The one hundred-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: “ca. 1913; 1 story; John R. Reid house; L-plan cottage with front-facing gable in side wing; contributing garage; Reid was a carpenter, and built #s 405-409.” [The owner of this house is misidentified. In fact, though John Right Reid may have built this house, he did not live in it. Rather, his cousin John B. Reid, also a carpenter, owned and inhabited the house from around the time it was constructed until his death in 1943. John R. Reid lived at 109 South 4th Street.]

In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Reid John B carp h 405 N Vick

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 405 Vick, owned and valued at $2000, John B. Reid, 54, building carpenter, and wife Norma, 41, laundress.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 405 Vick, owned and valued at $3000, John Reid, 65, born in Smithfield, carpenter for C.C. Powell, and wife Naomi, 50, born in Durham.

John B. Reid died 24 July 1943 at his home at 405 North Reid. Per his death certificate, he was 60 years old; was born in Wayne County to Isaac Reid and Adlaide Bolden; worked as a carpenter; and was buried in Rountree cemetery. Naomi Reid was informant.

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Reid Naomi (c) h 405 N Reid

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, May 2019.