Month: March 2021

Lane Street Project: Junius Peacock.

The race is on to find gravestones in Odd Fellows Cemetery before spring foliage engulfs them again. This little headstone was trapped under multiple bands of wisteria vine.

There were two Junius Peacocks, father and son. This marker most likely heads the grave of Junius Wesley Peacock, the son, who died in 1935.

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In the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: in the household of 27 year-old white farmer William Bynum, Henry Peacock, 30, works on farm; wife Zetta, 28; and children Henry, 12, John, 7, Junius, 5, Sarah, 4, and Emma, 2.

Junius Peacock, 22, of Wilson, son of Henry and Rosetta Peacock, married Nora Haskins, 17, of Wilson, daughter of Martha Haskins, on 30 March 1898 at Martha Haskins’ in Wilson. Primitive Baptist minister J.W. Williams performed the ceremony in the presence of J. Bradley Exum, Noah Tate, and C.B. Gay.

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Junious Peacock, 23, bartender; wife Nora, 19; son Junious, 7 months; mother [in-law] Martha Haskins, 60, washing; sister[in-law] Addie, 34; and Addie’s children Rosko, 13, Nathan, 4, and Allen, 3.

In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Peacock Junius (c) cook h E Chestnut

In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Peacock Junius (c) elev opr Oettinger’s

In 1918, Junius Wesley Peacock registered for the World War I draft in Norfolk, Virginia. Per his registration card, he was born 30 December 1935; lived at 316 Kent Street, Norfolk; worked as a bellboy at a Turkish bath, 416 Atlantic Street; and his nearest relative was Nora Stokes, 535 East Nash Street, Wilson. [Nora Peacock, likely a widow, had married Turner Stokes in Wilson in 1916.]

Junius Peacock, 21, of Norfolk, Virginia, son of Junius and Nora Peacock, married Ethel Wilson, 22, of Norfolk, Virginia, daughter of F. and A. Wilson, in Norfolk, Virginia, on 24 October 1918.

In the 1922 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Peacock Junius W (c) barber h 524 E Nash

In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Peacock Junius W (c) barber Coley & Taylor h 525 E Nash

In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Peacock Junius (c; Ethel) barber Walter S Hines h 817 E Green

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 807 Green Street, barber Junius Peacock, 30, barber, and wife Ethel, 34, maid.

Junius Wesley Peacock died 28 April 1935 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 35 years old; was born in Wilson to Julius Peacock and Nora Haskins; was married to Ethel Peacock; lived at 817 East Green Street; and worked as a barber. 

Ethel M. Peacock died 25 May 1974 in Norfolk, Virginia. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 October 1893 in Norfolk to Fred Wilson and Ann Brooks; was the widow of Junius Peacock; and was buried in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Photos courtesy of Joseph Stair.

The Moore family’s card of thanks.

Firm racial identification was paramount during Jim Crow, and Southern newspaper often carried notices clarifying that status or making it plain even in contexts in which it would not seem to be important. Did John L. Moore submit his acknowledgment to the Times with “(Colored)” already included? Or did staff insert it to make clear that this John Moore was not one of the white John Moores?

Wilson Daily Times, 11 November 1927.

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On 30 May 1895, John Moore, 22, of Black Creek township, son of L. and Vinney Moore, married Mattie Simms, 18, of Black Creek township, daughter of Jno. Lassiter and Rachel Simms. L.A. Moore applied for the license, and a justice of the peace performed the ceremony at Larnce Moore’s residence in Black Creek in the presence of C.F. Darden, M. Roundtree, and David Moore.

In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: day laborer John Moore, 28; wife Mattie, 23; and sons Arthur, 4, and John H., 1.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer John Moore, 36; wife Mattie, 36, dressmaker; and sons Arthur, 14, William B., 7, Zack, 6, and James, 5.

Mattie Moore died 7 November 1927 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 24 December 1877 in Wilson County to John Lassiter and Rachel Sims; was married to Johnie Moore; and lived at 910 Washington Street. She was buried in Wilson [likely in Vick or Rountree cemeteries.]

Wilson County Negro Library: 1943-1964.

Local History/Genealogy Librarian Tammy Medlin will be presenting a video encore of her talk on the history of Wilson’s Negro Library, founded by African-American women in 1943, when Wilson County Public Library was strictly segregated. Tune into Facebook March 17 at 7:00 PM for an in-depth look at this important East Wilson institution.

Studio shots, no. 173: Paul Applewhite.

Paul Applewhite (1878-1955).

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In the 1880 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County: farmer Luke Applewhite, 67; wife Sara, [age illegible; and sons Henry, 11, and Paul, 2.

In the 1900 census of Fremont township, Wayne County: Luke Applewhite, 64, “renter” [i.e. tenant farmer]; wife Sarah, 70, “washing & orning”; daughter Lizzie, 25, “feale work,” and Caro., 8, “laborr,”and sons Paul, 22, “farmer haird,” Noah, 20, day laborer Davie, 16, Peter, 13, and Moses, 10, farm laborers. 

Paul Applewhite, 25, of Wayne County, son of Luke and Sarah Applewhite, married Mary Eliza Thompson, 21, of Wayne County, daughter of Penny Thompson, on 10 January 1905 near Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County. A.L. Rountree was a witness.

In the 1910 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County: farmer Paul Applewhite, 32; wife Mary Eliza, 23; and children Penny, 5, and Sarah, 1.

In 1918, Paul Applewhite registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born January 1878; lived at Route 3, Lucama, Wilson County; farmed for W.H. Tomlinson, Lucama; and his nearest relative was Mary Eliza Applewhite.

Pennie Applewhite died 29 June 1918 in Cross Roads township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 28 July 1905 in Wilson to Paul Applewhite and Mary Eliza Thompson; and was buried in the John Moore grave yard.

In the 1920 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: Paul Applewhite, 43; wife Mary, 28; and children Sarah, 10, John, 9, May, 7, Walter, 5, Pauline, 4, and Herman, 2.

In the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Paul Applewhite, 56; wife Mary L., 42; and children Sarah, 2, John, 20, Mabel, 18, Walter, 16, Pauline, 15, and Herman, 10.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 306 Walnut Street, Paul Applewhite, 66; wife Mary Eliza, 48, cook; children Sarah, 31, laundress; Mary Belle, 27, farm laborer; Walter, 25, gasoline filling station attendant; Pauline, 24, cook and nurse; and Herman, 20, gas station attendant; and grandson William, 8.

In 1940, Walter Applewhite registered for the World War II draft in Wilson. Per his draft registration, he was born 28 July 1915 in Fremont, N.C.; lived at 306 East Walnut Street, Wilson; his contact was father Paul Applewhite; and he worked for Lester Watson, “cor. Barnes & Lloyd Wilson.”

Herman Applewhite died 3 February 1946 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 19 November 1919 in Wilson County to Paul Applewhite and Mary Thompson; worked as a laborer; lived at 306 East Walnut; was married to Delories Applewhite; and was buried in Rountree cemetery. Pauline Applewhite, 523 South Lodge Street, was informant.

Paul Applewhite died 6 May 1955 at his home at 306 East Walnut Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 6 January 1881 in Wayne County, N.C., to Luke Applewhite and Sarah Greene; was a laborer; and was married. Mary Applewhite was informant.

John Ive Applewhite died 25 June 1967 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 28 April 1910 in Wayne County to Paul Applewhite and Mary Liza Thompson; lived at 306 East Walnut; was married; and worked as a laborer.

Photo courtesy of Ancestry.com user sheppard4.

The Townsends default.

A deed of trust is essentially an agreement between a lender and a borrower to give legal title to a property to a neutral third party who will serve as a trustee. The trustee holds the property until the borrower pays off the debt owed to the lender. During the period of repayment, the borrower keeps the actual or equitable title to the property and generally maintains full responsibility for the premises. The trustee, however, holds the legal title to the property and is empowered to sell the property to satisfy the debt if the borrower defaults. Once the sale is complete, the trustee will distribute the proceeds between the borrower and the lender. The lender gets whatever funds are required to satisfy the debt, and the borrower receives anything in excess of that amount.

On 15 January 1940, the Wilson Daily Times published a notice of sale of six properties belonging to Andrew J. and Mary L. Townsend, who had defaulted on the terms of a deed of trust filed in 1938:

(1) adjoining the property of Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church, H.W. Farrior, and Owen Smith a lot on Banks Street purchased from O.L.W. and Cynthia Smith, recorded in Book 85, page 398, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office;

(2) a lot on the southern edge of Banks Street where Banks crosses a ditch that runs south into the Hominy Swamp canal, purchased from O.L.W. and Cynthia Smith, recorded in Book 111, page 361;

(3) adjoining the property of Louis W. Townsend, Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church, and H.W. Farrior, a lot on the western side of Goldsboro Street and south of Banks Street, on the same ditch as above, purchased from O.L.W. and Cynthia Smith, recorded in Book 98, page 179;

(4) lot 14 in the Winona subdivision on Mercer Street (map recorded at Book 68, page 457) purchased from S.H. and Annie M. Vick and recorded at Book 116, page 273;

(5) adjoining the lands of John and Mary Lewis and S.H. Vick, a 50′ by 100′ lot on Mercer Street (lot 16 of Winona subdivision) purchased from S.H. and Annie M. Vick and recorded at Book 172, page 24; and 

(6) lot 15 on the plat of Winona subdivision, a 50′ by 100′ lot on Mercer Street purchased from S.H. Vick and recorded at Book 68, page 457.

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  • Andrew J. Townsend — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Andrew Townsend, 58, section hand for N.S. [Norfolk Southern railroad]; wife Lula, 49, tobacco factory laborer; children Lewis, 27, Rachel, 22, Louisa, 18, Christine, 16, Odell, 15, Hazel, 13, and Minnie Ruth, 11; and granddaughter Maybelle, 3.
  • Mary L. Townsend — Mary Lula Townsend.
  • Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church
  • H.W. Farrior — Henry W. Farrior.
  • Owen Smith — Owen L.W. Smith.
  • Cynthia Smith — Cynthia Smith died 
  • Louis W. Townsend — Louis Townsend died 12 March 1932 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 29 February 1853 in Person County, N.C., to Dempsey Townsend and Margaret Thorp; lived at 408 East Hines Street, Wilson; was the widower of Henrietta Townsend; was a day laborer for a tobacco manufacturing company. Informant was Rachael Dixson, Wilson, N.C.
  • S.H. Vick — Samuel H. Vick.
  • Annie M. Vick — Annie Washington Vick.

As shown in this Google Maps aerial, the area of the Townsends’ property is no longer residential.

Lane Street Project: Hood S. Phillips.

H.S. Phillips Born Dec. 6, 1870 Died Feb. 22, 1919 Gone, but not forgotten

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In the 1880 census of Tarboro, Edgecombe County: minister H.C. Philips, 37, wife Emma, 34, and children Louisa, 12, Hood, 9, Walton, 6, and Cornelius, 3.

On 18 May 1893, Hood S. Phillips, 22, of the town of Wilson, son of H.C. and E.E. Phillips, married Phillis Gay, 24, of the town of Wilson, daughter of Wiley and Catharine Gay. Rev. H.C. Phillips performed the ceremony at the A.M.E. Zion church. Witnesses were Annie Mincy, Annie Thorn and Alex Warren.

Hood Phillips is listed as a barber living at 623 Viola in the 1908 Wilson City directory.

On 26 December 1916, Richard Renfrow, 50, married Matilda Taylor, 50, in Wilson. Hood Phillips applied for the license, and Missionary Baptist minister A.L.E. Weeks performed the ceremony in the presence of Boston Griffin, J.E. Farmer and Henry Lucas.

Alma Phillips died 9 December 1916 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 12 August 1901 in Wilson County to Hood Phillips and Bessie Ralia; was a school girl; and was buried in Wilson County [possibly in Odd Fellows Cemetery.]

Hood S. Phillup died 22 February 1919 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 48 years old; was born in North Carolina to Henry Phillip and Elezbith Moore, both of South Carolina; lived on Stantonsburg Road extended; was married to Phillis Phillips; worked as a barber for hire for Garfield Ruffin; and was buried in Wilson County. William Phillup, Green Street, was informant.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 415 Stantonsburg Street, widow Phillis Phillips, 33, tobacco factory laborer, and roomers John Bogans, 46, and Carl Goods, 25, both oil mill laborers.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 808 East Nash, paying $8/month rent, widow Phillis Phillips, 42, and, also paying $8, Ardena Barnes, 46, both tobacco factory stemmers.

Phillis Phillips died 22 May 1932 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 51 years old; the widow of Hood Phillips; was born in Wilson to Wylie Gay and Catherine Speights, both of Greene County, N.C.; and was buried in Wilson [probably in Odd Fellows Cemetery.] Catherine Arrington of Richmond, Virginia, was informant.

Black businesses, 1913, no. 1: 600 block of East Nash Street.

Cross-referencing the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory and the 1913 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson reveals the specific locations of Black-owned businesses just after the turn of the century. Above, the intersection of East Nash Street and Stantonsburg Road (now Pender Street.)

The most well-known is Charles H. Darden & Son‘s cast-iron double-storefront at 611-613 East Nash. 

Wiley Oates and Cain Artis operated a grocery in the large brick building occupying the entire tip of the intersection of Nash and Stantonsburg.

Across the street from Oates & Artis, white grocer David C. Braswell had a small wooden store. A third grocery faced Braswell’s on the other side of Nash, but I have not identified its operator.

The obituary of Andrew J. Townsend, grocer and Odd Fellow.

Wilson Daily Times, 21 August 1947.

Brothers Lewis W. and Andrew J. Townsend migrated to Wilson from Granville County, North Carolina. Both settled and operated small grocery stores in the area near the southern stretch of Wilson’s tobacco factories in the Hines, Banks and Mercer Streets area. Lewis named a son Andrew J. Townsend after his brother. 

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In the 1870 census of Oak Hill township, Granville County, North Carolina: Demsy Townsend, 39, blacksmith; wife Leatha, 30; and children Thomas, 18, Lewis, 16, Mary J., 14, Crawford, 13, Andrew, 10, and Alx, 1.

In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Townsend Andrew J (T Bros) h Goldsboro cor Bank. Also, Townsend Bros (Andrew J and Lewis W), grocers Goldsboro cor Bank

A.J. Townsend, 51, of Wilson, was issued a license to marry Mary Lewis, 48, of Wilson, on 16 October 1915. 

Virginia Mae Artis was born 6 January 1916 in Lucama, Cross Roads township, Wilson County, to Andrew J. Townsend, age not listed, born in N.C., a mechanic, and Emma Artis, 36, born in Robeson County, a cook.

In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Townsend Andrew J (c; Mary) bro 210 Banks h 1003 Mercer. 

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Mercer Street, Andrew Townsend, 51, grocery merchant, and wife Mary, 52, tobacco factory worker.

In the 1922 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Townsend Andrew J (c) grocer Banks nr Goldsboro h 1003 S Mercer  

In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Townsend Andrew J (c) gro Bank nr S Goldsboro h 1003 Mercer 

In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Townsend Andrew J (c; Mary) gro 104 Banks h 1003 Mercer 

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1003 Mercer Street, owned and valued at $600, merchant Andrew Townsend, 65, and wife Mary, 40.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 522 Banks Street, rented for $12/month, A.J. Townsend, 77, clerk and owner retail grocery.

Mary Lewis Townsend died 13 August 1942 at Mercy Hospital in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 75 years old; was married to Andrew Townsend; lived at 1005 Mercer Street; was born in Wilson County to Alexander and Morning Barron; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Informant was Andrew J. Townsend, 522 Banks Street, Wilson.

Andrew Jackson Townsend died 20 August 1947 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 85 years old; was born on Pearson [Person] County, N.C., to Dempsey Townsend and Margaret [maiden name unknown]; was a merchant; lived at 522 Banks Street; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery [probably, actually Odd Fellows Cemetery]. Rachel Deaxon, 406 Hines Street, Wilson, was informant. [Rachel Townsend Dixon was A.J. Townsend’s great-niece, daughter of his nephew Andrew J. Townsend.]

Mrs. Freeman’s photo album.

DigitalNC’s Images of North Carolina collection contains four early 20th century photograph albums attributed to the Oliver Nestus Freeman Round House Museum. The albums’ creator(s) is unidentified, and most the photos pasted within are unlabeled, but it seems pretty clear that they are the handiwork of Willie Hendley Freeman, O.N. Freeman’s wife. Many of the photos depict Hendley family members in Nashville or people and scenes associated with Tuskegee Institute, where the Freemans met.

Below, the cover of one of the albums and its first page. Freeman’s Texaco filling station is depicted at top center.

And this photo of a group of women taken by a Nashville photographer almost certainly depicts O.N. Freeman’s mother, Eliza Daniels Freeman, seated at middle. Willie Hendley Freeman appears to be the woman in the black dress with her hands resting on her mother-in-law’s chair.

 

View all four albums here.