vila burns bender
1888-1918
Life Story
The life of Vila Bender reflects the quiet resilience of Black families in the post-Reconstruction South. Though her life was brief, the surviving records of Newton County preserve the story of a young woman whose roots connected both the migrations of the nineteenth century and the rural communities of Mississippi.
Early Life and Family
Vila Burns Bender was born on February 23, 1888, in Mississippi to Jim Burns and Cilia Burns, both of whom were originally from Virginia. Their Virginia origins suggest that the family may have been part of the wave of migrations that moved formerly enslaved and free Black families from the Upper South into Mississippi during the decades surrounding the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Growing up in rural Mississippi during the late nineteenth century, Vila experienced a world shaped by agriculture, close-knit family networks, and the rebuilding of Black communities after emancipation.
In adulthood, she married Shack Bender, and the couple made their home in the Lawrence community of Newton County. Like many women of her time, Vila’s work centered on domestic labor. Records list her occupation as housekeeper (H.K.), reflecting the important but often unrecorded labor performed by Black women within both their households and the wider community.
Illness and Final Years
In her later years, Vila faced a prolonged struggle with illness. According to her death records, she contracted a chronic condition while living near Clarksdale, Mississippi. The illness was recorded as tuberculosis accompanied by dropsy, an older medical term referring to severe swelling caused by fluid retention.
The disease gradually weakened her over the course of approximately three years. By the summer of 1918, her condition had become critical.
During her final weeks, Vila was under the care of Dr. McNeil of Newton, who attended to her during the closing days of her life.
Passing and Burial
Vila Burns Bender passed away at 8:00 p.m. on August 5, 1918, at the age of 30.
Her death certificate was filed by registrar L. C. Price, with Jeff Moore serving as the informant—individuals whose names remain part of the historical record that documents her life and passing.
She was laid to rest the following day, August 6, 1918, in the Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery (sometimes referred to in records as Lawrence Cemetery) in Newton County. Funeral arrangements were handled by undertaker Johnston Brisco.
Legacy
Although Vila Bender’s life was short, the surviving records ensure that she is not forgotten. Through census records, medical reports, and burial documents, her story remains preserved as part of the broader history of the families who helped shape the Lawrence community.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
1888-1918
Sources
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- Mississippi, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1912-1943
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