Abstracts of deeds recording the purchase of real property by African-Americans in Wilson County during the first fifty years of freedom:

• On 4 February 1867, Jacob Jones paid Thomas and Rhodey Williamson $100 for 36 acres of land on the west side of Sheperds Branch adjoining the lands of Stephen Boykin and R.H. Baker. The purchase was recorded in Deed Book 3, page 363, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

Jacob Jones was freeborn. In the 1860 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: Jacob Jones, 31, day laborer, with wife Milly, 31, and children Louisa, 11, Charity, 10, John, 6, Stephen, 4, and Joana, 2. Jacob reported $40 in personal property.

Shepard Branch is a tributary of Contentnea Creek. It branches off the creek just below N.C. Highway 42, then runs northerly between Lamm Road and Interstate 795 and behind James B. Hunt High School.

• On 15 September 1867, Lemon Taborn paid K.H. and Martha Winstead $600 for a half-acre parcel on Tarboro Street. The purchase was recorded in Deed Book 2, page 413, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

Lemon Taborn, also freeborn, operated a barber shop in Wilson as early as the 1850s.

• On 10 April 1869, Jacob Jones paid Thomas and Rhodey Williamson $17 for 3 1/4 acres on Poplar Spring Branch. The purchase was recorded in Deed Book 3, page 364, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

Poplar Spring Branch, like Shepard, runs in Old Fields township.

• On 12 November 1869, Hilliard Ellis and Warren Rountree paid R.J. Taylor and wife $1225 for 245 acres on Little Swamp adjacent to Stephen Lipscomb. The purchase was recorded in Deed Book 3, page 467, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

Hilliard Ellis and Warren Rountree were brothers. I do not know the source of their wealth so soon after emancipation.

Little Swamp is also in Old Fields township. It branches off Contentnea Creek just east of present-day Saint Rose Church Road, then runs west, then north between Radio Tower Road and Flowers Road.

• On 21 March 1870, “Henry Forbes col.” purchased 1 acre from Virginia C. Edwards near Clarisa Barnes and others. The purchase was recorded in Deed Book 2 (part 3), page 133, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Henry Forbes, 48, domestic servant; wife Louisa, 43; and children Charles, 15, farm laborer, and Georgiana, 9; plus John Forbes, 21, selling tobacco, and Patsey Forbes, 70.