Abbiedell Blandon

Black female, born 3 April 1913 in Pensacola, FL. She died 13 August 1933 in Pensacola, at the age of 20 years and 4 months. At the time of her death, she had lived in the city for 20 years and was single, living at 1217 N. Hayne St. She died of myocarditis, from which she had suffered since 1932, and more recent nephritis, diffused. She worked as a maid for a private household, which work she had done for three years but had stopped in July 1933. Her father was Auther Blandon, born in Opelika, Alabama; her mother was Hettie Brooks, born in Evergreen, Alabama. She was buried by Morris Funeral Home in the Escambia County Poor Farm cemetery.

Hettie Brooks was born in Evergreen, Alabama on 3 April 1873. She married Ransom Williams in Evergreen on 28 December 1892. Hettie had three living children with Ransom: Mary, born 1890 in Alabama; Carrie, born 1896 in Alabama; and Lorenzo, born 1898 in Florida. (The 1900 census indicates Hettie had given birth to four children at that point. They lived at 284 Scott Street in Pensacola; Ransom worked as a day laborer and Hettie as a cook.)

Auther (also seen as “Arthur”) was born around 1870 in Opelika, Alabama. According to census records, he was also married before marrying Hettie; I have not found that marriage yet.

Abbiedell’s parents married in Pensacola on 28 December 1901.

In the 1910 census, the Blandon family lived at 313 Moreno Street. Arthur was 40 years old and worked as a bayman at Pensacola Harbor. Hettie was 34 and did not work outside the home at that time. This census says she was born in Greenville, Alabama, but that is the only record I have found that does not say Evergreen. The census indicated they had been married for 12 years and Hettie had given birth to 12 children in her lifetime, with 6 still living. The children in the household were: Mary Williams, 18 and single, born in Evergreen, Alabama; Carrie Williams who was 14; Lorenzo, 11, who was  listed as a Blandon, though he was born while Hettie was married to Ransom Williams; Hilton Blandon was 9; Creola was 4; and Bernice was 2. Mary and Carrie were born in Alabama; the rest were born in Florida.

A litany of tragedy begins: In 1912, Hilton died of tetanus at the age of 12.

Abbie first appears in the 1920 census in the household of her father. They were living on North 7th Avenue at the time. Auther Blandon was 49 years old. He rented his home and worked as a laborer in a shipyard. He could neither read nor write. His wife, Hettie was 43 years old and worked as a laundress in a private home. She was also illiterate. Their children were Lorenzo, 19 and single, working as a bell hop at a hotel; Creola, 14; Bernice, 10; Aubrey, 8; Abbie D., 6; Charlie, 4 and a half; Carrie Gregory, 22 and married, working as a laundress; and Carrie’s son, Curdy C. Gregory, 4 months old. Only Carrie was listed as having been  born in Alabama.

Charlie Blandon, born 25 November 1916, died in Pensacola Hospital on 12 August 1927 of accidental drowning. He was 11 years old. He was buried in the A.M.E. Zion cemetery by Morris Funeral Home.

Auther Blandon passed away on 3 August 1928 of cerebral apoplexy (stroke). At that time he was living at 1218 W. Guillemard St. His occupation was given as laborer, his age as 47, and it was indicated he had been in the city for 35 years. Hettie Blandon was the informant on the certificate, and gave Auther’s father as Lorenzo Blandon, born in Alabama. She did not know his mother’s name. Auther was buried in Zion cemetery by Morris Funeral Home.

In the 1930 census, the family was headed by Hettie, living at 213 Moreno St. She was widowed, 50 years old and worked as a day laborer, private. The census indicated she was 17 years old at the time of her first marriage (Ransom Williams). Also in the household were Abbie D., 14; Carrie L., 5; Bernie Webster, 20 years old and married at 18, who also worked as a day laborer for a private household; and her husband, James Webster, 21 (married at 19), who worked as a janitor in a printing office.

Aubrey Blandon passed away later that year, on 21 November 1930, of chronic nephritis and mitral regurgitation. Hettie was again the informant on the death certificate, and gave her maiden name as Hettie Williams. The address given as residence for both Aubrey and Hettie was 1613 N. Hayne St. Aubrey was buried in Zion cemetery by Morris Funeral Home. (Aubrey was born 1 November 1910; his death certificate states he was 21 years and 20 days old when he died, but he was only 20.)

Abbiedell appeared once in the Pensacola City Directory, in 1931. She was listed as a student, living with her mother at 1613 Hayne St., She died in 1933, as above.

Hettie appeared in the 1940 census (as “Katie Blandon”) in the household of James and Bernice Webster, living on Gonzalez St. She appeared in the 1950 census as the head of her own household at 1213 Hayne St. She was 75 years old and lived with Bernice, who was also widowed by that time, and Leon Brandon, her grandson. She died on 12 August 1971 in Pensacola, at the age of 98. She lived at 179 Escambia Arms and was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Survivors were her children: Mary Banks of Omaha; Carrie Gregory of New York City; Creola Smith of Detroit; Bernice Webster of Pensacola; Lorenzo Blandon of Birmingham; and Leon Blandon Sr. of Pensacola. She was buried in Magnolia Cemetery by Joe Morris Funeral Home.

FAMILY:

Mother: Hettie Brooks Williams Blandon

Father: Auther (or Arthur) Blandon

Siblings: Mary Williams Banks, Carrie L. Williams Gregory, Lorenzo Williams, Bernice Blandon Webster, G. Hilton Blandon, Creola Blandon Smith, Aubrey Blandon, Charlie Blandon

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SOURCES:

Florida Certificate of Death No. 11975, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Marriage Records of Escambia County, Florida, transcribed on wfgs.org.

Florida Certificate of Death No. 12518, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Florida Certificate of Death No. 10632, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.