The ninth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District: “#307. Ca. 1908; 2 [stories]; Noah Tate house; Queen Anne house with hip-roofed central block and hip-roofed front wing; porch, which extends across front facade, remodeled bungalow type posts; Tate was a barber working with Walter Tate [sic; Hines].”

This house is one of East Wilson’s gems.

Between the dates of the 1920 census of Wilson, in which Tate and his family are listed at 208 North Pender, and the 1922 city directory, the house number changed 307 North Pender.

On 24 November 1904, Noah J. Tate, 28, of Wilson, son of Hardy and Mary Tate, married Hattie B. Pearce, 20, of Wilson, daughter of Andrew and Alice Pearce. Walter S. Hines applied for the license, and Missionary Baptist minister Fred M. Davis performed the ceremony at the residence of Ritchard Renfrow in the presence of S.H. Vick, W.H. Simms and J.D. Reid.

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: barber Noah Tate, 28, wife Hattie, 25, and children John P., 3, and Helen, 2.

The 1913 Sanborn insurance map shows the dwelling in its original one-story form, as indicated by the 1 inked into the bottom right corner:

1913 Sanborn insurance map.

Noah John Tate registered for the World War I draft in Wilson on 12 September 1918. Per his registration card, he was born 6 November 1876; resided at 208 North Pender, Wilson; and was a self-employed barber working at 213 East Nash Street. His nearest relative was wife Hattie Tate.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 208 Pender Street, barber Noah Tate, 42, wife Hattie, 34, boarder Mary Jennings, 28, and children Helen, 16, Mary Jane, 8, Andrew, 11, and Noah Jr., 3.

Noah J. Tate died 3 January 1926 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he resided at 307 Pender Street; was married to Hattie Tate; was born about 1875 in Grimesland, North Carolina, to Hardy Tate of Wayne County and Mary Jane Dawson of Pitt County. He was buried in Rountree cemetery.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 307 North Pender, widowed seamstress Hattie Tate, 44; daughter Hellen, 23, insurance agent; son Andrew, 21, hotel bellboy; and lodger Lucy Davis, 50, a school teacher. The house was owned and valued at $8000.

Photograph by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2017.