding in the back of granddad's old pick-up truck to Bernice. We would always go to the drug store and get a fountain Coke. Wash days, boiling clothes in the cast iron wash pot, with a wood fire. Scrubbing them on a rub board, rinsing in three washtubs and hanging them out to dry. The next day was ironing day. Heating the cast iron irons on the wood stove. On the way home from Shiloh we would stop to visit with either my dad's uncle Will Hudson's or dad's sister Hazel Pace. Charles McGough

I have had severe computer problems for several weeks now and was only able to view the archives just a few minutes ago. What a wonderful surprise! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the work that has been done on this site. There were three wonderful photos of my Aunt Ora (one of my mother's older sisters) and her husband Uncle Feb. Aunt Ora was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Howell and Nancy Ellen Raborn and was one of 7 children. Again, thanks for all the wonderful being done on this site. Ruth Stout

My Walk Down Memory Lane How well I remember Albritton Store. He had some very old calendars hanging inside. His store always fascinated me. I would love to have a photograph of that old store. Maradee Liggin Cryer mentioned Middlefork Swamp in her memories. As a child. I recall the baptisms being held where the Middlefork bridge is. Can you imagine what might have been lurking in those waters? I have an oil painting of Middlefork hanging in my living room. It was painted from a photograph. I also remember the feed sack dresses. Some of them were really pretty. Quilting paries were also fun. The ladies would exchange squares they had made. This was called a friendship quilt. In 1942 the first and second graders were in the same room. Mrs. Edna Tabor Jernigan taught both grades. There was a little Albritton girl who was in the second grade. My memory has grown dim and I am unable to recall her name. I do remember those big round yellow pencils the first graders were required to write with. Do you remember those? The interesting thing about the Middlefork Swamp road which Maradee mentioned in her memories was the bridge that seperated Union and Lincoln Parish. The Lincoln Parish road had been blacktoped. My grandfather once told me he suspected the Union Parish officials wanted their residents to shop in Bernice rather than Dubach. For this reason the blacktop stopped at the bridge and the Union Parish side was still a country dirt road. I still remember the red clay used to make the chimneys on some of the homes in the Evergreen Community. The Gresham family enjoyed exchanging stories while they set around the fireplace on a cold winter evening. My favorite was the one told about my great Uncle Ben Feazel. He enjoyed fishing off the Middlefork bridge. On his way home, he would drop a water- melon seed in the burned out stumps. The next year the fisherman would always have a melon to eat. How many of you remember the boardwalk and the train depot? Thank you for the walk down Memory Lane. Sherry Gresham Gritzbaugh

The Albritton Store As a small child in the late forties and early fifties I remember Albritton's Store. This was a small country store located a short distance down the road from us. The Albritton property backed to our land. There was a road that turned at the store that went through Middlefork Swamp and on to Dubach. My great aunt Bertha Tabor Fomby lived directly across from the Albritton store. I often could hear Mrs. Albritton calling her cows in the late afternoon. Every woman had a slightly different way of calling their cows or their chickens. All the men, most of whom were farmers, would gather at the Albritton store in the late afternoon. They would grab a coke, or a chew of tobacco, or light a cigarette and sit out on the long bench located along one outside wall of the store. Then the exchange of local gossip would begin. I can still see them, the bench would be cocked back at an angle and they would all have their backs to the wall, a wall that contained a giant drawing of a Coca-Cola ad. Usually a woman drinking a coke or (near Christmas) it would be Santa. As a child I was fascinated by the "cool" way the men held their cokes. Sort of casually by the neck and down by their sides. Occasionally they would take a long drink. Also they would buy salted peanuts and put these into the coke bottle. One reason for this daily trip to the store was to pick up the mail. It was not delivered to individual houses but to the store. Everyone knew when someone got a big package. It was like the "party-line" on the telephones in the neighborhood. There was never just the two people on the phone line. I remember my mother saying that she called my aunt and had a neighbor (also listening on the line) say that Frances had just left for the store. Everyone knew everyone else's business but no one minded much. I also remember the smell of the store. Gasoline mixed with soap and tobacco. My mother would buy a large hunk of hoop cheese every week. Mr. Albritton would take the large wooden cheese box down from the shelf and cut a slice to her request. Near the cheese were boxes of Prince Albert tobacco that came in little cloth bags. My grandmother made a quilt out of some of these bags. She dyed them various pastel colors and opened up the side seams. One of my sisters has this quilt today. She also has a quilt that various of the neighborhood ladies made...each quilting a different square of their design and embroidering their names into the square. A living memory of the neighborhood. Most of our food came from the garden we had and the cows and pigs that we raised. There wasn't much to buy at a store. For this reason the store was not large at all. Even to me as a child it seemed very small. It was more of a neighborhood gathering place. A place to exchange news. The Albrittons lived in a large house near the store. The house is still there....the store was torn down years ago after Mr. Albritton died. Maradee Liggin Cryer

I am looking for info on the Fomby Family. My gg grandparents were John Thomas POWELL and Annie Eliza COPLEN. Both of them had a sister to marry a Fomby. Buena Vista Jane POWELL married ??? FOMBY Lizzie Neel Bella COPLEN married Wilson Lump FOMBY I know that Buena Vista POWELL was born in 1849 in Tallapoosa County, ALA. The Powells did live in Union Parish before they moved on to Texas. If they moved on to Texas or stayed in Louisiana, I do not know. Lizzie and W L Fomby are buried in Shiloh Cemetery in Union Parish. They both were born in 1871. He died in 1952 and she died in 1968. . Thanks ******************************* Gaylon L Powell Austin Texas gaylon@flash.net *******************************

My Langston relatives (John, James, perhaps Reuben and Jacob and families) were living in Union parish durng the mid-19th century, as well as Winn parish. Some of them left for Arkansas during the Civil War, but others stayed in the area. I've never connected with any living relatives of this Langston line, but would love to. I'd appreciate knowing about any of these kin. Thanks, Scott Langston