Three Brothers Married Three Sisters

Archie Hilliard
Born about 1874

Three brothers married three sisters. The brothers were the sons of Alexander Hilliard and Leitha Culver. The sisters were the daughters of James Coleman and Mary Ann Markham. They were born and raised in Lincoln County, Mississippi.

The three couples produced 25 double first cousins.

Archie Hilliard, Sr., (1874-1960), married Lucy Coleman (1874-1942), 13 Dec 1895, in Lincoln County, MS. Their children were: Archie, Jr., Lamar, Edward, Grover, Bessie, Lessie, Deforest, Jessie Mae, and Beasley.

John Hilliard (1870 - ?), married Levanna Coleman (1876 - ?), 12 Dec 1895, in Lincoln County, MS. Their children were: Ontee, Anna/Amizone, James, Gertrude, Mary, and Artimessia.

Versie Hilliard (1879 - ?), married Mary Coleman (1884 - ?), 13 Dec 1900, in Lincoln County, MS. Their children were: Estelle, Lucille, Luther, Versie, Jr., Garvey, Alma, Clifton, Marion, Mildred, and Mary.

Photograph Courtesy of Cherri Herring

How do the couples connect to my family tree?
The sisters' mother, Mary Ann Markham Coleman, and my great grandfather Monroe Markham were siblings.

School Boy Died after Making Fire in Stove with Coal Oil

Sunday School Class with a stove in the background to the right

Was this the first time he made a fire in the church stove, or one of many? Deacons and older teenage boys of congregations usually had the job of making a fire in the stove so the congregation could arrive to a warm church.

On Sunday morning, February 14, 1943, John Walter Hilliard made a fire using coal oil in an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church in Brookhaven, Lincoln County, MS.. The fire burned the right side of his body, head, back and face. He developed pneumonia and died less than two weeks later on February 23, 1943.

John was born in May 1932, to John and Carrie Hix Hilliard in Lincoln County, MS. He was 10 years old at the time of his death.

I couldn't find any census information on the family. Found was one line from a 1929 Jackson, MS, city directory for Rev John Hilliard and his wife Carrie. The older John's occupation was pastor of an AME church. It is feasible John Walter was a member of the family business.

Research did not connect this family to Hilliard cousins of Lincoln and Franklin Counties, MS.

John Walter Hilliard's Death Certificate

Photograph Courtesy of
Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library
100 S. Jackson St
Brookhaven, MS 39601
601-833-3369

The Banks Sisters One Dozen

L to R: Arcola Banks Green, Viola Banks Hilliard, Leola Banks Tillman, Beatrice Banks Thomas, Olivia Banks Young, and Joy Banks Hayes

There were twelve Bank sisters: Mattie Mae, Arcola, Viola, Leola, Beatrice, Mary, Odessa, Olivia, twins Archie Mae and Jannie Mae, Annie Lee, and Joy, born between 1908-1934. They were the daughters of Archie and Jannie Scott Banks of Lincoln County, MS.

I wonder if the sisters were labeled by people outside of the family and family members. Was one known as the smart one, the skinny one, the pretty one, the fat one, the fast one, the ugly one, the quite one, the silly one, the sweet one, the bookish one, the whatever one?

The Banks sisters are maternal cousins.
Photograph Courtesy of Nathaniel Thomas.

Amanuensis Monday Burning Cross Left in Negro Couple's Yard

Mr and Mrs Robert and Lessie Herring

Cheri Herring, the couple's daughter-in-law, shared this newspaper article with me. Below are Cheri's words concerning the incident.

This news story is about my in-laws Robert & Lessie Herring. They had lived in this neighborhood since 1943. The area was and is primarily a white middle class neighborhood. Robert Jr, has told this story to me previously, but this was the first time that I had seen it in published format.

The incident occurred on Saturday, June 29th, 1963. When the cross burning occurred, neighbors came to make sure Robert and Lessie were OK. They were quite upset and wanted to ensure them than no one in neighborhood had any part in this and the police stepped up patrols passed their home. It isn't known if the person who set up the burning cross earlier in the day was the same person who slashed their truck tire later Saturday night. The culprit was never identified. But, there were also never any other incidents. The general feeling at the time was that someone from outside of the neighborhood had learned that a black family lived in this home and was trying to start trouble.

Robert & Lessie remained in this home until their deaths in 1998 and 1999. Their grandson Robert III has owned the home since 2000.

Transcribed from The Seattle Times, June 29, 1963
Mr and Mrs Robert Herring, a Negro couple, of 5513 Kensington Place N, reported to police early this morning that a burning wood cross was implanted in their lawn.

The two foot cross, which had burned itself out, was discovered by Herring as he set out for work at 1 o'clock.

Mrs Herring today spoke without emotion about the incident.

"You start thinking about the people and you can only pity them," she said.

There are only two Negro families in this neighborhood, one moved in recently. We have been here 21 years and nothing like this has ever happened before."

"Oh, there were small incidents when we first moved here but that was long ago. My boy, Robert Herring, Jr., even played on the university of Washington football team."

Herring in the class of 1957, was a halfback.

Mrs Herring said there appeared to be pieces of clothing attached to the cross.

"I don't know who could have done it," she said.

Lessie Hilliard Herring was my mother's cousin. Lessie was the daughter of Archie Hilliard & Lucy Coleman
Photograph courtesy of Cheri Herring.