Hinnant, Joseph and Flora

Joseph William Hinnant was born Nov. 2, 1916 to Joseph and Saphorania Jones Hinnant. His wife, Flora was born to Frederick and Flora Edgerton Fitzgerald on Aug. 22, 1917.

Joe and Flora were married Sept. l 7, 1933. Three children were born to this marriage: Joseph Frederick on July 29, 1934, Patricia Ann Hinnant on August 13, 1942, and Loraine Elizabeth Hinnant on December 12, 1947.

Flora worked on their families' farms in Kenly. Her family had a farm on Barley Road and Joe's
family had one on Piney Grove Church Road. Joe was a plasterer and helped with the farms. As the children became older they too worked on the farms. When Joe became unable to plaster he started farming full time and Flora began working as a bookkeeper for a tobacco warehouse in Wendell and Mayo Feed Mill in Lucama. Flora had a gift for working with crafts and flowers and in 1970 she and Joe opened a florist shop on Maple Street in Kenly next to their daughter's beauty shop. They ran the florist shop until allergies forced them to close it. Flora then worked for a grain buying station in Pine Level until she retired at age 62. They continued to tend the farms until Joe retired in 1980. Upon Joe's retirement, he and Flora leased the farms and spent a lot of their time on the coast. They enjoyed five years of retirement together until Joe passed away July 20, 1985. Flora passed away on December 17, 1990.

A devout Christian, Joe loved and attended Kenly Free Will Baptist where he served as a deacon and sang in the choir. He was also a member of the Kenly Masonic Lodge for over twentyfive years. Flora was a member of Kenly Free Will Baptist Church. She taught Sunday School for many years, sang in the choir, directed the youth choir, and was a member of the ladies' auxiliary. Flora helped start Riverside Sunday School at Kennel's Beach and taught it for years. Through God's help the Sunday School is still going from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

Joe and Flora have six grandchildren, two of which preceded them in death. The surviving children all live on the farms Flora and Joe worked so hard to have. They also left behind a step-grandchild, step-great-grandchild, and a great-grandchild. Since their deaths six more great grandchildren have been born, one of which passed away in 1993.

This page provided by Gerald and Loraine Hinnant Coley.