BEFORE TILL: The Living Evidence Archive · Research brief

Hilliard Taliaferro / Tolliver

Case 001 · BT-PER-00001 · Life dates not established

Researcher of record
Amberly R. Carter-Mills, Founder, Creator & Descendant Archivist
Publishing archive
BEFORE TILL: The Living Evidence Archive
Brief generated
August 9, 2026
Stable URL
/case/hilliard-tolliver

Summary

Person shell created for research. Dates, places, and relationships are pending documentary research.

Documented findings

No claim in this case has reached documented status.

Preserved family accounts (not proof)

  • The eighty-acre place

    John and Laura acquired approximately eighty acres, with a house, barns, livestock, a blacksmith shop, wells, orchards, pastures, streams, gardens, trees, and poultry.

    Earliest known teller: Alma Smith Spearman · BT-TRD-00097

  • Laura attended "Vicksburg College"

    Laura Tolliver, while yet a student of Vicksburg College, was given in marriage to John Smith, a country farmer.

    Earliest known teller: Alma Smith Spearman · BT-TRD-00098

  • Bishop C. H. Mason in the Smith home

    Around 1897 John and Laura Smith welcomed Bishop C. H. Mason into their home, extended an ongoing invitation for him to stay when in the area, their son Joe cared for his horse and buggy, and their oldest grandson Mason Harrison Smith was named for him.

    Earliest known teller: Alma Smith Spearman · BT-TRD-00099

Unresolved and under investigation

  • Can the reported separation of Hilliard and Bettie after Hilliard was sold away be documented?

    Family Tradition

    Can the reported separation of Hilliard and Bettie after Hilliard was sold away be documented?

  • Who were Hilliard's parents?

    Under Investigation

    Who were Hilliard's parents?

What could change these conclusions

    Sources cited (1)

    1. Bibliographic details pending — family history by Alma Smith Spearman

      Alma Smith Spearman · Authored Narrative

      Authored family history · Original image: Publication details pending · BT-SRC-00040

    0 discrete observations were extracted from these sources for this case.

    Suggested citation: Amberly R. Carter-Mills, “Case 001: Hilliard Taliaferro / Tolliver,” BEFORE TILL: The Living Evidence Archive, BT-PER-00001, /case/hilliard-tolliver (accessed August 9, 2026).

    BEFORE TILL does not describe findings as “proven” or as “fact.” Statuses are Documented, Corroborated, Family Tradition, Under Investigation and Corrected. Reuse of the underlying records is governed by the holding repositories named above.