Title	William R. Sephus, Mortician
Date of Original	Unknown
Date of Digital	15 November 2004
Description	HANNIBAL, MO - William R. Sephus (known as "Sephus" on the street) graduated from The School of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, moved to Hannibal with his wife Rosalie Jones, a native Hannibalian, and opened the Sephus Funeral Home at 810 North Street.  In the 1940's he purchased the property at 1631 Market Street which already housed the businesses of Dr. Conway, dentist, and Mrs. Lizzie Bell, a local beautician, both of whom were also African American.  Sephus remodeled the Market Street property and gained a business partner named Gilbert Tate who also owned a mortuary.  The name Commonwealth Mortuary was changed to Sephus and Tate Mortuary.  In the early fifties "Sephus" opened another mortuary in Mexico, Mo.  In addition to his business ventures, "Sephus" was also involved in the community as President of the Douglass School PTA, an officer for the Community Chest, an elder at the Second Christian Church, Choir Director of the church, President of the church board, and President of the NAACP, among others.
Creator	Unknown
Contributor	Coleman, Marjorie.
Publisher	Hannibal Free Public Library (Hannibal, MO)
Subject	Sephus, William R.
Subject	African American morticians -- Missouri -- Hannibal.
Subject	African American businessmen -- Missouri -- Hannibal.
Subject	African American businesses -- Missouri -- Hannibal.
Subject	Sephus and Tate Mortuary (Hannibal, Mo.)
Original Format	Photograph, black and white, 3 1/4" by 5".
Digital Format	jpg
Identifier	B7203