MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Harden

Senate Concurrent Resolution 664

(As Adopted by Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING MARY BROWN GASTON UPON HER 100TH BIRTHDAY. 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Mary Brown Gaston is the seventh of twelve children born to Mississippi sharecroppers Tom and Laura Brown, April 14, 1898, in Hinds County (Utica), Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Mary Brown and Fred A. Gaston were married in 1921 at the Rohelia Baptist Church. Her husband was a veteran of World War I (1918) and saw military assignment in France and Liverpool, England. Immediately following the wedding ceremony, the couple moved to Jackson and affiliated with the New Mount Zion Baptist church. She has maintained her membership of seventy-four years - the longest tenure of any member of the congregation; and

WHEREAS, most of Mrs. Gaston's adult life has been devoted to rearing children, nurturing them in a Christian home, to honor God; to love and respect family values while developing a passion for "learning." Although she only completed the fifth grade, attending school four (4) months out of each year, she had a "zeal" to learn and passed it on to her children. She attends church services both at New Mount Zion, her "home church" and the Saint James Baptist church located across the street from her residency. Until three years ago when she had a fall, she took pride in having a large garden, tilling the soil and sharing her "harvest yield" with her neighbors, as this also supplemented food for the family and thereby assisted her husband, who was the sole provider outside the home; and

WHEREAS, Fred and Mary Gaston were pioneer homeowners, establishing residency in the Gowdy/Washington Addition Community (then considered the outskirts of Southwest Jackson) where she has called home since 1921; and

WHEREAS, very industrious, Fred Gaston, her husband, worked for the Illinois Central Railroad Baggage Room for almost 50 years; and

WHEREAS, Mary Brown Gaston is the proud mother of seven children, Lelia, Rosie, Esserlena, Katherine, Juanita, Fred and Eugene, all of whom graduated from high school and most completed college or professional school; and

WHEREAS, Mary Brown Gaston is the grandmother of eleven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, she has an excellent memory of most of the experiences she encountered during her journey of 100 years and attributes her longevity to trusting in God, living a clean life and treating everybody right; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Mississippi believes that it is most appropriate to pay special tribute to such a remarkable Mississippian as Mrs. Mary Brown Gaston, an outstanding citizen of Jackson, upon the celebration of her 100th birthday:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby congratulate Mary Brown Gaston upon her 100th birthday.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mary Brown Gaston and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.