Frances May ABNEY

     Frances May ABNEY, daughter of Samuel ABNEY IV and Martha Anne WALKER, was born on 25 June 1880 in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama.^1,2,3 Frances was also known as Fannie Mae.

Frances May ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 18 June 1900, in the household of her parents Samuel ABNEY IV and Martha Anne WALKER in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama. She was listed as May Abney, age 17.⁴

Fannie Mae ABNEY was educated in Alabama Girls' Industrial School, Montevallo, Alabama, between 1903 and 1904. This school later became Alabama College, then the University of Montevallo.^5,6

Frances married Francis Horatio BROWN, son of Waymon Leggett BROWN and Fereby Jane CHISM, on 3 January 1906 at her parent's parlor in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama. They met while Rasch was working in Mahan's Store.²

Frances May ABNEY and Francis Horatio BROWN appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 15 April 1910 in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama. The household was listed as Francis H. Brown, age 36, farmer; wife Frances M., age 25; and daughter Frances D., age 3. The couple had been married four years and had one child. They lived in Maplesville on the Montgomery Road, two houses away from James D. Haggard.⁷

Frances May ABNEY and Francis Horatio BROWN appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 9 January 1920 in Macedonia, Chilton County, Alabama. The household was listed as Francis H. Brown, age 47, farmer; wife Francis M., age 37; daughter Francis D., age 13; son Thomas A., age 9; son John K., age 5; son Frank B., age 1 year 11 months; and father Waymon L. Brown, age 82, a widower.⁸

May was a charter member of the Maplesville Order of the Eastern Star, Clara Sue Chapter #308, which was organized 22 Nov 1922.⁹

Frances May ABNEY and Francis Horatio BROWN appeared in a newspaper article 10 April 1930 in the The Union Banner, published in Clanton, Alabama. Abney was home visiting from the Univesity of Alabama. His parents drove him and Charlie Haggard to Montgomery on Sunday.

Frances May ABNEY and Francis Horatio BROWN appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 21 April 1930 in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama. The household was listed as F. H. Brown, 56-year-old merchant in a general merchandise store, and Mary [May?] F. Brown, his 47-year-old wife. He married at 32 and she at 28. They owned their home at 24 Clay Street which was valued at $4000 and they owned a radio. Also in the household were their children: Frances D., a 25-year-old widow and public school teacher; Abney T., 19; John K., 17, farmer; Frank B., 12, farmer; Horatio F., 12; and George K., 7. All of the boys were attending school.¹⁰

Frances May ABNEY and Francis Horatio BROWN appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 21 April 1940 in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama. The household was listed as Francis H. Brown, age 66, no occupation; Frances Mae Brown, 58; Francis H. Brown, Jr., 19, attending first year of college; and George Brown, 17, attending 3rd year of high school. They lived on Brown Street. Maie Brown had one year of college.¹¹

Frances May ABNEY died on 9 June 1963 in Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama, at age 82. She was buried in Abney Cemetery.

Her obituary appeared 11 June 1963 in the Montgomery Advertiser, published in Montgomery, Alabama. Maplesville-- Mrs. Mary Francis Brown, 82, died Sunday. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday from the Maplesville Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Abney Cemetery, Martin Funeral Home of Clanton directing. Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. F. D. Gulledge, Verbena; five sons, John Kennedy Brown, Tuscaloosa; T. Abney and Frank Britton Brown, both of Maplesville, F. H. Brown Jr., Montgomery, George K. Brown, Germany; two sisters, Mrs. S. M. Bland, York, Mrs. T. H. Christopher, Gadsden; one brother, E. H. Abney, Clemson, S. C; seven grandchildren.

Her obituary appeared 13 June 1963 in the The Union Banner, published in Clanton, Alabama. The first part of the obit is identical to the one from Montgomery. It only adds: Pallbearers were: Ben Cobern, Carlos Owens, Hershell Shanks, Willard Hicks, Willie Pearce, and Berean Huff. Honorary-- Kermit Cobern, Ed Clapp, J. P. Thomas, Garland Poshee, Van Potts, Preston McGee, Dudley Nix, M. L. Argo, al Foshee, Jr. and Charley Bates.

Native of Chilton county, she was a daughter of Samuel Abney and Amanthashe Walker Abney.