[Granville-Hough] 19 Oct 2009 - Money Frank Sullivan

[Trustees for Granville W. Hough]

This is, so far as I know, all true. I will only mention five of the 
children, who relate to the events I will discuss.
(GWH: I asked cousin Maxine how Thomas Frank became “Money Frank,” and 
she said the family were focused on gaining money and material 
possessions, relative to others in the community. The reputation grew 
that they were stingy and hid money in their house. After deaths of the 
Frank and his wife, it was said that their home was disassembled, plank 
by plank, or log by log, down to the foundation, by members of their own 
family looking for hidden money, which, if found, was never mentioned. 
Unless something has been built recently, all that remains of the 
homestead for this family is the small Frank Sullivan Cemetery, with the 
son, Joseph Walter and the two parents.)

THOMAS FRANK “MONEY FRANK” SULLIVAN AND MARY MARGARET (SULLIVAN), GEN 3, 3

Thomas Franklin “Money Frank” Sullivan (5 June 1857 MS – 8 Aug 1937, bur 
Frank Sullivan Cem, Smith Co, MS) md 19 Oct 1876 md his first cousin 
Mary Margaret (Sullivan) (7 Nov 1856 MS – 3 Jul 1938 MS, bur Frank 
Sullivan Cem). They lived in Sullivan's Hollow, Smith County, and their 
ch included:

1. Mark Brutus (b&d 17 Aug 1877). Though born dead or dying, his name 
was carried on, thanks to a visit to the family from Aunt Joan 
(Sullivan) Richardson.

2. Ara Minta “Minnie” (30 Nov 1881 MS – 12 Apr 1968, bur Highland Park 
Cem, Hattiesburg, MS) md William Frederick Lylie Sullivan (8 Dec 1875 MS 
– 27 Sep 1935, bur Highland Park Cem), and their ch were: Minnie Gladys; 
Reitha May; Mary Audrey; Hilda Merlee; Myrtle Daisy; Edna Lois; Narey 
Glenn; Euna Lylie Vondell; Bernice; Romeo Cecil; William Worth; Franklin 
Gray; Eunie Naomi. (After Minnie’s husband died, she moved to a rural 
area of Pearl River County. When she heard about the move, Aunt Joan 
(Sullivan) Richardson was determined to visit her, as they had known 
each other in growing up and were double cousins of some degree. Aunt 
Joan lived in Poplarville, the County Seat of Pearl River County. Aunt 
Joan and daughter Maxine did not know where Minnie lived so set out 
going through that part of Pearl River County, hoping to find someone 
who knew her. They passed a farm where a woman was plowing a mule in her 
garden. That was a bit unusual, but after Joan talked about that and 
reflected a bit, she concluded the woman looked like Minnie, so they 
drove back to the farm and made themselves known. Indeed, it was Minnie, 
and they had a good visit. Now, I ask you: how many women are there 
among us today, who, after bearing and rearing 13 children, would be 
able to harness her own mule and plow her own garden?)

3. Peter Anderson “Pete” (17 Nov 1883 MS – 28 Jul 1973, bur Zion Hill 
Cem) md Lula (Sullivan) (5 Nov 1885 MS – 6 Oct 1973, bur Zion Hill) and 
their ch were: Daniel J.; Alma; Lela; Euva E.; Thomas Frank; 
Brandon/Maxie; Hessie; Braxton E.; and Vivian. (This was likely the 
Peter Sullivan who was visiting Dick Sullivan, son of Old Puss, when the 
joke developed about the two boys and their relative sizes. . See Old 
Puss.) Pete Sullivan was the story teller who entertained all "dam 
Yankee furriners" who wanted the low-down on Sullivan people. Pete was 
actually a pretty "high-up" fellow himself, serving as Justice of the 
Peace for many years.

8. Mark Alexander Jackson “Mack” (17 Apr 1892 MS – 3 Mar 1988) md Marvel 
(Neal) (8 Feb 1899 – 7 Apr 1987), and their ch were: Walter Neal; 
Margaret Lillian; Bobbie J. (dau); Jimmie Ruth. (Aunt Joan (Sullivan) 
Richardson took credit for naming Mark. She was a teen-ager visiting her 
cousins and was of course interested in the little boy who had no name. 
She told him everyone had a name, so he should decide what he wanted to 
be called. He said he wanted to be Mark Sullivan, maybe because he had 
had an older brother with that name who had died. Anyway, Aunt Joan 
announced he should be Mark, which happened, but how he got Alexander 
Jackson, and finally “Mack” was not told to me.)

9. Joseph Walter (11 Sep 1893 MS – 14 Nov 1918, bur Frank Sullivan Cem). 
Joseph Walter registered for the WW I draft at Zion Hill and served as 
an apprentice seaman in the Navy enlisting 19 Jul 1918 and serving until 
his death. When he registered for the draft, he was single, and working 
on the farm for his father. He was medium size, with blue eyes and light 
brown hair, and suffered from gall stones. A marriage license issued 10 
Aug 1918 for Joseph Walter Sullivan to marry Grace Elvira (Craft), but 
it was not returned, indicating no marriage took place. He was the first 
person to be buried in the three-person Frank Sullivan Cem. (His death 
came at the height of the great "Flu Epidemic" but I cannot say he was a 
victim.)

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The Parable Modeled on Money Frank Sullivan (or at least those like 
Money Frank) (Luke 12:16-21)

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich 
man brought forth plentifully;
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have 
no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build 
greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many 
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required 
of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

GWH: Powerful words of eternal truth evoke images, and these bring the 
image of the little Thomas Frank Sullivan Cemetery, where rest Thomas F. 
(Money Frank), wife Mary Margaret, and son Joseph Walter, and no other.