Oshia Burdine was the daughter of James Franklin Burdine and Mary Lavina "Viney"Smith. Viney Smith was daughter of Henry W 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) living daughter

(4) living daughter

It is not my intention to list living people in my stories

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.