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Serena Hasseltine “Rena” <I>Beckwith</I> Horne Hunter

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Serena Hasseltine “Rena” Beckwith Horne Hunter

Birth
Wake County, North Carolina, USA
Death
24 Mar 1932 (aged 66)
Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas, USA
Burial
Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas, USA Add to Map
Plot
Block C, Lot 291, Space 6
Memorial ID
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Serena Hasseltine Beckwith was born 1866 in Buckhorn Township (near present day Holly Springs), Wake County, NC, the 5th of 7 known surviving children (2 boys/5 girls) born to farmer and lumberman, Calvin Holland Beckwith and his wife, Anne Hasseltine Holleman (Holloman).

She was the paternal grandchild of Green Beckwith and Lucintha Holland, and gr-grandchild of Isaac & Polly Beckwith, all of Wake County, NC. She is a direct descendant of Matthew Beckwith I. (1610-1681) of Yorkshire, England who came to the American Colonies ca. 1645, settling around Lyme, Connecticut. On her mother's side, he was the maternal grandchild of Edwin Holloman & Sarah "Sallie" Johnson of Wake Co.

Rena came from a family of accomplished musicians and educators and was educated at the Boston Conservatory of Music. In about 1884, her younger brother, Prof. Exum G. Beckwith (1860-1892), came to Clayton, Johnston County, NC to take over as Principal of the Clayton Academy, which shortly thereafter became Clayton High School. Within a year, the School Board invited Rena to join him as assistant and music teacher, and she left Boston for Clayton in 1885 to assume this important role. She was just 19 years old. Together, the Beckwith's launched a progressive academic program, and are still thought of today as two of the finest educators in the area. (Her brother Exum, and his young wife Kittie, both died young and are buried in Clayton City Cemetery.)

In 1889, 23-year old Rena became the bride of 48-year old widower, Ashley Horne, by all accounts the wealthiest man in Johnston County. He was a CSA veteran from a prominent Clayton family who's fortune was lost during the Civil War. Ashley returned from the war and rebuilt the family's fortune through his mercantile business and later expanded his businesses to the point where he owned or controlled almost every business in Clayton, including several mills and a bank. Rena became stepmother to his 3 children from his first marriage (Nellie Lee Horne, Mrs. E. H. McCullers; Charles W. Horne, and William Henry Horne), who ranged in age from 10 to 17 at the time of the marriage.

Ten months into their marriage, the couple would have their only child, Swannanoa Horne (1889-1981), who was raised in the lap of luxury and pampered beyond all imagination. She was the light of her father's life and he doted on her endlessly.

Rena and Ashley Horne were the hub of social activities in Clayton and active members of the Baptist Church, where Rena was the longtime organist. The couple later joined the United Methodist Church in Clayton, which was undertaking the building of a new church, and Ashley Horne became Chairman of the Building Committee. He suggested that a better church be built, so the plans were changed without a limit. The congregation chose to take the name of St. James Methodist Church, but changed the name to Horne Memorial Methodist Church after Mr. Horne's death. Rena and her stepson, Charles Horne, donated several of the impressive, large stained glass windows.

In about 1909, the couple erected a massive mansion on Main Street [shown here], which was a visible testament to their wealth and prominence. (The house was sadly torn down in around 1965 to make way for a shopping center that never materialized.)

Rena Beckwith Horne was widowed at age 47 when her husband of 24 years passed suddenly in 1913 at age 72. He was buried in the Horne Family Cemetery next to his first wife, and son William Henry Horne who had died young in 1897.

Following her husband's sudden death in October 1913, Rena took her daughter, daughter-in law Bessie Belvin Horne, and nephew Ashley Horne on a spring jaunt to Florida and Cuba. The next fall mother and daughter toured Europe. While in Switzerland they were detained briefly at the outbreak of World War I, but arrived back in Clayton just in time for Swannanoa's November 18. 1914 wedding to Walter Priddy.

Six years later, on April 15, 1920, the 54-year old widow married her 1st cousin, 63-year old Carey Joseph Hunter, a widower and very successful businessman in Raleigh. The marriage lasted only two years, as Cary died in 1923 at age 66. (He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh near his 1st wife.)

Following the death of her second husband, Rena suffered a great financial loss after an agricultural depression wiped out most of the Horne family fortune. She left North Carolina to reside with her daughter in Wichita Falls, Texas, where she died in 1932 at age 66.

Of note, Rena's older sister Ellie Carrus Beckwith married Rev. Oliver Larkin Stringfield, and their son, Lamar Edwin Stringfield (1897-1959), became the founder of the North Carolina Symphony and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1928 for his orchestral suite From the Southern Mountains. In the Christmas seasons, family member Melba McCullers (daughter of Rena's stepdaughter, Nellie Horne McCullers) recalled, "when the Beckwiths and the Stringfields were guests, quite a ‘joyful noise' was made." McCullers fondly remembered "Alexander's Ragtime Band" as a favorite tune at the turn of the century. Swannanoa's "sweet voice" was also an important feature at family musical festivities.
========
7/4/17 - FAG Contributor Exum Walker has requested the following corrected by added to this memorial:

She was the paternal grandchild of Green Beckwith and Lucintha Holland, and gr-grandchild of Isaac and Polly Beckwith, all of Wake County, NC. Due to some confusion as to the lineage of Isaac, it is worth pointing out that Isaac was the son of Bolling (Bollen/Bollan) Beckwith (born 1759 in Edgecomb County, NC, died after December 13, 1789, the date his father, Isaac, wrote his will mentioning Bolling). Some genealogies erroneously list this Isaac's father as Silas Beckwith (1746, Lyme, CT to 1835, Palestine, IL) a descendant of Matthew Beckwith I, (1610-1681) of Yorkshire, England. Bolling however, is descended from Marmaduke Beckwith, born about 1520 in Dacre & Clint, England. Bolling's gr-gr-grandfather, William Beckwith, was born about 1571 at Featherstone Castle in England and came to Virginia in 1607 with Captain John Smith, on board the "Phoenix," the 1st supply ship to Jamestown. Rena is a direct descendant of Dame Bruce, Lady of Beckwith (born 1185 at Skelton Castle, Howden, Yorkshire, England), whose husband, Hercules Malebisse, changed his name to Beckwith due to lands called Beckwith his wife inherited.

Bolling was the son of Henry Beckwith III, born about 1710 in Dorchester County, MD, and died in August of 1796 in Nash County, NC. Bolling's mother was Anna Moubray, born in 1730 in Dorchester County, MD, and died about 1796 in Nash County, NC.

On Rena's mother's side, she was the maternal grandchild of Edwin Holloman (1802-1899) and Sarah "Sallie" Johnson (1803-1888), of Wake County, NC.


Serena Hasseltine Beckwith was born 1866 in Buckhorn Township (near present day Holly Springs), Wake County, NC, the 5th of 7 known surviving children (2 boys/5 girls) born to farmer and lumberman, Calvin Holland Beckwith and his wife, Anne Hasseltine Holleman (Holloman).

She was the paternal grandchild of Green Beckwith and Lucintha Holland, and gr-grandchild of Isaac & Polly Beckwith, all of Wake County, NC. She is a direct descendant of Matthew Beckwith I. (1610-1681) of Yorkshire, England who came to the American Colonies ca. 1645, settling around Lyme, Connecticut. On her mother's side, he was the maternal grandchild of Edwin Holloman & Sarah "Sallie" Johnson of Wake Co.

Rena came from a family of accomplished musicians and educators and was educated at the Boston Conservatory of Music. In about 1884, her younger brother, Prof. Exum G. Beckwith (1860-1892), came to Clayton, Johnston County, NC to take over as Principal of the Clayton Academy, which shortly thereafter became Clayton High School. Within a year, the School Board invited Rena to join him as assistant and music teacher, and she left Boston for Clayton in 1885 to assume this important role. She was just 19 years old. Together, the Beckwith's launched a progressive academic program, and are still thought of today as two of the finest educators in the area. (Her brother Exum, and his young wife Kittie, both died young and are buried in Clayton City Cemetery.)

In 1889, 23-year old Rena became the bride of 48-year old widower, Ashley Horne, by all accounts the wealthiest man in Johnston County. He was a CSA veteran from a prominent Clayton family who's fortune was lost during the Civil War. Ashley returned from the war and rebuilt the family's fortune through his mercantile business and later expanded his businesses to the point where he owned or controlled almost every business in Clayton, including several mills and a bank. Rena became stepmother to his 3 children from his first marriage (Nellie Lee Horne, Mrs. E. H. McCullers; Charles W. Horne, and William Henry Horne), who ranged in age from 10 to 17 at the time of the marriage.

Ten months into their marriage, the couple would have their only child, Swannanoa Horne (1889-1981), who was raised in the lap of luxury and pampered beyond all imagination. She was the light of her father's life and he doted on her endlessly.

Rena and Ashley Horne were the hub of social activities in Clayton and active members of the Baptist Church, where Rena was the longtime organist. The couple later joined the United Methodist Church in Clayton, which was undertaking the building of a new church, and Ashley Horne became Chairman of the Building Committee. He suggested that a better church be built, so the plans were changed without a limit. The congregation chose to take the name of St. James Methodist Church, but changed the name to Horne Memorial Methodist Church after Mr. Horne's death. Rena and her stepson, Charles Horne, donated several of the impressive, large stained glass windows.

In about 1909, the couple erected a massive mansion on Main Street [shown here], which was a visible testament to their wealth and prominence. (The house was sadly torn down in around 1965 to make way for a shopping center that never materialized.)

Rena Beckwith Horne was widowed at age 47 when her husband of 24 years passed suddenly in 1913 at age 72. He was buried in the Horne Family Cemetery next to his first wife, and son William Henry Horne who had died young in 1897.

Following her husband's sudden death in October 1913, Rena took her daughter, daughter-in law Bessie Belvin Horne, and nephew Ashley Horne on a spring jaunt to Florida and Cuba. The next fall mother and daughter toured Europe. While in Switzerland they were detained briefly at the outbreak of World War I, but arrived back in Clayton just in time for Swannanoa's November 18. 1914 wedding to Walter Priddy.

Six years later, on April 15, 1920, the 54-year old widow married her 1st cousin, 63-year old Carey Joseph Hunter, a widower and very successful businessman in Raleigh. The marriage lasted only two years, as Cary died in 1923 at age 66. (He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh near his 1st wife.)

Following the death of her second husband, Rena suffered a great financial loss after an agricultural depression wiped out most of the Horne family fortune. She left North Carolina to reside with her daughter in Wichita Falls, Texas, where she died in 1932 at age 66.

Of note, Rena's older sister Ellie Carrus Beckwith married Rev. Oliver Larkin Stringfield, and their son, Lamar Edwin Stringfield (1897-1959), became the founder of the North Carolina Symphony and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1928 for his orchestral suite From the Southern Mountains. In the Christmas seasons, family member Melba McCullers (daughter of Rena's stepdaughter, Nellie Horne McCullers) recalled, "when the Beckwiths and the Stringfields were guests, quite a ‘joyful noise' was made." McCullers fondly remembered "Alexander's Ragtime Band" as a favorite tune at the turn of the century. Swannanoa's "sweet voice" was also an important feature at family musical festivities.
========
7/4/17 - FAG Contributor Exum Walker has requested the following corrected by added to this memorial:

She was the paternal grandchild of Green Beckwith and Lucintha Holland, and gr-grandchild of Isaac and Polly Beckwith, all of Wake County, NC. Due to some confusion as to the lineage of Isaac, it is worth pointing out that Isaac was the son of Bolling (Bollen/Bollan) Beckwith (born 1759 in Edgecomb County, NC, died after December 13, 1789, the date his father, Isaac, wrote his will mentioning Bolling). Some genealogies erroneously list this Isaac's father as Silas Beckwith (1746, Lyme, CT to 1835, Palestine, IL) a descendant of Matthew Beckwith I, (1610-1681) of Yorkshire, England. Bolling however, is descended from Marmaduke Beckwith, born about 1520 in Dacre & Clint, England. Bolling's gr-gr-grandfather, William Beckwith, was born about 1571 at Featherstone Castle in England and came to Virginia in 1607 with Captain John Smith, on board the "Phoenix," the 1st supply ship to Jamestown. Rena is a direct descendant of Dame Bruce, Lady of Beckwith (born 1185 at Skelton Castle, Howden, Yorkshire, England), whose husband, Hercules Malebisse, changed his name to Beckwith due to lands called Beckwith his wife inherited.

Bolling was the son of Henry Beckwith III, born about 1710 in Dorchester County, MD, and died in August of 1796 in Nash County, NC. Bolling's mother was Anna Moubray, born in 1730 in Dorchester County, MD, and died about 1796 in Nash County, NC.

On Rena's mother's side, she was the maternal grandchild of Edwin Holloman (1802-1899) and Sarah "Sallie" Johnson (1803-1888), of Wake County, NC.




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