Family and Life before the War
Raiford W. Abernathy was born in Madison, Mississippi on January 24th, 1918. He was born to George Edd Abernathy (1866 – 1955) and Beadie Belle Dukes Abernathy (1880 – 1962). His parents were farmers and would go on to raise a typical “Farm Family” during the 20th Century in Flora, Mississippi. Raiford Abernathy would go on to marry Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy (1913 -2006)
Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy, Raiford Abernathy’s wife, was born on December 12th, 1913. Throughout her life she served as the postmaster in Tomnolen for 26 years and was a member of the Tomnolen Baptist Church. Together she and Raiford had 1 son: James Raiford Abernathy. On June 21st, 2006 Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy died at the Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula. On June 24th, she was buried at Eupora Cemetery at Eupora in Webster County.
George Edd Abernathy, Raiford’s father, was born in Madison on August 4th, 1866 and died on October 16th 1955 at the age of 89. His mother was known as Nancy Abernathy (1824-1881). George Edd Abernathy also had 4 other siblings: Thomas Everette Abernathy, John Seymour Abernathy, Sophronia Fry, and William Samuel Abernathy. According to the 1940 census, the highest level of education that George Edd Abernathy had completed was the 6th grade in elementary school. After leaving elementary school, George Edd Abernathy worked as a Farmer for the Abernathy family farm. Upon becoming the head of the house and farm, he acted as the main employer for workers to the family farm. In the year 1902, George Edd Abernathy married his spouse Beadie Belle Dukes Abernathy. George Edd Abernathy and Beadie Belle Dukes would go on to be the parents of 6 children. The burial George Abernathy was laid to rest at was known as Abernathy Cemetery which is located at Flora in Madison county.
Raiford Abernathy’s mother, Beadie Belle Dukes Abernathy was born on September 18th, 1880 and died on April 19th, 1962 at the age of 81. Beadie Belle was the daughter of George Newton Dukes (1853-1906) and Clara Missouri Gates Dukes (1857-1905). Beadie Belle had other siblings growing up: Sarah Ella, Louis Frank, John Virden, Daniel Martin, James Lee, Joseph Matthew, Albert Leon, George Porter, Clara Price, Myra Elizabeth, and Robert Clifton. Beadie Bell Dukes were married in the year 1902 to George Edd. Abernathy and had 6 children: Lennie, Robert, George, David, Ruby, and Raiford. There is no listed occupation under Beadie Belle Duke’s history outside of being a housewife for the Abernathy family. Just like her spouse George Edd Abernathy, Beadie Abernathy was also buried at the Abernathy Cemetery in Flora county.
The Abernathy family lived in Madison, Mississippi and had 6 children: Lennie Abernathy Garrard (1903-1982), Robert E. Abernathy (1908-1988), George Leland Abernathy (1910-1998), David H. Abernathy (1914-1957), Ruby Belle Abernathy Lowery (1915-2011), and Raiford W Abernathy (1918-1945).
Siblings
Lennie Garrard was born in the year 1903 and was 79 years old at the time of her death in 1982. Lennie was married to William Fulton Garrard (1896-1951). Lennie and William had 2 children: Duke Garrard and Dorothy Singleman. In 1940, she was recorded to have lived in Madison, Mississippi, but lived in Vernon in 1935. The highest level of schooling Lennie completed as Elementary school. Lennie did not have a job that granted her any income and instead acted as a housewife. Lennie Garrard died in 1982 in New Orleans.
Robert E. Abernathy was born in the year 1908 and was 79 years old upon his death. In the year 1930 he was classified as being single and lived in Madison, Mississippi, The highest level of education that Robert achieved was 2 years of high school. Robert’s family farm was known as Gen. Farm. He was a worker that had to work for their own welfare and was classified by the US census as “Working on own account”. On August 29th, 1942, Robert E. Abernathy enlisted in the military at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. His service number was 34421290 and he was apart of the Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers. In the military Abernathy’s rank was a Private. Robert would survive his years of service to the military and would eventually come back home to live out the remainder of his life. On February 5th, 1988, Robert E. Abernathy died in Clinton Country Manor at Franklin Baptist Church. He was buried in the Abernathy Cemetery with the burial being arranged by Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home.
George Leland Abernathy was born in the year 1910 and was 87 years old upon his death in 1998. George’s home in 1930 was in Madison, Mississippi. At the time of the census, George was classified as being single. George registered for the draft under the Selective Service Act on October 16th, 1940 at Bolton in Madison, Mississippi. George Leland Abernathy was married to Hattie Jane Abernathy (1914-2008) and together they had 2 children by the names of Thresia Abernathy Joyner and Shirley Mae Abernathy Rogers. George Leland Abernathy died on November 19th, 1998 and was buried at the Chesterville Memorial Cemetery in Lee County.
David Abernathy was born in the year 1914 and was 43 years old when he died in 1957. The highest level of education that David completed was the 4th grade. He was married to Bell Abernathy and together they had three children by the names of George Abernathy, Cecil Abernathy, and William Abernathy. Like George Abernathy, David registered for draft via the Selective Service act in 1940 at Flora in Madison, Mississippi. David Abernathy died in the year 1957 and was buried at the Abernathy Cemetery in Flora.
Ruby Abernathy Lowery was born on December 27th, 1915 and was 95 at the time of her death in Eagle, Idaho. Growing up, Ruby was the 2nd to last youngest out of all of her siblings. Ruby was able to attend school and was later married to her husband who went by the name of Leland Lester Lowery. Together, Ruby and Leland had1 child by the name of Carolyn Silva. Ruby A. Lowery died on November 15th, 2011 and was buried at the Abernathy Cemetery at Flora, Mississippi on December 22nd, 2011.
Raiford Abernathy’s Family Life
The majority of the Abernathy family was unable to receive a full 1st through 12th grade education. According to a report from the 1940 census of Mississippi, the highest grade of education that Raiford Abernathy completed was 1 year of high school. The period between the time he exited school and when he first entered the army was spent working for his family. Abernathy’s occupation was labeled as “laborer” and was specifically categorized as an “Unpaid family worker”. The family Raiford Abernathy belonged to most likely needed more help for labor which would result in most of the children that attended school for the Abernathys to be pulled out at a later age to eventually help the family with the farm work. All the boys in the Abernathy family never fully completed high school, but they would all go on to either register for the draft via selective service act as was the case with David and George or they would go on to actively serve like Raiford or Robert.
Marriage
In the year 1941, when Raiford W. Abernathy was 23 years old he married Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy who was 27 at the time. Upon marriage, Lona Hayes and Kavis Lollar became Raiford’s in-laws while Lennie, Robert, George, David, and Ruby became Bessie’s in-laws. The couple would settle in Mississippi for the remainder of their days and would have one son: James Raiford Abernathy.
Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy, Raiford Abernathy’s wife, was born on December 12th, 1913. Throughout her life she served as the postmaster in Tomnolen for 26 years and was a member of the Tomnolen Baptist Church. Together she and Raiford had 1 son: James Raiford Abernathy. On June 21st, 2006 Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy died at the Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula. On June 24th, she was buried at Eupora Cemetery at Eupora in Webster County.
George Edd Abernathy, Raiford’s father, was born in Madison on August 4th, 1866 and died on October 16th 1955 at the age of 89. His mother was known as Nancy Abernathy (1824-1881). George Edd Abernathy also had 4 other siblings: Thomas Everette Abernathy, John Seymour Abernathy, Sophronia Fry, and William Samuel Abernathy. According to the 1940 census, the highest level of education that George Edd Abernathy had completed was the 6th grade in elementary school. After leaving elementary school, George Edd Abernathy worked as a Farmer for the Abernathy family farm. Upon becoming the head of the house and farm, he acted as the main employer for workers to the family farm. In the year 1902, George Edd Abernathy married his spouse Beadie Belle Dukes Abernathy. George Edd Abernathy and Beadie Belle Dukes would go on to be the parents of 6 children. The burial George Abernathy was laid to rest at was known as Abernathy Cemetery which is located at Flora in Madison county.
Raiford Abernathy’s mother, Beadie Belle Dukes Abernathy was born on September 18th, 1880 and died on April 19th, 1962 at the age of 81. Beadie Belle was the daughter of George Newton Dukes (1853-1906) and Clara Missouri Gates Dukes (1857-1905). Beadie Belle had other siblings growing up: Sarah Ella, Louis Frank, John Virden, Daniel Martin, James Lee, Joseph Matthew, Albert Leon, George Porter, Clara Price, Myra Elizabeth, and Robert Clifton. Beadie Bell Dukes were married in the year 1902 to George Edd. Abernathy and had 6 children: Lennie, Robert, George, David, Ruby, and Raiford. There is no listed occupation under Beadie Belle Duke’s history outside of being a housewife for the Abernathy family. Just like her spouse George Edd Abernathy, Beadie Abernathy was also buried at the Abernathy Cemetery in Flora county.
The Abernathy family lived in Madison, Mississippi and had 6 children: Lennie Abernathy Garrard (1903-1982), Robert E. Abernathy (1908-1988), George Leland Abernathy (1910-1998), David H. Abernathy (1914-1957), Ruby Belle Abernathy Lowery (1915-2011), and Raiford W Abernathy (1918-1945).
Siblings
Lennie Garrard was born in the year 1903 and was 79 years old at the time of her death in 1982. Lennie was married to William Fulton Garrard (1896-1951). Lennie and William had 2 children: Duke Garrard and Dorothy Singleman. In 1940, she was recorded to have lived in Madison, Mississippi, but lived in Vernon in 1935. The highest level of schooling Lennie completed as Elementary school. Lennie did not have a job that granted her any income and instead acted as a housewife. Lennie Garrard died in 1982 in New Orleans.
Robert E. Abernathy was born in the year 1908 and was 79 years old upon his death. In the year 1930 he was classified as being single and lived in Madison, Mississippi, The highest level of education that Robert achieved was 2 years of high school. Robert’s family farm was known as Gen. Farm. He was a worker that had to work for their own welfare and was classified by the US census as “Working on own account”. On August 29th, 1942, Robert E. Abernathy enlisted in the military at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. His service number was 34421290 and he was apart of the Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers. In the military Abernathy’s rank was a Private. Robert would survive his years of service to the military and would eventually come back home to live out the remainder of his life. On February 5th, 1988, Robert E. Abernathy died in Clinton Country Manor at Franklin Baptist Church. He was buried in the Abernathy Cemetery with the burial being arranged by Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home.
George Leland Abernathy was born in the year 1910 and was 87 years old upon his death in 1998. George’s home in 1930 was in Madison, Mississippi. At the time of the census, George was classified as being single. George registered for the draft under the Selective Service Act on October 16th, 1940 at Bolton in Madison, Mississippi. George Leland Abernathy was married to Hattie Jane Abernathy (1914-2008) and together they had 2 children by the names of Thresia Abernathy Joyner and Shirley Mae Abernathy Rogers. George Leland Abernathy died on November 19th, 1998 and was buried at the Chesterville Memorial Cemetery in Lee County.
David Abernathy was born in the year 1914 and was 43 years old when he died in 1957. The highest level of education that David completed was the 4th grade. He was married to Bell Abernathy and together they had three children by the names of George Abernathy, Cecil Abernathy, and William Abernathy. Like George Abernathy, David registered for draft via the Selective Service act in 1940 at Flora in Madison, Mississippi. David Abernathy died in the year 1957 and was buried at the Abernathy Cemetery in Flora.
Ruby Abernathy Lowery was born on December 27th, 1915 and was 95 at the time of her death in Eagle, Idaho. Growing up, Ruby was the 2nd to last youngest out of all of her siblings. Ruby was able to attend school and was later married to her husband who went by the name of Leland Lester Lowery. Together, Ruby and Leland had1 child by the name of Carolyn Silva. Ruby A. Lowery died on November 15th, 2011 and was buried at the Abernathy Cemetery at Flora, Mississippi on December 22nd, 2011.
Raiford Abernathy’s Family Life
The majority of the Abernathy family was unable to receive a full 1st through 12th grade education. According to a report from the 1940 census of Mississippi, the highest grade of education that Raiford Abernathy completed was 1 year of high school. The period between the time he exited school and when he first entered the army was spent working for his family. Abernathy’s occupation was labeled as “laborer” and was specifically categorized as an “Unpaid family worker”. The family Raiford Abernathy belonged to most likely needed more help for labor which would result in most of the children that attended school for the Abernathys to be pulled out at a later age to eventually help the family with the farm work. All the boys in the Abernathy family never fully completed high school, but they would all go on to either register for the draft via selective service act as was the case with David and George or they would go on to actively serve like Raiford or Robert.
Marriage
In the year 1941, when Raiford W. Abernathy was 23 years old he married Bessie Lee Dunlap Abernathy who was 27 at the time. Upon marriage, Lona Hayes and Kavis Lollar became Raiford’s in-laws while Lennie, Robert, George, David, and Ruby became Bessie’s in-laws. The couple would settle in Mississippi for the remainder of their days and would have one son: James Raiford Abernathy.