Mary Elizabeth (Robertson) Ford (abt. 1853 - 1935)

Born about 1853 in Itawamba, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 8 Jan 1935 at about age 82 in Corners, Mississippi, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Mary Elizabeth Robertson was born circa 1853 in Itawamba, Mississippi. Her birth date is not verified.

Notes

Here is a transcript of information and a biography written on the back of the drawn portrait attached to this profile:

Portrait of Mary Elizabeth Robertson (Mrs. Reuben David Ford) The portrait was done by noted Viennese artist Litzel Salzer.

Mary Elizabeth was an expert seamstress. Reuben David was a cotton planter and cotton-gin owner and socially [sic] a 32nd-Degree Mason.

Mary Elizabeth lived with her parents in Harrisburg, Arkansas, where her father owned a cooperage; his firm made wooden barrels, kegs, tubs, and buckets from cypress and cedar with copper hoops. He did not want to fight in The War Between the States, so he made a sciff [sic] (small boat-ship) and took his wife and children across the Mississippi River at night to surrender to the Yankees. Mary Elizabeth was a young girl and could remember putting a hand into the cool water of the river during the journey. Her father had to stay in Memphis, where he died later. Her mother took the children south of Memphis, Tennessee to Holly Springs, Mississippi to live - she had family there (Foster).

Mary Elizabeth was Reuben David Ford's second wife. His first (Mildred Tyre) died, leaving three children, which Mary Elizabeth had as step-children. The step-children were Willie, Thomas and Roxan [sic]. Her own children were Lua, Prudence and Rosa Ella. Lua was murdered when she was 19, Prudence married Lee Garrison, Rosa Ella married Henry Alonzo Hood and had 9 children. One was Myrtle Hood and her twin sister Mirtie. Ruby was her third daughter. Her sons were Bertram Conrad, Dale Alonzo, Earl Leroy, Spurgeon James, Lua Travis and Jessie Henry. Mirtie Hood married Frank Kaplan; their children were John Doyle, Ralph and Rose Marie Pauline. Her second husband was Clyde West. They had four daughters. One was Margie West, who married Thomas Johnston. Their children [rest of script is illegible]

From Darlene Secter V[illegible], daughter of Myrtle Secter Cunningham.

Sources

• Wade Emery Hood
• Scott New, firsthand knowledge.