infant son of dock charles and mary ella collier
1920-1920
Life Story
The Infant Son of Dock Charles and Mary Ella Collier Charles
On June 7, 1920, an unnamed infant son was born to Dock Charles and Mary Ella Collier Charles in the rural community of Lawrence, in Newton County, Mississippi. Dock Charles, a native of Alabama, and Mary Ella Collier Charles, born and raised in Newton County, had prepared to welcome another child into their family and home.
Tragically, the infant’s life ended before it could truly begin. According to the attending physician, Dr. Dudley, the child was recorded as “Still Born,” meaning he never had the opportunity to take his first breath or experience the world around him.
In the sorrowful hours that followed, the family moved quickly to provide the child with a proper burial. On the very day of his birth and death — June 7, 1920 — the infant was laid to rest in Lawrence, Mississippi, returning to the same soil from which generations of his family had come.
Though his time on earth was only a moment, his brief existence was formally acknowledged and preserved. On June 17, 1920, Dock Charles personally served as the informant for the death certificate filed with the Mississippi State Board of Health. In doing so, he ensured that his son’s life, however short, would not pass entirely unnoticed, but would remain part of the historical and family record of Newton County.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery
Photos/Albums
1920-1920
Sources
- Mississippi State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death no. 11611 (1920), Stillborn Son of Dock Charles; Newton County, Registration District 963, File No. 195; Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Mississippi.
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