fannie hoye flowers
1880-1943
Life Story
Early Life and Family Background
Fannie Hoye Flowers was born around July 1880 in Newton County, Mississippi, to Bob Hoye (1853–?) and Francis Cleveland (1860–?). She was raised during the post-Reconstruction era in a rural community where agriculture shaped daily life and family labor was essential to survival.
In her early years, Fannie worked as a farm laborer, contributing to the household economy alongside other members of her family. Like many young women of her generation in Newton County, her labor began in the fields before transitioning into domestic and wage work in adulthood.
Marriage and Children
By 1910, Fannie had married Robert Flowers (1870–?). Together they established their household and raised a large family.
From the union of Fannie and Robert Flowers, the following children were born:
Leila M. Flowers (1908–?)
Jimmie Flowers (1912–?)
Lillie M. Flowers (1914–?)
Rodrick Flowers (1915–?)
Roger Flowers (1916–?)
Lottie May Flowers (1918–2002)
Lessie B. Flowers (1922–?)
As a married woman and mother, Fannie worked as a washer woman, a physically demanding occupation that provided income for many Black women in the early twentieth century. Laundry work, often performed by hand, required long hours and steady endurance, and it became a critical economic contribution to rural households.
Death and Burial
Fannie Hoye Flowers passed away on January 21, 1943. She was laid to rest at Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church graveyard in Union, Newton County, Mississippi — a cemetery that holds generations of local families.
Legacy
Fannie’s life reflects the quiet strength of Black women in rural Mississippi. From field labor in youth to washer woman and mother in adulthood, she sustained her household through steady work and perseverance.
Her story is part of the broader history of Newton County — a history built not only by landowners and public figures, but by the women whose labor kept families clothed, fed, and rooted in community.
Resting Place
Spring Hill M.B. Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- Mississippi, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1912-1943
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
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