Our double wedding on December 22, 1951

H. Eugene and Martha L Rice Franklin

We were very excited as we began getting ready for our wedding. Mama took me to Spartanburg, SC, and bought me a beautiful navy blue suit. Doris Howell also wore navy blue and we both wore white hats.  Gene and J.D. Early wore navy blue suits also. We had pictures made and had beautiful gladiolas and walked on white sheets. Gene’s pastor, Rev. Robert Shephard, married us and my sister, Louise Rice, was my maid of honor. Gene’s brother, Howard Franklin, was his best man. We had a scare on Friday night during the rehearsal. The person who was supposed to play the music at our wedding did not show up, so we had to find someone. We asked Miss Patricia Neal and she graciously consented to do it. Bobby Dean Hall sang “I Love you truly” and “The Lord’s Prayer”. They did very well and everything turned out wonderful. I need to add that our dad’s gave us away. We were on cloud nine and were in love.

J.D. and Doris Howell Early

Martha recalls her wedding day 12.22.1951

What to do after high school...

Martha and Gene in 1951

Back to my story, this young man's name was Gene Franklin.  From that Sunday on we started dating twice a week  One Thursday he didn't come and I didn't hear from him.  I was ready to leave Saturday night but he arrived before I left. He explained that he had been sick, so I understood.

I was thrilled to be graduating high school in May of 1951, but I did not know what I was going to do after high school. I thought about going into nursing or taking a business course.  I had an aunt and uncle in West Virginia.  They came to visit us and as they started to head home,  they invited me to visit them. I visited them for a few weeks that summer. I seems that  Gene must have worried about whether I would come back. My aunt and uncle even offered to send me to business school if I stayed in West Virginia. But  I went back home and Gene was there that weekend  and asked me to marry him. He even had a ring with him. Of course, I said, "Yes!"  We started double dating with a couple from my church,  Doris Howell ( our pastor's daughter) and J. D. Earley.  Since we were both engaged, we decided to have a double wedding at our  church.  The wedding took place on Saturday, December 22 1951, at 6 PM.

About my early years...

Rev. J.S.Rice

Let me tell you about my early life -  I was raised in a Christian home. My dad was a Free Will Baptist preacher. He would preach in the North Carolina mountains and mom, my sister Louise, and brother Jimmy and myself stayed at home and attended church in Caroleen, NC.  

I remember mama carrying me in her arms and my brother and sister walking by her side. Church was an important part of our lives.  Later in my teen years, I taught the small children in Sunday School. I was voted to be the church pianist when I could only play one or two songs. Boy, it was scary!  I also began taking care of Aunt Ann's children when I was thirteen and a half years old, while she worked. We had some good times and we would have birthday parties for each other. 

How I met my future husband at the age of 14

       In the year 1947 (at age 14), I met a young man who was leading the singing in a tent revival in my hometown of Caroleen, N.C. I attended the services because as a Christian I enjoyed being where the Bible was preached. But there was another reason. I really liked this young man and also enjoyed hearing him sing. His hometown was Clifton, S.C. so other than getting to go to the services in the summer that was it.   

  

Four years later, in February of 1951, I was at a talent program at Tri-High school, where I would graduate in May of that year. I heard someone call my name and when I looked around there was the young man that I had known four years earlier, but had almost forgotten. He asked to take me home and then came back the next day pretending to come to see my brother, Jimmy. He got there in time for Sunday dinner. Boy, Mama was a good cook! Some of the church folks would come to eat and they would rave about how good everything was. Those friends were Martha, Edna, and Lucille Coffey. They loved Mama’s banana and pineapple pudding. To me those didn’t look so good.  I had seen her wring the necks of so many chickens, that I couldn’t eat them. Later I saw what I missed and learned to love fried chicken. I liked everything else she cooked.     

Photo from 1952
Gene (left) 
Martha (pianist)

Martha's story ...in her own words...

Forward

Photo from 1941

My mother , Martha (Rice) Franklin, spent many years writing first by hand on paper and then typing her life story using an old typewriter. When she had finished writing her memories and thoughts, she asked her granddaughter, April  (Logan) Wyatt to enter it into a word document.  This blog will be the story of my mom’s life and how she met my dad and their life together for 66+ years…in her own words….titled "IN THE BEGINNING"