Ratliff Obituaries from the Pine Bluff Commercial Newspaper -------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by Mary L. Brown email: marybrownrn@alltel.net --------------------------------------------------------------------- USGenWeb NOTICE: Libraries and individual researchers may download this file for personal, non-commercial use only. Any other use requires written permission from the transcriber. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ---------------------------------------------------------- Monday, February 24, 1936 Pine Bluff Commercial Pine Bluff, Arkansas Page 1, Column 1 KEDRON MATRON DIES OF BURNS Mrs. Angie Ratliff, Who Fell in Fire Three Weeks Ago Succumbs Burns which she received when she fainted and fell into a blazing fireplace, at her home at Kedron on January 29, last night at 9:55 o'clock caused the death of Mrs. Angie Ratliff, 48. Mrs. Ratliff, wife of W. F. Ratliff, got up during the night to stir up the fire and fainted, falling so the flames reached her body and ignited her night gown. Her moans aroused the other members of the family but before they could reach her, she was badly burned. She was a member of the First Baptist Church at Kedron and had resided in that community for a number of years. Surviving her other than her husband are three sons, Murry, Fonsy, and George, all of Kedron; six daughters, Mrs. Millie Studdard, Pine Bluff; Mrs. Eva Tucker, Broken Bow, Okla.; Mrs. Ola Mae Barnes, Mrs. Ruby Barnes, Misses Nellie, Lillian, and Florence Ratliff, of Kedron; her father, A. J. Dodd of Rison, one sister, one half-sister, and two half-brothers. Funeral services were held this afternoon at 3:30 at Mt. Zion cemetery in charge of the Rev. A. A. Brown of Rison. Burial was in charge of Holderness-Thornhill Mortuary company. Monday, September 19, 1938 Pine Bluff Commercial Pine Bluff, Arkansas Page 2, Column 2 BEN F. RATLIFF Ben F. Ratliff, 79, prominent farmer of Cleveland Co., for more than 60 years, died at the home of his son, the Rev. J. E. Ratliff, at Humphrey, following an illness of three days at 10:30 Sunday night. He was born at Randall, Cleveland county, on July 29, 1859 and had lived in that section all his life where he was active in farming and civic circles. He was a member of the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Martha Jane Ratliff; six sons, W. F. Ratliff of Kedron; J. R. of Pine Bluff; C. N. of Dallas, Texas; the Rev. J. E., B. B., and J. L. Ratliff of Humphrey; five daughters, Mrs. Fanny Dodd, Mrs. Gertrude Williams, and Mrs. Carey Ross of Rison; Mrs. J. A. Beard of Pine Bluff, and Mrs. Minnie Camp of Humphrey, one half brother, Skinner Bridges of Pine Bluff, one half sister, Miss Pant Bridges of PIne Bluff; 63 grandchildren, 57 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild; also a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services were to be held at 3:30 this afternoon from the Mt. Zion Church conducted by the Rev. Will Winston, pastor of the Sheridan Baptist Church. Burial will be in Mt. Zion cemetery with funeral arrangements in charge of Holderness-Thornhill Mortuary. Pallbearers: N. N. Peak, N. H. Allred, W. L. Horn, Roy Parker, J. T. Barnes, and Frank Coats. Saturday December 1, 1945 Pine Bluff Commercial Pine Bluff, Arkansas Page 3, Column 2 MRS. MARTHA JANE 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.