polly whitehead norman
1878-1920
Life Story
Birth and Family Background
Polly Whitehead was born in March 1878 in Newton County, Mississippi, to Andrew Dowel Whitehead, Sr. (1847–1888) and Sena Nelson (1859–?). She entered the world during the fragile years following Reconstruction, when Black families were striving to stabilize their lives through land, labor, and faith.
She grew up in a farming household, working as a farm laborer on the home place while also attending school. Like many young girls of her generation in Newton County, Polly’s early life was shaped by the rhythms of agricultural work balanced with limited educational opportunities.
Marriage and Motherhood
Polly married Charley Norman (1875–?), and from this union one son was born:
- Ellis Norman (1906–?)
In 1906, the same year her son was born, Polly and Charley filed for divorce. Divorce was not common within rural Black communities at the time, making this a significant and likely difficult transition in her life. Following the separation, Polly continued raising her young son.
Occupation and Later Years
Throughout her life, Polly worked in domestic and agricultural labor. On her death certificate, her occupation was listed as housekeeper, reflecting the economic reality for many Black women in early twentieth-century Mississippi who moved between farm work and domestic service to sustain their families.
Before her death, Polly was serving as caretaker for her mother, Sena Nelson Whitehead, as well as her 13-year-old son, Ellis. Even in declining health, she remained responsible for those closest to her.
Death and Burial
Polly Whitehead Norman passed away on June 5, 1920, from pellagra—a disease linked to malnutrition and common in the rural South during the early 1900s. Her brother, Ambrose Whitehead, served as the informant on her death certificate.
She is laid to rest at Union Chapel United Methodist Church graveyard in the community of Lawrence, Mississippi, among family and neighbors whose lives were similarly marked by resilience and quiet endurance.
Polly’s life reflects the strength of Black women in Newton County—women who labored in fields and homes, endured personal hardship, raised children often alone, and cared for aging parents. Though her life was brief, her legacy continued through her son and the extended Whitehead family network that helped shape the Lawrence community
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1880 Federal Census
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- The Newton Record, Divorce Filed, Thu, Dec 20, 1906 ·Page 1
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