Mama Fannie

By Marian Olivia Heath Grifffin

Mama Fannie was found in a sugarcane field in central Louisiana by slave women who came out to work one early fall morning in 1853. She was about two and a half years old with no shoes or coat on. She was very tiny, white, and beautiful. Her fourteen-year-old pregnant slave mother arrived on a ship in New Orleans and was sold immediately to a plantation owner in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. Martha attempted to save her child from the hurt and shame she was experiencing by leaving her in the field for a surrogate mother to raise.

Mama Fannie grew up to be a Christian woman of character, raised her many biracial children in a loving manner, and was allowed to marry three of the fathers of her many children and became the root of her family—the Griffins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796021349

Marian Olivia Heath Grifffin

Marian Heath Griffin lives in Baton Rouge with her husband of fifty six years. She served as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Student Personnel Administrator for thirty six years at Southern University, the last seven years as Director of International Student Services. After retiring from Southern University, she decided to utilize her Masters degree in Mass Communication and Photography to write the black man’s experiences through the eyes of her family. Griffin graduated from Delaware State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology, a Masters degree from Atlanta University School of Social Work, a Masters program at the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Christian Education. Griffin attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and completed a Masters degree in Psychological Counseling. She received a Masters degree in Educational Supervision and Mass Communications and Photography from Southern University She did years of further study at Louisiana State University and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Griffin has served as mentor for children, youth and adults most of her career. She is a musician and has organized and played for children’s choir for several churches since she was twelve years old. Griffin has enjoyed traveling in all fifty states and six of the seven continents with her husband, Bertrand Griffin, Sr, their three children and their families: Bertrand, II and Kotosha, Karen Griffin-Phenix and Keith Phenix, Michael and Tracie and our eight grandchildren, Nia, Kiara, Christian-Paris, Michael, II, Amelia Grai, Victoria, Olivia and Sophia- all Griffins. . Her sister and brother-in law, Nancy Heath Kellam and Albert Kellam have always done along for the ride or flight.

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Copyright © 2019 by MARIAN OLIVIA HEATH GRIFFFIN.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2019902962

ISBN:                Hardcover                         978-1-7960-2121-9

                           Softcover                           978-1-7960-2120-2

                           eBook                                 978-1-7960-2134-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Rev. date: 03/12/2019

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Author’s Notes

Introduction

Chapter I         Found In A Sugar Cane Field

Christmas At Disney World

Beaking News – Martha Tessier – Fannie Tessier’s Mother

Chapter II        Fannie

Chapter III       Between The Disney Theme Parks

This Is How It Began

Mama Fannie’s Children

Amelia Grai And Lil Mike’s Need To Research

Chapter IV       Who Was Rev. Augusta Griffin

Rev. Augusta Griffin And Delia Griffin’s Children

Chapter V        Fannie Tessier And Thomas ‘Tom’ Jones

Chapter VI      Jones & Griffin Roots -Like The Seguoi Tree

Chapter VII     Two Sets Of Griffins/One Jones On Gold Dust Plantation

Children In Her Life

Roby’s Granny

Minerva Jones Griffin And Alexander Griffin’s Children

Annie Gilespie Griffin And Roby Griffin

Annie Gilespie And Roby Griffin’s Children And Grandchildren

Kizziary Griffin Brown Thompson And Leon Thompson, Sr.

Rose Marie Brown Kelly And Lemmele Kelly

Rose And Lemmele Kelly’s Children And Grandchildren

Conclusion

Bibliography

Reference Books

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

L et me first acknowledge our cousin on Grandpa Bert’s side of the family, Rose Brown Kelly for being the oral tradition back-up for all our Fannie stories. She was a small child listening to the ‘old folk’ telling these true stories about their ancestors. We would not have known about the existence of Fannie had it not been for Rose Kelly.

Then our other cousin on my side of the family, Janet Nock Moreno, who is an expert in researching data and documents on ancestors and descendants.

Special thanks to Keith Phenix, our son-in-law, who assists in editing my work. Thanks to Karen, our daughter and two sons, Bertrand and Michael for assistance in researching material on Ancestry, com, Wikipedia and United States Federal Census Records.

I cannot leave my grandchildren out because they are collectively my sounding board and my inspiration -Nia, Kiara, Christian – Paris, Michael II, Amelia-Grail, Victoria, Olivia and Sophia- all Griffins. They have brought home projects from their respective schools to trace their heritage.

I continue to be thankful to Leah Chase, our grandchildren’s great grandmother and their other grandfather, James V. Handel, ‘Papa’, for encouragement and inspiration. They are both from Louisiana and know much about the social strata and culture of this state.

Nancy and Albert Kellam, Joseph and Barbara Heath and George Heath are my siblings. I am so thankful for them. Other family members that I appreciate are Joseph Heath Jr, Mary Heath -Cherry, Crystal Purnell, Gloria Heath Martin and her family, Linda, Francine, Whitney and Aggie Cannon, Sandra Brickhouse and her family, Janet Nock Moreno and her family, Valerie Heath Garcia and her family, Sally Newman and her family, Nettie Griffin and her family, Bessie Laurence and her family,

There is a sense of urgency in my writing these manuscripts as I discuss concepts, global history and current events with my family and friends. My mother was a writer. She always wanted me to follow in her footsteps. My sister, Nancy Heath Kellam and her husband Albert Kellam are my sounding boards. Then there are my two living brothers, George W. Heath, Jr and Joseph and Barbara Heath, I appreciate each of you.

I am grateful to the genealogy staff in the East Baton Rouge Main Library and the Scotlandville Branch Library who are to be commended for their assistance in researching data. They are: Pamala Donaldson, Chad J. Cooper and Jennifer L. Thompson.

Grateful acknowledgement to Xlibris staff members for their tolerance with me.

I am thankful for St. Mark United Methodist church members including Vinnie Davis, Charlotte Burkhalter, James Bowman, Dollene Sims. Oletha Dees, Edwina Jackson, Miltonia Butler, Terri Sanderford, Kenyatta Haynes, Linda Cannon, Patricia Watson, Trudy Wickham, Dorothy Collins, Roselyn McGee, Lorita W. Frank, Sandra Kuykendall, Ethel Vicks and Darrin Vicks, Melvin and Sylvia Sanders, Sr and Melvin and Sandra Sanders, Jr. I just want to thank you for reading my books and being supportive.

The pastoral staff at St. Mark is to be commended for their diligence and all they do. They include Rev. Simon Chigumira, our Senior Pastor, and retired ministers, Rev. Bertrand Griffin Sr, Rev. Glorious Wright and Rev. Willie Laws.

Thanks to so many other clergy including Rev. Dr. Leslie P. Norris, Rev. Dr. Robert Williams (deceased), Rev. Dr. George. C. Calvin, (deceased) Rev. Dr. W. C. Handy, (deceased.) Rev. Dr. Alonzo Campbell, Rev. Dr. James Graham, Rev. Constance Saizon and Rev. Dr. Donald Avery who have inspired me along the way. I was in seminary with Leslie, George and Robert along with my husband, Bertrand. We had some grueling and wonderful times together in Gammon Theology Seminary, (ITC).

The support of my Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority sisters is appreciated. They include: Geraldine and Joni Roberts, Jenifer Peters, Sandra Hall, Lovenia Decongest-Watson, Gwen & Jaimelle Thomas, Susie Boudreaux, Lorita Frank, Sanettria Pleasant, Karen Griffin-Phenix, Myrtle Joyner, Katina Semen, Kismet Gray, Marvis H. Lewis, Gloria and Carmen Spooner, Kelli Temple, Judy P. Reed, Glorious Wright and Tamara Montgomery.

Last but not least, loving thanks to my husband, Bertrand Griffin, Sr to whom I’ve been married for fifty-six years. He is reading this book. MAMA FANNIE was his ancestor.

I know it is painful for him because it is painful for me. Moreover, we enjoy life together.

AUTHOR’S NOTES

W E DO NOT ALWAYS have the right words to say to others. Jesus had a conversation with his disciples. He said Do not worry about what to say in your own defense. He assured them that the Holy Spirit would give them the right words to say when they needed them most.

"Just say what God tells you to say at the time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13: 11, NIV.)

MAMA FANNIE had to erase doubts and especially guilt and regrets that kept her from using her gifts to fully serve God. She had the gift of love in spite of the cruelty and pain that she suffered through the years.

She had nothing to give of her own except love and an abiding faith. Over the years, Mama Fannie had one problem after another solved by unexpected blessings. She learned to trust and obey God. She learned to say the right words to her children and others along the way.

She taught, "Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and he will strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the Lord. (Ps. 27: 14, NIV.)

Mama Fannie is an inspiration to me. I am writing her story for my grandchildren who are her descendants. I have researched her past and found some vary disturbing facts about her.

I have two storytellers who relayed the story about this person. One was an old man named Roby Griffin. He was elderly when I met him. I got to know him well. He was my Husband’s father (my father-in-law) who lived with us for six years when he was in his nineties. My other storyteller is Rose Brown Kelly, a young woman who listened to stories about her great grandmother when she was only three or four years old. She is my husband, Bertrand Griffin’s first cousin.

My imagination and much research filled in the gaps. Very little is written about the psychological, sociological physiological, historical and religious experiences of the American black slave. We can only imagine the harshness and hardships that befell our African ancestors that is still evidenced today.

The Bible is a history book,