Ernestine Polson Kirkland and Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Polson are tied as the eighth-oldest children.
Ernestine Polson Kirkland
The third set of twins to be born comprised of daughter Ernestine Polson Kirkland (November 19th, 1914 – September 1st, 1981) and son Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Polson (November 19th, 1914 – March 3rd, 2004).
Ernestine grew up like the rest of her older siblings, living on the family farm in Jones County before moving to Laurel. Once in Laurel, she continued to live with her parents and siblings up to and throughout the 1930s, and she helped Luna host the spring 1935 Wide Awake Club meeting in Laurel. Ernestine completed schooling up to the junior year of high school.
By 1940, she had left her mother and siblings to live with her new husband Durbin Kirkland (December 22nd, 1914 – May 13th, 1999) on 466 Ellisville Boulevard in Laurel. Durbin had been born and raised in Philadelphia, Mississippi. His father was a barber, and by 1930, his family had moved to 1312 2nd Avenue in Laurel. In Laurel, his father worked at a barber shop, and Durbin himself worked as a news boy for a daily newspaper. At the time Durbin and Ernestine were living together in 1940, they had by that point had one child, Priscilla (born in roughly 1938). Durbin provided for the family as a grading inspector for Masonite Corporation.
Ernestine and Durbin continued to live in Laurel throughout the 1940s, staying at their home on Ellisville Boulevard. By 1950, they still lived at the same address, now with their full family: daughter Carol Sue (born in roughly 1942) is listed as a part of their home. Durbin is now a foreman at a pulpwood mill, still Masonite. Throughout the 1950s, the Kirklands stayed in Laurel at the same address. They were members of West Laurel Baptist Church.
Skip ahead to around 1977, the Kirklands packed up and headed south for Vancleave, Mississippi, near the Mississippi Gulf Coast. However, Ernestine only lived here for four years before her death at home in late summer 1981, passing away at the age of sixty-six. Within her obituary, she is noted as having been employed by Fine Bros.-Matison, as well as that she was nicknamed “Ernie.” She was buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel.
After Ernestine’s death, Durbin continued to live in Vancleave, at 10412 Clearwater Road. However, he himself died in spring 1999, being buried next to his wife in Hickory Grove.
Ernestine grew up like the rest of her older siblings, living on the family farm in Jones County before moving to Laurel. Once in Laurel, she continued to live with her parents and siblings up to and throughout the 1930s, and she helped Luna host the spring 1935 Wide Awake Club meeting in Laurel. Ernestine completed schooling up to the junior year of high school.
By 1940, she had left her mother and siblings to live with her new husband Durbin Kirkland (December 22nd, 1914 – May 13th, 1999) on 466 Ellisville Boulevard in Laurel. Durbin had been born and raised in Philadelphia, Mississippi. His father was a barber, and by 1930, his family had moved to 1312 2nd Avenue in Laurel. In Laurel, his father worked at a barber shop, and Durbin himself worked as a news boy for a daily newspaper. At the time Durbin and Ernestine were living together in 1940, they had by that point had one child, Priscilla (born in roughly 1938). Durbin provided for the family as a grading inspector for Masonite Corporation.
Ernestine and Durbin continued to live in Laurel throughout the 1940s, staying at their home on Ellisville Boulevard. By 1950, they still lived at the same address, now with their full family: daughter Carol Sue (born in roughly 1942) is listed as a part of their home. Durbin is now a foreman at a pulpwood mill, still Masonite. Throughout the 1950s, the Kirklands stayed in Laurel at the same address. They were members of West Laurel Baptist Church.
Skip ahead to around 1977, the Kirklands packed up and headed south for Vancleave, Mississippi, near the Mississippi Gulf Coast. However, Ernestine only lived here for four years before her death at home in late summer 1981, passing away at the age of sixty-six. Within her obituary, she is noted as having been employed by Fine Bros.-Matison, as well as that she was nicknamed “Ernie.” She was buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel.
After Ernestine’s death, Durbin continued to live in Vancleave, at 10412 Clearwater Road. However, he himself died in spring 1999, being buried next to his wife in Hickory Grove.
Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Polson
Ernestine’s twin T.J. was named out of a continuation of the tradition of naming sons after American presidents, sharing his name with President Thomas Jefferson. He was born into the Polsons’ rural family farm and moved with them into the Laurel city limits in the early twentieth century. By 1930, T.J. was helping provide for his parents and siblings in the household through a job as a cotton mill doffer, just like his older brother Louis. By October 16, 1940, T.J. lived at 329 14th Avenue with Louis, unemployed.
At the time of Irma’s death, it seen that T.J. lived, same as his sister, in Selma. However, beyond then, he continued to live in Laurel for the rest of his life, never seeming to marry, living on 120 North 14th Avenue. While in Laurel, he managed to retire from service in the city’s water department and maintained his faith as a Baptist. He died in spring 2004, by that point residing in Comfort Care nursing home. He was buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery. T.J. is the most recent of Robert’s siblings to die, and he lived to age of eighty-nine.
At the time of Irma’s death, it seen that T.J. lived, same as his sister, in Selma. However, beyond then, he continued to live in Laurel for the rest of his life, never seeming to marry, living on 120 North 14th Avenue. While in Laurel, he managed to retire from service in the city’s water department and maintained his faith as a Baptist. He died in spring 2004, by that point residing in Comfort Care nursing home. He was buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery. T.J. is the most recent of Robert’s siblings to die, and he lived to age of eighty-nine.