Fred Manning Cersey

April 29, 2017 at 6:07 am (Cersey Family, WWII)
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Fred Manning Cersey

Fred Manning Cersey. Image source: Parkjoann1

Fred Manning Cersey. Image source: Parkjoann1

Fred Manning Cersey  was a son of Manning Andrew Cersey and  Lula M. Goodin, of Ray City, GA. He was born November 27, 1923, just three weeks after the death of his older brother Jewel Cersey (1916- November 7, 1923).  Fred M. Cersey was a grandson of Henry Thomas Cersey and Missouri “Louannie” Whitely.  His grandfather was a primitive Baptist and a member of the New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church at Ray City, GA.

Fred’s father did not have a farm of his own.  As a young man, his father rented and worked as a farm laborer. In 1917, he was working as a farm laborer for Thomas Futch.   In the 1920s, Fred’s father was one of the sawmill fireman at the big Clements Sawmill at Ray City, GA on the line of the Georgia and Florida Railroad.  The Cersey family lived in the company settlement in a rented home.  Another fireman at the sawmill plant was J. D.  Melvin.

In the 1930 Census, Fred lived in Militia District 1157, Berrien County, GA with his father Manning Cersey (42), mother Lula Goodin Cersey (35), and siblings Clinton (17), Pauline (10), and Clifford (2 1/2).  His father was then self-employed as a farmer.

Fred Cersey was educated through the 4th grade, and afterwards went to work as a cook.  By 1835, the Cerseys were living in the lower 10th district of Berrien County, GA on the Lakeland and Willacoochee Road.  Fred was enumerated in his parents’ household there in 1940.

By 1941, Fred had moved to Jacksonville, FL where he was working for Swift & Co. as a “refiner.”  Swift and Co. was a long-running American meat processing company.  The company was a national brand emerging out of the Chicago meat packing industry.

Fred M. Cersey married Ruby E. Williams on March 7, 1942.

Ruby Estelle Williams and Fred Manning Cersery. Image Source: parkjoann1

Ruby Estelle Williams and Fred Manning Cersery. Image Source: parkjoann1

On May 19, 1943, Fred M. Cersey enlisted in the U.S. Army at Camp Blanding, FL.  Camp Blanding was the largest training base in Florida. Housing some 60,000, it was the fourth largest city in Florida; During World War II, approximately one million men received basic training here.

Soldiers at attention on Company Street at Camp Blanding - Starke, Florida. 1942. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/31681>.

Soldiers at attention on Company Street at Camp Blanding – Starke, Florida. 1942. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/31681&gt;.

After the war, the couple made their home in Jacksonville, FL.  The 1946 Polk’s City Directory for Jacksonville, FL shows they were living at 2371 McQuade street.  Fred and his brother, Clifford, worked for National Container Corp.

Later, Cersey worked for the Jefferson Smurfit Paper Company.

Fred Manning Cersey died April 7, 2002.  Burial: New Zion Cemetery, Lake Butler, Union County, Florida, USA

CERSEY – Fred Manning Cersey, a long time resident of Clay County passed away April 7, 2002 following a lengthy illness. He was born November 27, 1923 in Ray City, GA, the son of Manning Andrew Cersey and Lula Goodin Cersey. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served in WWII. He retired from Jefferson Smurfit Paper Company following 40 years of dedicated service. Fred was a happy and loving family man who enjoyed sports, music, singing, fishing and the outdoors. He was a High Priest of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where he Served in many leadership roles. Surviving are his devoted and loving wife of 60 years, Ruby Williams Cersey; his daughters Patricia Ann Best (Michael), and Sheron Elaine Merrill (Roger); his son Fred DeWayne Cersey (Lana); 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; his brothers Clinton and Clifford Cersey; half brother Thomas and half sisters Dorothy and Latrelle. He was predeceased by his first daughter Ruby Marlin Cersey. Funeral services in celebration of his life will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday April 10, 2002 at Middleburg Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 4342 Highway 218, Middleburg, FL with Elder James F. Wheeler officiating. Mr. Cersey will be laid to rest with his daughter in New Zion Cemetery following services. Family members and friends will gather on Tuesday evening (TONIGHT) from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at JACKSONVILLE MEMORY GARDENS FUNERAL HOME, 111 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park.

Grave of Fred Manning Cersey and Ruby L. Williams. New Zion Cemetery, Lake Butler, FL

Grave of Fred Manning Cersey and Ruby L. Williams. New Zion Cemetery, Lake Butler, FL

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Constitution of New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church

February 26, 2012 at 3:48 am (Faith and Begorrah, Johnson Family, Skinner Family)
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New Ramah Primitive Baptist  Church (1913 – 2010)

New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church, Ray City, Berrien County, GA was founded in 1913. The church building was dismantled in 2010.

New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church, Ray City, Berrien County, GA was founded in 1913. The church building was dismantled in 2010.

New Ramah Church was located on the southwest side of Ray City, between Park Street and Cat Creek. The primitive baptist church was organized August 30,  1913, and built by four Knight brothers who were the descendants of William A. Knight.  Aaron Anderson Knight was called as the first pastor and served until his death in 1925.

Upon the constitution of New Ramah Church, the minutes of the church recorded this initial entry:

State of Georgia, Berrien, Co.
August 30, 1913

By the Goodness of God, now when names are after written, having been Baptized upon a Profession of faith by the Lord Jesus Christ having here to fore been members of different Churches did consent on the propriety of becoming a Constituted body near Rays Mill, Ga.

Believing it to be expedient, finding a fellowship with each other, jointly chosen to set apart this day for Constitution.

Petitioning Salem, Empire, Unity & Pleasant Churches for Ministerial aid as a presbatry (Presbytery) which has granted Eld. I. A. Wetherington from Unity Church, Eld. H. W. Parrish from Salem Church, Eld. A. A. Knight from Pleasant Church, Eld. E. R. Blanton from Pleasant Hill Church and Eld. E. Lindsey from Ty Ty Church were clothed with church authority and gave theyr attenuance and letter of dismission being presented and no deficiency appearing, being sound in the facts and principals of the Gospel, that is to say believing that the scriptures of the Old and the New Testament are the Word of God and contains everything necessary for the faith and practice, Particular the existence of one true God, the fall of Man and his inability to recover himself, God’s savoring [sovereign] choices, of his people in Christ, theyr Covenant head from before the foundation of the world effectual calling purification by the imputed righteousness of Christ alone,  The final perseverance of the saints in grace, and eternal salvation in Glory, the duty of baptism by immersion, and the Lords Supper. Thus pronouncing to be upon above principals.
      And having this day being the 30th day of August, 1913, been pronounced a Church of Christ in order
        having united upon equal terms and here after be called and known by the name of New Ramah Church, and for this end deliberately solemly give our selves to the Lord, and to each other by the will of God, Independent of any religious body or congregation what ever, covenanting and promising each other to live to gether as becomes brethering in Gospel hands for the maintaining of Christian fellowship and gospel discipline agreeable to the holy scripture and as true yoke fellows agreed to stand or fall together in order, for which we do agree to receive, and adopt the following plan of or form of Decorum and Rule of practice.

Church Decorum
 New Ramah Church

1st   – – – –  —— —— or Conference shall be —– —– —- —– every member must —- —- —– —— —– —–

2nd  Church meetings shall begin and end with Divine worship.

3rd Church members failing to attend two Conferences in succession it shall be theyr duty to make known to the Church the reason of theyr absence at the next conference, and the Church judge of the same, but if the failure happen without the Church having knowledge of there being laudable reasons, she shall have him cited and Judge of such failure.

4th The Pastor of the Church shall preside as moderator when present unless some objections be made in which case the Church shall choose another

5th At the opening of every Conference it shall be the duty of the moderator to invite visiting brethering & Sisters of Sister Churches to seats with the Brethern of this Church, and then make known to the Congregation that a door of the Church is open for the reception of members the proceed to take up all Reference as they stand in order and all business that comes before the Church in order

6th  The moderator shall in his Power preserve order, Shall explain and put questions. He shall have an assistant (when present) if needed but in his absence a moderator protem shall be appointed.

7th The Moderator shall have the same right of speech as another member but shall not vote unless the body be equally divided.

8th The Church shall have a Clerk who shall keep a fair record of theyr proceedings and sign theyr order before the Conference rises.  Minutes taken by the Clerk shall be read and amended before the conference rises if necessary.

9th  In debate, only one person shall speak at the same time, who shall rise from his seat and address the Moderator in an orderly manner.

10th  The person speaking shall strictly attend to the subject in debate, shall not reflect on the person that spoke before him by making remarks on his slips, or imperfections, but convey his own ideas.

11th  The person speaking shall not be interrupted unless he breaks through these rules.  Then the moderator shall call to  order if dissatisfied he shall —- the voice of the conference.

12th No person shall speak more than twice to the same proposition till every one choosing to speak has spoken.

The Church minutes of New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church provide the list of male and female members below.  Notations next to the names were updated by the Clerk with the status by which the member joined and departed the congregation. Many notations were too faint to be legible for transcription.

Males

B. H. Sirmans
C. H. Vickers
W. F. Rayaln  Exp
D. W. Townsend  dead
C. R. Herring Dead
J. T. Moore  Dead
J. W. Conner Dis By letter
H. T. Cercey
C. C. Smith Exp
L. L. Blanton
Gilford Stalvey
M. S. Pevy
Willie Green Dis by letter
A. M. Ray  By letter
O.W. Mikell by let
P.S. Skinner let
D. J. Skinner
Joe Spells
S. G. Gaskins
Robert Burkholtz
John Burkholtz
Jimmie Taylor
K. S. Bennett
Lacy Shaw

 Females

Mary Sirmans Dead
Carrie Peters Dead
E. B. Clements
Ada Gaskins
Chloe Johnson
Cassie Hall Con X
Ola Mikell by let
Roena Clements Con
Lillie Spells bapt
Minnie Herrin bapt
Eva Moore bap X
Mary Cersey let
Elizabeth —- X
Nettie Skinner let
Lizzie Smith
Laura Chitty bapt
Mary? Skinner dead
Lila Allen
Fannie Gaskins
Kizzie Woodard
Eliza Knight let
Lula Kendrick bapt
Lula Fender bapt
Delia Bennett bapt
Mary Allen bapt
Della Spells bapt
Pearlie Peevy bapt
Orie Blanton ? bapt

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Mary Elizabeth Clance and William Henry Mixon

July 5, 2011 at 12:34 am (Mixon Family, Uncategorized)
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Mary Elizabeth Clance and William Henry Mixon came to Ray City, GA some time around 1901 and made it their home for the remainder of their lives.

William Henry Mixon and Mary I. Clance

William Henry Mixon and Mary I. Clance. Image courtesy of http://royalmixon.tribalpages.com/

William Henry Mixon was born November 27, 1854 in Marion County, GA. He was a son of Drucilla Balcom and James  Michael Mixon. His grandfather was Michael Mixon (1794-1838), believed to have been killed in  Lowndes County, GA while fighting in the Indian Wars in 1838. William’s father,  James Michael Mixon (1830-1911),  was a Confederate veteran who was wounded during the Civil War.

William’s parents separated after the Civil War, and William moved with his father to Twiggs County, GA to the home of his great-grandmother, Sena Mixon.   When William’s father moved on to Pulaski County, William stayed behind in Twiggs County. It appears that around 1874, William’s father  moved with his second wife, Amanda Smith, and their minor children from Pulaski County, GA to Lowndes County.  In the census of 1900,  James M. Mixon was enumerated in the Rays Mill district of Berrien County, Georgia Militia District 1144.

According to census records William Henry Mixon married Mary I. Clance about 1880 in Twiggs County, GA. His occupation in 1880 was working as a miller at a grist mill.  Mary Clance was a daughter of Mary L. Blaylock and Wiley Clance. Her father once served as Justice of the Peace for Twiggs County, GA, and was also a wounded Confederate veteran.

About 1901 William and Mary followed William’s father south to Berrien County, GA.  The census of 1910 shows them in the Rays Mill district of Berrien County, GA where William was farming on his own account.  William Henry Mixon died on Christmas day, 1915 and was buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA

Children of William and Mary Clance Mixon were:

  1. Annie Bell Mixon: born  Jun 1882 in Wilkinson County, Georgia; married William Carl Griner on 17 Jan 1904;  died 1917 in Ray City, Berrien County, Georgia.
  2. Hattie Leona Mixon: born  June 1886 in Wilkinson County GA; married Lee Knox (son of Alton Knox) on 14 Dec 1904 in Berrien County, GA; died 29 Oct 1963 in Colquitt, Georgia.
  3. Mary Lee “Mamie” Mixon: born  1 Jan 1890 in Wilkinson County, GA; married Joseph John “Joe” Spells on 15 Jul 1917 in Berrien County, Georgia; died  29 Jul  1926 in Ray City, Berrien, Georgia; buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, Georgia.
  4. Ida Mae Mixon: born 12 Feb 1893 in Wilkinson County, GA; married Joseph Browning about 1921 in Clinch County, GA; died 18 Jun 1980 in Lanier County, GA; buried at Fender Cemetery, Lakeland, Lanier, Georgia.
  5. Ethel “Effie” Pearl Mixon; born in Wilkinson County, Georgia on 11 Sep 1899; married Joseph “Leroy” Brown on 25 Aug 1927; died 28 Nov 1984 in Lakeland, Lanier, Georgia; and buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, Berrien, Georgia.
  6. Alva Lorine Mixon: born 25 Mar 1895 in Wilkinson County, GA; married Thomas Henry Kirk about 1910, died 23 Jan 1977 in Lake Worth, Florida.
  7. Samuel E. “Sammie” Mixon;  born 7 Jun 1898 in Wilkinson County, Georgia; died of pneumonia 19 Oct 1918 while serving in France during WWI; buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, Berrien, Georgia.
  8. Utha Gertrude Mixon: born 27 May 1902 in Nashville, Berrien , Georgia; married William  Lonnie Royal 21 Jun 1917 in Berrien, Georgia –
    divorced; died 10 Aug 1991 in Columbus, GA; buried at Fender Cemetery, Lakeland, Lanier County, Georgia.
  9. Bessie Mixon: born 9 Jun 1906 at Nashville, Georgia; died 11 Jul 1908; buried between her parents at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, Georgia.
Mary I. Clance, circa 1948. Married 1) William H. Mixon, 2) H.T. Cearsey. Image courtesy of http://royalmixon.tribalpages.com/

Mary I. Clance, circa 1948. Married 1) William H. Mixon, 2) H.T. Cearsey. Image courtesy of http://royalmixon.tribalpages.com/

Grave marker of William Henry Mixon, Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Grave marker of William Henry Mixon, Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

After the death of William Henry Mixon, his widow, Mary Clance Mixon, married Henry Thomas Cersey. When she died in 1948, she was buried near her first husband at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Nashville Herald
August 26, 1948
Mrs. Mary Cersey, 83, Died last Saturday; Final Rites Monday     Mrs. Mary Cersey, lifetime resident of Berrien County, died in a Hahira Hospital Saturday afternoon after a long illness. A resident of Ray City, she was 83 years of age, having been born in Wilkerson County on May 26, 1863.
     Mrs. Cersey is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Lee Macks, Moultrie; Mrs. Joseph Browning, Ray City; Mrs. Oliver L. Kirk, Lakewood, Fla; Mrs. Effie Brown, Ray City; and Mrs. Lonnie Royals, Stockton; two sisters, Mrs. J. E. Kitchens and Mrs. J. W. Coleman, Wintergreen, Fla; 20 grandchildern, and 36 great-grandchildren.
     Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock at Beaver Dam Primitive Baptist church by Elder C. H. Vickers and Elder M. E. Peavy.  Interment was in the church cemetery at Ray City. Active pallbearers were D. J. Skinner, J. T. Richardson, G. B. McLendon, B. J. Akridge, O. V. Conner, and M. W. McLendon, Honorary pallbearers were G. G. Mikell, O. W. Mikell, B. F. Skinner and J. J. Spell.  A selected choir sang Primitive hymns.

NOTE: Beaver Dam church (now known as Ray City Baptist Church) was not Primitive Baptist.  The Primitive Baptist church in Ray City was New Ramah Church.  Charlie Vickers and Marcus Peavey were pastors at New Ramah.

Grave marker of Mary I. Mixon Cersey, Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Grave marker of Mary I. Mixon Cersey, Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Images and information on Mixon family history contributed in part by http://royalmixon.tribalpages.com/

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Mamie Mixon and Joe Spells

July 1, 2011 at 2:12 am (Mixon Family)
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Mary Lee “Mamie” Mixon was born on New Year’s Day, 1890, a daughter of Mary I. Clance and William Henry Mixon. The census of 1910 shows Mamie living with her parents in the Rays Mill district of Berrien County, GA where her father was farming on his own account. On Christmas day, 1915 her father died; he was buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA

Before a year had passed, on October 29, 1916 Mamie’s widowed mother remarried. Mamie’s new step-father was Henry Thomas Cersey.

The following summer Mamie herself was a bride. She married Joseph John “Joe” Spells on July 15, 1917 in Berrien County, Georgia.  He was a son of Mary Matilda Browning and George Spells, a pioneer settler of Lowndes County, GA. The marriage was performed by Lyman Franklin Giddens, Justice of the Peace in Ray City.

Marriage certificate of Mamie Mixon and Joe Spells.

Marriage certificate of Mamie Mixon and Joe Spells.

At 22, Joe Spells was tall with a medium build, blue eyes and light-colored hair. He was working for his brother, William, as a farmer. At the time, Joe Spells was illiterate, signing his WWI draft registration with his “X” mark.

Joe Spells registered for selective service for World War I in 1917.  He was drafted and served in WWI as did Mamie’s brother, Sammie E. Mixon. Sammie died of pneumonia while serving in France, but Joe survived the war and came home to Mamie.

After the war, the Spells made their home on the farm of Mamie’s step-father, Henry T. Cersey, located in the 1157 Georgia Militia District on the Nashville and Valdosta Road. Joe worked as a laborer.

Joe and Mamie Spells had two children:

  1. Joseph W. Spells, born May 1, 1918; Ray City High School class of 1937; married Eloise McKay (Nov 5, 1914 – July 7, 1986);  died in Winter Park, Florida July 7, 1986.
  2. Edward Samuel Spells, born April 25, 1921, Ray City, Berrien County, GA and died June 2, 1992, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

A third child, a baby girl, was born and died in the summer of 1926. According to records, the child died on July 30, 1926, although the death certificate was not filed until August 4, 1926. The death certificate attributed the cause of death to “convulsions in childbirth.”  The infant girl was buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Death Certificate for infant girl Spells, daughter of Mamie and Joe Spells, Ray City, GA..

Death Certificate for infant girl Spells, daughter of Mamie and Joe Spells, Ray City, GA..

Mamie Spells would survive her daughter by only one day.  She was buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Mamie Mixon Spells

Mrs. Joe Spells Passed Away Sat. July 31

The funeral services for Mrs. Joe Spells who died at the home of her mother, Mrs. H. T. Cersey, Saturday, July 31, were conducted last Sunday morning at the Baptist church at Ray City at 11 o’clock in the presence of a large crowd of relatives and friends. Mrs. Spells was 36 years of age and was a member of the Ray City Baptist church and was a christian woman, a true wife, a loving daughter and mother. To know her was to love her. She had been in declining health for some time, but was in bed only about ten days. Her death was not unexpected to her love ones, but was a shock to her friends who knew not of her illness.

She is survived by her husband and two small children, J. W. and Edward, 8 and 5 years old respectively; her mother and five sisters. They are Mrs. Lee Knox and Mrs. Lonnie Royals, of Ray City, GA.; Mrs. Joe Browning, of Lakeland, GA.; Mrs. Effie Chance, of Macon,GA., and Mrs. J.H. Kirk, of West Palm Beach, Fla.

_____________________________

CARD OF THANKS

We wish to take this method of thanking our many friends for the kindness shown us during the illness and death of our wife, daughter and sister, Mrs. Joe Spells.

Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Cersey.
Mrs. Lee Knox.
Mrs. Joe Browning.
Mrs. Effie Chance.
Mrs. Lonnie Royals.

The Census of 1930 shows the  widower Joe Spells and his two sons living in the Rays Mill Precinct, Georgia Militia District 1144.  Also living with them was Mamie’s  widowed mother,  Mary Mixon Cersey.

Joe Spells later remarried.  He died in 1961 and was also buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Daily Times
Spell, Joseph John March 12, 1961

Joe Spell

      LAKELAND- Joe Spell, 65, died at the local hospital early Sunday morning following a sudden attack suffered Saturday morning. He was born and had lived all his life in the Lower Tenth District section of Berrien County where he was a prominent farmer.   Mr. Spell was a veteran of World War I and a member of the New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church at Ray City. 

      Survivors include his wife, the former Matilda Richardson: two sons M Sgt J. W. Spell with the U. S. Air Force in Germany; Edward Samuel Spell of Atlanta; three sisters, Mrs. Henry Spires of Adel, Mrs. Cauley Downing of Florida and Mrs. Morris Daniels of Jacksonville, Fla.: one brother, John Spell of Valdosta: seven grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

      Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 3 p. m. at New Ramah Church with burial in Beaver Dam Cemetery with Music Funeral Home of Lakeland in charge. The body will remain at the home of his brother-in-law, Pope Howell until the hour of the service.

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