Obituary of Fannie Powell Carter Breland (1850-1917)
Frances Powell Carter Breland
Frances “Fannie” Powell Carter Breland (1850-1917) was my maternal great grandmother. My great grandfather Cicero Breland was her second husband. She had seven children with her first husband, Labron Carter (1837-1881). After his death, she married Cicero Breland and had four children with him. Their first child, Spurgeon Breland (1884-1886), died shortly before what would have been his second birthday.
This obituary was published on March 1, 1917, in The Era-Leader newspaper in Franklinton, Louisiana. I have not changed any of the spellings or punctuations; I have reproduced them here exactly as they appeared in the original.
Mt. Hermon, La., Feb. 25. —
Mrs. Fannie Breeland died at her home hear here last Wednesday morning, and was buried in the cemetery at the home of her son, Iseral Carter, Thursday, Rev. Early Corkern conducted the funeral rits assisted by Rev. C.T. Corkern. Mrs. Breeland was Miss Fannie Powell and a member of one of the most prominent families of Mississippi. She was born in Amite Co., on Feb. 5, 1850, was married to Mr. Lolan Carter in 1866. She has seven children by this marriage: Mr. John Carter, a prominent farmer of Mt. Hermon, Elija Carter of Franklinton, Iseral Carter, of Mt. Hermon, Felden Carter, of Sunny Hill, and Mrs. Vol Simmons of Selma, Ala. two having preceeded her to the grave. After the death of her first husband she was married on May 31st, 1883 to Mr. Cicero Breeland. Three children were born to this union, Robert, bookkeeper for a firm in Hammond, Murry, a farmer of Mt. Hermon and Alvan, formerly of Selma, Ala., but now at home with his father where he will make his home, Soon after her first marriage she moved from Mississippi to Louisiana and settled near Mt. Hermon where she lived until after her second marriage when she moved with her husband near Pleasant Hill Church where they lived until her death. She leaves one sister, Mrs. D.J. Ott, of Mt. Hermon, and a brother, Mr. Warren Powell of Mississippi. She was a consecrated christian, a member of the Pleasant Hill Baptist church. Her children grew up to call her blessed and are known as our best citizens.
A friend.
Obituary of Cicero M. Breland (1857-1917)
Cicero Malachi Breland was my maternal great grandfather. This obituary was published on Oct. 4, 1917, in The Era-Leader newspaper in Franklinton, Louisiana. I have not changed any of the spellings; I have reproduced them here exactly as they appeared in the original.
Click to enlarge
Mt. Hermon, La., Sept. 30 — Era-Leader: Mr. Cicero Breeland was found dead in the woods near his home last Monday evening. He had gone to his mailbox in the afternoon and when he did not return the family becoming anxious began to search and found him. He had been dead about an hour. Dr. L.W. Brock was immediately summoned. He hurried to the scene and pronounced his death caused by heart failure. Mr. Breeland was born in Washington Parish in the first ward near the Parish line on the 29th day of January, 1857, was married to Mrs. Fannie Carter, May 30, 1883. He joined the Baptist church when quite young and lived a consistent christian life and was a member of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. He had three sons, Robert, Murry and Alvin, who survive him. He was buried last Tuesday in the cemetery by the side of his wife near the home of Mr. I.W. Carter. The funeral rites were conducted by Rev. Early Corkern, and a large crowd of sorrowing relatives and friends were present to pay their last tribute of respect to the departed one. A Friend.
A place called Breland, Louisiana
This map is from 1900. Click to enlarge.
Recently I learned that my mother’s mother, whose maiden name was Cora Esther Peirce, was born in a place called Breland, Louisiana. In fact, when Cora was born in May 1891, the U.S. post office for Breland was located on the property of her grandfather, John Ticknor Peirce, and her grandfather’s second wife, Salissa E. “Dora” Peirce, was the U.S. postmaster for Breland.
Cora’s father, Adolphus Elliot Peirce, was later appointed U.S. postmaster for Breland, in August 1904. According to family lore, Cora worked in that post office before her family moved to the nearby community of Sunny Hill in 1905, when she was 14 years old. When she began attending school in Sunny Hill, Cora was assigned to the same class as Robert Milton Breland, my grandfather, whom she married in Baton Rouge five years later.
This railroad map is from 1914. Click to enlarge.
This story is interesting to me for several reasons. First, Cora was born in a place called Breland. Then she moved away from there to Sunny Hill — where she met a boy named Breland, who later became her husband.
It also raises these questions for me: Where was Breland? Why was it called Breland? And, does the community of Breland still exist?
My brother, Brian Hughes, answered the first question by finding maps from 1900, 1906 and 1914 showing Breland located roughly half way between Franklinton and Kentwood. These maps also show Breland’s proximity to Sunny Hill.
As for why the place was called Breland, the earliest record I can find shows that William G. Breland (1839-1890), who was a 2nd great grand uncle to me, was appointed U.S. postmaster for Breland in September 1890. He died just a few months later, in December 1890. (The next person to be appointed postmaster for Breland after him was Salissa E. Peirce, in March 1891.)
Sibila, shown on this map from the 1840s, later came to be called Breland. Click to enlarge.
The place was called “Sibila” before it was called “Breland.” My guess, and this is purely a guess, is that it came to be called “Breland” simply because the first person appointed to be postmaster for the place happened to be named Breland.
Does Breland, Louisiana still exist? To the best of my knowledge, it does not. Records indicate that the post office at Breland was discontinued, i.e., closed for good, in 1906. And, although the location of Sunny Hill can still be found via Google Maps, I have not been able to find any mention of Breland, Louisiana, on any current maps of the area.
Do you know any additional details about Breland, Louisiana? If so, I’d love to hear from you!
An 1891 letter from J.T. Peirce in Breland, Louisiana
John Ticknor Peirce
This letter was written by my maternal great-great grandfather, John Ticknor Peirce (1846-1912), and includes a mention of my maternal great grandparents, Adolphus Elliot Peirce (1868-1910) and Etta Bailey Peirce (1873-1952). It is part of a Peirce family scrapbook now held by my mother, Gloria Breland Hughes. Her mother, Cora Peirce Breland, was the first child of Adolphus and Etta.
Breland La 4/25/1891
Dear Niece it has been a long time since I have heard from any of you. I think it has been about a year since I received your last letter I would be glad you would write again, and let us know how you are all getting on. I wrote to Anna soon after I came home from Florida, but have never heard a word from her. I do not know whether she received it or not. Have you heard from our friend Dr. Alford. I suppose you heard he has married, as he was returning home from Fla he met her on board the cars, and before three days were engaged to be married. I have never seen her but they say She is young beautiful and very intelligent, but I fear he has made a bad choice, as she is always gone, her home was in Kansas City and she stays most of her time there.
My oldest Son Adolphus was married last August he married a Miss Bailey. Bedford’s son’s wife died last Jany.
Mary I want to hear something more about that visit of yours, don’t you think you can come this year, we would all be so glad to see you all
How was the orange crop last year, and is there a prospect for a good crop this year. My wife says to ask you how your Turkeys are doing this Spring. She has about thirty young ones.
I am through planting my crop we have had a very late Spring and every thing looks bad, Cotton is selling very low here, it is not at all encouraging, there was a poor cotton crop made in this section last year, people expected to get more than they did, but it is still going down.
Mary tell Ann, and, Laura to write. I know some of you can write oftener than you do. The girls send their love to you all. I hope you are all well, our children are, some of them complaining, but I think they will be better in a few days. With kindest regards to you and Mr. Holly I remain your affectionate Uncle.
Send your letters to Breland, Tangipahoa Par, La as that office is at my house.
J T Peirce
(Editor’s note: John’s second wife, Salissa E. Peirce, was appointed U.S. postmaster for Breland, Louisiana, on March 28, 1891 — about a month before this letter was written. )
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