Beaman Lawton Stancil |
Beaman "Buddy" Stancil
Beaman was born Dec. 10, 1905, and died March 27, 1969.
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Beaman's children With Ann Louise Evans |
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Sandra Evans Stancil Oct. 7, 1937-June 18, 2003 |
| Lillian Gail Stancil Middleton |
| Teresa Ann Stancil Harris |
Beaman Lawton “Buddy” “B. L.“ Stancil was born on Dec. 10, 1905, in Johnston County, North Carolina. He had blue eyes, dark brown hair, and a Roman nose. Buddy grew up working on the farm.
He was known as "Buddy" and "Stan" to his family but after adulthood went by "B. L."
Buddy learned to swim, along with his first cousin, Ralph Stancil, Leonard Hales, and Vernon Hodge at the swimming hole around 1918. One day after they swam, Ralph suggested they stop by Uncle Harvey’s watermelon patch to cut a melon. Together they selected a large melon. It was a good one, and they fought over the heart. They all enjoyed it. Harvey and Bertha walked down to the patch to check on the melons and saw the footprints and watermelon rind. They tracked them down. Harvey caught them and took them to their Pa and asked them to talk to them or he’d put the law on them. Most of them received a well-deserved tongue-lashing.
Buddy attended the nearby Godwin School until it closed. He then began attending Glendale School in seventh grade and graduated from Glendale High School in 1927, along with his cousin Ralph.
Buddy, like many of his cousins, attended both Holly Springs Freewill Baptist Church and Center Ridge Presbyterian Church Sunday School. He was a Baptist all his life.
Buddy desired more education after high school. He attended Duke University for two years. College was expensive. He worked in a drug store part-time. Buddy grew restless and tired of the struggle he had trying to pay for college and study.
His brother-in-law, Kenneth Mitchell, had a trucking business started with funds provided by John. Buddy joined him in 1928 and began driving a lime truck. Buddy drove a truck to Lynchburg, Virginia. He liked Virginia and decided to stay. His first job was in the shipping department of a department store.
Patterson Drug Store #2, a chain drug store, initially employed Buddy in Lynchburg. Buddy was introduced to Louise Evans by a friend in the drug store. Louise worked for an insurance company above the drug store.
Beaman and Louise felt an immediate attraction and became a steady twosome. They were married around 1936. They were members of the Inglewood Baptist Church.
Louise Evans is a daughter of Samuel Luther and Lorena Wooldridge Evans. She was born Dec. 13, 1908, in Campbell County, Virginia. Her father owned his own farm. In 1920 her mother was a clerk. Their children were Laurence, John W., Lillian, Theresa, Annie Louise and Samuel Luther Jr. They all could read and write. Louise graduated from a 4-year high school.
Louise and Beaman had three daughters, Sandra Evans Stancil (Oct. 7, 1937-June 18, 2003); Gail Stancil Roberts (Oct. 16, 1942-) and husband Larry; Ann Stancil Harris (Oct. 16, 1942-) and husband Robert Jr. She had four grandchildren, Robert Maurice Middleton III and wife Cheryl, Lynn Evans Middleton Rys and husband Flip, Lisa Evans Harris Peters and husband Eric, and Laura Ann Harris and husband Todd.
Gail's second child Lynn Evans Middleton graduated from Jefferson Forest High School and received her bachelor's degree from James Madison. Lynn married Steven Lee Rys on September 11, 1993 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Steven graduated from South St. Paul High School.
Alice, Carletta, Beaman and Martha in 1965.
Family archives
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While in Lynchburg, he began going by "Stan." He worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as a life insurance salesman. He earned $3,700 in 12 months, according to the 1940 census, and worked 49 hours each week. The family lived at 1307 Oakland Camp in a house worth $4,000.
Beaman registered for the WWII draft in 1940.
He usually traveled from Monday through Thursday. Rationing went into effect after the start of WWII.
Getting enough milk for his daughters and enough gas for his job were challenges for B. L.
B. L. was an excellent employee, and after the war, he was asked to relocate to New York City. B. L. considered it seriously but felt Virginia was a better place to raise his family.
A lifelong Democrat, B. L. took his family to view the train carrying the casket of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd President who served from 1933-1945. Roosevelt was credited with establishing the New Dea’ and bringing the country out of the depression.
B. L. took his family to visit his North Carolina family right after the war, around 1946. Pinettie was living in Micro. She had a nice garden and some chickens. Granddaughter Sandi remembers a store just across the railroad tracks. Millard was living with Pinettie.
Soon after meeting her grandmother, Pinettie told Sandi, “My name is Pinetta, not Pinettie.”
Once Pinetta saw Sandi playing cards—which was a sin according to Pinetta’s strict Baptist beliefs—and Sandi was soundly slapped. Pinettie quickly threw the cards away.
Sandi was mesmerized when she saw Millard rolling a cigarette. She secretly practiced until she perfected it herself.
B. L. was a successful businessman. He joined a real estate firm. Later, he and a business partner opened a real estate and insurance business, Stancil and Arthur, in Lynchburg, VA. B. L. became an appraiser and broker. He also started a construction company called Lynchburg Homes. B. L. was recognized in his community for his leadership.
According to the 1946-49 City Directory of Lynchburg, Stan lived at 307 Oakwood Ct. and worked for Forehand Realty.
In the 1950s, B. L. surprised Ralph Stancil with a visit. Ralph was baling hay, and B. L. represented himself as a tractor salesman. Ralph quickly realized it was his cousin, Buddy.
According to the 1951-53 City Directory of Lynchburg, Stan was Sec-Treas. of Forehand Realty.
According to the 1956 City Directory of Lynchburg, Stan was President of Lynchburg Homes and resided at 1207 Greenway Court.
According to the 1958 City Directory of Lynchburg, Stan was Pres. & Treasurer of Stancil & Arthur Inc., Real Estate and Insurance, and President and Treasurer of Lynchburg Homes Inc. Stan resided at 1207 Greenway Court.
According to the 1960 City Directory of Lynchburg, Stan was in the insurance, real estate, and house-building business.
B. L. took his family to North Carolina. They visited his brother Kermit, who lived in the house John built for Pinetta. B. L., Kermit, and Gail walked to the barn. Gail saw a mule and begged to ride it. B. L. lifted her up on the very tall mule. Gail was thrilled. When B. L. took her down, her clothes and bare legs were covered with mule hair. She stood patiently in a tub while all the hair was removed. Gail wasn’t bothered by the loose hair. She was excited that she had gotten to ride a mule!
According to the 1959 City Directory of Lynchburg, Stan lived at 207 Greenway Court. His insurance business was at 718 Church.
B. L.’s nephew Henry and Johnny called him Uncle Stan, like most of their cousins.
B. L. retired in 1964. Daughter Gail exhibited a special talent for riding at an early age and became an expert rider. B. L. liked horses and, with her influence, began to build a horse barn. He planned to realize his dream of raising horses. On a trip to a local hardware store, he suffered a heart attack and died a few days later in March. Buddy had hardening of the arteries for several years and angina.
B. L. died on March 27, 1969, of a massive spontaneous brain stem hemorrhage, in Lynchburg General Hospital at Lynchburg, Virginia. He was buried in Fort Hill Memorial Park, Lynchburg.
Louise died at 81 at 1:05 p.m. Aug. 14, 1990, in Camelot Hall Nursing Home in Virginia Beach. She is also buried in Fort Hill Memorial Park.
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The Durham Sun, March 28, 1969 |
The News and Advance, Aug. 16, 1990 |
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