Lottie Bell
Wills 1904-1990, Generation 6
Taken 1918
Source: June Marchman,
Winter Park, Fl.
The following text
was contributed by Mrs. June Marchman,
daughter of Lottie Bell (Wills) Brown.
My mother, Lottie Bell
Wills was born Jan. 20, 1904 in
Bedford Co., Va. The daughter of
Charles Allen and Nannie Lee (Witt)
Wills, her mother died of measles when
she was a mere 17 months old. The
youngest of nine children, she was
raised by Granddaddy with the help of
her oldest sister, Annie Jane.
She lived for a time
with Granddaddy and a stepmother.
After the births of several
half-siblings, she was taken to be
raised by her oldest brother, Henry
and his wife, Betty, who were
childless.
Uncle Henry and Aunt
Betty Wills lived in Hopewell, Prince
George Co., Va. She was educated and
finished school there. The picture of
her included in the photo section,
shows her in her graduation outfit, a
"middy blouse", the style of
the day for a 15 year old and her
contemporaries. Aunt Betty taught her
the fine art of all needle work,
housekeeping, etc. She excelled at
them all.
At the age of 16 she
married my father, Walter McKinley
Brown in the First Baptist Church of
Petersburg, Prince George, Va. on
April 23, 1920. They made their home
in Hopewell and lived out their lives
there, raising 6 children to
adulthood. They made it through the
depression years without any of us
going hungry or ill-dressed. Mother
was strict, a necessity with six
children, which we didn't appreciate
until we had our own children. We were
disciplined with love, never in anger.
Each of us inherited her love of
reading and a quiet time alone
everyday.
Relatives visited
often, she always made room for them
and was an excellent cook. At our home
it was
chicken every Sunday
and a fresh coconut cake. During these
visits I met many of her relatives,
who all had a great sense of humor and
a contagious laugh. Her hands were
never idle. How she managed to be a
good housekeeper, wonderful mother,
Sunday school teacher and an active
member and officer of several clubs
remains a mystery to me. Mother was a
very petite lady, barely 5 ft. tall
and 98 lbs.. Her weight stayed the
same for her lifetime.
She asked me to search
for her family roots as she knew
little about them. Each bit of
information I found thrilled her.
Uncles and aunts as she called them,
sometimes were found to be
Granddaddy's, not hers. She insisted
she had Irish and French ancestors,
which I doubted. Further research
showed she was right, though they were
not Wills'. My regret was and still is
that I could never find her missing
brother, Taylor Benton Wills. Having
exhausted every lead, I believe he
perished in the 1918 flu epidemic, no
records lead past WWI in which he
served.
Dad passed away shortly
after their 63rd anniversary. Mother
continued to live alone and remained
independent, despite two bouts of
cancer, a stroke and glaucoma, the
loss of eyesight in one eye. She
died quickly and
peacefully of a heart attack in 1990.
She told us often, "the Wills'
are of strong stock, taking whatever
befell them with a stiff upper lip and
no complaints". We try very hard
Mom.
Descendants of Lottie Bell Wills
1 Lottie Bell Wills Born: January 20, 1904 in Bedford, Va. Died: January 11,
1990 in Hopewell, Va. Age at death: 85
. +Walter McKinley Brown Born: May 09, 1896 in Grason Co., Va. Married:
April 23, 1920 in Petersburg, Va. Father: Mr. Stephen Emmett Brown Mother:
Ms. Bettie C. Rutherford Died: May 17, 1983 in Hopewell, Va. Age at death:
87
2 Charles Emmett Brown Born: February 04, 1921
... +Emily Elizabeth Kroupa Married: February 14, 1942 in Hopewell, Va.
Died: 1949 Age at death: ?
*2nd Wife of Charles Emmett Brown:
... +Maude Cannon Married: 1951
2 Henry Benton Brown Born: February 04, 1923 in Hopewell, Va. Died:
December 30, 1985 in Washington, DC Age at death: 62
... +Margret Scott Jones Married: September 04, 1945 in Washington, DC
*2nd Wife of Henry Benton Brown:
... +Gertrude Kitts Married: 1964
2 Garnet Eugene Brown Born: January 27, 1925 in Bedford Co. Va.
... +Maude O. Dabney Married: October 09, 1964 in Hopewell, Va.
2 June Lottie Brown Born: July 30, 1927 in Hopewell, Va.
... +Harold Raymond Marchman Born: August 30, 1923 in Heard Co., Ga.
Married: April 16, 1945 in Hopewell, Va.
2 Betty Lee Brown Born: August 19, 1929 in Hopewell, Va.
... +Adolphus Carroll Lord Married: August 22, 1945 in Hopewell, Va.
2 Kettie Allone Brown Born: January 01, 1938 in Hopewell, Va.
... +David Carson Berrier Married: November 10, 1956 in Hopewell, Va.
*2nd Husband of Kettie Allone Brown:
... +Henry Fitzhugh, Dr. Married: 1972