Oshia Burdine was the daughter of James Franklin Burdine and
Mary Lavina "Viney"Smith.
Viney Smith was daughter of Henry Woody Smith and
Barbara Allen Pierce House Smith.
Oshia was born 19 April 1906 at Vendor, Newton County, Arkansas.
She married ALEX HAMILTON on 8 July 1923 in Newton County, Arkansas.

Alex Hamilton was born 20 September 1902(son of Joe C Hamilton and
Mary Frances Greenhaw).
Alex Hamilton was a twin; the twin died at birth and is buried in
Mt.Judea Cemetery, Newton County, Arkansas.

Joe C Hamilton and Mary Frances Greenhaw Hamilton were my husband
Kenneth Flood's maternal great grandparents. Alex Hamilton was the
brother to my husband's grandmother Lula Hamilton Smith. We are also
related to Oshia through her mother Viney Smith. Viney was sister to
Cleve Smith, my husband's grandfather.

Oshia and Alex Hamilton's children were:
(1) JAY GUTHRIE HAMILTON ,born 1 Sept 1924 at Vendor, Arkansas.
Guthrie was thrown from a horse and killed on 15 March 1942, with
burial in Mt.Judea Cemetery,Mt.Judea, Arkansas.

(2)LAVINA MARIE HAMILTON, born 26 May 1926 in Coalgate,Oklahoma.
Alex and Oshia traveled to Oklahoma by covered wagon in 1925 and
Marie was born while they were living there.
Lavina Marie Hamilton died in 1939 as result of burns in a housefire.

Tragedy again struck Oshia's family when daughter Marie and her
father Alex Hamilton died in a house fire in November 1939 that
burned the family home and all of the family's possessions. Alex and
daughter Marie were filling their lamps with white gas, the gas
caught fire and spread rapidly all over he and Marie.
Alex ran to the creek and waded into the water, putting the fire
out.
Alex lifted his arms to the heavens and prayed "Lord,I have fought
the fight, I have kept the faith, take me home with you, Amen" and
he died shortly after.
Marie was taken to a hospital but died later.

While visiting in Arkansas I met Oshia at her home. Such a kind, soft
spoken lady who seemed gentle in her ways.She went with Gladys
Flood,Betty K Smith and I when we visited Anna Mae Peoples Davis.

I tried to record Oshia while at Anna Mae's home, but there were so
many voices in the background that her voice was not clear. She told
me that Alex Hamilton was the kindest man she had ever known.

I understand Alex Hamilton sang with three other men as a quartet and
the group traveled all over the area, singing mostly gospel music.
Wish I could have heard them sing.

(3)Lu Hamilton Scott

(4) Frances Lorene Hamilton Smith
Birth: Nov. 21, 1931,Vendor,Newton County,Arkansas
Death: Jun. 2, 2014
Harrison,Boone County,Arkansas

FRANCES LORENE SMITH
Frances Lorene Smith, age 82 of Vendor, Arkansas passed away
June 2, 2014 at Hospice of the Hills Hospice House in Harrison,
Arkansas.
She was born November 21, 1931 at Vendor, the daughter of Alex and
Oshia (Burdine) Hamilton.
Lorene was a homemaker and lived most of her life in Newton County.
She was a member of Big Creek Assembly of God Church at Vendor. She
and Kenneth Smith were united in marriage on January 7, 1950 at
Piercetown.
She was preceded in death by her husband; Kenneth; her parents, Alex
and Oshia Hamilton; a brother, Guthrie; a sister, Marie; and a
grandson, Zach Smith.
Survivors are her daughters, Sheila and husband Rockie McCutcheon of
Vendor and Leshia and husband DeWitt Case of Bergman; six
grandchildren, Selena Carter, Travis McCutcheon, Amber Smith,
Joel Case, Anthony Case, and Keith Case; eight grandchildren, Eli
and Toby Martin, Graydon and Cymone McCutcheon, Douglas Case,
Gabby Reynolds, Heath Case, and Raylan Case; a sister,
Lu (Hamilton) Scott; brothers, Lynn Carl Middleton and Ken Middleton;
one step-brother, Eathel Middleton; and a host of other relatives and
friends.
Visitation 6-8 P.M. Wednesday, June 25, 2014 with the service 2 P.M.
Thursday, June 26, 2014, both at Coffman Funeral Home in Jasper. Bro.
Arlis Thrasher will officiate.
Burial will follow in Smith-Judea Mountain Point Cemetery with
pallbearers being Travis McCutcheon, Eli Martin, Toby Martin,
Joel Case, Anthony Case, and Keith Case.
Honorary pallbearers are Lorene's niece and nephews and the staff of
the Hospice of the Hills Hospice House.
Family links:
Spouse:
Kenneth Graydon Smith (1928 - 2002)

After her husband and daughter died, Oshia and her three other children moved into a little house on her brother Vester Burdine's place. She worked for neighbors and neighboring farmers for food or money.
In 1940 relief was given to the needy families and Oshia was given
a total of $12 a month to live on. A man from the Relief Society
visited Oshia's home one day. Oshia had meager furnishings and had
canned some fruit and vegetables for her family. Seeing that she had
some food in the house, the Relief then cut her off entirely, leaving
her with nothing.
She was helped by some kind neighbors who gave her quilts and
canning jars.A lot of help was promised, but promises were not kept.

These stories were taken from the Newton County, Arkansas
Family History Book I, written by Oshia's children.

Oshia married secondly to DAVE MIDDLETON, son of J.Giles Middleton
and Sarah Jackson Middleton Smith.
About a year after her marriage to Dave Middleton her beloved son
Jay Gutherie Hamilton died after being thrown from a horse at
Erbie,Arkansas.

Oshia and Dave Middleton had two sons (living).
(5) living son

(6) living son

Oshia Burdine Hamilton Middleton died on 21 March 1991 and is buried
in the Mt.Judea Cemetery, Mt.Judea (Newton County)Arkansas.

I shall remember Oshia as a sweet,kind, gentle, soft-spoken woman.

She had a very sad and tragic life. I am sure she passed her kind
ways on to her children. I would have liked to visit more with Oshia.

We cannot understand why some have such sorrow in their lives.
But Oshia lived to be almost 85 years old. She left her legacy
to her children.
Rest in peace dear Oshia.