Biographies: Frances Ophelia Durham Mathews, 1977, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: February 2, 1977 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Celebrates 95th Birthday Troubles Just Vanish Around "Aunt Fannie" by Russell Terry "Problems brought to her door were then problems no more" This is the story of Mrs. Robert E. (Frances Durham) Mathews, a little lady who has lived near Sardis in Winn Parish for 95 years. She celebrated her 95th birthday January 22. The actual celebration of her birthday took place January 23 when 81 people came to see her and express their affection at the home of her daughter Mrs. Leonard Doremire of Gansville. Mrs. Mathews is called "Aunt Fannie" by many of her friends and long time acquaintances. Her father was Thomas B. Durham, who came to the Sardis Community near Atlanta in 1859 from Randolph County, Georgia. Here he met and married Martha Jane Martin, the widow of Joseph Shelton, February 9, 1871. From this marriage 13 children were born. Many of them distinguished themselves in the fields of medicine, education, and ministry. Frances Ophelia (Aunt Fannie) was the eighth of these 13 children. "Davy Crockett was a cousin of my grandmother Martin, who is buried at Sardis Cemetery. I can remember hearing her tell about him especially before he left Tennessee to go to Texas. I am a fourth cousin of Jimmie Davis (Louisiana governor). His grandfather and my grandmother were brother and sister. He was going to be here for my birthday but he got sick and couldn't come. Now don't put that in the paper or people will think I am trying to brag," Aunt Fannie said while being questioned about her family. For her education she attended school at Atlanta for three years by walking four miles each way every day. Professor Joseph Paul was the principal of the school. "He was one of the finest teachers I ever knew," said the quite little grandmother. Atlanta at that time was known as the Atlanta Male and Female Institute and was a well thought of school. Cas Moss, who was later superintendent of schools and a long time judge, boarded at the home of Aunt Fannie's grandfather, James Durham, and attended school at Atlanta. After three regular sessions at Atlanta while she was nine to eleven years old, the rest of her education was confined to irregular summer sessions. She sometimes did about as much of the teaching as the supposed-to-be teacher at some of those sessions. She joined the Baptist Church at the age of 13 and taught Sunday School for about 50 years. At the age of 18 she married Robert E. Mathews, January 25, 1900. The were the parents of five children, three girls and two boys. She and "Mr. Bob" lived together for 67 years. He died January 23, 1967. Theirs was a good marriage. The never lived very far from the Crossroads-Sardis Community. They never had any money to speak of but Aunt Fannie always knew how to take care of one more. They were poor people from a monetary point of view but they had a rich family life that gave Aunt Fannie her reward. She believed in education and it was a proud moment for her when she learned of an achievement of any of her children or one of her 19 grandchildren or one of her 28 great grandchildren; or one of her great-great grandchildren. Her influence is not limited to just the family. Neighbors seem to like to just stop in and talk with Aunt Fannie for "just a minute." They stay for an hour but they go away holding their head just a little higher and maybe with just a little song on their lips. Somehow, troubles just disappear around "Aunt Fannie." Behind the twinkle in her blue eyes lies strength and understanding. She knows how to listen. People come by seemingly just to be rejuvenated by the sunshine of her presence. Even the young ones like to smuggle up close maybe just to soak up a little security. "People talk about Winn Parish, but it has been good to me. I've enjoyed my life, even my early childhood. "Now, I just spend my time quilting. I can finish one in less than a month. Then I give it to someone as a Christmas present. But now my eyes are failing me and sometimes I am bothered with arthritis and I don't do as much as I used to," she said.