Reduction of Personal Assessment

The mantle in the picture was originally a piano owned by my great grandfather Monroe Markham. Was this the organ that was taxed too much in the newspaper article below? I can imagine he was upset when he learned of his tax bill and knew it was incorrect. 

The type of personal property that was taxable changed frequently over time. During Monroe's lifetime, he too was a taxable item because he born into slavery. Some other taxable items were livestock, horses, carriages, musical instruments, watches, jewelry, guns, clocks, etc.

Upon motion duly seconded it is hereby ordered by the Board that the assessment of Monroe Markham of 1 organ assessed at $200 be and the same is hereby reduced to $20 on account of clerical error, and that the Tax Collector be given credit with the amount of said reduction.

 

The Semi-Weekly Leader, Dec 11, 1915

Brookhaven, Mississippi

Samuel David Markham married Rosanna Thomas

 

The Semi Weekly Leader Newspaper, 11 Feb 1922

Pictured above is Samuel David Markham, and his wife Rosanna with daughter Jessie Mae. Samuel and Rosanna were married, 9 Feb 1922, in Lincoln County, Mississippi. 

Samuel and my grandmother Alice Markham Marshall were siblings.

Husband and Wife are both my Cousin

 I knew he was a paternal cousin but I did not know his wife was also my cousin until I saw her obituary.

Goldie's mother, Ida Henderson, was the granddaughter of Viola Buie Henderson. Viola was a sister to my 2nd great grandfather James Markham. Goldie was a maternal cousin. 

Henry's mother, Bettie Demyers, was the great granddaughter of Lawrence Demyers. Lawrence and my 2nd great grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher were siblings. Betty was a paternal cousin.

Mack and Minnie Sanders

Mack and Minnie married Christmas day in 1940. He enlisted in the army in November 1943, and was released Feb 1946. They had an even dozen of children, 6 girls and 6 boys, plus they raised three grandchildren as their own.

Mack Neese Sanders was born in 1918, the son of McNeese Sanders and Alice Overton. Minnie was born in 1925, the daughter of William Washington and Rosia Miller. All were from Copiah County, Mississippi,

Minnie died in 1984 and Mack died in 1996. They were both buried in the Greater New Zion Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mack's mother, Alice Overton Sanders, and my grandmother Gertrude Overton Durr were sisters.

Life Continues

If my mother was still with us, she would have celebrated her 87th birthday on Aug 21st. She would have spoiled her great grandchildren with homemade biscuits and peanut butter sandwiches drooling their favorite jam or jelly. Here is a picture of four of Mama's great grands.

Jace, Jory, Zyon, and Genesis

Happy 3rd Birthday

 Today is Miss Jory's 3rd Birthday. Happy Birthday!

The Heart Necklace

For awhile in cousin Ludora Coleman Ball's life. daughter of Smylie Coleman and Joann Benson, the heart necklace was a favorite to wear. If you look closely at the picture below, you can see it around her neck, below the pin on her blouse. Ludora's cousin Elaine also has on the same necklace.

 Ludora Coleman,  Elijah "Puddin" Smith and Elijah's sister Elaine Smith

 

Ludora has on the same necklace in her high school graduation picture of 1946

Here she is again with her husband Mozell Ball and two daughters with the heart necklace.

Ludora Coleman Ball is my 2nd cousin. We share the same great grandparents Monroe Markham and Mary Byrd.

Nite on the Town

We all need a space to relax away the responsibilities of a work week.

1950's Chicago Style with Cousin Sarah Green in the middle.

Dressed for a Chicago night on the town with Cousin Willie Scott and his date.

Howard Divinity's Death Certificate

The article below was found in a local newspaper reporting the death of Howard Divinity of Copiah County, Mississippi.

Howard Divinity Stood by his Principals

Howard Divinity is dead at the age of 108. He was the oldest person in Copiah County, residing near Hazlehurst.

Howard had attained wide renown over the country. He attended every confederate reunion for many years, and once visited the White House in Washington, dining with the servants.

He served during the Civil war as bodyguard for officers.

Howard doubtless is sincerely mourned by his white friends of Copiah county. A long life of faithful devotion to sentiments and principals is just as touching in a servant as it is admirable in a master.

Clarion-Ledger

Jackson, Mississippi

20 Mar 1934 - Page 5

Howard's death certificate is void of the information family historians value, the names and birthplaces of his parents. At the time of his death, 08 March 1934, Howard was listed as 110 years of age. He was supposedly a widower although his wife Susan died four years later in 1938. Census records suggest he was born in the mid 1840s.

1870 - Howard, 27 years old, born about 1843.

1880 - Howard, 30 years old, born about 1850.

1900 - Howard, 55 years old, born about 1845.

1910 - Howard, 78 years old, born about 1832

1920 - Howard, 75 years old, born about 1845

1930 - Howard, 107 years old, born about 1823

https://betweenthegateposts.blogspot.com/2013/01/howard-divinity-of-copiah-county-ms.html

Howard Divinity's Slave Narrative

Marilda Ann Jackson Ball 1868-1947

Lillie Mae Jackson, of Brookhaven, recognized this photo of her grandmother, Marilda Ball, who lived in the Caseville area, was born in 1863 and died March 24 1947.

Jackson recalled that the photograph was taken in 1942, because her brother, Mozell Ball, was going off to World War II and wanted a photograph of his grandmother to take with him. Apparently it bought him good luck because he was in Hawaii during the bombing of Pearl Harbor and survived to eventually retire from the military after many years of service.

Marilda had three girls, Luberta, Emma and Adelaide, who was mother to Lillie Mae Jackson. Jackson has three children of her own: Ivy Burt of Brookhaven, Anderson Burt of Milwaukee, Wisc., and Mozel Jackson of Brookhaven who called with these details and was named after his uncle.

From information gathered from census records, Marilda was the daughter of Levi Jackson and Harriet Coleman. She was found in the census records from 1870 through 1940 with the exception of the 1930 census. She married Alex Ball in 1909, Lincoln County, Mississippi.

Here s a picture of Marilda's grandson, Mozell Ball, dressed in his military uniform.

Mozell married my maternal 2nd cousin, Ludora Coleman, daughter of Smylie and Joanna Benson Coleman. Here is a picture of Mozell, Ludora and two of their daughters, Shirley and Jane.

Black Lives Matter Protest

Jackson, Mississippi
June 6, 2020