Twelve of the fifteen dressmakers listed in the 1922 Wilson city directory were African-American women.
Hill’s Wilson, N.C., City Directory (1922).
- Lucy Alston — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Walnut Street, hospital janitor Zick Artis, 26, and wife Belle, 30; and, renting from them, tobacco factory worker Lucy Alston, 33, and children Luvenia, 9, Eluse, 7, and Lucille, 6.
- Mabel E. Anderson — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 202 Vick Street, painter William Brown, 29; wife Eva, 28, dressmaker; brother-in-law Walter Anderson, 23, plasterer; sister-in-law Mable, 21, dressmaker; and sister-in-law Alma Purcell, 20, all born in South Carolina.
- Sarah L. Bowser — in the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Best [Burt] Bowser, 48, pool room conductor; wife Sarah, 40, seamstress; sons Russell, 19, Astor B., 13, and Thomas F., 11; sister-in-law Rosa Rountree, 21, public school teacher; brother-in-law James Rountree, 14, milliner store servant; and mother Lucinda Bowser, 60, widow.
- Eva L. Brown — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 202 Vick Street, painter William Brown, 29; wife Eva, 28, dressmaker; brother-in-law Walter Anderson, 23, plasterer; sister-in-law Mable, 21, dressmaker; and sister-in-law Alma Purcell, 20, all born in South Carolina.
- Stattie Cannon — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Charles Cannon, 35, barber in a “white shop”; wife Statie, 34; and children Charles, 11, Ruth, 9, and Statie Benton, 13.
- Lethia Clark — in the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: widow Sarah Clark, 40, school teacher, and daughters Catherine, 22, Letha, 19, and Bettie, 17; granddaughter Ruth Jenkins, 8; and servant Mary James, 26.
- Sattena Gaston — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 120 Manchester Street, seamstress Sattena Gaston, 41, and sons Johnnie, 16, and Lorenzo, 13.
- Jane Hooks
- Letitia Lovitt — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 415 Stantonsburg Street, Almus Lovett, 42, shop blacksmith, and wife Letitia, 43, seamstress. Both were Georgia natives.
- Eva Mitchell — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 549 Nash Street, widow Annie Mitchell, 71, children Sallie, 46, Eddie, 44, Albert, 42, Eva, 36, and Floyd, 34, niece Severana, 18, and nephew Lester, 16.
- Ruby I. Purcell — on 27 September 1922, John A. Shade, 22, son of I.A. and Estella Shade, married Ruby Percell, 20, daughter of H.H. and Ida M. Percell, in Wilson. W.H. Phillips applied for the license, and Presbyterian minister A.H. George performed the ceremony in the presence of Phillips, Henry N. Cherry and Will Farmer.
- Ada Winstead — in the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Braswell Winstead, 60, wife Ada E., and daughter Ethel L., 13, at 300 Pender Street.
“Twelve of the fifteen dressmakers listed in the 1922 Wilson city directory were African-American women.” Sounded like an interesting article. Something different. African American Dressmakers of the 20’s. I decided to take a read.
And lo and behold, one, if not two – the first and last ones listed – are my ancestors. Lucy Alston is my 2nd great-grandmother. Her daughter Luvenia, my great-grandmother, and Luvenia’s daughter, Deloris Winstead Norfleet, my grandmother. Deloris’ father being Bryant J. Winstead, whom you’ve featured before, along with his father Edward ‘Ned’ Winstead.
I’m still confirming Ada Winstead as a relative. But I do have pictures of ‘Grandma Lucy’ (as my grandmother called her), Luvenia, Eluse, and Lucille. I’ll email them to you. In fact, I have a photo album belonging to ‘Aunt Lucille’ that Deloris had. It has lots of pictures from the 20’s and 30’s in Wilson and New York, where I think she ended up living.
Thanks again for all you do chronicling our people in Wilson, NC. You offer a wealth of information and insight. You are appreciated.
Lisa Winstead Soan
YAAASSSS!!! Ada Davis Winstead was married to Braswell R. Winstead — I’ll search for a link between him and Bryant. As for the photo album — I am SALIVATING!!!! 🙂