bernice lewis
1927-1929
Life Story
Laid to Rest at Altare or Evans Cemetery
Birth and Family
Bernice Lewis was born around 1927 in Newton County, Mississippi to:
- Charlie “Wash” Lewis (1894–1929)
- Mariah (Maria) Hill (1905–1975)
Her mother was the daughter of Malissia (Melissa) Gibson Hill, who is buried at the Evans Cemetery, linking Bernice directly to one of the historic families central to that burial ground.
Her father, known both as Charlie Lewis and “Wash” Lewis, belonged to the Lewis family of the Bethel and Altare communities.
Illness and Passing
Bernice passed away on October 7, 1929, at approximately two years of age. Her cause of death was recorded as whooping cough (pertussis) at a time when no vaccine existed and rural Black families had extremely limited medical access.
- No medical attendant was present, which was typical for the era.
- The informant on the death certificate was J.M. Ritchie.
- Her father, Wash Lewis, signed the certificate, indicating he reported her death personally.
Her burial was listed as “Bethel”, referring to the Bethel/Altare community.
Because:
- Her father’s death certificate lists his burial as Altare Graveyard, and
- Her maternal grandmother is buried at the Evans Cemetery,
Bernice was almost certainly buried at Altare Graveyard, which is historically associated with the land on or near the current Evans Cemetery. Many early records use the names Bethel, Altare, and Evans Cemetery interchangeably depending on the informant.
Thus, her resting place is most likely Altare / Evans Cemetery.
A Double Tragedy: Father and Daughter
Bernice’s death marked the beginning of an unbearable day for the family. On the same date, October 7, 1929, at 6:00 p.m., her father Charlie “Wash” Lewis died in a farming accident in which he was crushed.
He had signed her death certificate earlier that day, documenting the passing of his young daughter.
Only hours later, his own life ended.
While we cannot know his emotional state or whether the grief over Bernice contributed to the accident, the proximity of these two deaths paints a deeply poignant portrait of loss within the Lewis and Hill families.
Burial Location
- Charlie “Wash” Lewis was confirmed to be buried at Altare Graveyard.
- Bernice, having died earlier the same day, and with strong maternal ties to Evans Cemetery, was most likely buried:
Altare Graveyard (very likely)
or, possibly,
Evans Cemetery (due to Hill family burials)
Both cemeteries served the same interconnected Bethel–Altare Black community.
Legacy
Although she lived only a short time, Bernice Lewis’s story is an essential thread in understanding the struggles faced by early 20th-century Black families in Newton County. Her death—and her father’s tragic death on the same day—reveals the fragile intersection of illness, labor, and grief that shaped life in rural Mississippi.
Documenting her restores voice and dignity to a child whose life would otherwise remain a faint, nearly forgotten record in community memory.
Resting Place
Photos/Albums
Sources
- Mississippi, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1912-1943
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
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