Centenarians

People that lived to be 100 years old in the Rockdale community

Centenarians Living Among Us

Mother Emma Allen– 102 Years Young

Turned 100 October 2017

Emma Allen in her younger years

Rockdale County Hospital nurse aid with the babies

Baking is her passion.

Serves as the Senior Mother at Sims Chapel

Happy 100th Birthday to Mother Emma Eliza Benton Davis Allen! Mother Allen was born October 3, 1917 in rural Newton County. In later years, she moved to Conyers. On October 1, 1963, she began working at Rockdale County Hospital. Because of her love for and interest in babies, she was trained to care for infants. She especially loved caring for those who had little chance of survival. She would sit with the babies all night long if necessary. She loved watching them all grow and become independent. She retired January 9, 1986 after twenty-three years of service. So if you were born at Rockdale County Hospital after October 1, 1963, more than likely she took care of you. Her birthday was celebrated Saturday with family and friends. It was interesting to hear alumnae from Washington Street School to talk about how she was the class mom for seven years; she baked goods and cooked food to help raise money to help improve the school building. Working together with other parents they were able to build a gym and add annexes to the building. They no longer had to play basketball outside in the dirt and the classes no longer had to be doubled up. The birthday program highlights that she also was a community leader helping to beautify the Harris Town neighborhood. She also attended meetings organized to raise funds to build a hospital which would accept African Americans without bias in the 1950's. Their funds were later donated to Newton County for the original Newton County Hospital. After retiring, she increased her walking activities. She often walked at least five or more miles a day. She was dubbed "the Walking Lady of Conyers." Mother Allen has been a member of Sims Chapel Baptist Church for many years. She was an usher for more than twenty years before being named Mother of the Church during the 1970's.

Her grandson John Davis said she is an avid Atlanta Braves baseball fan and still attends one game a year. She attended a game at SunTrust Park August 19, 2017. Now that age 100 is here, Mother Allen gives thanks continually for a long and wonderful life. She firmly believes and often says, "I must have done some good."

Mrs. Emma's parents were Davis Benton, a sharecropper and Cora Perry Benton, a mid-wife and they lived in Jasper County, Morgan County and then settled in Newton County. Her siblings in order of birth were Eddie Roy, Bessie Kate, Plez Irvin "Buddy", Leola, Mose Ester "Fat", Robert, Arbie, Rose Anna and Ralph. Mrs. Emma was the eighth child. She is the lone survivor of the Benton-Perry union. Mrs. Emma married Edward Davis of Oxford, October 23, 1932 and they had three children; John Wesley, Cora, and Robert Louis. She and Edward separated July 1939. She married Alton Allen of Conyers February 1963. Emma's marriage to Deacon Allen added five adult children to her family: Mary Allen Flanagan, Charles Allen, Christine Allen Moore, Willie A. Allen Manning, and Grover Allen. Mrs. Emma has more than twenty nieces and nephews.

Submitted by Norma Shipp, October 3, 2017 to the Black Heritage of Rockdale Facebook page

Added Note from E.R. Shipp: Mrs. Allen is perhaps the only person alive who recalls my late grandfather Norman Moore Sr. from his days as a teacher in the Newton County area. She called him “Professor Moore.” She knew him years before she became connected to his family as the step-grandmother of his grandchildren Veronica Camp and the late Michael Moore. Happy birthday!

Mrs. Emma's Retirement

from Rockdale Hospital after 22 years caring for the newborns since 1963.

Mildred Cheatham celebrates 100th birthday on Nov. 14, 2018

Mildred Davis Cheatham, affectionately known as “Mother Cheatham” by her fellow members at Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers. She was born Nov. 14, 1918 in Jamesville, NC.

Mildred Cheatham celebrates 100th birthday on Nov. 14

Deacon John Penn - 100 Years Young

Turned 100 November 20, 2019

Deacon Penn's family threw him a wonderful birthday celebration in honor of his 100th Birthday. What a milestone!

Deacon John Penn has been a member of the Bald Rock Baptist church for most of his life. He is the oldest serving Deacon and still attends church on a regular basis. For a number of years he and his wife were the Pastoral Care Ministry.

Birthday Pictures from Dea. John Penn's

100th Birthday

Centenarians Now Deceased

Mrs. Laura E.Tompkins Adams

Picture from Rockdale Citizen July 24, 1975 at age 98. She died six years later in 1981 at age 104 years old.

Mrs. Adams taught in Rockdale County as early as 1910, according to the census taken that year. She taught at shady Grove Baptist Church for a while. But she spent most of her teaching career in Milstead, where, starting in 1919, she had charge of the children of black employees of Callaway Mills.

The Milstead school was at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in the village built by the owners of Callaway Mills for their workers. Blacks who worked for Calloway could live in company-owned houses; if they lost their jobs, they had to move. By the 1939-40 school year, Mrs. Adams had 46 students enrolled in seven grades, with an average daily attendance about half that number.

Mrs. Catherine Bigby

September 27, 1886 -January 21, 1993 (106 years 4 months)

Mother Bigby was born in Newton County to the late Mr. and Mrs. Lucious Holden. She moved to Rockdale County as a young woman where she united in marriage to the late Mr. Will "Hun" Bigby in 1917.She was a member of the Bald Rock Baptist Church, serving faithfully as a Sunday School Teacher and teh Mother of the church in later years. She was know to be a wonderful person that cared for children in the community. She was also a great old style country cook. Mr. and Mrs. Bigby had five children: Mrs. Exter Bigby Seaborn; Mr. Luther Bigby; Mr. Rufus Bigby; Ms. Sarah Bigby; and Mr. Willie R. Bigby. At the time of her death she had seven grandchildren.

Mrs. Bigby recognized at 105 years by the Rockdale Citizen.

Mrs. Ethel Mae Aikens Moore

November 6, 1903 - September 11, 2007 (103 years 10 months)

Born and reared in Newton County GA. After marriage, moved to New Jersey for a while but settled back in Conyers around 1936. She attended Spelman Seminary (now known as Spelman College), but left school because of illnesses in the family. She married Norman Lee Moore, Sr. and was mother to eight children; Marion Ethel Moore Foster, Minnie Ola Moore Shipp, Robert Aiken Moore, Norman Lee Moore, Jr., Samuel Alson Moore, Carrie Isabella Moore Taylor, Joseph Edward Moore, Richard Henry Moore. For a number of years they lied on Hardin Street. Later in life she moved to Kathryn Court in the Irvin Bridge Conyers Housing Authority apartments. She lived alone until she was 90 years old. She then moved in with her eldest daugher, Marion Ethel Moore Foster. When she turned 100, she could be found still on any given day perusing through the newspapers and the mail, answering the telephone and watching television, going to church, tidying up her bedroom and finding her way to the kitchen sink to wash a few dishes. She loved to sing and play her miniature piano. She loved to read and count money. She was very amusing in the later years of her life. When her children talked to her about turning 100, she told them not to tell anyone she was starting to get old because people might not want to be bothered with her. She was a member of the Macedonia Baptist Church and served on the Mothers Board and was secretary for a number of years.

Mrs. Clara Sheppard Sims

Passed away at 100 Years Old and 19 days.

She was born on March 1, 1912 to the late Lula and Charlie Bryant in Oxford Georgia. She was preceded in death by seven siblings, Ed,. James ( Buddy), Ethel, Alice, Pearl, Marie and Corrine. She attended school in Newton County.

Mother Clara was married to the late Elisha Sheppard and to this union, one daughter was born, Lula. She was later happily joined in matrimony to the late j. C. Sims.

She joined the Bald Rock Baptist Church at the age of 14 and remained a faithful member for the next 86 years. She was recognized in November 2011 as the oldest member of the church, preceding her 100th birthday in 2012. She served fervently on the Usher Board for 60 years and was an active member of the Mother Board, the Mission and other committees.

Mother Clara was primarily a homemaker, but also worked as a domestic and at a local department store. She lived most of her life in her beloved City of Conyers before moving to DeKalb County with her only daughter, Lula P. Goodson. There is no doubt that her greatest joy came from being a Mother, Grandmother and serving the Lord! She was survived by her daughter, three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, ten great-great grandchildren, and one sister Willie Mae Hogan and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. (excerpt from funeral program obituary)

Mrs. Corene Taylor

Passed away at 109 Years Old

Posted in the Rockdale Citizen

Mother Corene Bowden Taylor, age 109, of Conyers passed away Saturday, May 11, 2013. Mother Taylor was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hayden John Wesley Taylor. Surviving children and spouse of Conyers are Noraleen and Johnny Lester, Annie Maude Taylor, and Jesse James; grandchildren Nicky and Wanda Lester, Robin and Kennedy Smith, Aubrey Taylor, Gaye and Milton Price, Tracey Taylor, Donnie and Tamika Lester, Dawn and John Curry, Tammy Taylor, Enoch Taylor, Jenesha and Eric Humphrey; 16 great grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren and beloved nieces and nephews and their families. One of 14 children, Mother Taylor was born in Cobb County and lived in Gwinnett County until the age of 13 when she moved with her family back to Rockdale County. A prayerful woman, Mother Taylor loved to attend church, sing hymns and to talk about the goodness of the Lord. In her early life, Mother Taylor worked as a domestic caregiver and served as an usher and other roles within her church but her proudest accomplishment was making a home and raising her family. She was a kind spirit and a respected role model to all that knew her in the community. Mother Taylor was a praying woman and gave reverence to God in all that she did. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 Oclock Thursday, May 16, at Macedonia Baptist Church in Conyers, GA with Pastor Billie Cox officiating and the eulogy given by Rev. William H. Gaither. Interment will follow at Peeks Chapel Baptist Church cemetery. Cortege will assemble at 9:45 a.m. at Crawfordville Baptist Church 2360 Lake Rockaway Rd., Conyers. Viewing will be Wednesday from 1:00 - 7:00 pm. Levett Funeral Home Inc. 1041 Bryant St. Conyers, Ga. 770-483-9885

Obituary for Corene Taylor

The Covington News did a story on Mr. Brown January 7, 2011, shortly after he turned 100 on December 27, 2010.

Centennial Man

Arthur "Buck" Brown

Died at 103 years old December 27, 2013.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution did a story on him upon learning of his death.

Age was just a number

The Covington News also did a story that covered information not in the AJC article.

Featured Obituary: Arthur 'Buck' Brown

A few of the many children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren that survive Arthur 'Buck' Brown

Mrs. Mattie Cox Price Moon (Mrs. Patience)

Lived to be 106 years old. Resided on North Main Street.

Mattie Moon's mother Lived to the age of 115; Mattie first came to Conyers in a Wagon pulled by mules. This storied was in the Neighbor Newspaper Thursday, January 31, 1985. Picture by Henry B. Shaw

Mrs. Perlina Wells Oldest living Citizen in Conyers

Something to Think About

Why do some Georgia Women Live so long?

Why do some Georgia women live so long?

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