By Mike Parsons

Samual Hulbert Hurt (A. Bennezette Hurt8; James Mann Hurt, Sr. 7; Philemon 6; Moza 5; Philemon4; John Jr.3; John Sr.2; William1), son of Anthony Bennezette Hurt 7; and Sophia (Monie) Collins, was the youngest of seven children (five lived into adulthood). He was born November 11, 1882 near Milan, Gibson County, Tennessee. He died on 21 July 1957 in Phoenix, Arizona and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Milan, Tennessee. He was married in 1920, to Florence Maxie Pearl Seward, daughter of Edmund Seward and Elizabeth Jane Vardy. Florence Seward was born in Clarenville, Newfoundland, Canada. She died in Phoenix, Arizona on 20 April 1960 and is buried by her husband’s side.

Samuel enlisted in U.S. Army on September 29, 1912, age 29 (he claimed he was 26) at Fort Slocum, New York. In the Coast Artillery Command, her served his first years in Boston harbor at Fort Strong and was promoted to Corporal during his first enlistment. For six months in 1916, her served on the Mexican border. On August 17, 1917, his regiment, the Fifty-First Provisional, Coast Artillery, was one of the first to set sail across the Atlantic, following General Pershing and his staff by only a few days. They landed in Southhampton, England, then crossed the channel to Le Havre for some months of training at the French heavy artillery center. In March 1918, his unit of heavy artillery went into action at the front between Nancy and Toule. They bombarded specific targets behind the enemy lines, spotted by observers (including Samuel Hurt) directly behind their own lines. The artillery unit advanced with the troops as they went forward, engaging in actions at St. Mihiel and the Meuse Argonne.

Promoted to sergeant major, senior grade in July 1918, he was detailed to the Forty-Third Railway Artillery. Here he was engaged in rigid training of new men for replacement. He remained until the Armistice was declared. Afterward, he returned to the States in January 1919.

His next duty was at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, New Jersey. It was during this assignment that he met and married Florence Seward. He was then transferred to the Sixty Second Coast Artillery at District Headquarters, Fort Totten, New York. In 1926, his assignment was Fort Sherman, Panama where his spare time was spent in his favorite sports of hunting and fishing. In 1930, he was reassigned to Ft. Crockett, Galveston, Texas, where in 1936 he was promoted to the grade of master sergeant, the highest enlisted grade. In addition to his normal duties, he was named to manage the Post Theater when it opened in 1933. In June 1944, he retired after almost 32 years service.

Issue:

i. Charles Sidney, b 23 July 1921, Sandy Hook, NJ (Ft. Hancock).

ii. Mildred Elizabeth, b. 25 December 1922, New York City, Queens (Ft. Totten), d. 7 February 1987, Phoenix, AZ.

GROUP PICTURE- MILAN TENNESSEE

The picture was taken in Milan, Tennessee, probably in the early 1890’s. In the picture, Samual H. Hurt appears to be 10 to twelve years old and he was born in 1882. It includes a total of 11 people including Samuel’s mother and sisters as well as other town residents. Those in the picture are as follows:

1. Sophia Ford Collins (Monie) Hurt (1850-1920) (top row, first from left) (great-grandmother of Marilyn Miller Parsons). Daughter of William Price Collins (p. 120 Families & History of Gibson County) and Sophia Ford; married Anthony Bennezette (Ben) Hurt; buried in Collins Plot, Oakwood Cemetery, Milan, Tennessee. Stone reads “Monie Collins Hurt”.

2. W. L. Patrick(top row, second from left), President of the Farmers-Peoples Bank, Milan, Tennessee (page 258, Families & History Gibson County, Tennessee)

3. Brother Hillon, Baptist Minister (no other information.) (top row, third from left)

4. Sophia Marshall Hurt Tull (1870-1897) (top row, fourth from left, leaning over woman in first row), daughter of Anthony Bennezette Hurt and Sophia Ford Collins (Monie), buried in Collins Plot, Oakwood Cemetery, in Milan, Tennessee.

5. Unknown (top row, second from right)

6. C. A. Lacy (top row, first from right), owned and operated C. A. Lacy’s Grocery on Main Street in Milan. Buried in Milan. Wife’s maiden name Sims. Two children: Charles Lacy, Jr., and Esther. Esther married Virgil Fields, dentist. (p. 148, Fields, Families & History of Gibson County) both buried in Milan.

7. Ed Smith, attorney (bottom row, first from left). Lived next door to W. Patrick (top row 2nd from left) on Main Street in Milan. Married Hattie Dickinson, daughter of Sue Dickinson. Son: Jack. (An Ed Smith is listed as a mayor of Milan; relationship not certain.

8. Samual Hulbert Hurt (1882-1957) (bottom row, second from left, boy standing), Grandfather of Marilyn Miller Parsons, son of Anthony Bennezette Hurt and Sophie Ford Collins (Monie), married Florence Maxie Pearl Seward (family from Newfoundland); buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Milan, Tennessee.

9. (bottom row, third from left, mustache) Unknown (Possibly Bob Warrers)

10. (bottom row, second from right, seated lady) Bessie Collins Walker (b. 1871 d. 1948). Daughter of Elisha Abner Collins and Sallie Hurt (sister of Anthony Bennezette Hurt). Married Felix Walker (Families and History – Gibson County, p. 318)

11. (bottom row, first from right) Mr. O. B. O’Neill (no other information.)

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