My grandfather, Alec P. Vaughan, Sr. and grandmother, Agnes Loper, were married January 1, 1908 in Hampton, SC. At that time, my grandfather was a young farmer. Soon after they married, he got a job running the “Poe Farm” which included feeding residents and tending to prisoners.
The two of them would go on to raise 6 children including Verlie, Myrtle, Wilhelmina, Urbanna, Ralph and Alec. Their first born died not long after child birth and was buried outside of Hampton. When the family plot was well established some years later, her grave was dug and a button and the dirt in the area was taken away in memory of her. The button is probably in some forgotten box in the house. The dirt was carried to the Sandy Run Baptist church cemetery where her remains now lay in the family plot across from the church. Her tomb stone reads-” Tiny Viree.”
For many years, my grandfather, the man for whom my own father is named, Alec Peeples Vaughan, continued at the Poor Farm and eventually, with the help of his older sister “Ban” bought the property on which the old farm house stands today.
Papa, as we called him was a tall-standing southern gentleman with a white mustache to match his white thin hair.
This past week as as we had our annual reunion in Early Branch, down the road from Hampton, we remembered our heritage, visited the old home place and talked about he and my grandmother, Agnes, whom I was named.
Marriages, children and legacies go together and we should document as much as we can for those to follow.
Josie