Family Tree

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tombstone Tuesday - Family Tradegy

Asriah Markham
b Sept 2 1904
d April 1 1923
Zion Chapel Church Cemetery
Lincoln County, Mississippi

NEGRO KILLS SELF ON HOMOCHITTO BRIDGE, SO STORY GOES

News has come from the western part of the county that Sunday night, a son of Jim Markham, orderly and well-to-do negro of the western part of the county, accidentally killed himself on the Homochitto bridge on Union Church Road.

From all reports received of the occurrence, which Sheriff R. C. Applewhite is not satisfied with until it is investigated still further, witnesses having already been summoned into Brookhaven. Markham who was 19 years old had been out late with a couple of friends, all of them riding horses. When he and his friends reached the Homochitto Bridge, it is said that Markham dismounted and when he attempted to mount his horse, a pistol which he was carrying, fell out of his pocket, discharged and killed him, almost instantly.


Cousins last saw Asirah mounting his horse with friends to go do what young men do after Sunday church service, visit girls. The rumor in the family is Asirah was murdered by one of the riders because they were both interested in the same girl. Supposedly, the girl was more interest in Asirah than his riding companion. Neighbor Henry Davis rode through the neighborhood notifying relatives of Asirah's death.

Asirah Markham was the son of James Markham and Anna Culver. Asirah was my mother's first cousin.
Source: Leader Newspaper - Brookhaven, MS - April 04, 1923 - Page 1
Microfilm Number: 30798
Mississippi Department of Archives and History

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