The Fourth Generation William Harrison and Mary Frances NeSmith Streetman

Grandpa and Grandma Streetman

Grandpa was born February 2, 1874 in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Records indicate he came to Chicot County, Arkansas with his daddy Lovic, 2 sisters, and 1 brother at least by 1897, after the death of his mother, Frances Bailey.

Before his first wife, Lillie Dukes, died Grandpa promised her he would take care of her daddy, Mr. Duke.  So when he married our Grandmother, Mary Frances NeSmith, both his son Lovic, and Mr. Duke lived with them until their death.  Aunt Lillian says she was named after Lillie Dukes Streetman. She also said there was another child, a girl, born to Grandpa and Lillie Dukes, who died very young.  She said Grandpa kept a picture of the little girl on the wall in his room. His son, Lovic, was ill for a long time, (as remembered by Mother) and Grandma Streetman took care of him. I think this speaks volumns for the goodness in our Grandmother's heart.

[Grandma Streetman's  Father:  Allison NeSmith  Mother:  Mary Magdalene Logue.]
Grandma's parents died within 1 month of each other in 1898, when Grandma was 8.  She told me she can remember being put on a boat and sent away, and both the younger sisters crying.  She was raised in a Baptist Home in Monticello , Arkansas by a lady she called "Mother Gardner."

Mother Gardner                                                           Hinemon University
She earned a high school education at this home, and at age 18 left the school and returned to Chicot County to find work and bring her 2 younger sisters to live with her.  She lived with relatives in the NeSmith family and worked mostly cleaning homes for others until  she met Grandpa at a Bar-B-Q.

Grandma's  mother, Mary Magdalene Logue NeSmith

She married him and they settled on the land left to her and her sisters by her parents Allison and Mary Magdalene NeSmith.  She did get her sisters, Ethel and Mae out of the home and they lived with Grandma and Grandpa.  As they both married and moved off, Grandpa bought each one's interest in the inherited property in Chicot County.  Aunt Ethel married a Catron and moved to Florida, and Aunt Mae married and moved to Houston, Texas..

Grandpa & Grandma  in 1956
Grandma and Grandpa Streetman had 12 children born to them and Lovic a son by Grandpa's first wife.  Only 9 of their children lived to adulthood.
One baby was stillborn and buried on the homeplace simply called Baby Streetman. Helen died at age 10 with scarlet fever, Gartrell died at age 2, cause unknown to me.  Elmer and my Mother, Doris, were very close.  She called him "Jackie."  He died at age 7 of pneumonia, following a shooting accident.  Mother related the story as follows:

 "She and Jackie were bringing in wood for the stove in the kitchen.  Grandma was cooking, and when she went to the flour barrel, she saw that someone had put a rifle in there.  She took the gun and just from instinct, struck it up against the side of the barrel to knock the flour off.  It discharged, hitting Elmer.  He was taken to the hospital in Lake Village, and had recovered from the gunshot wound, but developed pneumonia and died.  Mother was completely devastated but had to grieve in silence. Because of the traumatic effect this had on Grandma, it was not to be spoken of. Mother said Grandma was never quite the same after that, and for a long time would talk to "Jackie" as though he was still with her."
Knowing my Grandma, I know this broke her heart, and probably changed her life forever."

When Grandpa became bedridden, they moved to Shreveport Louisiana, where several of their children lived. There were not many outward expressions of love between my Grandparents in my observances over the years.  But once when I was visiting them in Shreveport, I overheard Grandpa say to Grandma as she was fixing his bed:
"...Maw do you love me?"  Grandma looked at him with hands on hips and said. "well... do you think I would be waiting on you and taking care of you the way I do if I didn't?"  Grandpa simply said, "that's what I kinda figured."  I guess that was enough said.  Oh how I loved those two people~Donnis Coleman

Both died in Shreveport, Louisiana, Grandpa in 1964 and Grandma on Mother's Day 1976.  Both are buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Eudora, Chicot County, Arkansas.

Personal stories:
I Remember Grandpa
Grandma The ChickenSlayer

Next: The Children
of Harrison & Frances Streetman

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