Facts and events
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MARRIAGE OF MILAM, WILLIAM JONAS AND GARRETT, MARY JANE
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State: Texas Country: United States of America |
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From http://www.fortunecity.com/millennium/celesteville/170/his_mipe.htm William Jonas Milam was born April 5, 1858 in Alabama. On January 11, 1881 he married Mary Jane Garrett, who was born on October 24, 1857 in Atlanta, Georgia. She was called "Molly" by the family. They were married in Fayette County, Texas with Justice of the Peace C. D. Barnett performing the wedding. They lived in Weimer, in Colorado County, for the first 10 years or so of their marriage. The first 4 children were born there. The other three were born in Waller county. William, Ben Garrett and W.C. Munn grew up together as boys in Weimer and became life long friends. W. C. Munn was a well known (in the 1920s and 1930s.) merchant who had a four story department store on Houston's Main street. They all moved to Waller County and settled in the Pine Island community before 1900 because he was listed in the 1900 Census as a farmer in Waller County. There, on September 23, 1891, he bought ninety eight and one half acres from J.D. Flewellen for three hundred dollars. Although William had been called a "City Boy", he and Mary Jane farmed the property well enough to add more land until the farm totaled 246 acres. They raised cotton, corn and watermelons as the basic cash crops, but they also raised cows and turkeys. When they bought the land, cotton was selling for four cents a pound. He used to take turkeys all the way to the Farmer's Market in Houston, to sell, during the holiday season. They also sold butter and eggs. Most of the food they ate was raised on the farm and what was not eaten fresh, was preserved or stored in the old ways. Milk and butter was taken to the creek and stored in the water to keep it cool. The creek also furnished fish for a change in diet. Eggs were kept cool by putting them in a crock jar and burying the crock in the ground, under the kitchen. They participated in "beef clubs" in the area, where the members took turns killing a cow and dividing the meat between the members. Beef was much harder to preserve then pork. Since most families couldn't possibly eat a whole cow before the meat went bad, the clubs were created. An old black man called "Charlie" lived on their place and cooked for them, but he wouldn't allow the children in the kitchen while he was cooking. Jonas, along with Tol and Ben Garrett (Mary Jane's brothers) used to walk all the way to the Pennington's combination Prairie View postoffice and general store to get the mail. (and maybe catch up with the latest neighborhood news). Later a mail route was started and Harold Cook delivered the mail in a buggy. Jonas and Mary Jane often took May (the baby) in the buggy and went all the way to Reid's Prairie to spend a night or two visiting at Kate (Lousia's daughter) and Robert Hand's house. Jonas' father (William), mother (Samantha) and sister (Louisa) all lived with Kate until they died. And, occasionally the Hands would return the visit. Mae remembers Kate as always being in a starched and ironed, white dress. The old original home place was on Betka Road in front of "Aunt" Mae Taylor's home. They later built a new house a few blocks west, among the trees on the hill, where the present "Brannon House" is now located. In later years they moved around the curve on Betka to a house about a block south of the creek to Jim Milam's old house where hey lived until they died. But even there, Mary Jane was still near her beloved creek where even in her late seventies she could often be seen still doing what she so loved to do, fishing. Lucille (Milam) Daut remembered telling "grandma" about the speckled trout and redfish that her husband, Wheeler Daut, caught, fishing from a row boat in Galveston Bay. Grandma quickly responded with, "I don't guess he wouldn't want to take an old woman out in the boat with him. . . I sure would like to catch some of those big fish..." The Milam's were a religious family. William Jonas Milam was an active force in the early spiritual life of the Pine Island Baptist Church. In the mid 1890's with small they often opened their home to family and friends for "Meetings" and "Singings" on the Sundays when church services were not held and other days as the need was felt. They were members of and regularly attended the Pine Island Baptist Church, but "church preaching" was only held once a month in those days. Their son Ned was often the song leader at the Saturday night "Singings" at the church. Jonas' evenings were often spent by sitting in his rocker by the fireplace and reading his Bible. Daughter, May remembers asking her ma, why pa always stood at the mantle for awhile with his head down after reading. And, ma replied "He's praying." He was a voice of moderation at the church and stood up when necessary and urged everyone to let bygones be bygones. Mary Jane was active in the Ladies Aid group at the church and helped in the quiltings. Brother Sellers came from Weimer once a month to preach at Pine Island. This must have been a big event for Jonas, to hear both the preaching and the news from Weimer. Mary Jane was an enterprising woman, looking for ways to help the family. That fact is illustrated by the following letter written by her in 1923 Hempstead Texas Mrs John Elsivick Dear Mrs Elsivick Respectfully Mrs M J Milam She also sold Blair Products, which was similar to the Watkins line. She took orders and delivered them throughout the Pine Island community in a buggy. The buggy was pulled by the family's horse, Fritz. One of her grandchildren, Mary Louise (Taylor) Fulmer, remembers riding with her to make a delivery to Mrs Lula's at the Crowhurst farm, on the old Houston highway. It was the grandchildren's delight to ride with "grandma" in the buggy to make a delivery. William Jonas and Mary Jane are both buried in the Shiloh Church cemetery along with some of the other family members. William and Mary Jane raised seven children, Harry Lee, Lucy Ann, William Harris, (Edwin?) Ned Bufford, Charles C, James (Jim) B, and Mantie Mae. William Jonas and Mary Jane are both buried in the Shiloh Church cemetery along with some of the other family members. |
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