Bonie Pierce: Painter and Carpenter

N.B. "Bonie" always kept busy working, looking for ways to make money to support his wife and nine children. And like most farmers, Bonie learned many skills besides just those needed to grow crops.

One-time neighbor Mallory Brannan recalled that “Mr. Bonie was a hard worker. He was a painter and jackleg carpenter. He went to Mobile to paint houses and do carpentry.” He did these sideline jobs especially during the winter months.

For a time Bonie worked as a painter for the Mobile County Public School System. In the above photo, Bonie is the man standing with his hands on his hips. He is surrounded by other painters for the school system, perhaps some of them are from Wilmer, too.

Photo courtesy of Lucille Pierce Hogancamp.

Raymond Pierce: Early 1930s

Raymond Lamont Pierce (1923-1981) and his brother-in-law, Don Vickers, pose for this photo probably taken in the early 1930s.

Note how neatly dressed Raymond is. Hat, coat, shorts, and shoes are all coordinated. Clearly his parents, N.B. "Bonie" Pierce and Julia L. Moody, cared about how their children dressed.

Don Vickers was the husband of Hazel Lee Pierce (1905-1985). Hazel was the daughter of Bonie and Julia. Don and Hazel owned a farm in Faunsdale, Alabama.

Graduation: Velma M. Pierce

Velma Moree Pierce (1913-1993) appears in a graduation robe above. Her dress can be seen peeking out from the bottom of the robe. The picture below shows her in the dress.

These are no doubt photos of Velma's high school graduation. But the photos do not appear to be taken in Wilmer, Alabama. For a time, Velma lived with her sister Ina Mae and Ina Mae's husband Joe Gibson in Indiana. So it is possible that she completed high school after moving to the North.

Beatrice Pierce, Laverne Brannan

These two photos are same. I liked the way they appeared together on the photo strip, so I kept them together rather than cutting them apart.

Beatrice Valara Pierce (1921-1993), left, walks with friend and neighbor Laverne Brannan. This photo was probably taken at Royal and Dauphin streets in downtown Mobile. This street corner at the Van Antwerp Building seems to have been a popular place to have your photo made.

Bea at the Filtration Plant: 1944

Beatrice V. Pierce (r.) poses in front of the newly constructed E.M. Stickney Filtration Plant, which was built next to her parents' property in 1944.

The young woman on the left and the baby in front of the doors are not identified.

E.M. Stickney Filtration Plant: 1944

Before World War II, Mobile didn't treat its water, other than minor chlorination. The city didn't have the money to build a treatment plant.

During the early part of the war, the U.S. government, decided that properly treated water would help the war effort. So at a cost of $1.3 million, the federal government built a filtration plant on Moffett Road. This was on land adjacent and just to the east of N.B. "Bonie" Pierce's property. The roofline seen through the pecan trees on the left is that of the Pierce home and business.

The plant went into operation in 1944. After the war, the federal government turned the plant over to the city of Mobile for a small fraction of the original cost.

The above photo appears to have been taken as construction of the plant was nearing completion.

Julia and Raymond in Akron, Ohio

Julia Moody Pierce and her son Raymond Lamont Pierce (1923-1981) pose for this photo in Akron, Ohio.

They were probably visiting Julia's son Cecil Alvey Pierce (1907-1975) and his wife Anna Catherine Edwards (1909-2008). The date of the photo isn't known, but there are two clues as to when it may have been taken.

One clue is the possible age of Raymond. He doesn't appear older than about 10. So the date may be 1933 or before. The other clue is that Cecil and Anna were married in November 1929. So the trip to Akron may have occurred after then. Of course the trip may have occurred before the marriage.

At any rate this photo was taken about the start of the Great Depression in 1929. The Depression struck farmers earlier in the 1920s. Yet the Pierce family, Wilmer, Ala., farmers, clearly had the means and the time to travel.