Jefferson Cornelius Tarver married Mahalia Calhoun on February 8, 1889 in Cherokee County.  The two families became one.

The Tarver and Calhoun's properties were separated by a creek, each owned 100 acres. Although there is not much information about their courtship, we can leave that to our imagination.

Jeff was said to be a fine looking man, and pictures of him confirm that. Clint Toliver, one of the very few who remembered him recalls, " he was a good sport, like to sing, had a nice voice and farmed, peas and corn".

Aline Tarver, who was married to one of Jeff and Mahalia's sons shared that "Miss Mahalia was a dark woman, although her mother was part Indian and Jeff was very light like his father."

I was told that,  Grandmother Mahalia like to garden and when she could no longer tend her garden, the young boys from the community would see to it. Long after she had passed the flowers would still bloom in her garden.

After the house was torn down Clint said that some of the lumber was used to build his house. Somehow that all seems so right. Flowers continuing to bloom and one home become a part of a new one, life continuing, one generation passing something of itself to the next.

Jeff and Mahalia had 13 children Magnolia, Beulah, William, Arthur, Herbert, J. C., Nehemiah, Lawrence, Jeffie, Vaniece, Reva, Luellum and Coleman.

               Coleman                                                                      Lawrence & Coleman                                                                                 Nehemiah