The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-28
MRS. TALIAFERRO
HAS PASSED AWAY
Well Known and Highly ES-
teemed Educator Dies
FUNERAL THIS AT TERNO0N
Services Will Be Held at First Presby-
terrain Church-Deeeased Was
Member Of Distinguished
Southern Family.
FUNERAL THIS AT TERN00N

SOANHS'hA
Mrs. Mary venable Taliaferro, wife OF
Edmond Taylor Taliaferro, died at ST.
Vincents hospital yesterday at lo;So
o'clock. after painful illness extending
through several weeks. About ten days
ago a. surgical operation was found nec'
essary. It was very successful and the
patient was soon able to return to her
residence, 2173 Eleventh avenue, SOUTH
but on last Thursday, when a second
operation was being considered she was
taken back to the hospital and on Sat
urday a second operation was performed.
Her condition was so desperate that her
husband, her daughter, Mrs. c. c. Ferrell,
and her son-in-law remained near her
bedside all of Saturday night. Medical
skill was unavailing and early Sunday
morning the patient began to sink. she
was conscious almost to the last and
passed quietly away.
Mrs. Taliaferro was so widely known
and esteemed that her death comes as a
great shock to the community. Although
she had been in poor health since July
her malady was not regarded by her
friends as at all serious, and it was only
on Friday that they began to have grave
fears as to the issue.
The deceased was SO years Of age. She
was the daughter of the late DR.. Ma
thaniel II. Venable of Tuscaloosa and
Tuscaloosa was the place of her birth.
She came of distinguished Virginia stock
The Venable family has been long noted
for strong intellect and sturdy traits of
character One of Mrs. Taliaferro's UNI
cles was Prof. Charles Scott Venable, the
famous mathematician of the University
of Virginia, and Prof Francis Preston
Venable, first cousin of the deceased,
is president of the University OF North
Carolina. The English branch of the
Venable stock is one of the oldest and
proudest families in Great Britain and
few years ago Mrs. Taliaferro was
the guest of her ldnsman, the late Rev.
Canon Venables the English form being
spelled with an 50 who was among the
ablest and most honored of the higher
clergy of the Anglican church.
MI ididlCiIO was oCil Po7oSoSSo
of an uncommony brilliant mind and
few women in this country had enjoyed
such<~fine educational advantages. Her
father, being a man of scholarly attain
ments and cultured taste, took her as a
child to Europe and remained with her
there for several years in order that she
might have the opportunity Of acquiring
French and German. She was at school
in France for several years and in Ger
many about two years.
Early in the sos the deceased became
the wife of Mr.. Taliaferro,~a prominent
Virginian. The union was blessed by only
one child, who is the wife of DR.. Charles
Clifton Terrell, now resident of Bir-
mingham but until recently professor of
languages at the University of Missis-
sippi.
Mrs. Taliaferro adopted the teaching
profession and she had for a number of
years been recognized as one of tho
foremost educators of the south. In
the higher training of young ladies' she
had done an exceptionally valuable
work. She had not only the rare men
tai equipment but a happy gift of I'M
rtingSkno Wedge. Those who were
familiar with her work spoke Of her as
born educator. Before coming to
Birmingham to reside Mrs. Taliaferro
had been for four years principal of
the Presbyterian Female college at
Holly Springs, Miss. In 1897 she ac-
quired the Pollock Stephens institute,
an establish ed and popular classical
sch DOL for young ladies. and came here
as principal. She succeeded well, and
steadily built up the institute. After
occupying a leased building--a large
wooden structure which stood at the
corner of Nineteenth street and Fifth
avenue for several terms, Mr.. and Mrs.
Taliaferro erected the handsome in
stitute, a four-story brick edifice, on
West Twentieth street. In 1903 they
sold the building and Mrs. Taliaferro
disposed of her interest in the institute.
She retired from the educational world
and soon after retirement accepted the
position of social editor of the Bir-
mingham Ledger.
Mrs. Taliaferro was active in literary
and social club circles and was the first
an donly president of the Young wom-
ems Christian association. This orr
ganiaztion was very dear to her heart
and she devoted time and thought to it.
The deceased numbered her personal
friends by thousands and all who had
the privilege of intimate acquain lance
with her were deeply attached to her.
The tender sympathy of this communt-
ty will go out to the bereaved husband
and daughter and the passing away Of
noble woman will be sincerely Ia
mented.
Mrs. Taliaferro was a member of the
First Presbyterian church, of which the
Rev. DIR. John w. Stage is pastor, and
the funeral services will be held there
this afternoon at o'clock. The In
terment Will be in Elmwood cemetery.
The following have been requested
to act as pail bearers:
Active. ]. Smith, Thomas Ellis, c..
p. Orr, ]. b. Cobbs, Robert Jemison, T.
G. Bush and Henry R. Howe.
Honorary-R. II. Pearson. George M.
Cruik shank, DIR. j. ID. Dabney, Gen.
Louis V. Clark. DIR. L. G. Woodson, James
A. Going. Judge III. A. Sharpe and ].
A. Van Hose.
Bill Jenkins, professional BIZ
cycle rider, versus four of Biz