History 3

<< page 3-ROUGH DRAFT
Recollection of Vance Chalmers Turner March 8, 2005
(James David) J.D. Chalmers (1835) and Sarah Wilson Chalmers from South Carolina are buried in a cemetery in Byhalia, MS in the center of town. Ardien Hayes and Hugh Chalmers (1877), from Byhalia MS are buried in Forrest Hill Cemetery in Memphis,TN.

Vance Chalmers Turner remembers there were three living daughters of J.D. Chalmers (1835). They were Eusie Chalmers, the oldest, Halle Chalmers, and Lyde Chalmers. They kept a close relationship and lived in the Memphis vicinity. In order of oldest, the sons were Sidney, Dave, Brent, Drew, and the youngest Hugh. Her memory is that there were 10 children total. (8 are listed in the census and Hugh B. Chalmers(1934) stated one was lost in child birth.)

Vance Chalmers' mother, Ardine Hayes Chalmers, stated to Vance that J.D. Chalmers'(1835) children (Lyde, Halle, and Brent) lived together in Memphis,TN. Brent never married. Lyde had one child and her name was Chalmers Norfleet. Lyde married Albert Norfleet. Chalmers Norfleet married a Tennin Martin. Halle never married and Brent never married. Drew lived in Mississippi. Dave lived in Mississippi and moved to California. His son, also named Dave, worked with the "Rat Pack". The son lived in Reno, Nevada and he had a restrauant several miles outside Las Vegas that the "Rat Pack" frequently attended Called "Hill Top House". Eusie, the oldest child, married Jim Harris from Wynne, AR. They had one son and his name was Harold Harris.

Ardine Hayes married Hugh Chalmers(1876) in 1901. They had three children name Charlie(1901), Hugh(1907) and Vance (1920). They married in Byhalia, MS and lived with his sister Eusie in Wynne, AR. Charlie was born in Wynne, AR. They moved to Crawfordsville, AR after Charlie was born. 7 years later they moved to Earle, AR. When their second child was born Ardine went back to Byhalia to have the baby since her father was a physician. Shortly after the birth of the second child the family moved to Earle, AR. Charlie Chalmers (1901) was about 6-7 years old.

Ardien Hayes had 3 sisters and 2 brothers. All four girls were close and lived in the Memphis,TN area(two lived in Arkansas). Jane Hayes married Ivan Dickson who worked for the sheriff's office in Crittenden County. She had one daughter named Emma Jane Dickson who married John Franchere. Zela Hayes married Jack Tufts and they had one child, Jack Tufts, Jr.. Bess Hayes married a Withers White and they had 1 daughter, Hayeselle White. Emma Hayes, Ardien's mother lived with Zela in West Memphis, AR until the age of 90. Hugh Chalmers (1876) built houses for the sisters to live in Earle, AR next to his home while he was in the lumber business. Arkmo was the name of his lumber company in Earle. It was discussed by Hugh Chalmers (1907) that his father was forced to sell to a local competitor due to the lack of market size allowing two lumber companies to survive in the same town.

Hugh Chalmers(1876), after Arkmo, was bank president in Earle, farmer of 40 acres west of town occupied by a tenant, founding member of the organizing committee of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Earle, AR, and served in the Arkansas legislature. He was elected twice to the Arkansas House and Twice to the Arkansas Senate, but he only served one term due to his death. Vance and Ardine would travel to Little Rock AR with him and established the Marion Hotel as their residence during the session 3 months out of the year. He worked on the AR and TN commission, which raised money and built the Hara Han Bridge across the Mississippi River replacing the old wooden bridge. This was a toll bridge where Hugh "Buster" Chalmers, his son, worked for a short time. Due to the bank in Earle failing, he started farming and ran for office. He became a sales representative for Marquette Cement out of Chicago, Il., and was traveling between Little Rock and Fort Smith AR when he had an appendicitis attack in his automobile. He was taken to the hospital and died.

After Hugh Chalmers(1876) death in 1928, Ardine "Maw Maw" went to work as a case worker for the newly formed Arkansas Welfare Department created by Franklin D. Roosevelt. She worked for 15 years while living in Earle until 1950. She moved into the Goodman House on Jefferson in Memphis, TN until 1958. In 1958 she moved in with Vance Chalmers Turner, who was living in Alexandria, VA at the time. Ardien Hayes Chalmers died in the 1960.

Ardien 's father was a successful doctor in Byhalia, MS all his life, as was his son Dr. LaGrange Hayes. Sidney, his brother, died as a teenager playing with a gun with a friend. The Hayes Bible was left to Bess Hayes and was given to Hayeselle Johnston who married Hardy "Hardy" Johnston. Hugh Chalmers(1907) borrowed it to make copies. Dr Hayes on one of his visits is remembered having to ride his horse and buggy into a ditch as a tornado went overhead.

Hugh Chalmers (1876) took on a lot of family responsibilities for both the Chalmers and the r. Latrand Hayes family. He loved sleeping on the back porch that had a serving table and a sleeping bed on one end. He very much enjoyed farming. >>

Chalmers Tartan

Click on the Chalmers Tartan for Scotland Family Tree.

My Favorite Links:

Chalmers Institute-Holly Springs, Marshal County, MS

Info:page 3

t >>