Lillie, Julia, and Bonie

Lillie Moody Cayton (1893-1982), left, joins her sister Julia Moody Pierce (1886-1965), and brother-in-law N.B. "Bonie" Pierce (1880-1964) for a visit under the oak trees in the side yard of the Reservoir Inn.

Before Moffet Road became the busy major highway it is today, a pleasant day or evening could be spent relaxing in these chairs and watching cars go by. In the evenings, flying squirrels jumped from tree to tree. Bonie built the chairs that they are sitting in.

Notice that Bonie is holding a cigar. He frequently smoked cigars.

In the background is a house owned by the Mobile Water and Sewer System. Except for Bonie's store, the water system had bought most of the property between Shelton Beach Road and Woodley Road on the north side of Moffet Road for the E.M. Stickney Filtration Plant, built in 1944. Water system employees lived in this house and the others that the system bought. This house was occupied by Eddie and Jeanette Phillips.

George Carl Pierce

George Carl Pierce (1916-1989) always called Carl, did not complete his education at Wilmer School. Like several of his siblings, he left school and went to Hammond, Indiana. There he worked at the Queen Anne Candy Company. Carl became a supervisor for the company making 45 cents an hour.

Carl returned to Mobile and bought a home in the Forest Hill suburb, near his parents N.B. "Bonie" and Julia Moody Pierce. He worked for Malbis Bakery, where he met Jeanette Elizabeth Hagen. The couple were married on November 30, 1940, and had two children. Carl and Jeanette eventually divorced and Carl moved to Texas.

Velma and Julia: On the Gulf Coast

Velma Moree Pierce Barnhart (1913-1993), left, poses with her mother Julia Lavinia Moody (1886-1965) somewhere along the Gulf Coast. Although the location is not identified, it is probably on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The bridge in background may have been one of the old bridges to Dauphin Island. The bridges to the island have been replaced several times.

The Mobile County area offered many sorts of outdoor recreation. Fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, or just island tourist watching were within easy reach. Velma, who lived in Chicago with her husband Charles, was probably taking her parents on a day trip to the island while visiting from Chicago.

Hurricane Club

The "New Hurricane Club" was a popular hangout for young adults during the World War II years. Located on Cedar Point Road south of downtown Mobile, Alabama, the club offered an "orchestra every night, delightful atmosphere, delicious meals." The couples above don't appear interested in eating though. On the table are several bottles of hard alcohol. The Cokes were used as mixers.

Only three people at the table are identified. Third from the left is Beatrice Valara Pierce (1921-1993). The couple on the right is Marjorie Gabriella "Gay" McKeough (1920-1998) and Ralph Bailey Pierce (1917-1984), brother of Bea. Ralph and Gay were married on October 3, 1942. In February 1942, Bea married a different soldier than the one she is seated with here. They divorced in 1947. So this photo was either taken before 1942 or after 1947.

Many soldiers were in Mobile because of the construction of a new Army Air Force supply depot at Bates Field, the city airport before the war. Construction of Brookley Army Air Force Base began in June 1940. Enlisted men began arriving two months later and the first plane landed in March 1941. The base closed in June 1969.

Gay McKeough Pierce

Marjorie Gabriella "Gay" McKeough (1920-1998) poses in what may have been either a high school graduation or a wedding photo. Gay and Ralph Bailey Pierce (1917-1984) were married on October 3, 1942. Gay was the daughter of Alfred Shaw McKeough ( 1884-1952) and Edna Webb Powe (1884- 1972).

After they were married, the couple lived on the Army Air Force Base in Selma, Alabama, where Ralph was stationed.

During the 2-1/2 years Gay and Ralph lived in Selma, Gay worked on the base keeping cadet and officer flying times. She also served as private secretary to the Base Operations Officer.

Cecil and Anna Pierce:1950s

After he left the Pierce Level community in Wilmer, Alabama, Cecil Alvy Pierce (1907-1975) never returned to live in Alabama.

He moved to Akron, Ohio, and worked for the Goodrich Rubber Company, where he met Anna Edwards (1909-2008). They were married on November 28, 1929. Cecil later got a job with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company in Akron. Cecil and Anna made a number of trips to Mobile to visit Cecil's parents and other relatives. They always travelled by train, arriving at the L&N station at the foot of Government Street.

This above portrait of the couple was probably made in the 1950s.

Bonie Pierce: Service Station

N.B. "Bonie" Pierce stands in front of his business, the Reservoir Inn, 4900 Moffet Road, Mobile, Alabama. Note that the service station has switched to selling Citi Service gasoline from Sinclair gas, which it sold when it first opened in 1940.