Levi Guice (1790-1842) must have been prosperous as he owned vast properties in Catahoula, Franklin, and Ouachita parishes. A large portion of his estate was signed over to Elmore Guice (1826-1864), one of his sons, while Elmore was still a minor. Another son, Fielden John, served as a private in Co. K of the 1st LA Cavalry during the Civil War. He was killed in action in 1863.
Elmore married Mary Ann Woods (1837-1864) and set up housekeeping near Guice Lake in the Turkey and Deer Creek area. They had only two sons, Charles Ira (1859-1864) and Christopher Columbus Guice (1856-1923). According to a family legend, Elmore, Mary Ann and Charles Ira died of yellow fever in Natchez within a few days of each other.
Elmore married Mary Ann Woods (1837-1864) and set up housekeeping near Guice Lake in the Turkey and Deer Creek area. They had only two sons, Charles Ira (1859-1864) and Christopher Columbus Guice (1856-1923). According to a family legend, Elmore, Mary Ann and Charles Ira died of yellow fever in Natchez within a few days of each other.
As the aunt of Christopher Columbus Guice, Martha Woods Tiller went to
James L. Smith and told him her nephew was in Natchez and his parents
had died in the yellow fever epidemic, and would he go bring
Christopher to her. James road a horse over and brought Christopher
back.
[Note from D.E.B.: A descendant of Martha Wood states that Martha was Mary's mother, not her sister. Note also that Wood (without the s) was Martha's first husband's name. Martha's maiden name is unknown at this time.]
[Note from D.E.B.: A descendant of Martha Wood states that Martha was Mary's mother, not her sister. Note also that Wood (without the s) was Martha's first husband's name. Martha's maiden name is unknown at this time.]
In 1895, Christopher married Sarah Elizabeth McCarty (1854-1926) and bought a section of land about three miles west of Sicily Island on what is now known as the Guice Road for $1.00 an acre.He built a two-room log house in which they lived. Sometime later, he built a large room of logs with a dirt chimney in front of the original two rooms. This was tied to the original rooms with a walkway, and the original was used for kitchen and dining room. The well was at the side of the kitchen and the bucket resembled a stove pipe with a valve on the bottom. When lowered in the well, the force pushed the valve open. When it was filled and raised, the pressure of water inside closed the valve.
As the family grew, there was need for the house to grow. The room on the side was added for the boys, and the one on the back for the girls.
Children of this marriage were:
Charles Eagleston, 1876-1962 (m. 1-Polly J. Watson, 2-Mary Duckworth)
Christopher Columbus, Jr., 1876-1889
Henry Eli, 1879-1960 (m. Pansy Duke)
Jefferson Monroe, 1881-1930 (m. Eula Mae Chambless)
Enos Nathaniel, 1883-1929 (m. Sarah Elizabeth Armfield)
Abijah Grover, 1885-1958 (m. Artie Whiddon)
Chester Elmore, 1887-1964 (m. Ellis Elmary Attaway)
Mary Ann, 1889-1934 (m. Arthur Armfield)
Mary Katherine, 1890-? (m. Attaway)
John Fielding, 1892-1967 (m. Mary Janie Langston, sister to Ophelia Annette Langston)
Alice, 1894-1955 (m. Charles H. Ivey)
Ira Christopher, 1896-1966 (m. Ophelia Annette Langston, sister to Mary Janie Langston)
David Erastus, 1899-1979 (m. Katherine Elizabeth Dennis).
In addition to being a planter, Christopher was also a blacksmith and had a shop by the roadside. He also drove a school wagon.
Christopher Columbus Guice and Sarah Elizabeth McCarty Guice
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| Old Pine Hill Cemetery |
Among those who remained on the Island were John Friley Guice (m. Lillian Wells), Lester Langston Guice (m. Goldie Eubanks), Loma Dean Guice (m. Leona Hackney) and Muriel Ophelia Guice (Mrs. Johnnie Richard Wells), all children of John Fielding Guice and Mary Janie Langston Guice. Most of their families also remained here.
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| Mary Janie Langston Guice and John Fielding Guice, courtesy of Dewayne Guice |
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| Old Pine Hill Cemetery |
The Ira Christopher Guice and Ophelia Annette Langston Guice descendants on the Island were Augustine Angeline Guice (Mrs. Edgar Garrison) and her daughters, Sharon Flaherty (Mrs. Casey Weeks) and Donna (Mrs. Steve Thornhill).
Ira Christopher Guice and Ophelia Annette Langston Guice
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| Old Pine Hill Cemetery |
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| Old Pine Hill Cemetery |
Descendants of Enos Nathaniel Guice and Sarah Elizabeth Armfield Guice who remained on the Island were Lee Eunice Guice (Mrs. Edward Ulysses Stephens) and her son, Keith Stephens and family; and two sons of Lillie Guice (Mrs. Johnnie Lee Martin), Clarence Martin and David Lee Martin and their families.
Enos Nathaniel Guice
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| Old Pine Hill Cemetery |
This is my family!! Mary Janie and John Fielding Guice are my great grandparents!
ReplyDeletei also still live here in Sicily Island
DeleteI'm pretty sure I know your father. We've had many discussions in the past on the Guice family as well as other folks who once lived on the Island. My grandfather used to coon hunt with Mr. Fielding and my father visited with Mrs. Janie often in her later years. As a young girl, Mrs. Janie and her sister Ophelia would read to my 3great grandmother, Henrietta, who had gone blind in her old age. The James Luther Smith mentioned in the post above was Henrietta's husband and my 3great grandfather.
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