The Story of FANNIE DAVIS McKENZIE KING

Fannie was born in 1875. She and her husband jimmy McKenzie had two daughters, Estella and Mary. Only Mary lived to adulthood. She died in 1915, leaving two small children; Jacob who was a toddler and Sarah who was two months old. Fannie raised her granddaughter, Sarah and her brother, Jacob, stayed with his father. After Jimmy’s death she married William “Billy” King, a preacher, farmer, and a store owner.

Fannie was a quiet, petite woman who was known for work ethic. She worked hard and expected those around her to work hard as well. Her granddaughter remembers plowing with the bull while her grandmother hoed the rows. On extremely hot days the bull would seek the shelter of shade in the cemetery, dragging the not-yet adolescent Sarah along behind him. Some days the bull would simply jump the fence, the plow in tow. According to Sarah, when Fannie said to do something “I’d better find time to do it”.

Mt. Gillard Baptist Church was an essential component of Fannie’s life. It provided the foundation of the life lessons she taught her granddaughter, chief, among them was the importance of “doing things from the heart” and always telling the truth. On one occasion Fannie doubted her granddaughter’s story that she was unable to bring water from the spring because the other children would run ahead of her, get their water and then jump in, muddying the water, leaving it unfit for drinking, She followed Sarah to the spring and learned that Sarah was telling the truth. Children attended church with their families and were required to sit together on a bench where the adults could monitor their behavior. Any parent was free to chastise all the children, not just their own.

Fannie was a loving and caring person. Her granddaughter remembers feeling loved and knew her granddaughter would deal with anyone who hurt her feelings. Many nights Fannie could be seen walking through the woods, a torch lighting her way to take a meal to the sick or to help in some way. Sarah remembers Fannie’s death of influenza in February 1927, a few months before Sarah’s 12th birthday.

Sources:
State of Alabama Death Certificate
Sarah Watkins, Granddaughter
Elvira Bramlett