Benjamin Oliver (1899 - 1972) married Margarite Chapman. Their were
eight children born from that union. Joseph "Little Joe" (Jan 20. 1921),
Oliver (1922 - 1977), Ruth, Lillian (1926 - 1975), Vivian, Ottoway Leon, Wesley
Isaiah and Walter Frank.
Benjamin's Children
Joseph spent time in Chicago, IL, where he met and married Mildred Riley. They later lived in Los Angeles, CA for 30 plus years before settling in Las Vegas, NV. While Joseph and Mildred had no children, they raised Joseph’s youngest sister Vivien in California from 12 years of age until she married. Oliver married Margaret B. in his later years, but they had no children together. Oliver had at least three children prior to his marriage. Ruth married Kenneth Manuel and moved to Greeneville, TN where they raised four children. Lillian, my mother, married Charles Fletcher, and they raised three children. Ottway married Mildred Brown and they raised five children, but later divorced. Wesley married Audrey Watson, but later divorced. They had one son from that union. Wesley was career Army. He later married Pearl, to whom he was married at the time of his death. They had no children together, but Wesley was the father of four. Vivien was married to Bailey Love, a career man in the Air Force, and they were stationed at different military bases around the world. They had three children. Vivien returned to MD twice after her marriage. Once with her three children while her husband was stationed overseas, and later in the 80’s to care for our grandmother after a stroke. Walter married and later divorced Doris Watts. They raised four children. Walter ( - January 2021) also had two children prior to his marriage.
Benjamin's Grandchildren - "The Cousins"
The next generation of family are affectionately referred to as “the cousins.” They are a hearty bunch who would do anything for one another. When they were children, they often came together at the “farm” on Sundays. Our first stop would be our grandmother’s kitchen looking for the leftover breakfast biscuits. The second stop would always be to see granddaddy at the “Beer Garden.” He was always frying chicken for the day. They all remember the Thanksgiving dinners at the long tables in the “Beer Garden.” Dinner included aunts, uncles, great aunts and great uncles and anyone else who may have needed a meal. The food was always delicious! Through the years the cousins have created memories, mourned losses, and cared for and about one another. Before the death of Terry Manuel, Aunt Ruth’s oldest child, the male cousins, along with Walter, would travel to Greeneville, TN to spend three or four days with Terry. Alonia convinced the cousins, along with Walter, to travel to Las Vegas to visit Uncle Joe. After the first trip they were “hooked.” They traveled there every year for five years to spend time with Uncle Joe. When Uncle Joe turned 90 years of age, there was a birthday party thrown for him in Las Vegas. Family members traveled from Maryland, California, and Illinois to help him celebrate. The cousins were front and center in pulling off the celebration. It was so much fun! When Uncle Joe passed in 2014, Walter and the cousins went back to Vegas to say farewell and to spread his ashes in the Rose Garden of the Palm West Cemetery to rest with those of his wife, Mildred, his mother-in-law, Alma, and his sister, Vivien. In 2017, the ashes of one cousin, Olivia, were spread in the same location to be present with the family. As cousins, we celebrate milestones in our lives and continue to travel together. In addition to trips to Las Vegas, NV, there have been trips to Greeneville, TN, South Haven, MI, and Norfolk, VA. There is a group of us that travel each year to South Haven, MI to visit Rosemary Manuel Swagerty, youngest daughter of Ruth. Until his death, Walter was always with them. The cousins recently traveled to Norfolk, VA to attend the Navy retirement ceremony of Walter Felix Manuel, son of Terry Manuel, and grandson of Ruth.
Benjamin was an inspiration to all his heirs. His entrepreneur spirit and willingness to try anything; his business sense; his cooking skills; and his love of life, was observed and admired by all who grew up around him. While the cousins were too young to experience the adult events in the Tavern, they have fond memories of the place we called the “Beer Garden.” Alonia and her husband even had their wedding reception there in 1968. Since his passing, dinner on Thanksgiving Day with family has always been a tradition. We host dinner that day just like my grandfather did in the past. The only thing not on the menu is fried chicken! Benjamin Curtis cooked a wonderful piece of fried chicken!
