In 1906 there was little if any warnings for hurricanes so people were often caught off guard with little if any time to prepare as we are today. So it was for the people of Bon Secour, in 1906.
Lorenzo and Washie Roberson had gone to Mobile to work leaving Lorenzo's young sons Willie, Alfred and Charlie with their mother Agnes and Washie's wife Millie. A few days later the weather turned bad, the wind was getting higher and the rain was coming down in buckets. Agnes and Millie began getting worried because the water was rising and the wind was blowing so hard all they could hear were the trees falling all around them. They tried to leave and go to Agnes' parents but they could not stand up in the wind and the water was too high so they climbed the chinaberry tree next to the kitchen door where they tied themselves and the boys. The next day Agnes' parents came
looking for them and found the house very badly damaged and Agnes, Millie and the boys still tied to the tree because they were afraid to come down. They were weather-beaten, tired, cold, and hungry but otherwise OK. Lorenzo and Washie were not able to get home till several days later.
Willie, Alfred and Charlie, all died shortly after their thirtieth birthdays, and young Aubrey Ray had died shortly before the hurricane of 1906 at the young age of two, leaving Lennette, Eula Mae, Woodrow, and Mary Elizabeth.
Agnes died May 11, 1929 in Mobile and Lorenzo died March 5, 1941 also in Mobile. They are buried between their sons William Marshall (Willie) and Aubrey Ray in the Miller Memorial Cemetery near both of their parents.
