BLACK GENEALOGY IN WILSON COUNTY
Because of the scarcity of surviving records of our black citizens prior to the Wilson County Census of 1870, the first Federal Census that gave the name and age of every individual living within our borders in that year, the discovery of any vital statistics of the Antebellum period represents purest genealogical gold.
The writer learned only a few weeks ago that his 3rd great uncle William Woodard (1795-1847) had inscribed on the rear flyleaves of Volume I of John Bunyan’s WORKS (New-Haven, 1831) “The ages of the Negroes Children,” with their names, to the number of sixty-one.
These families still living in 1865 adopted without known exception the surname Woodard and left descendants who have continued to be numbered among the most respectable black citizens. It should also be remembered that a book in the Wilson County Register of Deeds Office contains the record made in 1865 [sic; 1866] of the earlier marriages of all former slaves who desired that kind of legal protection for their children. (The marriages of both whites and blacks since 1865 have been recorded impartially down to current date in the regular Marriage Registers.)
The names and ages of the blacks belonging to William and Elizabeth Simms Woodard were as follows:
Morris Bornd March 1824
Blunt Bornd August 31st 1825
Ben Bornd April 1826
Peg Bornd May 18th 1826
Win Bornd September 1827
Arch Bornd December 1827
Bishe Bornd February 1828
Willis Bornd October 1829
Alfred Bornd March 1830
Silvire Bornd June 1830
Poity Bornd 26th February 1831
Aga Bornd 10th January 1832
_______ Bornd March 10th 1832
Sarah Bornd 22nd May 1832
Tom Bornd 15th June 1832
Charta Bornd 27th June 1832
Hanner Born 12th May 1833
Jonathan Bornd 31st July 1833
Jim was Bornd 1st August 1833
Liberty Bornd 23rd April 1834
_______ Bornd 8th May 1834
_______ Bornd 23rd May 1834
_______ Bornd Feb. 1st 1835
[N]ed Bornd 27th Sept. 1835
Zilpha Bornd 11th May 1836.
Cherry Bornd 8th March 1837
Rachel Bornd 8th January 1838
Eady Bornd 3rd March 1838
Anna Bornd 31st July 1839
Manda Bornd 7th December 1839
Rila Bornd 2nd April 1840
Gray Bornd May 1840
Harry Bornd 30th May 1841
John Bornd Jan. 1842
Marry Bornd 4th July 1843
Jesse Bornd 30th December 1843
Susan Bornd 30th Nov. 1843
Lewis Bornd January 20h 1845
Mariar Bornd April 30th 1845
Rebecca Born January 16th 1846
Hilliard Bornd June 1846
Sally Born October 27, 1846
Tresy Born 2nd March 1847
London born August 15th 1847
Mintey born December 29th 1847
Lizzy born Jan. 19th 1848
Rose born Jan. 1848
Ned born Nov. 1948
Venice Born Ap 30, 1849
Dennis February 1850
Simon borned March 1850
Richard borned June 1850
Charles Borned August 1851
Adline born Dec. 20th 1851
Louisa Born Sept. 29 1853
John Born May 1853
Nathan Born Sept. 8, 1855
Winney Born March 1856
Edwin Nov. 6, 1856
Jonas Jany 1858
Hat tip to Wilson County librarian Will Robinson, who reprinted Johnston’s undated article on the Wilson County Public Library Local History and Genealogy Blog.