Emma Jane Thomas Bethune Life Story

I, Emma Jane (Thomas) Bethune was born 24 Oct. 1872 at Thomas' Cross Roads in Darlington County, S.C. My father, David Hamilton Thomas was born 11 Sept. 1820 in Darlington Co. S.C. and died 9 Feb. 1897 at Thomas' Cross Roads. My mother, Jane Elizabeth Reaves, was born 9 Nov. 1835 in Darlington Co. S.C. and died 11 Feb. 1904 at Thomas' Cross Roads.

My father and mother were married 15 Mar. 1866, but they had both been married before and each had a child. My father had a daughter, Mary Thomas, who was then 7 years old and my mother had a son, John Ervin McLure age 5 years. After they had been married several years they would jokingly say - "My child, your child, and our children." They had 3 children. My brother Hamilton Thornwell was born 21 Feb. 1867 and died 23 Nov. 1910. My sister Lula was born 15 Oct. 1868 and died 11 months later. We were a devoted family, not feeling that we were step brothers and sisters.

My father was a big landowner and farmer as his father before him, however after the war between the States he had only land as his slaves had been freed, for whom he had paid high prices for years before. Sherman's troops came through and camped a short distance from our home and they took all the stock, food of every kind - in fact they left the home unburned because my stepsister, Mary, was at home alone with a  mammy and the mammy got her to beg the officer in charge to spare her home. They had a struggle in the years following the war, but kept their land which had been in their families since granted to them by King of England.

I went to a one teacher school and when in my teens I would help the teacher.  One of my last ones was Katie McKinnion,who later married A.Mortimer McNair, who later became a prominent business man in Hartsville, S.C. In Sept. 1891, I went to Greenville Female College for women at Greenville, S.C.  I did not go back the following year, as my grandmother Reaves, who lived with us, was ill and died 20 Oct. 1892.

On 6 Sept. 1897, I married Daniel Malcolm Bethune from Kershaw Co. S.C. at Pine Tree Presbyterian Church. I winked at him during a prayer and met him after the service. We were married later and lived over there. When my mother died in 1904 we had three daughters -- Janie Kate, Bessie, and Mac. I fell heir to my mother's home, so we moved there to live in Darlington County where three more daughters were born --Louise, Mary and Faye.

My father was a very religious man and was a devoted member of Mt. Elon Baptist Church. My mother was a Presbyterian and they would go to her church one Sunday and to his the next. I joined the Baptist Church, but in Jan. 1915, my husband joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), so May 21, 1917 four of my daughters and I were baptized and confirmed members of the same church.

In July 1919 we moved to Hartsville for better schools and lived there until January 1930 and we moved back to our home at Thomas' Cross Roads. Five of my daughters were married there and I had four grandchildren. At different times all the children lived with us for a while and then we were finally left alone as the sixth daughter had married.

20 June 1940, my husband died with cancer of the stomach. He was diagnosed at Duke Hospital in N.C. but died at home. How lonely I was and how I missed him. Our path hadn't been smooth all the time, but we had so much to be thankful for. In about a year, I went to Hartsville to live with my daughter, Louise. I started to going to church meetings regularly, especially to Sunday School and Relief Society and I enjoyed them and by studying learned more about the Gospel. I have and have had for long time faith in ordinance of healing by the Priesthood, as I have seen the Power manifested a number of time.

P.S. (By Louise)
My mother visited each child regularly and especially when needed to help out. She was at home in any kitchen. She died 3 Nov. 1953 in Hartsville with cancer of bone. She suffered greatly and was sick about six months.