Laura Elizabeth Platts-John Brook Harter

Laura Elizabeth Platts-Harter-Monden

                                         Born January 10.1876           Died March 20.1950

Born July 26. 1873    Died August 31.1913

Laura is buried next to her first husband in the family cemetery in Ulmer, South Carolina, she was my greatgrandmother. Laura married William Watson Monden after her first husband John Brook Harter was shot and killed in Lena, SC.
This is the Newspaper article about the murder of my greatgrandfather;

My greatgrandparents had 6 children, Newman, Leacy, Cuemilla,John Brooke, Laura, and John Dexter(grandfather).

Dr. Jesse Horace Thomas

Dr. Jesse Horace Thomas was one of the first African-American doctors to practice in Camden, South Carolina. Born August 11. 1882, he married Hattie Smith of Sumter, they had no children, Dr. Thomas died  December 28.1954.  Dr. Thomas graduated from Claflin College in Orangeburg, SC., he attended the medical school at Temple University.

Dr. Thomas purchased the house at 707 DeKalb St. in Camden, in 1911, he practiced next door. This house now serves as one of the best resturants in Camden, I've had dinner there, the "BEST" catfish that I've ever had. The resturant is still like a home, you pick a room to eat in, and they are still cooking in the original kitchen.

Dr. Thomas is buried at the Cedar Cemetery, this cemetery is about a mile north of the Quaker Cemetery.

The Carolina Cup Steeplechase Race

The Carolina Cup Race will be held April 2.2011 At the Sprindale Race Course in Camden, South Carolina.
We as a small town grow from 6000 residents to over 100,000 visitors for this race, we sit on our front porch an watch the guest come to town, the young ladies with their fine hats, beautiful and carefully chosen dresses, the young men, with their bowties, pressed dress shirts, and twill or linen pants come by the bus load, convertable cars, or SUV's, well they come for one thing only, as they drive up Broad Street, not to watch a horse race, but to see who has the best tailgate party, and quite abit of the libations are consumed, the saying here is in these parts "If you saw a Horse it was a bad Day!", when they leave, they aren't so pretty, I have sat watching the gridlock of cars and buses trying to leave Camden after the race, they guest aren't as beautiful as they came, alittle dirty, some very sick, one time we watched the bus that was stopped in front of our house full of college students do the chinese fire drill, the police parked by our house could only shake his head. 

I'm not trying to deter anyone from coming, WE LOVE IT WHEN YOU VISIT! so please come the money helps our hospital here. So come on down, and we'll show you some Southern Hospitality!

Sharron Dunsmore McCargar

Sharron Dunsmore passed away February 4.2011 in Michigan, during surgery, She was born to Richard George Dunsmore and Ariel Agnes Denton June 2.1935 in Ionia, Michigan. Sharron was my 1st cousin 1x removed. Sharron was married 3 times, her first husband was Harvey Van Vleck, together they owned the Tasty Freeze in Charlotte, Michigan. They had 3 children. She graduated from Michigan State University in 1970.

Sharron was also a Probartion Officer for Eaton County from 1970-1975. Sharron moved to Medford, Oregon and was Vice-president for  Kirchner Ore and Refinery, she also sang with the "Sweet Adelines" in Florida, Oregon and Michigan. Sharron is survived by 3 children,and both of her sisters, she was preceeded in death by her 3 husbands, Harvey Van Vleck, Fred Kirchner,and Dick McCargar.

Burial was at the First United Methodist Church of Ionia, Pastor Larry Brown

Walter Raymond Warden

My maternal grandfather Walter Raymond Warden was born in Michigan, September 21.1909. He had 3 younger sisters, Anna, Ila, and Arlene. Grandpa married Alice Gerturde Dunsmore on February 14.1934.
Grandpa held several jobs, he had a dairy farm, and did farming for the government, he also was a teacher, and the last job that he had was Captain of the Midlands Ferry Boat that would cross from Michigan to Wisconsin and back, grandma said she always knew when to start dinner, he would blow the ships horn to let her know that he was home. Grandpa and Grandma had 5 children, the oldest is my mom, they had 3 girls and 2 boys. I remember a visit to the farm when I was very young, the windmill in the back yard, green beans growing in one field behind the barn, and corn growing in another field. I remember taking a walk down to the pond, and the cattails that were growing.

The next time that I visited the farm, my grandpa was meeting my husband and children for the first time, he made me laugh, because he asked my husband what his intentions were for me, at least he asked. My grandparents were rock collectors, and I think that's why they started going down to Arizona during the winter, they would stay in Apache Junction or Queen Creek while they were there. (Snowbirds). My grandpa had made a neck lariet from agate in the shape of the state of Michigan, he always wore it, so when he passed away October 9.1987, my grandmother asked me what I wanted of his, I said just the lariet, which I cherish to this day. My family has gone back one more time, when my grandmother turned 90.

We had 5 first born females there for her party, Alice Gerturde Dunsmore, Carol Louise Warden, Tina Marie Harter, April Carol Cruz, Raven Sky Hatch.  My grandmother was going through the final stages of Alzhimers, she didn't recognize any of us, but when we handed her Ashlynn Rae Hatch(daughter of April).
who was a few months old, she transformed into a loving grandmother, just thrilled to hold her, sang to her, and cooed.

My grandmother passed away September 3.2002
My grandparents are buried at Steele Cemetery in Michigan.

Eunice Mildred Bryant (Harter)

Eunice Mildred Bryant was born February 12.1917 in Lakeland, Florida, she was the daughter of Green Berry Bryant (B.Aug. 1871)-(D.June 1925). in Baker County, Florida, he is supposedly buried at South Prong Cemetery, but there is no stone or marker to be found.  Eunice's mother was Francis Elizabeth Hickox (B.Aug. 1874)-(D.Nov. 1950), she is buried at Swift Cemetery, in Florida.

My family believed that Eunice was an only child, because she never spoke of family, after a few years of research, due to brickwalls with her parents, I found out through a child of one of her siblings who contacted me, she was the last of 10 children born to her parents, her mom was 43 when she had Eunice.

The last time that I saw my grandmother was back in 1976, it was the first time that I had flown alone, going from California to South Carolina. She had finally met someone that she was just starting to date at that time, I'm not sure if that person was her second husband Howard Leon Gulledge.

My grandmother had borrowed a car from someone and had me drive her all over and take her shopping, I thought this was great, since I was only 18. We did take a trip to downtown Beaufort, and now that I live in South Carolina, I go down there every summer to Hunting Island.

(Photos: Easter Sunday and the house in Port Royal, SC. her and grandpa rented this home from Cuemilla Rogers)

John Dexter Harter holding my sister Susan Carol Harter in 1965. He died in 1966 from heart disease. He is the son of John Brook Harter and Laura Elizabeth Platts.