By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 9, 2019 – As I noted in a story I published in BAHAMAS CHRONICE recently, my late “Aunt” Sylvia Elliott Ross, who died in August of 2012, would have been so proud of her grandson, Devereaux E. King, who was a member of the graduating class of the Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Miami on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.
The family was very well represented at Devereaux’s graduation, as indicated in a group photo he posted on Facebook. Seated in a wheelchair in the font row at centre is my Aunt Maria Elliott Forbes, who grew up with Aunt Sylvia as if they were sisters – although she was actually her aunt — because they were around the same age.
Peetie, the nickname given to Devereaux from he was a baby, is kneeling at right of Aunt Maria and at left of Aunt Maria is my cousin Patricia Elliott Horsford. Directly behind Patricia is Peetie’s mother Leonardete Ross King and directly behind Peetie is my cousin Norma Elliott, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, but grew up in Nassau with Aunt Maria.
Aunt Sylvia’s husband was the late Leonard Ross, and Peetie – the nickname given to Devereax from he was a baby — is the son of their daughter Leonardette Ross-King and her husband, Danny King (far left in the photo), who lives in Cat Island.
As I have mentioned in virtually every story I have written about growing up at Stanyard Creek, Andros, with my grandparents, Ben and Mabel Elliott, we are a very closely knit family. Aunt Sylvia father was my uncle Clarence Elliott, the oldest of Ben and Mabel Elliott’s eight children, with my mother Violet being the eldest of the three daughters.
Both Aunt Sylvia and Aunt Maria were “monitors” in Stanyard Creek All-Age School, and all of the grandchildren who were left in the care of Papa and Mama — while our parents were on “The Contract” in the United States or working elsewhere in The Bahamas – had the benefit of having supervision of teachers at home after school.
In addition to myself, the five other grandchildren were cousins Agnes, Beryl and John, children of Uncle Lee; my late sister Elthreada Brown McPhee; and my cousin Alphonso “Boogaloo” Elliott, a son of my late Uncle Audley Elliott.
As I noted in my earlier article, both Aunt Sylvia and Aunt Maria were staunch disciplinarians, a trait they no doubt picked up from Papa, a no-nonsense deeply religious man whose influence in the community was probably not matched by any other individual in Stanyard Creek. Papa owned the “major” grocery store, small though it was, on the Western Ridge and our family compound also consisted of a “big” and “small” house as well as a separate structure that was used as a kitchen.
As I also mentioned, we are a very devout Roman Catholic family, and Peetie grew up demonstrating a deep commitment to the Church from his childhood years, religiously attending Mass at our parish church, Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church, through Deveaux Street in the Over-the-Hill are of Nassau, Bahamas.
So, it was therefore not surprising to me when Peetie decided to pursue studies to become a priest, although he initially wanted to be a chef and after high school he subsequently graduated from the culinary school of the College of The Bahamas, which is now the University of The Bahamas, before entering Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Miami.
