Katie Lou Shelton

F, b. 26 September 1887, d. 7 September 1977
     Katie Lou Shelton was born on 26 September 1887.1 She married Clifford Carter Wright Sr.1 She died on 7 September 1977 at age 89.1

Child of Katie Lou Shelton and Clifford Carter Wright Sr.

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."

Nancy "Annie" Ann Sheppard

F
     Nancy "Annie" Ann Sheppard married Jabez "Jay" Joines Waller on 4 March 1858.1

Child of Nancy "Annie" Ann Sheppard and Jabez "Jay" Joines Waller

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."

Essie Gertrude Smith

F, b. 8 March 1896, d. 19 August 1972
     Essie Gertrude Smith was born on 8 March 1896 at Elbert, Georgia, United States. She married George Washington Martin on 14 June 1914 at M.V.Appling Store, Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States.1 She died on 19 August 1972 at Bibb, Georgia, United States, at age 76.1 She was buried on 24 August 1972 at Baldwin Memorial Gardens, Baldwin, Georgia, United States.1
     Biography of Essie Gertrude Smith:
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR MRS. ESSIE SMITH PARKER, OPENING SCRIPTURE: Mathew 11:28:30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find fest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light".
SCRIPTURE READING: 11 Cor. 4:17:18 Rom. 8:18 Rev. 7:14:17
DEATH IS CERTAIN
I was handed some papers on which Mrs. Parker had begun to write the story of her life. As I read from those pages, I felt I became some what acquainted with Mrs. Parker.
She began by telling how she came from a " large but happy family ". She told how that she was the oldest of sixteen children and being so she was a second mother to some of her younger brothers and sisters. She mentioned in those pages how that on Sunday afternoons she, her daddy and mother and I suppose the other children would sit and listen to her mother read from the Bible. Mrs. Parker mentioned in those pages how her mother and daddy use to sit out on the porch of their Elbert County home in the late evening and sing. She talked of how their voices would ring out over the North Georgia Hills. As I read this, I was reminded of how my family, when we get together gathers around the piano at home and sings. I came from a large family; eight of us. It seems to me on occasions like this we are happier than any other time.
Mrs. Parker told of an experience when she was a thirteen year old girl. She said her family went from their home in Elbert County, to her mother's brother's home in Oglethorpe County to visit. When Sunday morning came her uncle went out and hitched up the mules to the wagon. They all climbed in and went to an old fashion camp-meeting that was in progress. She told how that as she sat listening to the anointed preaching of Bro. Sorrow, something, as she expressed it, got a hold of her. She told how as she found herself in an alter of prayer something had a hold to her. As she related her experience, I could almost imagine being right there with her in that old fashion North Georgia Camp-meeting.
I never had the opportunity to talk with Mrs. Parker but from those pages, the experiences she told about, and what others said about her I feel she must be in a better place.
I want to talk for a while on the certainity of death. It has been said, " no one can preach another person's funeral ". We preach our funeral by the lives we live.
In the book of 2 Sam. 14:14, we have an account given of King David and his son Absalon, when Absalon had been banished from his home country into another because he had slain his brother. A woman of Tekoa, when speaking to David concerning this situation, said, " For we must needs die, and are as water split upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. " She expressed the idea that all of us must come to this same point in life that Mrs. Parker has reached.
Job spoke of the certainity of death when he said, " For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living ". (Job 30:23 ) Job compared death as a house appointed for all living. We too, will have our part in that house appointed to all living.
The fields that were green in the Spring are now losing their luster and becoming brown. The corn was planted in the early Spring; it germinated and came forth a tender green plant. It grew to be a stalk several feet tall. As it neared maturity the tassels spread forth. After the tassels, came the silks and the mature ear of corn. As the summer heat and wind beamed on it, it began to lose its green luster in a few weeks it will be brown and drooped in the field.
Our lives are much like this. We are borned; we grow into maturity; we blossom out during the height of our lives. We produce our fruit. We too, began to lose our luster and become brown with age until we are called to face this same appointment; death.
In our childhood there were strong men who were wonders to us because of their strength. Where are they now ? We can go to a cemetery and read their names on the gravestones or see them pass by us with decay and death written in the wrinkles and alignment of their faces. So Peter told us, " All flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof, falleth away. " ( Pet. 1:24 )
To me, the rose is the most beautiful of all flowers. In the Spring it comes forth. The leaves become green, the buds appear, then the rose it its beauty appears. For a period of time it lingers there and then it begins to wilt and fall away. King David said, " As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. " (Ps. 103:15-16)
Job said, " Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down. " (Job 14: 1-2)
Death is often sudden. God teaches us that life is brief. "But a hand-breadth", "a vapor that appeareth but a little time and then vanisheth away." " A flower of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven." Christ said He would come as a thief in the night. We know not when our call will be.
Death ends our earthly existence. It is as "water split upon the ground, which cannot be grathered up again." Dives, in the Bible account of the rich man and Lazarus was told of a great gulf fixed across which there would be no crossing. The account tells of a rich man that fared sumptuously every day; and a certain beggar named Lazarus which laid at the rich man's gate begging for the crumbs which fell from his table. When the rich man died, he went to hell. Lazarus died and went to Abrahan's bosom or Paradise. In hell the rich man cried out for Lazarus that he might dip his finger in water and cool his tongue. He was told there was a great gulf fixed so that no passing from one to the other was possible.
The Bible account of the ten virgins tells us how they slept while waiting for the bridegroom. When the sound of his coming was made they rose to trim their lamps. Five had no oil. They had to go buy and when they returned, they found the door shut for all eternity. They weren't prepared. They missed the mark. Paul said in writing to the Hebrews, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement." (Heb. 9:27) We must face this appointment.
There is a need for preparation. We fail to understand that, "the things which are seen are temperal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:18)
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
The psalmist said, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Ps. 23:4)
Paul said to the Corinthian church, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:55-57)
Yes, as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we can have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mrs. Parker mentioned, in those pages she wrote concerning her life, a church that was set in order when she was only fourteen years old. She was one of forty members that organized that little church in Elbert County. She wrote about how glad she was to have that church. She said the last time she saw that church was in 1914. She expressed her desire to go back one more time to, as she called it, " that great old church. " She said, "but I guess I never will because I am old and my health is bad." I thought to myself, you may never go back to Elbert County to that great old church, probably built of stone, mortar and wood, but you will go to see that church. Not the building but those who really made up that church. Those, who along with herself, had organized the church so many years ago. In Heaven they can all sit down and talk about those days again.
As I said, I didn't get to talk to Mrs. Parker here but I look forward to one day getting to know her better. From the content of those pages she wrote and what some I talked with said, I believe she had an experience with God and today is with the Lord.
In closing let me refer you to the words of Jesus in St. John 14:1-3. "Let not your heart be troubles; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Presented by: Rev. Tyrone L. Hutchinson
Pastor of Milledgeville Church of God.1

Child of Essie Gertrude Smith and George Washington Martin

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."

Raymond Sampson Smith

M, b. 8 January 1908, d. 16 June 1975
     Raymond Sampson Smith was born on 8 January 1908 at Washington, Georgia, United States.1 He married Martha Elizabeth Pittman on 14 June 1937 at Washington, Georgia, United States.1 He died on 16 June 1975 at Sandersville, Washington, Georgia, United States, at age 67; Killed from exploding tire. He was buried at Brownwood Cemetery, Sandersville, Washington, Georgia, United States.

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."

Lucile T. Tompkins

F, b. 26 June 1921, d. 19 October 1977
     Lucile T. Tompkins was born on 26 June 1921.1 She was the daughter of Albert Tompkins and Minnie (--?--). She married Steven Walker Brooks, son of Luther Lee Brooks and Mary Elizabeth Brooks.1 She died on 19 October 1977 at age 56.1 She was buried at Tabernacle Methodist Church Cemetery, Washington, Georgia, United States.1

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."

Orie Todd

F, d. 25 January 1919
     Orie Todd married Silas Francis Brooks, son of Robert Francis Brooks and Senann Miliary Waller, on 9 June 1912; Tabernacle News - On Sunday afternoon June 9, 1912 Mr. Silas Brooks and Miss Arrie Todd were happily married at the home of Mr. G.L. Armstrong near Popular Springs Church.1 She died on 25 January 1919 at Washington, Georgia, United States.1
     Biography of Orie Todd:
Died at home. Buried at Tabernacle Methodist Church, Sandersville, Ga.
Tabernacle News - Mrs. Arrie Brooks died January 25, 1919 on a Saturday morning at her home from an attack of influenza. She was sick only one week. Her husband Silas Brooks was also very sick with flu and was unable to attend the funeral.

Sandersville Progress - April 30, 1919 - IN MEMORY - On Saturday morning, January 25th, at eight o'clock, the death angel knocked on the door of Mr. Silas Brooks and silently in and took the sweet spirit of his wife, Mrs. Arrie Brooks. She was sick only a few days with flu, and pneumonia, but she had been in delicate health for a good while, and unable to stand this terrible disease, she fell asleep in Jesus. She was just in the bloom of womanhood and was loved by all who knew her, and will ever be missed in her community. She was a pure girl from her childhood, always kind and her desires were to live right in the sight of God and man. She united with the church when quite young and always tried to serve God as best she could. She will not only be missed in her community, but in the church, and most of all in her home. She leaves a heartbroken husband, one little boy, a father and three brothers, and four sisters. But weep not, fond loved ones. She is resting in heaven, where she longed to go to meet her little girl, Ruby Nell, who passed over the river one year ago, and a mother and other loved ones who had gone on to rest.
Funeral services were conducted by her pastor, Bro. Mosley on Sunday afternoon at Tabernacle, where her body was laid to rest. A large company of sorrowing relatives and friends were present to pay their last respects to one they knew and loved. The bereaved family have our tenderest sympathy. May God bless them in this dispensation

Dearest Arrie how we miss thee,
Thy footsteps have passed away,
But we hope to meet thee,
In that happy home one day.

Thy precious voice is hushed,
Thy pure heart beats no more,
Thy happy smiling face,
Will smile on heaven's shore.

We know that you are resting,
Out of sorrow, grief and pain,
Lest we strive to meet thee,
We can't see thy face again.

----Written by One Who Loved Her.1

Child of Orie Todd and Silas Francis Brooks

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."

Julia Lou Brett Trussell

F, d. 19 July 2003
     Julia Lou Brett Trussell married Fred Lamar Lord, son of Herman Horace Lord and Sarah Helen Brett.1 She died on 19 July 2003.1

Citations

  1. [S715] Mary Esther Lord Smith, "Brooks/Lord Family Records."