155 Years After Grandfather’s Birth, Grandchildren Gather to Exchange Knowledge of 10 Generations

A century and a half after your birth, will your descendants gather to remember and honor you? I seriously doubt that will be the case with me in the 22nd century. But 155 years after the birth of my grandfather in 1864, nine of his descendants and other relatives gathered on Father’s Day to renew ties and to recall old times.

William Graham Buie, who died in 1947, and his wife Anna Purcell Buie, who died in 1952, increased their odds of being remembered for a long time by having four children, 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren. I won’t attempt to account for great great grandchildren and great great great grandchildren but they do have them. Families in the developed world today tend not to be as large. My oldest siblings and cousins have reached the age where they know five generations and can read or hear stories about 10 generations of the same family over 380 years.

My sister Kathy shared pictures and a yellowed newspaper clipping about our grandfather from the Laurinburg Exchange upon his death in 1947. It read:

“This snapshot is a late picture of William Graham Buie, pioneer citizen, merchant and leader of Wagram who died June 25 at the age of 83 years. Mr. Buie had operated a retail merchandise business in Wagram community for about 60 years, and was the first merchant at Wagram. He was a member of the board of Scotland County Commissioners for about 20 years, was an outstanding citizen..and ruling elder of Montpelier Presbyterian Church.

“Mr. Buie’s death closed a long and active career. Of late his health had not been good but he managed to keep going and stuck to his post as manager and head of W.G. Buie Company and other interests…He put something into the record beside business success. He was an upright and useful citizen, a friend and counselor to men, a Christian gentleman and a man of faith and courage. All of Wagram and community bears witness to his sterling worth as a citizen and a man, and those of other communities who knew and respected Mr. Buie will concur…

“Scotland County has not had a finer citizen than W.G. Buie. Born in Marion County, South Carolina, August 20, 1864, son of Archie Buie and Isabelle McNair Buie, he attended the local schools and Bingham School for Boys at Mebane, NC. When a young man, 23 years of age in 1887 and set up a mercantile and turpentine business just across the Lumber River at Gilchrist Bridge, in what is now Hoke County. He moved his business to what is now Wagram in 1896. This was the first store in Wagram. In 1910, the present W.G. Buie Company was organized, and the brick store which still houses the business was erected. Gradually the business grew and expanded, and Mr. Buie had extensive farming interests.”

“He was a man of equable temperament, quiet, purposeful, and long ago cultivated steady habits of industry, and close attention to business….He was old school and believed in hard work. In late years he had gone along with those who wanted Wednesday afternoon closing of stores and shops, but his intimates say he never quite got himself reconciled to taking a half-day from work, and occasionally would say “blame Wednesday afternoons.”

“In late years age had forced him to conserve his strength and under doctor’s orders he would lie about until 7 o’clock in the mornings and take a nap at midday. And was want to say, “To stay in bed until 7 and to take a nap after (midday) dinner encouraged lazy habits.

“Mr. Buie married Miss Anna Purcell in the Wagram community February 24, 1892. Three sons and a daughter were born to the couple: Willam Graham Buie Jr; James Archibald Buie, who died February 18, 1943; Mrs. J.J. Pence and John McNair Buie. And they have nine grandchildren.”

Eight descendants — five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren — of William Graham Buie and Anna Purcell Buie.