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Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

The amazing family of Robert Franklin Harper - Conclusion

By Judy Fowler Kilgore

Robert Franklin (Frank) Harper had many descendants who contributed to the history of Bethany United Methodist Church in Fayette County, many of whom now lie in its historic cemetery.

He was married three times and had 21 children, all of whom lived and grew up in the Fife and Fairburn areas of north Fayette and south Fulton counties.

With his first wife, Martha Alice Hoffman Harper, Frank had seven children.

After her death, he married Missouri Jones and had two more. The children (1 through 9) of these two marriages were covered in the previous two columns.

Missouri died shortly after giving birth to her second child, but left Frank before the baby was born. Frank took custody of the two children following her death.

In 1891, when he was 41 years old and still had nine children living at home, Frank married Cora Bell Gable of Douglas County, a young lady 20 years his junior and one who gave him an amazing 12 more children over the next 25 years.

One can only imagine the difficulties faced by this young woman as she boldly approached the task of being a mother to nine children, the oldest just three years younger than she, and the youngest only four years old.

Once again, Mary Harper writes about these last 12 children who rounded out the Harper family:

“The children of Robert Franklin and Cora Bell (Gable) Harper were:

“10. Thomas Benjamin Harper, born 8 June 1892, died 17 Jan. 1949. He married Bessie Lynn Edmondson on 24 Dec. 1917. He had seven children: Ida Bell, Martha Frances, George Franklin, Betty Lynn, Jane, Jack and Thomas Woodie Harper.

“11. Robert Paul Harper, born 29 Nov. 1893, died 9 Nov. 1956. He married Fannie Delia Allen on 25 Dec. 1921. He had four children: Fannie Pauline, Henry Wade, Willie Mae and Mary Alma Harper. He and his wife are buried at The Rock Baptist Church Cemetery in north Fayette County.

“12. Nora Bell Harper, born 2 Nov. 1895, died 19 March 1987. She married Charlie Tom Speir on 18 Dec. 1916. They had two children: Clarence Edward Speir m. Margaret Elizabeth Walker and Dorothy Evelyn Speir m. John Foster Sloan II.

Nora Bell and her husband are buried at Bethany.

“13. Beverly Leona Harper, born 26 Sept. 1897, died 9 May 1967. She married (1) George Harry Carroll, Sr. on 19 Nov 1919 and (2) William Halton Dayton in Oct 1941. All three are buried at Bethany Cemetery.

“14. Lewis Edward Harper, born 28 Sept. 1900, died 30 May 1967. He married Leila Mae Couch on 13 Aug. 1933. They had six children: Lewis Albert, Charles Franklin, Cora Louise, Dorothy Mae, Robert Len and Thomas Edward Harper. Louis Harper is buried at Bethany.

“15. Emma Lou Harper, born 23 Aug. 1902, died 31 March 1977. She married Forest Hilton Herndon. They had three children: Barbara Clyde, Gladys Maree, Emily Jane and Mary Willene Harper. Emma Lou and Forest are buried at Holly Hill.

“16. Raymond Glen Harper, born 19 July 1904, died March 1979. He married Lucia Johnson. They had one daughter: Glenda Harper. He was buried in Athens.

“17. Janie Estelle Harper, born 31 July 1906, died 30 June 1989. She married John D. Leverett, Sr. on 28 June 1925. They had two sons: John David and Edward Raymond Harper. Janie and her husband are buried at Bethany Cemetery.

“18. Ila Gertrude Harper, born 7 July 1909, died 5 Sept. 1909. She is buried at Bethany.

“19. Dorothy Ruth Harper, born 7 Jan. 1911 (twin), died 24 Dec. 1986. She married Robert Lee Torbush on 19 Feb. 1932. They had two children: Robert Lindsey Torbush and Dorothy Jean Torbush. They are buried at Holly Hill Cemetery.

“20. Ruby Frances Harper born 7 Jan. 1911 (twin), died 14 Sep 1993. She

married John Lamar McBurnett on 15 July 1937. They had one child: Linda Gail McBurnett. They are buried at Holly Hill Cemetery in Fairburn.

“21. Charlie Grady Harper born 12 April 1916, died 16 April 1966. He married Edna Mae Burns on 15 April 1937. They had three children: Charlie Grady, Sandra Maybeth and Lewis Burns Harper. They are buried at Holly Hill Cemetery.”

Frank Harper died in 1919 from a bout with pneumonia following the flu and was buried at Bethany beside his first wife, Martha Alice Hoffman Harper.

Cora raised the rest of the children (the youngest was only three when Frank died), lived until 1954 and is buried beside Frank at Bethany.

This wonderful story would not have been possible without the help and

research of Mary Harper of Florida and Tom Howle of Fayetteville. My heartfelt thanks to both for their generous contributions.

I’d also like to mention that a recent e-mail from Brenda Torbush advised me that the Harper family reunion is this Sunday, May 1, at Bethany. I believe it begins about 12:30 p.m.

Next week we’ll continue our Bethany stories with Nita McFarlin’s and Jane Thomas Storey’s accounts of their families of the Bethany community.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!