Family Tree - Bessie Lou Beckwith Franklin

Bessie Lou Beckwith was born December 31, 1899 between 11 p.m. and midnight.  Her parents were Alburtus Lamar Beckwith and Carrie Bell Stewart. 

Bess was born and raised in the southwest part of Schley County.  The area was called "Lickskillet" and included Dozier's Mill.  Alburtus's property were fairly expansive, however, and I have not had a chance to investigate his holdings.  Bess and her family's home was referred to as "The Big House" located at the eastern end of what is now known as Beckwith Road.  I believe it burned down in the 50s.

Bess had six siblings. Available names and dates are listed. Additional comment is provided when known and those reading are asked to provide any additional information.
Burtus Beckwith - 1884 or 1885
Gula Beckwith Lee - 1886-1962
Ossa Beckwith - 1893-1947



Winsdor Stewart Beckwith - 1888 or 1889-1974.  The Social Security record and draft card says 1889 but his grave says 1888.  Windsor and his wife Susie and then Sarah lived on what is now Beckwith Road near The Big House until he went into the Montezuma Nursing Home.

Elza Beckwith - 1896-1940 - Elza moved to Atlanta and lived in Oakland City.  His obituary is found here.  Please note Elza lived in a different time and this NPR story speaks to clubs that currently are not acceptable but in earlier times were considered mainstream.

Minnie Beckwith - 1901 - Minnie and Bess were close.  Minnie moved to Duluth, Minnesota when she married and they wrote letters weekly to each other.

Alburtus had given Bess and Minnie signet rings and pendants.  Unfortunately, Bess's was stolen from her home after she was married.

Bess married Henry Newton Franklin from the LaCrosse community on September 4, 1917.  They were married just shy of 65 years.  Bess said she almost didn't marry Newton because he tried to kiss her the night before they married. 

Bess's father provided land with a small house for the couple.  They lived there their entire lives and Newton farmed the land.  They had neither running water nor electricity until the 1950s.  They survived the Great Recession and a fire that took the barn and the poor mule.  Bess was rumored to make excellent lye soap. 

Bess and Newton had four children, Virginia, Donald, LaVerne and Carolyn. There are no recorded births of any other children.

Bess attended Shiloh Baptist her entire life.  Church was the primary social structure in the rural South.  She was to be addressed as "mother" not mama or ma.  She strongly reinforced using sir and mam when addressing adults.  She believed that women should not wear pants and getting a tan was not ladylike.  She made her daughters cover themselves completely, including big hats and gloves, when picking cotton in the fields.  She would not tolerate alcohol and when she found out it was in the medicine, Nyquil, she refused to use it again.

Grandchildren remember her as Bigmama.  She made frozen chocolate milk that we all loved.  For those that did not live close to the farm found her butterbeans and fried chicken were special treats as well since they didn't get them often like those of us that lived close by.

Bigmama lived a long life and passed away 3 days following her 96th birthday.

The Ungaros 2014

2014 pictures!