Wilson Daily Times, 24 March 1911.
In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: liquor dealer Grant Foster, 32, wife Maggie, a teacher, 27; and stepson Hugh T. Ransom, 3.
In the 1910 census of Town of Wilson, Wilson township, Wilson County, at 438 Spring Street: widow Maggie J. Foster, 40, and son Hugh R. Foster, 12, plus lodgers Annie Johnson, 25, a teacher, and Harris Biggs, 21, a cook.
From the records of the Freedmen’s Bank, New Bern branch:
Clara Best, born about 1813 near Stantonsburg, reported that she was reared in Greene County. Her husband Daniel Best had died the “1st spring Yankees come.” She named twelve children (plus “2 not named”) — Cynthia, William, Philip, Nancy, Ivory, Jinnie and Clara, living, and Ransom and Toney (“d. soldier”), deceased. Her father Isaac Best was dead, as was brother Nathan, but mother Sylvia seems to have been living yet, as were siblings Isaac, Rose Ann, Patience, Isaiah and David.
… from East Wilson. (Vicksburg Manor, 1964, to be exact.)
HENRY ROUNTREE
Henry Rountree, 103 years old, of near Newsom’s Store in Wilson County.
“I wus borned an’ bred in Wilson County on de plantation of Mr. Dock Rountree. I wus named fer his oldest son, young Marse Henry. My mammy, Adell, my pappy, Shark, an’ my ten brothers an’ sisters lived dar, an’ aldo’ we works middlin’ hard we has de grandes’ times ever.
“We has two er three corn shuckings ever’ fall, we has wood splittin’ days an’ invite de neighbors in de winter time. De wimmen has quiltin’s an’ dat night we has a dance. In de col’ winter time when we’d have hog killin’s we’d invite de neighbors case dar wus a hundret er two hogs ter kill ‘fore we quit. Yes, mam, dem wus de days when folkses, white an’ black, worked tergether.
“Dar wus Candy pullin’s when we makes de ‘lasses an’ at Christmas time an’ on New Year’s Eve we has a all night dance. On Christmas mornin’ we serenaded de marster’s family an’ dey gived us fruits, candy an’ clothes.
“My marster had game cocks what he put up to fight an’ dey wus valuable. When I wus a little feller he had one rooster that ‘ud whup me ever’ time I got close ter him, he’d whup young Marse Henry too, so both of us hated him.
“One day we set down wid bruised backs ter decide how ter git rid of dat ole rooster, not thinkin’ ‘bout how much he cost. We made our plans, an’ atter gittin’ a stick apiece ready we starts drappin’ a line of corn to de ole well out in de barnyard. De pesky varmint follers de corn an’ when he gits on de brink of de well we lets him have it wid de sticks an’ pretty shortly he am drownded. Marse ain’t never knowed it nother.
“De missus had a ole parrot what had once ‘longed ter her brother who wus a sea captain. Dat wus de cussingest thing I ever seed an’ he’d Cuss ever’body an’ ever’thing. One day two neighborhood men wus passing when dey heard somebody ‘holler “Wait a minute.” Then dey turns ‘roun’ de ole parrot sez, “Go on now, I jist wanted ter see how you looks, Great God what ugly men!” ‘An’ de ole thing laughs fit ter bust.
“Dat ole parrot got de slaves in a heap of trouble so de day when de hawk caught him we was tickled pink. The hawk sailed off wid de parrot screamin’ over an’ over, “Pore polly’s ridin’. We laughed too quick case de hawk am skeerd an’ turns de ole fool parrot loose.”
“De war comes on an’ as de n*ggers l’arns dat dey am free dar am much shoutin’ an rejoicin’ on other plantations, but dar ain’t nothin’ but sorrow on ours, case de marster sez dat he always give us ever’thing dat we needs ter make us happy but he be drat iffen he is gwine ter give us money ter flingaway. So we all has ter go.
“Ole marster doan live long atter de war am over, but till de day dat he wus buried we all done anything he ax us.
“I has done mostly farm work all of my life, an’ work aroun’ de house. Fer years an’ years I lives on a part of Marse’s land an’ atter dat I lives here I ain’t got no kick comin’ ’bout nothin’ ‘cept dat I wants my ole age pension, I does, an’ I’d like to say too, Miss, dat de n*ggers ‘ud be better off in slavery. I ain’t seed no happy n*ggers since dem fool Yankees come along.”
— From Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, Works Progress Administration (1941).
The Voice: An International Review of the Speaking and Singing Voice, vol. 7 (1885).
MUSICAL BLIND CHILDREN.
For several days past there has been a remarkable family of negroes in Atlanta. Their name is Williamson, and they came from Wilson county, North Carolina. There are three brothers and four sisters, all of whom have been totally blind from birth. They are the children of black parents who were slaves and ordinary field hands. Unto them were born fourteen children, seven of whom had sight, while seven were blind. The blind children were not only hardier and healthier, but their mental endowments are superior to those of their brothers and sisters who could see. They went to Raleigh to the state blind asylum and were there well educated. Every one of them developed a remarkable talent for music, and on leaving the asylum they organized themselves into a concert company and began to travel through the South. The oldest brother married a smart negro woman, who acts as guide and business manager of the party. They have been all over the South giving entertainments, which have paid them handsomely. They sing and play on various instruments with remarkable skill. All of them have good voices, which have been well trained.
Their most remarkable performances are the exhibitions of their powers of mimicry. They imitate a brass band so perfectly, that a person outside the hall in which they are humming would almost invariably be deceived. Their imitation of the organ is equally perfect. Each of the singers makes a peculiar noise and carries his or her own part of the performance, and the combined result is a deep music very like to the pealing of a grand organ. These are two of their many tricks. They are constantly adding to their repertoire, and perfecting themselves more and more in their curious arts. They have educated the sense of touch to a remarkable degree. By feeling of a person’s face and head, they can give an accurate description of his or her appearance; and one of the sisters claims that she can tell the color of the hair by touching it. The seven will stand with joined hands and any object can be placed in the hands of the oldest brother at the end of the line; while he holds it, he claims that the magnetic current which passes through the entire line will enable any one of his brothers and sisters to tell what he has in his hand. At any rate, some remarkable guesses of this kind are made.
The blind negroes have given a series of entertainments in various negro churches in the city, and have created a great sensation among the colored population. It is said they take great care of their aged parents, who still reside on the old homestead in North Carolina, in the same cabin where they lived as slaves, and where their fourteen children were born.The blind singers have bought the place and presented it to their parents. The brothers and the wife of the eldest manage the financial affairs of the combination so successfully that they accumulated a snug property. The oldest brother is about twenty-eight and the youngest sister about sixteen years old. Various efforts have been made by professional managers to secure the control of this remarkable family, but they prefer to take care of their own affairs. They are all intelligent and remarkably well posted on matters in general. — Atlanta Constitution.
this the 24th of January 1845 } this my desire and will that I give to Josiah and Nathan Axum Andrew & all my property to be Equally divided and I want Asberry Blackwell to take Andrew and see to his labor for my children to the best advantage also take my children and take care of them and satisfy himself for his troble out of my property this my Last will and testament whereunto I now set my han and Seal to Nathan (X) Blackwell {seal}
Test James F. Mercer, Thomas Mercer
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Nathan Blackwell received a marriage license to marry Jincey Powell on 15 December 1838 in Nash County, North Carolina. Elijah Powell and Henry Blount were bondsmen, and B.H. Blount, a witness.
In the 1840 census of Nash County, North Carolina, Nathan Blackwell headed a household comprised of one free colored male, aged 10-23; one free colored female, aged 10-23; and two free colored males under 10. In the 1850 census of Nash County, Asberry Blackwell [likely Nathan’s brother] lived alone.
Nathan’s children are not found in the 1850 census. In 1860, Josiah Blackwell, 21, was listed as a steam mill laborer in the household of engineer John Valentine in Wilson District, Wilson County. On 27 March 1861, Josiah married Becky Mitchell at Wiley Lamm’s steam mill in Wilson County. In 1860, Nathan E. Blackwell, 20, is listed as a wagoner living in the household of farmer Robinson Baker in Wilson County. For more about Nathan Blackwell the younger, see here.
Will of Nathan Blackwell (1845), Nash County, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 [database on-line], ancestry.com.
In the 1930 census of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey: doorman Charles S. Alston, 34, wife Lessie, 30, and son Charles W. Alston, 9, with roomer Clarence Wiggins, 33, all born in North Carolina.
In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: 39 year-old farmer Henry Clark, wife Florah, 38, and children John, 16, Mary J., 14, Ella, 12, Henrietta, 9, Henry, 8, Augustin, 5, Thomas, 3, and Margaret, 10 months.
In the 1920 census of Cordele, Crisp County, Georgia: North Carolina-born Rev. Augustus S. Clark, 46, Alabama-born wife Annie, 40, and Alabama-born adopted daughter Louise, 14. Augustus and Annie were teachers.
In the 1930 census, Cordele, Crisp County, Georgia: A.S. Clark, superintendent of the Gillespie School; wife Annie W., teacher; and K. Louise, 24, teacher.
In the 1910 census of Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, at South Ashe Street: insurance agent John O’Daniel, 25, wife Ernestine, 19, and son Thurman, 1.
In the 1920 census of Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, at 729 South Ashe Street: widow Margaret Rhodes, 49, daughters Ernestine O’Daniel, 21, and Margaret Williams, 16, grandsons Thurman O’Daniel, 11, John W. O’Daniel, 9, and Robert O’Daniel, 7, plus two boarders.
On 4 June 1935, in Mecklenburg County, Therman Benjamin O’Daniel married Lillian Gertrude Davis. (Their marriage license erroneously describes them as “white.”)
In the 1939 Columbia, South Carolina, city directory:
Fort Valley State University, The Peachite: The Official Organ of Student Expression, Volume 2, Number 3 (1944). http://digitalcommons.fvsu.edu/peachites/3
Fort Valley State University, The Peachite: The Official Organ of Student Expression, Volume 3, Number 2 (1945). http://digitalcommons.fvsu.edu/peachites/4
Foster, Lawrence, ed., The Alumni Directory of Lincoln University (1946).
William Henry Vick was a brother of Samuel Hynes Vick, who was also a Lincoln graduate.
In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: gristmill worker Daniel Vick, 38, wife Fannie, 35, and children Samuel, 16, Nettie, 14, Earnest Linwood, 12, Henry, 10, and James O.F., 8, plus Frank O. Blount, 20, and Marcus W. Blount, 26.
The Bulletin of Pharmacy, volume XI (1897).
In the 1910 census of Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey: druggist William H. Vick, wife Carrie J., 32, daughter Fannie M., 6, and William, 2.
In the 1930 census of Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, at 450 Orange Road: drugstore owner William Vick, 58, wife Carrie, 53, and daughter Fannie, 24, with two boarders. Vick’s home was valued at $10,000.
William H. and Carrie J. Vick are listed in the 1959 city directory of Montclair, New Jersey, at 150 Claremont Avenue.
New York Age, 9 January 1937.
John Perry married Susan Hodge on 28 December 1881 in Stantonsburg. J.H. Applewhite, a wealthy farmer and justice of the peace, performed the ceremony. His brother William H. Applewhite and Susan’s parents Jack and Gillie Hodge were witnesses.
It is likely that the Hodges were tenant farmers on Applewhite land, as suggested by the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County:
This is the war memorial in front of the Wilson County Courthouse. It honors Revolutionary and Civil War dead. Until 1960, segregated water fountains topped the two small plinths. The “colored” fountain was on the left. You can tell because the chiseled-out section is longer.
Cecil Lloyd Spellman was a professor of rural education at Florida A&M in Tallahassee and former Wilson County Negro agricultural extension agent. In 1947, he published “Elm City, A Negro Community in Action,” a monograph intended to employ sociology to “interpret the Negro in his actual day to day activities and interrelationships with members of his own and other races.” This is an excerpt:
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In searching the records, one finds no mention of early Negroes in this area, however, by contacting some of the older living residents, the following information dealing with pioneer Negro residents has been obtained.** All the following people are now dead unless the fact is otherwise indicated.
[Part one here.]
The following people are early settlers of the Turner neighborhood:
Gary Armstrong and his wife Henrietta were among the first to be mentioned in this section. They bought farm land and settled upon it. Nelson Armstrong and his wife Mary, were also mentioned here as landowners. There is no indication as to the existence of relationship between these two Armstrong families; they may, or they may not be related. The Turner area at present has in it a very large number of families of Armstrongs, many of which are not related to each other.
Thomas Hilliard and his wife Forthea came into the area from Edgecombe County, on the north. His wife became a midwife, and was prominent in this activity for a long time. During this formative period of the community, midwives are very important to welfare of families. Doctors were few, and transportations was not very speedy, so the quickest and most certain maternal care was that furnished by the local midwife. The history of the development of the family institution will never by completely satisfactory, until the contribution of the local midwife has been included in its pages.
Jerry Drake and his wife Vince were also here at the time. Vince was also a midwife.
Skipper Dunn was a landowner in the section. The name of his wife was not mentioned, but we know he had a granddaughter, who now lives in Elm City. She is familiarly known by both the white and colored people as “Aunt” Aggie Williams.
Aggie Williams, granddaughter of Skipper Dunn, came to Toisnot, North Carolina (now what is the village of Elm City) in 1882. While we do not know when Skipper Dunn came, the date mentioned fixes him as one of the real old settlers of the area. Nothing was reported concerning Aggie’s husband. It is known, however, that she was married. She owned some farm land, and also a home where she now lives in Elm City. She lives alone in a seven room house in the white residential section of Elm City. She reared a fine family by sewing for people. She is well thought of by her neighbors.
…
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**This is odd. African-Americans came to the Toisnot area with the earliest white settlers pushing down from southern Virginia. They were the pioneers, not people who moved in after the Civil War. Spellman named black county extension agent C.W. Foster as his source.