Pierce Family
The Stephen Lewis (Bud) Pierce Family settled in the Mt. Gilead Community in l917, moving from Gibson County, TN. They brought the women folks and children and part of their things and the men had to return to Gibson County for another load. While they were gone, it came a big snow and they could not get back for a few days. The women and children had very little wood, but had good neighbors; and even though they did not know each other, the neighbors supplied them with wood.
It was Stephen Lewis (Bud) Pierce (1872-1950), son of Martin Van Buren and Eliza Pickens Pierce; and his wife Elizabeth Lucinda (Lizzie) West Pierce, daughter of James
Alec and Miranda Gibson West; and five of their nine children. The children were Beulah Lee, James Martin (Jim), Birdie May, Ina Vera and Herschel Elmer. Two other sons, Buren and Julian who were grown remained in Gibson County. Later, Buren became a Baptist Preacher and moved to Oklahoma. The other two children died at a very young age.
They bought property from Mr. Y. Y. Utley. Mr. Bud and Mrs. Lizzie joined Mt. Gilead Baptist Church where he served as a deacon.
Beulah Lee (1896-1987) married Johnny Andrew McCaslin (1892-1959), son of Andrew and Tennie McCaslin, and Beulah and John had eight children, James Lewis, Katherine Elizabeth, Ed West, Francis Helen, Evelyn Louise, Thomas Andrew, Gaylon Ray and their first born, Myrtle Evie died at the age of four months.
James Martin (Jim)(1900-1987) married Roberta Douglas (1904-1924), daughter of Robert Lee (Bob) and Ida Patton Douglas, and two children were born to them. Roberta died when the children were very young. Then Jim married Roberta’s sister, Marie (1907-1999) and five children were born to them. They are: Robert Lewis, Dorothy Marie, Wilma, Billy Martin, Jimmy, Barbara, and Gary.
Birdie May (1903-1991) married Haskell Ray Williams (1899-1982), son of Tinker and Nancy Hemphill Williams. They had one son, Ray who died as a teenager.
Ina Vera (1905-1990) married John Gray (Grady) Douglas, (1898-1984), son of Joe and Mary Josephine Coffman Douglas. They had four children, Laura Lou, Josephine Elizabeth, Grady, Jr. and Shirley Ann.
Herschel Elmer (1910-1986) married Hazel Marie Price (1910-1997) daughter to James Elmer and Myrtle Mae Mills Price. They had two children, Alva and Herschel, Jr.