Nellie Mae Simmons: A Story of Family, Heritage, and Love

1. Nellie Mae Simmons "Granny" 1891-1974 By Adrianne F. Criminger

2. Nellie Mae Simmons was born November 28, 1891 at her parents’ home in Simmonsville, Mississippi. Not too many people are born in a place containing their last name! This area in Pike County, Mississippi was named after her great grandfather Willis Simmons. He was a pioneer to the Territory of Mississippi entering the territory in 1809. His story will be discussed in a different article. He was an interesting man! Home in Simmonsville where Mae was born.

3. There were two “groups” of Simmons families that lived in the same area of southwestern Mississippi. Since Mae was a member of the Willis Simmons family, she was part of the “Silver Creek Simmons Family.” Another group of Simmonses in the area belonged to a family founded by Richard Simmons called the “Bala Chitto Simmons” family. No one, including Willis and Richard, has ever known or proved a relationship. The map below shows the location of the area called Simmonsville. Of course, the closest stream is called Silver Creek.

4. Mae was the sixth of twelve children born to William Eli Simmons and Elizabeth Covington. More will be written about them on a future post.

5. The church Mae attended was the Silver Creek Baptist Church. As one might expect, her great grandfather, Willis was a founding member. Today, it is hard for most of us to imagine what life must have been like for someone growing up with that deep a sense of community and belonging. This photo of the church was taken by Mae’s son, Adrian in the late 1970s. Adrian wrote a note on the back saying that when this church was built, it was the third church used and called “Silver Creek.”

6. Simmonsville School about 1897 Notice how many children in the front are barefooted! Mae is the blonde girl, front row on the right. See next image.

8. Photo about 1903. Left to right: Edna, Charlie, Mae (tallest of the children), Lewis, Elizabeth Covington Simmons, Richard, Bessie holding doll. Leaning on her mother’s lap, Flora. Not in photo – Older brothers Sidney Farrar, William Eugene, older sister Eunice, deceased sister, Alice (1888-1895), and brother, Jewell Simmons (not yet born).

9. Simmonsville School about 1908 Mae would be about 16 or 17 years old. The teachers were Carrie Alford on left side and James Monroe Alford on the right who was Mae’s brother in law.

10. Close up of Mae Simmons from the school picture.

11. The marriage of Nellie Mae Simmons and Ferman Esco Fortenberry There are no pictures taken at the time of their wedding. Ferman was discharged from the US Navy on August 20, 1913. For a description of his Naval experiences, please read the blog article “Ferman Fortenberry – Navy Years.” On Wednesday, December 24, 1913, four months after being discharged from the Navy, Ferman and Mae were married. Ferman was 27 and Mae was 22. I am sure they were given a shivaree! This was a French Cajun wedding night tradition adopted in the South, especially along the Mississippi River. Groups would “serenade” the couple on their wedding night with lots of loud noise and singing. I remember my dad Adrian telling funny stories about shivarees he attended.

12. Mae and Ferman’s house Mae noted at the bottom – “At Mae’s house 1917

13. As you can see, this quilt is made of blocks of the letter “P” and along the long side of the P are embroidered signatures. I have researched quilt styles and never found a reference to this type. Family tradition has always believed that it was a wedding present to Mae and Ferman. It was not. There will be a future blog about this unusual heirloom! Mae’s unusual quilt Zelma Fortenberry

14. From my tentative research, it appears that the quilt was most likely made between 1915 and 1920. There are quite a few familiar surnames – Fortenberry, Fortinberry, Simmons, Ellzey, Schilling, Alford, and Brumfield. The only difficulty is knowing who the quilters were because most of the women signed with their husband’s initials! So exactly who is Mrs. J M Ellzey or Mrs. H. L. Schilling? I am down to just a few still unsolved.

15. Over the next 26 years, Mae and Ferman had a busy life. Between 1915 and 1926 they had six sons. This was probably wonderful for helping Ferman with farm work but most likely pretty tough for Mae having no daughters to help with the cooking, cleaning, sewing, and other household chores! The years while her boys were growing up will not be covered here. Quite a few photos have been located as well as memories written down by Adrian and Jack. Those years will make their own wonderful story. In 1939, Mae and Ferman moved to Clarkston, Georgia and never moved again. The photo on the left is one of the houses where they lived. It was located at the west corner of Indian Creek Drive and Church Street.

16. 1940 US Census of Clarkston including F. E. Fortenberry Note: Everett was still in Mississippi and Adrian was in the Navy

17. In case you want to understand what this document says, below and on the next page is an explanation of each heading. Column#       Heading 1-2                   Location1                      Street, avenue, road, etc.2                      House number (if cities and towns)3-6                   Household data 3                      Number of household in order of visitation4                      Home owned (O) or rented (R)5                      Value of Home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented.6                      Does this household live on a farm?  (Yes or No)7                      NAME - Name of each person whose usual place of residence on April 1, 1940, was in this household.  Be sure to include:  1. Persons temporarily absent from household.  Write “Ab” after names of such persons.  2. Children under 1 year of age.  Write “Infant” if child has not been given a first name.  Enter “X” after name of person furnishing information.

18. 8                      Relation - Relationship of this person to the head of the household, as wife, daughter, father, mother-in-law, grandson, lodger, lodger’s wife, servant, hired hand, etc.  Code A – leave blank 9-12                 Personal Description9                      Sex – Male (M), Female (F).10                    Color or race11                    Age at last birthday.12                    Marital Status13-14               Education 13                    Attended school or college any time since March 1, 1940?  (Yes or No.)14                    Highest grade of school completed.Code E – Leave blank15                    Place of Birth - If born in the United States, give State, Territory or possession.  If foreign born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937.  Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.Code C – Leave blank16                    Citizenship – Citizenship of the foreign born.17 – 20            Residence, April 1, 1935 – In what place did this person live on April 1, 1935?  For a person who on April 1, 1935, was living in the same house as at present, enter in Col. 17 “Same house,” and for one living in a different house but in the same city Or town, enter “Same place,” leaving Cols. 18, 19 and 20 blank in both instances.  For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, or state, as directed in instructions.  (Enter an actual place of residence, which may differ from Mail address.)17                    Residence – city, town, or village having 2,500 or more inhabitants.  Enter “R” for all other places.18                    Residence – county.19                    Residence – State (or Territory or foreign country)20                    On a farm?  (Yes or No)Code D – Leave blank21                    Was this person At Work for pay or profit in private or non-emergency Govt. work during the week of March 24-30?  (Yes or No.)22                    If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public Emergency work (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during the week of March 24-30?  (Yes or No.)23                    If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work (“No” in Cols 21 and 22.) – Was this person Seeking Work?  (Yes or No.)24                    If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work (“No” in Cols 21 and 22.) – If not seeking work, did he have a Job, business, etc.?  (Yes or No.)25                    For persons answering “No” to quest. 21, 22, 23, and 24. – Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H) in school (S) unable to work (U) or other (O).Code E26                    If private or nonemergency Government work (“Yes” in Col. 21) – Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940 in weeks.27                    If seeking work or assigned to public emergency work. (“Yes” in Col. 22 or 23.) – Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 – in weeks.28-30               Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker.  For a person at work, assigned to public emergency work, or with a job (“Yes” in Col. 21, 22, or 24), enter present occupation, industry and class of worker.  For a person seeking work (“Yes” in Col 23): (a) If he has previous work experience, enter last occupation, industry and class of worker; or (b) if he does not have previous work experience, enter “New worker” in Col. 28, and leave Cols 29 and 30 blank.28                    Occupation – Trade, professional, or particular kind of work, as – frame spinner, salesman, laborer, rivet heater, music teacher.29                    Industry – Industry or business, as – cotton mill, retail grocery, farm, shipyard, public school.30                    Class of worker.Code – Leave blank.31                    Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks).32-33               Income in 1939 (12 months ending December 31, 1939).32                    Amount of money wages or salary received (including commissions.)33                    Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary?  (Yes or No.)34                    Number of Farm Schedule.

19. Mae’s Outstanding Fortenberry Men This picture was taken in February, 1942 while Adrian was at home on leave after his Navy “adventures” at Pearl Harbor. They are standing in order of birth – Daddy Ferman Esco, Victor Everett, Ferman Elmo, Adrian Woodrow, William Jackson, Donald Curtis, and Homer Clyde.

20. Home during World War II This photo was taken in 1943. Standing with Ferman is Mae holding her grandson, Ferman Elmo Fortenberry, Jr. and granddaughter Pat Fortenberry saluting in a cute military uniform. They are the children of Ferman Elmo and Claudia Brumfield Fortenberry. Those of us old enough to have gone to the old granite school will find the building in the background familiar!

21. The photo on the left is a rare photo of Mae since during this time period, she usually was found holding one of her grandchildren.

22. Ferman died June 9, 1952 after a long struggle with lung cancer. Most likely, his cancer was caused by two things in his life. According to Adrian, Ferman began smoking at a very early age and smoked all his life. He was also a gunner’s mate in the Navy which would have exposed him to lots of asbestos during a time when the medical side affects were unknown.

23. Like her sons, Mae loved to fish. Photo most likely from the early 1960s. It is interesting to realize that a dress was considered appropriate attire for women fishing!

24. These two pictures were obviously taken on the same day, but I put them both here for you to see. They must have been taken some time in the 1950s.

25. Mae’s heritage included quite a few men who were members of the Freemasons. Her great grandfather, Willis Simmons, was a Freemason in the early 1800s. Several generations later, some of Mae’s sons became members of the Clarkston Masonic Lodge. Because of her connection to members of the Freemasons, Mae joined the Order of the Eastern Star. Growing up, I knew Granny belonged to the organization, but until doing some research for this article, I never realized the connection between the two organizations!

26. This photo was most likely taken before one of Granny’s Eastern Star events which would have been held at the Clarkston’s Womens Club. Built in 1913, it is one of the oldest in the state. It can be found on Church Street in Clarkston between Clarkston Methodist and Clarkston Baptist (now Clarkston International Bible Church). Those of us who lived in Clarkston remember this building well.

27. As would be expected, once moving to Georgia, Mae and her family continued to attend the local Baptist Church. All of her family living in the Clarkston area also attended. In the early 1960s, the family donated a new organ for the church in memory of Ferman. Like in many instances where the same group of people congregate, there is a tendency to sit in the same places. Granny always sat in the third pew on the left facing the pulpit. Several of her grandchildren (me included) liked to sit with her. Many, many Sundays Granny would drive to one of her son’s houses for Sunday lunch. Lots of memories there!

28. Mae was always proud of her six sons. This photo is from a 1963 article about the success of her husband’s and sons’ company, F. E. Fortenberry and Sons.

29. This wonderful photo of Granny is how her 25 grandchildren, all with a last name of Fortenberry, would remember her best. She always loved to have her grandchildren over to spend the night. We didn’t worry about beds but made “pallets” on the floor using quilts.

30. Every year we celebrated Granny’s birthday with a family gathering, usually at Adrian and Wanda’s house. This photo from 1959 shows 8 cousins desperately wanting a piece of cake. Uncle Everett is cutting the cake. Left to right: Bill, Bobby, Babs, Becky, Andie, Gloria, Jo, Terry. I bet that cake didn’t last long!

31. Birthday party November, 1968

32. Granny’s last birthday party – November, 1973. Shown here – left to right Adrian and Wanda, Elmo and Claudia, Don and Iris, Carolyn and Jack.

33. Pictured above – 7 of her 25 grandchildren Jo with husband Steve, Barry, Babs, Donna, Becky, Gloria, Reggie with husband David. Pictured on right – several of her great grandchildren. Mae died on May 27, 1974 from a stroke.

35. Melwood Cemetery located half way between Clarkston and Stone Mountain on Ponce de Leon Avenue. Her sons and daughters-in-law are also located here.

36. Grandmas hold our Tiny hands for just A little while But our hearts Forever!