The Hineston Chronicles
Volume 13 Number 1
Historic Hineston
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Maternal Grandparents
*****Clifford Morgan Bonnette was the
s/o - Morgan Jasper Bonnette - Adelaide Rougeou
gs/o - John William Bonnette - Matilda Murrell
*****Lola Alice Pamelia Leiws was the
d/o - James Albert “Jim” Lewis - Minnie Minerva Terrell
gd/o - William Wiley Lewis - Martha Ann McIlwain
g-gd/o - Charles Lewis - Nancy Riley
This, perhaps, may be my hardest article to write because I never got to meet my maternal grandparents. I will write what I have researched, what I have been told by my mother and other people who knew my grandparents.
Lola Alice Pamelia Lewis was born 14 March 1901 and was the second of nine children. The siblings were:
Edna Gola Goldie Lewis
Laura Mae (Lollie) Lewis
Edward William (Ed) Lewis
Dempsey C Lewis
Maria Lewis (twin to Luther) - died at birth
James Luther Cornelius Lewis (twin to Maria)
Ollie Bert Lewis
Jewel J. Lewis
Clifford (Cliff) was born 20 September 1885 in Elmer, Rapides, Louisiana to the parents: Jasper Morgan Bonnette and Adelaide Rougeou (Jasper's third wife). Clifford's whole siblings were:
Henry Mason Bonnette
William Anderson “Willie” Bonnette
Cora Bonnette (Lummis)
I do remember all of Grandpa's siblings.
Aunt Cora was always in our lives and about 1965 she came to live with us. She had no living children and depended on my parents (Oscar Carl Dyess and Edna Taris Bonnette Dyess - her niece) to be her caregivers.
I didn’t know Uncle Henry very well.
Uncle Willie never married and died of ear or brain cancer - probably both areas. He would come by our house and spend the night quite a bit. Daddy would take him to the doctor and the hospital.
At age 17 years old my grandmother (Lola Alice Lewis) married Clifford (Cliff) Morgan Bonnette, who was 31 years old. Date of Marriage was 7 Jun 1917. Grandpa was hard working, saved his money, and built his bride a home on what we refer to as Twin Bridges Road (Elmer, Louisiana). After my parents married, we lived in the same house for six years; therefore, it was the first home I knew.
Clifford and Lola were well thought of in the community and their friends were what we would refer to as “the upper crust”. The Swifts. The Howingtons. Mother was always so proud to tell my sister, Lola Kay, and me about their community status. The Swifts owned and operated the country store - and - it was the first store I remember going to. We bought all our groceries (flour, sugar, salt) there. My dad made a garden and raised our cows and pigs which my mother spent summers canning.
Clifford and Lola started their family - with my mother, Edna Taris Bonnette first (24 Ocotber 1918). Next was Trenton Clifford Bonnnette (24 June 1920). Last was Ennis Morgan Bonnette (30 May 1925). Live was good. Mother remembered peace and love in the household until the winter of 1926 (December).
Her mother, Lola, became ill with pneumonia. She and her brother Trenton (Buddy) knew their mother was sick. Uncle Ennis was only 18 months old and didn't understand what was going on.
Uncle Buddy told me one of his first memories was his mother sitting by a wooden stove wrapped in a quit because she was very cold. She called him over and told him she was very sick and was not going to make it. Mother, who had just turned 8 years old in October, helped her dad with chores and help with her brothers. Grandma was sick for fifteen days when she passed away leaving a heart broken husband and three little children. She was 25 years, 9 months, 2 days old when she passed away.
Lola was a member of China Grove Baptist Church and a Rev Baggett conducted the funeral service. She was buried at the Rougeou Cemetery on Twin Bridges Road, Elmer, Rapides, Louisiana. The Rougeou Cemetery is a family of Clifford mother’s family. Just a note of interet - the Swift’s and the Howington’s are buried in that cemetery also.
After Lola passed away, my grandfather had three little children to take care of. His sister, Cora, helped him a lot - especially with the 18 month old - Ennis. A Rougeou cousin, Mary Lafayette, came and helped him a lot also.
Apparently, Grandpa wanted a “mother” for his children and a wife for himself. On 3 Jan 1928, he married Minerva Shows (about 13 months after Lola had passed away). She was good to the children.
After about 20 months of marriage, Grandpa got sick and had to be put in hospital at LeCompte - where he passed away (appendix). Mother was only 10 years old.
After their dad passed away, Minerva went back to live with her family. The courts took the three little children and placed them in the home of their grandparents: James (Jim) and Minerva Terrell Lewis.
Over the years my sister and I were aware we were missing something in our family - our grandparents. We - or I - had a lot of questions for my mother. Some she could answer and most she couldn’t answer. Lola (my sister) and I would wonder if our grandparents would love us? We wondered if they would think we were special? I am sure they would have - but - we missed so much for not having them in our lives!
I'm sure my mother missed them more than she would let us know. She was a very positive person and believed whatever life "dumped" on you that you should do the best you can.
It is just sad - my sister and I never got to know the Bonnette grandparents.
If any of you or your parents have memories of my Bonnette grandparents, I would love hearing about them.
Deaths
Dudley Issac Morrison, age 91, of Anacoco, passed away on January 3, 2023. Burial was in Laurel Hill Cemetery, LaCamp, LA.
Patty Carter Burrows, age 69, of Pineville, passed away on January 9, 2023. Burial was in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery, Elmer, LA.
O.J. Hogan, 85, of Elmer, passed away on January 9, 2023. Burial was in Pineridge Cemetery, Melder, LA.
Donald Oren Barton, Sr., 44, of Glenmora, passed away on January 16, 2023. Burial was in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery, Elmer, LA.
Paula Jean Smith Martin, age 70, of Converse, passed away on January 16, 2023. Burial was in Campbell Creek Cemetery, Sharp, LA.
Faye Branch Watkins, 96, of Alexandria, passed away on January 17, 2023. Burial was in Hemphill Star Cemetery, Boyce, LA.
James Allen Thibodeaux, age 81 of DeRidder, passed away on January 16, 2023. Burial was in Pine Grove aka Talbert-Pierson Cemetery, Pitkin, LA.
James Dudley Rutherford, Jr., of Belton, Texas, passed away on January 22, 2023. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Virginia Gladys Ward Mitchell, 58, of Forest Hill, passed away on January 26, 2023. Burial was in Paul Cemetery, Forest Hill, LA.
Jacqueline Barnett Jeane, 96, of Hineston, passed away on January 26, 2023. Burial was in Flactor Cemetery, Hicks, LA.
Dr. Clarence E. Golemon, 97, of Alexandria, passed away on January 30, 2023. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Marie C. Layssard, 90, of Otis, passed away on January 31, 2023. Burial was in Hemphill Star Cemetery, Boyce, LA.
Frankie G. Smith, 76, of Hineston, passed away on February 5, 2023. Burial was in Smith Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Phyllis Ann Buckley Powell, 85, of Alexandria, passed away on February 5, 2023. Burial was in Fellowship Methodist Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Jolene Wheaton, 87, of Conroe, Texas passed away on February 7, 2023. Burial was in Palms Memorial Cemetery, Dayton TX.
Martha Lucinda Tilley Winegeart, 92, of Glenmora, passed away on February 17, 2023. Burial was in Amiable Cemetery, Glenmora, LA.
Joanna Vesta Cooper Robinson, 70, of Leesville, passed away on February 21, 2023. Burial was in Laurel Hill Cemetery, LaCamp, LA.
Billy Gene Laird, 88, of Glenmora, entered eternal rest on March 3, 2023. Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery, Glenmora, LA.
Eva Ann Perry, 80, of Sieper, passed away on March 7, 2023. Burial was in Fellowship Methodist Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Frank Joseph Candiloro, 78, of Hineston, passed away on March 24, 2023. Burial was in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Ball, LA.
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