Tombstone Tuesday and the Shotgun

The double shotgun house has been demolished. It sat on the edge of a well known cemetery in Jackson, Mississippi, Greenwood Cemetery.

Ora Coleman Lee 1907-1993

Notice the outhouses, clothes waving in the wind, and the houses in the background. Ora was likely born in Lincoln County, Mississippi. She and the family she created lived in Winnsboro, Louisiana. She was the daughter of Henry Coleman, Sr, and Florence Washington. She married John Emanuel "Manuel" Lee.

How does Ora Lee connect to my family?
After the death of Ora's father, her mother Florence married James "Jim" Scott.
Jim Scott was the son of James Pearly Scott, Sr., and Viola Markham.
Viola Markham Henderson and my great grandfather, Monroe Markham, were siblings.

Picture Courtesy of Ivy Lee, Grandson of Ora

Sunday Obituary Geneva Scott Smith 1928-2015

Geneva Smith, 88, of Grand Rapids went to be with her Lord on Sunday, November 22, 2015. She will be lovingly remembered by her children Lula Faye Smith, Lois (David) Foster, Doris Smith and Brenda Smith Cunningham, son Charles Smith; thirteen grandchildren, forty one great-grandchildren, a host of family and friends.

How does she connect to my family tree?
Geneva was the daughter of Frank Scott and Mary Lou McDaniel
Frank Scott was the son of James Pearly Scott and Catherine M Markham
Catherine Markham Scott and my great grandfather, Monroe Markham, were siblings.

Work on Negro School to Start Soon 1936

The Alexander High School Football - Big 8 Champions 1939 of Brookhaven, Mississippi, standing in front of a building, which might be the new one referred to in the newspaper article below. The start of the new building was in 1936.

The next big project up for the WPA will be the negro school building, which will cost over $35,000 according to present estimates. It will be a modern, brick veneer building and one that should be a credit to the community. Work should be underway in the next two or three weeks.

The present school is badly in need of replacing and there are few who do not rejoice with our colored friends in the fact that this dilapidated building is to be replaced with an attractive, efficiently planned one.

Cousins
1st row - George Evans - trainer, Earl Dickson, J.C. Blackwell, Willie McDaniel, Lamar Lenoir, John Dow, Mack Smith - trainer

2nd row - Leroy Wilson, John Collins, Joseph Levi, Leander Wells, Willie McGee, David Crump, James Crump

3rd row - Robert Wesley, Edward Spencer, Frank Cook, David Smith, Murray Crushon, Roscoe Brown, Jack Evans, Charles Hunter, Robert Green

4th row - Coach Robert Wolf, H.E. Brown - trainer, James Albert Davis, Robert Johnson, Sterling Culver, Gerald Smith, J. May, E.W. Wesley, Woodrow Coleman, Robert Green, Tommy Hill - trainer, and Head Coach C.N. Buchanan, and J.W. McDaniel, J. E. Smith

Photograph Courtesy of Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library
100 South Jackson Street
Brookhaven, MS 39601
601-833-3369

Lincoln County Times
Jan 11 1936
Brookhaven, MS

Veteran's Day - 2015

Mozell Ball
1924-1993
World War II
Son of Alex Ball and Adla Jackson
Husband of Lue Dora Coleman
Husband of Mary Elizabeth Williams

How does Mozell Ball connect to my family tree?
Lue Dora Coleman, Mozell's wife, was the daughter of Smylie Coleman and Joanna Benson.
Smylie Coleman was the son of Henry Coleman and Eudora "Dora" Markham.
Eudora Markham Coleman and my grandmother, Alice Markham Marshall, were sisters.

Find a Grave - Mozell's Headstone

Photograph courtesy of Cory Broadnax
Private Collection of Jurlean Coleman Thomas

Grant and Mary Lyons Markham b. 1868

Grant Markham 1868-1947
Son of James Markham and Marilda Whitney

Mary Lyons 1868-1940
Daughter of John Lyons and Fannie

The couple's children were:
Addie, Susie, Lillie, Clara, Lucile, Rosa, Ora, Olian(Otis), and Bertrand.

How does the couple connect to my family?
Grant Markham was a brother to my great grandfather,
Monroe Markham.

Photograph Courtesy of Otis Markham, Jr
Direct Descendant of the Couple

Obituary of Ada Bessie Henderson Banks 1919-2015

Katie, Ada, Roosevelt, and Jean

Ada B Banks was born September 17 1919 to the late Walter, Sr., and Pinkie Markham Henderson.

She confessed Christ at an early age and was a faithful and dedicated member of the Zion Chapel AME Church.

She met and married Gilmore W Banks and to this union four children were born.

Ada was called home to receive her wings on Tuesday, October 20, 2015.

Ada was preceded in death by her parents Walter, Sr and Pinkie Henderson; her husband, Gilmore W Banks; 5 brothers, Lee, Alustra, Evan, Herman and Walter, and 1 sister, Lenora H Bell.

She is survived by and will be deeply missed by her brother, Willie Lee Henderson (Luvenia); children, Katie Dillion, Roosevelt Banks, and Irma Jean Banks; 11 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; 10 great great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

How does Ada connect to my family?
Ada's mother Pinkie Markham Henderson was the daughter of Jacob Markham and Caroline Johnson.
Jacob Markham and my great grandfather, Monroe Markham, were brothers.

Photograph Courtsey of Nathaniel Thomas