Thomas Lafayette “Fate” Mixon (1862-1919) was the brother of William Henry Mixon ( 1854-1915), and the son of Michael Mixon (1830-1911), subjects of earlier posts.
Thomas Lafayette “Fate” Mixon with wife, Julia Clance and a Clance girl (Ophelia Taylor?). Image courtesy of http://royalmixon.tribalpages.com
The two brothers, Fate and William, married two sisters, Julia and Mary Clance, respectively.
Fate Mixon was born during the Civil War in December of 1862 while his father, James Michael Mixon, was serving in the Confederate Army as a private in Jack Brown’s Company H of the 59th Georgia Regiment. After the war, his father came home to Marion County, GA but within a few years his parents had maritial troubles. At least by the time Fate was seven years old his parents had separated.
Fate, and his older brothers and sisters remained with his father. By the time of the 1870 census, they had moved to Twiggs county, GA where they lived with Fate’s grandmother, Sena Mixon. Also enumerated in the household was twentysomething-year-old Amanda Smith, who would soon become Fate’s step-mother, and her one year old daughter, Rosetta. Everyone in the household who could walk helped with the farm labor.
Fate’s mother, Drucilla Balcomb Mixon, and his youngest brother, Madison Bartow Mixon, remained behind in Marion County.
In the 1880 census of Lowndes County, GA seventeen-year-old Fate was enumerated in the Cat Creek district along with his blended family, which by this time included his older brother Benjamin (age 20), step sister Rosella J. (age 11), and half siblings Zelphian V. (age 7), Drica D. (age 5), John (age 2) and Nancy (age 10 months).
In 1900, the bachelor Fate Mixon was living in the household of his brother, Benjamin Franklin Mixon, in the Rays Mill district of Berrien county, GA. There he apparently met and married Julia Clance. Berrien County marriage records show they were married on May 28, 1905. In actuality, the bride was Julia Clance Taylor, at 27 a widow with a seven year-old daughter, Ophelia Taylor; Fate Mixon was 41.
Marriage certificate of Thomas Lafayette Mixon and Julia Clance, 1905, Berrien County, GA. Image courtesy of http://royalmixon.tribalpages.com/
Fate and Julia, with Julia’s daughter Ophelia, established a household in the Rays Mill District, where they were enumerated in 1910. Fate Mixon rented a farm there, which he worked on his own account.
This union, however, did not endure. Some say Fate and Julia separated. Other say Fate died around 1919; his grave marker does not give his date of death.
Gravemarker of Thomas Lafayette “Fate” Mixon, 1862 – 19__. New Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery, Lowndes County, GA
It is known that Julia was re-married on March 27, 1919 to James William Coleman , and that she and Ophelia went with him in Macon, GA
Related Posts:
- Mixon Graves at New Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
- Mary Elizabeth Clance and William Henry Mixon
- Mamie Mixon and Joe Spells buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA
- Mamie Mixon and Joe Spells
- Armistice Day Memorial to Soldiers from Berrien County, GA Killed During WWI
Ray City History Blog 
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