Martha Jane (Higginbotham) Ratliff

Funeral Services for Mrs. Martha Jane Ratliff, age 86, widow of the late Ben F. Ratliff of Rison, Arkansas, who died Thursday morning, at 2:30 o'clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M. D. Camp, of DeWitt, were held Friday at 2:30 pm at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near Rison, burial in the family lot by the Buie Funeral Home of Rison in charge.

She was born in Rome, Georgia in 1859, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Higginbotham, pioneer residents of Georgia, coming to Arkansas when a small child.  She made her home in Cleveland County the remainder of her life. Mrs. Ratliff was an active member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church until her ill health detained her.

Survivors are four daughters, Mrs. Maudie Beard of Long Beach, California, Mrs. M. D. Camp of DeWitt, Arkansas, Mrs. Carrie Ross of Tacoma, Washington, and Mrs. Gertrude Williams of Rison; six sons, B. B. Ratliff of Watson Chapel, Rev. J. E. Ratliff of El Paso, Texas, J. R. Ratliff, W. R. Ratliff, and J. L. Ratliff, all of Pine Bluff, one sister, Mrs. Delia England of Phrr, Texas, sixty-three grand-children, one hundred great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.

Submitted by Mary L. Brown

Source: Pine Bluff Commercial, Saturday 1 Dec 1945, page 3, column 2