BEATRICE McDANIEL FRANCIS
Haywood County Heritage article 454
Beatrice McDaniel (1904-1983) was a pretty woman and a virtuous one. She was the daughter of John Alexander McDaniel (1856-1934) and Francis Virginia Rouse (1862-1924) and the youngest of twelve children, all born in Ware County, Georgia near Waycross. Although she was a "Georgia cracker", she was destined to become a "Carolina Mountaineer".
In the summer of 1927, Beatrice came to Waynesville, finding lodging with the Noble Garrett family. A friend Marguerite Massie Parkman, introduced her to Marguerite's cousin, J. Harley Francis (1898-1971). Their friendship blossomed into romance and in 1928 they were married.
Although life in the mountains was quite different from that of Southern Georgia, Beatrice adjusted to her new life, but in the summer she and the children returned to Georgia for several months, traveling by train or bus.
Like many women of her time, she acquired skills in quilt-making, embroidery and crochet. She accumulated many beautiful hand-made treasures.
Following her husband's example, she read and studied her Bible. She also taught Sunday school at First Baptist Church in Waynesville.
Her lifetime interest was growing beautiful flowers. She kept flower journals, recording plantings, species and joyful experiences intertwined with records of family events, particularly about her children.
During the last years of her life, following the death of her husband, she lived alone in the Francis home. In summer she filled her front porch with flower boxes, hanging baskets and potted plants. One day a thin, hungry white Angora cat appeared which she named Snowball. The cat and her two blue-green Parakeets became family.
After fifty-five years in the mountains, at the age of 79, she slipped away early one morning in the Haywood County Hospital. She had spoken of coming home the next day.
At this time, daughter Virginia (b. 1929), a Reference Librarian at the University of Florida, lived in Gainesville, but has now retired and returned to Waynesville.
Elaine (b. 1932) and husband William K. Stephens lived in Hamilton, O. and Houston, TX and have now returned to Waynesville. Their married daughter, Elisabeth, lives in Winston Salem with her husband and daughter Beatrice, age 5. Son William teaches Physics and lives at home and son Chriss is married and lives in Pittsburg.
Thomas L. (b. 1939) a biologist with Florida Department of Parks, and his wife Beth Brookins and children Becky and Ben live in Panama City Beach. T.L.'s two older children, Lee and Rachel, are from a former marriage.
Jim Francis (b. 1943), formerly an executive with American Enka, now owns F & MContracting in Waynesville. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in Newport, TN. Anita Francis Darby and Jim Harley are his children from an earlier marriage.
Submitted by: Elaine S1ephens, Waynesville, NC