To the Casket Dealer

Bertha Taliaferro died November 15 1930 at 5AM. Embalming was not a practice in rural communities in Mississippi. Her family and friends would wash and prepare her body for burial.

Print Henley and Carrie Singleton, children of the deceased, went to the casket dealer Oscar J Young for a casket. Young was a farmer in 1900 but by 1910 he was a salesman and used a vehicle in his business, by 1920 he had a store. They may have looked around at what Young had or asked for the standard casket. They chose a half couch casket at the price of $150. They also got a robe, and hearse service was $10 additional.

Did Young bring the casket to the home, or did Bertha's children bring the casket with them in a horse driven wagon?

Bertha was buried the next day following her death, November 16 1930. She was buried in the Hunters Cemetery, likely next to her husband Thomas Taliaferro.

Sources:
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USF35-1326]
Federal Pension Records of Thomas Taliaferro

Bertha Taliaferro How Many Marriages

Bertha was the second wife of Thomas Taliaferro. There were discrepancies in testimonies concerning whether Thomas was Bertha's first husband. Thomas Taliaferro served with the 50th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry, during the Civil War. Thomas had received a pension as an invalid, his wife applied for her pension as his widow. An investigator from the United States Pension Bureau was sent to investigate the validity of Bertha's claim.

Eight children were born to Bertha who testified she was not married to any of the fathers. A couple of the witnesses, Jane Gray and Jennie Brown, testified that Bertha was married, maybe twice, before she married Thomas. Several others testified that Bertha only married Thomas. The investigator could not find a marriage record in Copiah County, MS, with Bertha's name for any of the men who fathered her children. He only found one marriage record and that was for Thomas Taliaferro, 20 Sep 1901 in Copiah County, MS.

I noticed on the marriage record that she was Mrs. Bytha Williams. It was discussed within the pension records that Bytha and Bertha was the same person but it was not mentioned that the title Mrs. was applied to her name.

Bertha and Thomas' Marriage Certificate

Would it had matter if Bertha was married before she married Thomas? It would only matter if previous marriages would invalidate her marriage to Thomas. The investigator would gather information confirming that the marriages ended in death, or divorce and a marital relationship no longer existed. If it had been proven that Thomas and Bertha's marriage was not valid, she would not receive a pension as Thomas' widow.

Bertha's Children
1. Carrie Highgate; Father - John Brandon; Husband - Ed Singleton
2. Leon Beasley; Father - Bush Beasley
3. Mary Williams; Father - Lee Henley; Husband - Jim Boyd
4. Print Henley; Father - Lee Henley; Wife - Blanche Winston Banks
5. Unnamed Child; Father - Lee Henley; Child died young
6. Unnamed Child; Father - Matt Williams; Child died young.
7. Unnamed Child; Father - Tom Greenley; Child died young.
8. Unnamed Child; Father - Calvin Nichols; Child died young.

Bertha said she was born five years after the surrender but census records indicate she was born about five to seven years before surrender between 1858-1865. She was the daughter of Henry and Beckie Welch, slaves of Dempsey Welch in Copiah County, MS.

Calvin Nichols married my 2nd great grandaunt Jennie Copeland.

Blanche Winston Banks Henley was my dad's half second cousin once removed.

Per the 1860 Copiah County Slave Schedule, Dempsey Welch owned 52 slaves.