A special tribute to Alma Augusta Parker and Solomon Long
Alma was the oldest daughter of Susie Ida Harris Parker and Luther Noah Parker. She was born on her father's farm, in what is now Bivens, Cass County, Texas in 1900. She was the first of Elisha Parker's descendants born in East Texas. It would be up to Alma to keep the memory of her father, Noah, alive for her younger siblings. She was only eight when her father died from an injury puncturing a lung that left him with respiratory complications. My Grandmother, Willie Mae, spoke of her sister, Alma as an affectionate person. Saying she had great affection for their father and his memory.
Alma and Solomon married in 1916. They took in her younger sisters, Verna, Eunice, and Mae, for a time, while her mother, Susie and stepfather, James Swearengin, took the younger boys with them as they followed the oil field work throughout East Texas. Alma was the strength behind the religious conversion of her mother and sisters to Pentecost. The old Pentecostal Revivals of Good Exchange would forever shape the world of Alma and her sisters Willie Mae and Verna. My Grandmother said Alma and Solomon lived "up the road a ways" from her birthplace
Susie Ida, Luther Noah & Alma, 1900
Alma and Solomon Long
They farmed her birthright, at the crossroads, next to her sisters. Mae said, Alma was everyone's mothering "aunt". She helped raise her 3 sisters and younger brothers and her own very large family. Alma and Solomon's family was very large, 10 children in all;. Ila Mae; Opal Inez; Futrella Irene; Solomon Elias, Jr; Norwood Rex; James; Ellen A.; Nathan Leroy; Mary Sue; and Joseph. Her house was always full of children. Yet, there always seemed to be room for a few more children at the table for biscuits and gravy
I recently attended the Alma and S.E. Long family re-union at Roy Longs'. I know Alma would be she very happy that her very large family has remained close through the years. And as always there is room for one more at the table. I would like to share some very special memories from her children and grand children.
Judy Pullen remembers that "Granny and Papa always sat in the afternoon on the porch, rocking". We would play card games like Go Fish and Rummy, but Granny and Papa did not approve. They thought they were evil. They sent us to the barn to look for eggs and when we came back the cards were gone. They told us that maybe Jesus sent someone to take them. I loved to hear Papa sing. He had a beautiful voice and it was loud. I still hear it when we sing those songs in church. He was my strongest example of how a Christian lives. Thanks to him , my family are all strong Christians."
Visiting cousins Doris Strong and Irene Griffin
"Doris Stevenson remembers "Papa Long being so Big. He seemed so tall to me. He was so tall . I can remember sitting in Papa's lap in his chair and Papa pretending to be to sleeping. I would put my finger on his top lip and he would snap at it. I felt it was our private game."
Linda Pulliam writes, " I was the first grandchild born in the family and probably a little spoiled. I was crushed when she spanked me! She probably hit me lightly once, but I thought I was killed. My offense was that I had again lifted the front of the piano to reach the hammers to make them strike the strings."
Ila Mae and Opal remember the camping trips. "Before we could go fishing, everything had to be done. We worked the land. Once we slept on wood pallets around the camp fire. Papa knew all the sounds of the night.like the old Hoot owl, Screech owl, and bull frog. It was a game each time we asked 'What is it'."
Granny always told me not to say 'I bet' and Papa wasalways saying 'Hallelujah' ---'Praise the lord' as he worked around the house. They were very Godly Grandparents. I thank God for my heritage."
"My Papa was a man of God if ever one lived. Everytime he sat down to eat, he prayed. Often he spoke the words ' Lord we thank you. God we praise your name. . .' , always in a loud voice. When he visited us in Oklahoma after Granny died, our family stopped at a restaurant to eat on the way home, Papa began to pray, The restaurant grew strongly quiet and some began to leave, but, Papa never noticed."
The Family Re-Union for the Descendants of Alma Parker Long and Solomon Long was a great success. It was an opportunity to meet many of the younger generation
NEWS
The annual Harris/Weemes Family Re-Union was a great success. Each year the extended family expands. It would be great to have representatives of each branch of the descendants of Joel and Paulena Harris attend next year's Harris Family Re-union.
L.D. Varnell, Debra Buster, Jack & Lillian Varnell L.D.& Jack are grandson's of Susie & Luther Noah Parker
Ina Pearson, Avis Newman, & Vivian Weeks, Daughters of Grover C. & Margot Harris 1997 Harris ReUnion
Research Highlights
I recently met another Megginson cousin. Tom was very helpful with family history information on the Megginson's back to the Revolutionary War period. His research has determined the connection to the Goode family and Randolph families of early Virginia. I am looking forward to pursuing his line of research. However, it will be some time before I can get to it. If anyone would like copies of the Megginson family information to work on please call me.
Julia Elizabeth King Megginson
was Joel C. Harris' mother. She was the daughter of Samuel Megginson and Catherine Mask. An excerpt from a letter written by Gladys Phillips, is a great beginning for the Megginson lineage research. "The old Megginson home place was located on Sandy Creek (Penton-Milltown area) near where my mother and father lived in 1900. They were always neighbors to the Megginsons. I am Gladys Phillips, .... grew up near Sandy Creek, between Penton and Pleasant Grove, all the Megginson's grew up there and the Harris family.... I have a warrant signed by Isom Harris in 1858.(This was Isham David Harris, Joel's father.)... The Harris family was dark skinned but the Megginson's family was light, blond, blue eyed".Ray Johnson ,grandson of Isom Harris (the younger son of Isham David Harris and Julia Megginson) wrote " Julia K. Megginson Harris is buried at the Pleasant Grove Church Cemetery in the Union Hill community of Chambers County. AL." Her son Isham/Isom David Harris and his first wife Annie Corine Turnham are also buried there.
If you are interested in helping with research I have a great deal of information but very little time to confirm all of the letters, census records. Etc. There is a xerox of a very old graveyard that needs to be restored. I have all vital records on most of the descendants of Joel Harris and Paulena Moore. I have a copy of the Descendants of John Parker and Sarah Gordy which includes extensive research on the Parkers. If there is information you would like that is not found in the newletter , please ask. I don't include a lot of vital specifics in the issues on the internet.
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Debra Buster, or, write to Debra Buster PO Box 683246, Houston, Tx 77268.This web page hosted by GEOCITIES.COM GET A FREE HOME PAGE