Monroe's ChildrenLou Ella Markham Howard ~ Child 81885-1966

Lou Ella Markham Howard
Lou Ella was the daughter of Monroe Markham and his wife Mary. Louella was born 16 Aug 1885 during the presidential administration of Grover Cleveland. She was seen in the 1900, 1910, and 1920 federal censuses in the household of her parents with a large number of siblings, living in rural Caseyville, Lincoln County, Mississippi. Lou Ella could read and write and worked as a farm laborer during this time.

She married Elijah Howard 14 May 1924 at the age of 38 years, The couple was missed in the 1930 census but reappeared in the 1940 and 1950 census, living in Brookhaven, Lincoln County, Mississippi, with just the two of them in the household. They lived in the same home in both censuses. The 1940 census shows that Lou Ella did not work any in 1939 but in 1950 she is listed as working as a babysitter.

I remember Lou Ella as a tall, lanky woman who wore thick cotton stockings and an apron with her clothing. She was friendly and gave warm hugs. Her husband Elijah wore a dark suit with a tie. His shirt was white and he wore suspenders. I remember he loved ice cream and when we would visit he would go to the store and get ice cream. He would buy each of us children a small cup of Borden's vanilla ice cream that came with a flat wooden spoon. We would sit on the back porch with our legs dangling over the porch enjoying every spoonful.

Elijah died in 1964.

Aunt Lou Ella moved in with her sister Aunt Bee (Beatrice) who was already taking care of another sister, my grandmother Alice. Lou Ella died May 1966 in Brookhaven.

Lou Ella's Obituary

Monroe's ChildrenMary Jane Markham "Polly" ~ Child 71884-1950

1910 Census of Monroe Markham Household
Mary Jane Markham, the 7th child of Monroe Markham and his wife Mary was born in 1883, Caseyville, Mississippi, the same year Sojourner Truth died. Mary Jane was known as Polly for most of her life. Polly was the name of a character in a school play which Mary Jane was the actress. Because the name was repeated several times during the play, family and neighbors started cally Mary Jane, Polly. The name stuck and she became known as Polly.

Mary was eight years old on the 1892 educable children lists. The 1900 census indicates she was born in Dec 1883. She is 16, single, can read and write, and is the eldest daughter in the household of 12 people. By 1910, she is 25 years old, and the eldest of 9 siblings. The 1920 household has 10 people and at 36 yrs of age, she still reigns as the eldest sibling. The age of Polly decreases in 1930, she is 40, should be about 45-46. She is the only child in the household of her elderly parents. The parents are deceased in 1940. Polly, 52, is living with a younger sister and her husband, Silas and Beatrice Markham Johnson. She is unemployed from her job as farm laborer.

I never met her, Aunt Polly died before I was born.

She was the first Markham sister who did not marry, nor have children. She died in 1950.