County lines did not define the communities to which people belonged. Residents of Wilson County’s Stantonsburg, Black Creek, and Cross Roads townships often had close family, social, and business ties across the line in Wayne County, and the town of Wilson was a common destination for many living in northern Wayne.

Isaac W. Lee spent his entire life in and around the town of Fremont in north-central Wayne County. A man with multiple talents and an expansive business sense, Lee simultaneously worked as a tailor and a grocer before starting an undertaking business.

Lee was born about 1888 in northern Wayne County. In the 1900 census of Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County: farmer Isa J. Lee, 41, and children Hend, 18, Adie, 17, Pearly, 16, and Isac W., 13.

In the 1910 census of Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County: Isaac Lee, 23, and Amos Daniel, 20, partners in a pressing club and tailoring business.

On 2 April 1913, Isaac W. Lee, 25, married Eva Aldridge, 20, daughter of George and Dora Aldridge, in Fremont, Wayne County. [Eva’s brother Prince A. Aldridge lived in Wilson from the 1920s until his death in 1953.]

In 1917, Isaac William Lee registered for the World War I draft in Wayne County. Per his registration card, he was born 14 April 1887 in Fremont; lived in Fremont; worked as a “merchants tailor” for Best and Cobb in Fremont; was married; and had a physical disability.

In the 1910s, Lee kept accounts on sheets of letterhead that touted both his businesses.

Lee’s business card. J.L Taylor & Co. was a large custom clothier. 

In the 1920 census of Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County: presser Isaac Lee, 33, and wife Eva, 29.

By the 1920s, Lee’s letterhead had dropped reference to his grocery store.

In the 1930 census of Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County: on Goldsboro Street, in a house owned and valued at $1500, grocery store day laborer Isaac W. Lee, 42, widower.

This undated letterhead features a photograph of the building housing his businesses. A quick Google Maps search shows the building still stands at 110 South Goldsboro Street, Fremont. 

Lee appears to have begun offering funeral services in the 1930s. He posted the notice below, for a burial in Fremont’s all-Black cemetery, in the Wilson Daily Times.

Wilson Daily Times, 17 April 1939.

In the 1940 census of Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County: funeral director Isaac W. Lee, 49, and nephew John T. Jones, 23, presser in dry cleaning business.

I.W. Lee was not one of the principal funeral homes serving Wilson County families, but many opted for his care, including:

Detail of death certificate of Charlie Edwards, died 20 January 1940, Wilson, buried in Rountree [probably Vick] Cemetery.

Detail of death certificate of John Davis, died 28 April 1942, Wilson, buried in Rountree [probably Vick] Cemetery.

Detail of death certificate of Warren Rountree, died 24 February 1943, Wilson, buried in Rountree [probably Vick] Cemetery.

Detail of death certificate of Cornelius Dew, died 30 July 1944, Cross Roads township, Wilson County, buried in a rural cemetery.

In the 1950 census of Fremont, Nahunta township, Wayne County: Isaac W. Lee, 63, manager of retail store-funeral home, and son Jesse T., 14, sales clerk at retail store. They lived on “Goldsboro St. 1st Blk S of Main” in “apt over I.W. Lee store.”

I.W. Lee’s building today, Google Street View.

Isaac William Lee died 10 October 1970 at his home in Fremont, Wayne County. Per his death certificate, he was born 14 April 1889 to Isaac Lee and Katie Randolph; was a widower; worked as a “funeral director and merchant (general store)”; and was buried in Fremont Cemetery by Darden Memorial Funeral Home of Wilson. Jesse Thomas Lee, 608 North Reid Street, Wilson, was informant.

Though Lee’s funeral service was held at Fremont First Baptist, ministers from Wilson’s Calvary Presbyterian Church officiated.

Wilson Daily Times, 12 October 1970.

I.W. Lee Account Book and related documents courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.