Mrs. Gladys Machen Jenkins-Gaines 100 years in South Carolina Gladys Machen was born in Oconee, County on June 27, 1920. She was the daughter of the late Mr. Orange Montgomery Machen and Pearl Autry. To this union 17 children were born: Leroy, Holly, Alton, Milus, David, Marion, Willie, Autry, Edward, Gladys, Orange, Wilton, John Thomas, Simpson, Pearl Eleanor, Annie Bell, Andrew, and Sarah Margaret. Gladys married Perry Jenkins of Townville, SC in 1938 at the home of the Probate Judge in Walhalla, SC. She was 15 years old and he was 17 at the time of marriage. This young couple had one loving son named Bobby. In the 1960’s her loving husband predeceased her in a untimely accidental death. She would later remarry Leo Gaines, who also predeceased her in death. As a child she was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church and followed to Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Seneca, SC at the age of 16 years old. She was a Deaconess. She earned her Sunday school teachers diploma and taught Sunday school. She enjoyed singing in the senior choir and ushering. She was also a member of the Clemson University Extension Service as well as being involved with the Family Community Leaders (We Can Do Club). Gladys was a young pioneer of the land. Gladys grew up on her parents farm and her most favorite thing to do was riding in her Daddys buggy. He rode the children around in the buggy wherever he wanted to go. (She said, “We’d would ride to church in it. It had them wheels and that high step. Some folks had T model Fords but we loved our buggy. Daddy would cover me in a blanket and we’d ride to Anderson and I would be sleep but would waken when the horses hooves would go “clickety-clack” on the brick streets of Anderson.”) She and Perry worked hard farming. They grew sugar cane and many from Walhalla would come to them for Molasses. They created a bounty of Fruit Trees, Walnuts and Pecan Tress and had a wonderful muscadine vine. They were a skilled couple and highly respected in town. Gladys and Perry had 3 grandchildren, Angela, Robert and Aretta Jenkins, 7 great children and 2 great-great grandchildren. KEOWEE FUNERAL SERVICES OF OCONEE IS ASSISITING THE JENKINS-GAINES FAMILY.