Wilcox County, Alabama native was related to famous Bellingrath family

Walter Bellingrath

Many readers have no doubt over the years taken the time to stroll among the grassy lanes between the graves of the historic Camden Cemetery. There are many unique graves in this cemetery and among these is the grave of Mary Boykin Bellingrath, who passed away at the age of 69 in 1936. It should come as no surprise that she is connected with the prominent Bellingrath family of Bellingrath Gardens fame.

According to Tom McGehee, the Museum Curator at the Bellingrath Gardens & Home in Theodore, Mary Boykin married Edwin C. Bellingrath on Dec. 4, 1890 in the Presbyterian church in Brewton. Newspaper accounts of the wedding describe her family as “one of Escambia County’s best.” Edwin Bellingrath was the oldest brother of Walter Bellingrath, who built his famous estate garden and home with the massive wealth he accumulated as one of the first Coca-Cola bottlers in the Southeast.

Sadly, the marriage between Edwin and Mary didn’t last long as Edwin passed away in 1896. He is buried with his parents in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, where he still has family living today. Edwin was 43 years old at the time of his death.

Mary’s obituary was published in the Aug. 6, 1936 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era and said that she was born in the Tilden community. Her family lived there until her father died, at which time the family moved to Brewton. She lived there until she married Edwin, but when he died, she moved back to Camden, where she lived with her aunt and sister.

“Hers was a gentle, sweet nature that attracted many to her,” the newspaper said. “She bore her suffering with the fortitude of a spartan.”

The Brewton Standard also published Mary’s obituary on Aug. 6, 1936, and it said that she had been in ill health for about two years prior to her death. She suffered from chronic neuritis and heart problems. (Neuritis is inflammation of a nerve or nerves, usually causing pain and loss of function.)

“She was a native of Wilcox County and a member of one of its most prominent families,” her Brewton obituary said. “Her ancestors were among the founders of Camden, and the Boykin family has long been one of the best known in the Black Belt.” In Brewton, she was known as “Miss Minnie” by her “countless friends,” the newspaper said.

Another interesting sidenote is that one of Mary’s wedding attendants was Miss Laura McDuffie. She was the youngest sibling of McGehee’s great-grandfather, John McDuffie Sr. Laura, who was only 29 years old, died a year or so after Mary’s wedding, and she is buried in the Johnson-McDuffie Cemetery in northern Monroe County. McGehee believes that there was a lot of socializing back and forth between the Boykins and McDuffies in Camden and Monroe County, which is probably how Mary and Laura knew each other.

In the end, I appreciate McGehee taking the time to send me this information about Camden’s Bellingrath connections. No doubt many readers will find this information interesting, and they may have their own tidbits of information to add to the story. If so, let me hear from you.