Wedding Certificate of Adolphus Peirce and Etta Bailey
Recently I learned through DNA testing that I have a match named Raymond Pierce. Raymond and I are both descendants of my maternal great grandparents, Adolphus Elliott Peirce (1868-1910) and Etta Pearl Bailey (1873-1952), and thus we are second cousins.
Raymond was kind enough to send me a digital image of the wedding certificate for Adolphus and Etta, which I had never seen before. It’s dated August 31, 1890, and it has three signatures at the bottom: W.G. Breland, C.B. Pierce and C.H. Bailey. It appears to me that the two first two signed as witnesses while the third signed as the minister or celebrant.
I believe that the first signature was from William G. Breland (1839-1890), who was a 3rd great uncle to me. His father, John Robertson Breland (1794-1875), was my 3rd great grandfather, and he was also the grandfather of Etta Bailey, whose mother was Martha Ann Breland. William G. Breland was appointed U.S. Postmaster for Breland, Louisiana, on September 6, 1890, about a week after the date on this wedding certificate. He died a few months later, in December 1890. Adolphus’ stepmother, Salissa Painter Peirce (1858-1940), was then appointed postmaster for Breland on March 28, 1891. Adolphus Peirce was later appointed as U.S. Postmaster for Breland, Louisiana, on August 5, 1904.
The next signature, I think, was from Charles Buchanan Pierce (1866-1938), who was an uncle of Adolphus. (Some members of this line spell the last name as “Peirce” and some spell it as “Pierce.” This continues to be the case now; both spellings are represented among my DNA matches from this line.)
The third signature, I think, was from Caldwell Houston Bailey (Abt. 1854-Abt. 1919, who was appointed U.S. Postmaster for Bailey, Louisiana on October 18, 1890. I haven’t been able to determine if he was related to Etta Bailey or not. However, I am related to him through the line of his mother, Melissa Bankston Bailey (1819-Abt. 1915).
Obituary of Robert M. Breland, 1889-1959
This photo was taken in 1936, when Robert M. Breland was 47 years old.
This obituary for my maternal grandfather was published in The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tennessee, on Thursday, November 26, 1959. It contains two factual errors: Robert M. Breland was born in Washington Parish, not Tangipahoa Parish, and he did not move to Mobile until after 1931. In 1930 he lived in New Orleans. By 1940, he had moved from Mobile to Northport, Alabama. By 1950 he lived in Hawai’i. He moved from Hawai’i to Mobile, where several of his children lived, in 1958 or 1959, not long before he died.
ROBERT M. BRELAND
Rites Sunday for Former Memphian, 70
Services for Robert Milton Breland, former Memphian who died yesterday in Mobile, will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at National Funeral Home. Burial will be in Memorial Park.
Mr. Breland, who was 70, was born in Tangipahoa Parish, La., and moved to Memphis in 1918. He moved to Mobile in 1930. He was a bookkeeper.
He leaves six sons, Dr. Kenneth Breland of Boise, Idaho, Hunter Breland of Fort Worth, Texas, Robert Breland, Charles G. Breland, Douglas P. Breland and Leigh Breland, all of Mobile; three daughters, Mrs. Beryl B. Young of Corpus Christi, Texas, Mrs. Brooken Campbell of Ohio, and Mrs. Arley Hughes of Mobile, and 18 grandchildren.
He was the brother-in-law of Mrs. L.O. Peck of 2116 Linden, Mrs. Elbert E. Holley of 487 Josephine and Carl E. Pierce of 1879 Young.
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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