These are four of the fourteen children of Jeremiah Washington Beachum (1830-1910) and Mary Jane Taylor (1836-1882). From left to right, as you are looking at it: John Beachum (1857-1940), Wilson Hugh Beachum (1871-1940), Lenorah Colon Beachum, (Mrs. Charlie Ballard 1875-1955) and Arindo Washington Beachum ("Uncle Rendo" b.1877). I expect (though I am not sure) that they are standing in front of the old store at the original Jeremiah W. Beachum home place, at the intersection of Kiker Road and Hwy. 218 in Anson County.
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At that crossroads, Jeremiah Beachum had his home, a 2 story log building. There was also a store and a cotton gin, and a barn at the other corners. The first telephone exchange in that part of the country was operated out of the store. The family cemetery, where Jeremiah, his wife Mary, and two of their children, are buried is nearby. Since "Uncle Rendo" lived in Virginia, I imagine there was some special occasion for the picture. I was told that family reunions were held in the summers at the old home place for many years, but they do not appear to have on summer clothes. I'd guess it may have been after the funeral of one of their siblings (there were deaths in 1930, 1931 (2), 1933 and 1939), but their clothes don't look particularly "funereal" to me. Maybe Uncle Rendo just came for a visit, and they went out to have their picture made.
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Submitted by:
John Field Pankow
