A Life Cut Short ~ Nona Hurston

Hassie and Nona (age 9)

My maternal grandmother Nona Lee Turner was born on September 9, 1912 in LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia to Blake Turner (a sharecropper) and Hassie Williams (farm laborer).  She had eight siblings:  Conia (b.1891), John L. (b.1898), Rebecca (b.1899), Blake Jr. (1903), Elmer (b. 1905), Odessa (b. 1907), Alvena (b.1910) and Dorsey (b.1924).  The family settled in Hickory Flat, Alabama in 1900. 

The Turner family moved from Precinct 10 (now Roanoke), Randolph County, to Standing Rock, Chambers County, Alabama.  In the 1920 census, a 7 year old Nona is living with her parents and 5 siblings.  By the time 1930 census was taken, Nona, now 17 was living in Standing Rock, with her parents and brother and sister.  

Nona 

                                                                                                                                                     







Nona met and married Leroy Hurston , a resident of Standing Rock when she was 19 years old.  In 1933, the Hurstons welcomed a boy, they named Clarence.  Two years later in 1935, Rosalind was born.

Like so many African Americans living in the South in the late 30’s who went north to find better jobs, my grandparents migrated to Detroit, Michigan.  My grandfather went first, taking the bus all the way.  The entire Hurston family was living in Detroit by April 1, 1940.  They lived with Nona’s sister Rebecca and her husband on 963 Eliot Street (1940 census).    

Nona, Leroy, Rosalind, and Gloria taken at Belle Isle Park

Nona gave birth to their third child Gloria on December 7, 1941.  Gloria passed away on July 9, 1942.  She was laid to rest in Standing Rock, Alabama at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery.

Nona at Belle Isle Park

       

                                                                                               


In early 1942, Nona was infected with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).  Although exposed, the infection was latent (inactive) so she was not contagious.  On April 23, 1943 the infection became active and a five months pregnant Nona was admitted to the TB ward at Herman Kiefer Hospital (on Detroit's west side).

 

Nona on her balcony at Norman Keifer Hospital

Nona (left) and friend at Herman Keifer Hospital

  

                                                   

                                                    

Nona gave birth to Ella Mae in August who she named after Leroy's mother (Ella Mae Trammel).

In less than five months after giving birth to my mom and nine months after being admitted to Herman Kiefer, Nona died from pulmonary tuberculosis complicated by tuberculosis enteritis.  She left behind a grieving husband and three small children Clarence (11), Rosalind (8) and my mom Ella (4 ½ months).   All three children stayed with Rebecca who raised them while Leroy worked to support them.

My mom only knows her mother through pictures and stories told to her by family members.  Everyone tells her that her mother was really beautiful.  They also tell her how kind and quiet she was, everyone loved her.  My mom has no personal memories of her.  I don’t remember when she first told me about her or the words she used, but I do remember the pain in her voice and the sadness in her eyes.  I know that my mom would give anything to have just one memory of her mother.  The one story she tells over and over is the last thing her mother said to the family before she died.  She told them no matter what happens to take care of her baby.  

To realize that your mother’s last words were of you must give my mom some comfort but I know it doesn't lessen her sorrow.  Even though she was surrounded by so much love growing up, she still mourned her mother.  Her grief has been painful and lasting.  I believe the emptiness that my mom feels and continues to feel shaped her relationship with me.   She became the mother to me that she always wanted.   I think my grandma Nona would have been so proud of the woman my mother became. I know I am.  Rest in peace Grandma Nona.  I know you will be there to welcome my mother into the Kingdom.  Just like you welcomed Clarence, Rosalind and many others from our family.  We love you and will never forget you.

Nona was laid to rest in Standing Rock, Alabama along side her daughter Gloria at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery.  

My mother (age 3), Nona, Rosalind and Clarence
Clockwise starting from the upper left

The pictures of my grandmother's grave, the cemetery and the "standing rock" were taken by a very kind find a grave volunteer, Kathy Brown.  I am so grateful to her for going out more than once to look for and photograph my grandmother's grave.  Thank you Kathy.  She also took pictures around town so I could see what Standing Rock, Alabama looked like.  I plan on taking a trip there soon.  

                                         

                                                       Nona and Gloria's final resting place ~Bethlehem Cemetery

                                                       

                                                                    Nona's headstone

This rock was left by Native Americans when they were removed from Alabama in the 1830s (part of the Trail of Tears).  They left a curse on anyone who tries to remove it.

         

                                   This song is dedicated to my grandmothers who are no longer with us and to my mom. I love you all so very much.

                                          "We're all ghosts.  We all carry, inside us, people who came before us". ~ Liam Callanan 

  

Sources:
Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 
2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch

Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.
Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. 1930 T626, 2,667 rolls.

Ancestry.com 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry. com Operation, Inc., 2012. 
Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T7=627, 4,643 rolls.

Daniels, Cory (2011, July 7).  The Spinners - Sadie. Retrieved January 1, 2014 from http://youtu.be/AXFY6pe-oXo  

Thank you Dianne Armstrong for sharing your words about the Kingdom.  

In Unity There Is Strength!

My plan was to write about my father's mother when the other women in my family stepped forward and suggested that I write about all of them.  So today is a special shout out to them.  I lift my hands in praise and thanks to the wonderful women in my life.  I admire their passion, strength, faith and devotion to our family.  I am proud to say I come from and have been influenced by these phenomenal women.

              Rebecca "Nanny" Montgomery (grandmother)

            

            Hassie Turner (great-grandmother)

    

    Nona Hurston (grandmother) ]]

          

         Rosalind McGee (aunt)


                       

                         Donnie Tate (grandmother in love)     

                     

                  Ella Allen (mom)

                     

                           

                                    Edna Deer (grandmother)

               

          

    grandma Rebecca, mom, dad, grandma Edna

                                         
     

                           Rose "Mama Rose" Franklin (grandmother in love)

"It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally."
-Maya Angelou, Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women

Who Am I?

The search for my ancestors so far has been a very interesting and informative journey.  I am discovering so much about them and it is really exciting.  I think about their struggles, their triumphs, strengths and faith.  I wonder if they were happy with their lives or if they have any regrets.  I have cried when I read about the passing of my grandmothers’ children, one just 6 months old, another at 5 years old (there were more).  I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child.  It just breaks my heart to know that they had to suffer through that and still raise their other children.   Just typing it makes me feel an overwhelming sense of sadness. 

While searching for my paternal grandfather, I discovered a first marriage.  I immediately called my dad to ask if he knew about it, he said no but thought he remembered his sister mentioning it.  I even found a first marriage for my great-aunt Rebecca Turner, the woman who raised my mother (more on that later).  I really thought this piece of information was cool.  I called my mom and she said “oh yeah, I knew about that”.  She then began to talk about the husband, his nickname, his daughter and when they visited her.  ­I asked her why she didn't mention it earlier.  Her response, “you didn't ask”.   All I could do was laugh…goodness. 

When I thought about it, I realized she had a good point.  How is she supposed to answer a question if I don’t ask it?  I only asked about immediate family members so thanks to her, I have come up with another way to obtain information from her and my father (without becoming too much of a nuisance).  In my defense how could I know she would have any knowledge about a marriage that took place 20 years before she was born?  Knowing my mother as I do, I should have known better.  She is truly the Griot of our family.  She knows just as much about her family as she does about my father’s side. 

I was having trouble finding my paternal great-grandfather; he was listed on her death certificate as John.  I could not find him in any census that linked him to my grandmother Edna.  I called my mom to ask if she knew about him.  She did and ended up describing him, his brother Charlie (she is very detailed).   I told her that on my grandmother’s death certificate, her father’s name is listed as John Parker that is when my mother said his name was Felix not John.  She was right and I called my father to let him know about the name correction. 

Before I get to the point of this post (if I can remember what it was…lol), I want to add that my mother and father sent me death certificates, family trees (from reunions) and information to help me in my search.  My dad wrote this great note from the information he remembered.  I never did ask why they had the death certificates but it is something I plan on doing.  I am ashamed to say that there is so much about my parents’ lives before me that I know nothing about.  I am finding out so much about them and their childhood that is just blowing my mind.  I am like a sponge soaking up as much information from them as I can.  They have been so helpful and supportive (no surprise here), that I am so grateful and thankful to them.  I just wish that when I first started this journey, I did not take such a long break and asked these questions earlier but I guess I wasn't ready.  Now it is as if something is driving me to get it done. This oral history is what I want to leave for my son, his family and our future generations.  

                                                                                                                            Letter from my dad about his family

Since beginning this journey to answer the “voices inside my head” (my ancestors screaming to be heard), I have also begun to question my own identity.   I wonder what part of me comes from them.  People say I look like my mother (I don't think so) and have many of her traits.  It is possible that some of my behavior may have been influenced by her but what did I get from my father?  Who am I more like my mother, my father or a combo of both?  Do I have any traits of my grandparents or another ancestor, or am I a product of my environment?  I am not going to get into a "Nature versus Nurture" debate because I think both arguments have merit.  As for me, I believe that my behavior and growth are influenced by all of them.   

                          

                                Maternal Line Great-Grandparents

Maternal Line Grandparents

                            

                                       Mom, Dad and I.

     

Just the three of us!

My Family (Judge, Ella and Bernita Allen)!