Month: February 2021

Lane Street Project: my Rountree.

I wrote here about my recent discovery of my great-grandmother’s headstone in Odd Fellows cemetery. She is not alone. Like everyone with deep roots in Black Wilson, I have many relatives buried in the three Lane Street Project graveyards. Mine include: 

Henry M. Barnes (1911-1912), my cousin

Ned R. Barnes (1869-1912), my great-great-uncle

Henrietta G. Taylor (1893-1916), my great-aunt

Jesse Barnes (1867-1916), my great-great-uncle

William Barnes (1879-1917), my great-great-uncle

Hennie L. Taylor (1916-1917), my cousin

Wesley Barnes (1865-1919), my great-great-uncle

Mary Barnes Jones (1876-1919), my great-great-aunt

Charles Barnes (1896-1919), my cousin

Mattie Barnes Hines (1895-1922), my cousin

Ethel G. Barnes (1915-1923), my cousin

Rachel Barnes Taylor (1863-1925), my great-grandmother

Warland Barnes (1907-1926), my cousin 

H. Michael Taylor (1861-1927), my great-grandfather

Infant Henderson (1928-1928), my uncle

Jesse Henderson Jr. (1928-1929), my cousin

Jerrell R. Barnes (1909-1929), my cousin

Archie Henderson (1926-1930), my cousin

Ned J. Barnes (1899-1931), my cousin

Thomas Perry (1909-1932), my cousin

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At noon on February 20, during our next clean-up, Lane Street Project will conduct a candle lighting ceremony to recognize and give thanks to the ancestors — both remembered and forgotten — buried in Rountree, Odd Fellows, and Vick. Please join us.

“Facts” about Wilson.

In 1934, Wilson Chamber of Commerce published this promotional guide extolling the virtues of Wilson County. 

The introduction to the town sets the perspective.

Wilson had a population of more than 12,000 in 1934, of whom about 40% were African-American. They were of little interest  to the Chamber of Commerce, however, and were not among the target audience for Facts About Wilson.

“The Mercy Hospital for colored people only was reorganized as a community basis in 1928. It is controlled by a board of trustees. All physicians of the town and county, both white and colored, are eligible for membership on the staff. This hospital is used by Wilson, Pitt, and Green[e]Counties, as it is the only hospital in three counties for colored people.”

There’s a lot to digest in the pages above, but it all boils down to the values in the columns for “white” and “colored.” For example, the ten white school buildings were valued at $800,131, and the 23 colored schools (more because so many were one- or two-rooms) at $48,592.

“The negroes of Wilson maintain separate churches, and the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian congregations are especially large, active and well organized. Six smaller negro churches here also serve this race in Wilson.”

The list of white organizations ran one full page into a second. Only two Black groups — the Odd Fellows and Masons — made the brochure’s cut, however.

Hat tip to Brooke Bissette Farmer for sharing this find, which is digitized here and held in the Rare Book Collection Archives of East Carolina University’s Joyner Library.

Fire bug activities.

Wilson Daily Times, 16 February 1944.

  • Samuel Randolph Foster 

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 707 Vance, Andrew Pierce, 55, nurse at home (usually barber); wife Lossie, 55, in hospital; daughters Alice, 35, and Hester, 27; sons Boise, 29, cafe [cook?], and Binford, 14; daughter Ruby, 19, “cook school;” and grandchildren Randolph, 9, and Montheal Foster, 7, and Mickey Pierce, 1.

Samuel Randolph Foster registered for the World War II draft in Durham, N.C., in 1945. Per his draft card, he was born 19 February 1927 in Wilson; lived at 403 Henry Street, Durham; was a student at Hillside High School; and his contact was Sam Foster, 403 Henry Street. He was 5’7″, weighed 141 pounds, with brown eyes, black hair and a birthmark in the bend of his right arm. [In fact, per his birth record, Foster was born in 1931 in Wilson to Samuel Foster and Hester Pierce, which would make his age consistent with that in the Times article. In other words, Foster was 14 years old when he was inducted into the Army at Fort Bragg in September 1945.]

Benefit for Mercy Hospital.

Unlike this benefit in 1930, the program below was aimed at an African-American audience.

Wilson Daily Times, 3 December 1946.

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A program honoring the Great Emancipator.

Wilson Daily Times, 21 February 1941.

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  • Ruffin 4-H Club — the club affiliated with Ruffin School in Black Creek township.
  • Beatrice Rogers — perhaps, in the 1940 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer James Rogers, 35; wife Agnes, 30; and children James Joe, 12, Beatrice, 9, Leslie, 7, and Josephine, 6.
  • Maggie Herring
  • Lucretia Rogers
  • Eloise Rogers
  • Clinton Williams
  • Alma Wards — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer James D. Worthy, 71; wife Flora Jane, 65; son Essex, 23; daughter Dora Ward, 40, widow; granddaughter Alma Ruth Ward, 10; and granddaughter Celesta Harden, 22.
  • Vernell Pleasant — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: widower George Pleasant, 55, farmer; daughters Mittie, 27, and Nancy, 22; and granddaughter Vernell, 10.
  • Magdelene Parker — perhaps the Mary M. Parker below.
  • Beatrice Newton — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer John Newton, 42; wife Bessie, 32; and children Bennie, 16, James, 12, Beatrice, 10, Charles, 8, and Harvey Lee, 1.
  • Sallie Parker — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Toney Parker, 45; wife Sallie, 44; and children Willie Lee, 21, Levi, 20, Eli, 18, Walter Lee, 16, Mary M., 13, Sallie M., 11, and Lillie M., 8.
  • Gerlean Farmer — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: widow Addie Farmer, 32, farm laborer; children Geraldine, 10, Marcellus, 7, Addie I., 6, Elijah, 4, and Charles, 3; and brother-in-law Earnest, 19.

The death of George Battle.

Wilson Daily Times, 9 February 1935.

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In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Allen Battle, 50, farmer; wife Anna, 39; and children Mallan, 22, Anna, 16, Maud, 13, Mary, 11, Edward, 8, James, 6, George, 4, and Maggie, 1.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Finch Mill Road, farmer Allen Battle, 56; wife Amie M., 50, farm laborer; and children Annie, 26, cook, Maud, 23, cook, Mary, 21, nurse, Eddie, 18, farm laborer, James, 15, farm laborer, George, 13, and Maggie, 1, farm laborer. [Only George was without occupation.]

In 1917, George Battle registered for the World War I draft. Per his registration card, he was born 11 May 1896 in Wilson; lived a R.F.D. #1, Wilson; worked as a teamster for George Carpenter; was single; and was “deformed in limbs.” He was described as tall and of medium build, with black eyes and hair. He signed his name with an X.

In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Battle George (c) shoe shiner 513 E Nash h 508 E Green

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 508 East Green, renting for $12/month, Mary Taylor, 69, laundress; daughter Ida Barnes, 32, laundress; and grandchildren Jessie M., 6, and Annie B.,2; also renting for $12/month, Marobe Battle, 60, cook; daughters Maude, 35, cook, and Annie, 46, cook; son George, 33, cobbler at shoe shop; and grandson John Miller, 17, delivery boy at drug store.

George Battle died 9 February 1935. Per his death certificate, he was born 13 May 1900 in Wilson to Allen Battle and Marie Earl, both of Edgecombe County; was single; worked as a laborer; and lived at 420 East Green Street. Informant was Maude Battle of the same address. Cause of death: “Exposure. (Police found him in street at which time he was breathing. He was dead when I [Dr. W.C. Hunter] arrived.)”

Lunch with GIG360.

Grateful for the opportunity to meet virtually over lunch with the young professionals of Wilson’s Gig360. Public historian, archivist, and museum professional Beth Nevarez and I chatted with moderator Betsy Peters Rascoe of Design Dimension Inc. and GIG360 members about the development and curation of the Freeman Round House Museum, including its new virtual exhibits; Oliver Nestus Freeman; Say Their Names; the Lane Street Project; and the importance of amplifying the stories and histories of the whole of Wilson’s community.

The death of young Mary Jane Tate.

“Pulmonary T.B. on way home from sanatorium.”

Sixteen year-old Mary Jane Tate succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis in Fayetteville, North Carolina, while traveling home to Wilson. She had likely been confined to the recently opened African-American wing of the state tuberculosis sanitorium near Quewhiffle, Hoke County, North Carolina, west of Fayetteville. 

Though her gravestone has not yet been found, she is likely buried in the Noah Tate family plot in Odd Fellows cemetery.