ben ware
1922-2002
Life Story
A Life of Labor, Family, and Migration Between Altare and the Industrial North
Ben Ware was born on June 2, 1922, in the Altare community of Newton County, Mississippi, to William Ware (1901–?) and Lola Evans Ware (1900–1968). He was raised amid the strong family and church traditions of Altare, where his grandparents and extended kin helped shape the early social and spiritual fabric of the community.
As a young man, Ben worked as a farm laborer for T. L. Chapman, part of the agricultural network that sustained Newton County’s rural economy during the 1930s and 1940s. Like many in his generation, he learned early the discipline of hard work and responsibility that farming demanded.
On November 13, 1939, Ben married Mattie Lou Evans (1923–2004). Their marriage united two long-established Altare families and produced two children:
- Allean Ware (1942–2004)
- Teresa Ware (1963–1964)
Seeking greater opportunity, Ben joined the Great Migration, and in 1956 he and Mattie relocated to Flint, Michigan, where he secured employment as a factory worker in the city’s booming industrial sector. Their move reflected a generational shift among southern Black families pursuing better wages and education for their children.
By the 1960s, the Wares had relocated again—this time to Dallas, Texas, continuing the pattern of mobility that defined much of African American life during the mid-20th century. Despite the distance, Ben maintained ties with his Mississippi roots, returning home regularly to visit family and church members.
In the 1980s, Ben Ware returned permanently to Newton County, where he spent his remaining years near the community that had shaped his beginnings. He passed away on February 19, 2002, and was laid to rest at Altare Missionary Baptist Church graveyard, joining generations of relatives who helped build and sustain that enduring faith community.
Ben’s life bridges the story of Altare’s farming past with the industrial promise of the North, symbolizing the strength, adaptability, and enduring family bonds that carried the community’s legacy across miles and generations.
Resting Place
Altare Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997
- Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982
- U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
- U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1
- U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
- The Newton Record, Calvin (Cal) Walker Obituary, Wed, Dec 17, 1975 ·Page 12
- U.S., Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
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