Mae Ella Blue Burkes (1897-1931).

In the 1900 census of Garvin township, Anderson County, S.C.: farmer Joseph Blue, 32; wife Ella, 21; and children Roxie, 11, Eliza, 10, Laura, 7, Joe, 5, Claudie, 4, and Mary, 3.

In the 1910 census of Centerville township, Anderson County, S.C.: farmer Joe Blue, 43; wife Ella, 42; and children Roxie, 22, Liza, 20, Laura, 18, Josephus, 16, Claude, 15, May Ella, 13, Clarissa, 7, and Freddie, 3.

On 24 November 1917, John Burke, 21, and Mary Ella Blue, 18, both of Hopewell township, were married in Anderson County, S.C.

Nettie May Burke was born 11 October 1918 in Savannah township, Anderson County, S.C., to Johnie Burke, 20, and Maryella Blue, 19.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 208 Reid Street, rented at $10/month, odd jobs laborer John Burk, 29; wife May E., 28; and children Nettie, 11, Thelma, 7, Elizabeth, 5, John D., 4, and Ruby M., 2. [The youngest three children were born in North Carolina; all others, in South Carolina.]

Mae Ella Burkes died 23 December 1931 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 4 May 1897 in Anderson, South Carolina, to Joseph Blue of Abbeville, S.C., and Ella Willerford of Elbert County, Georgia; lived at Vick and East Streets [how? these streets are parallel]; was married to John Burkes; worked as a day laborer at a tobacco manufacturing company; and was buried in Wilson [probably, Vick Cemetery].

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Ella Blue, 72, and grandchildren Betty, 19, Thelma, 17, John D., 14, and Ruby May Burks, 12; great-grandson James Blue, 10; and grandson David Blue, 15.

John Burks died 19 February 1941 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 1899 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to Warren and Kate Burks; was the widower of May Ella Burks; lived in the Wilson Welfare TB Home on Railroad Street; worked as a tenant farmer; and was buried in Roundtree [probably, Vick] Cemetery. Ella Blue was informant.

On 8 June 1941, George Wesley Hines, 27, born in Wilson, N.C., to John and Allie Hines, married Nettie Burkes, 22, born in Anderson, S.C., to John and Ella Burkes, in Manhattan, New York, New York.

On 20 June 1941, Jesse Woodson, 24, born in Macon, Georgia, to Jesse and Lila Woodson, married Thelma Burks, 18, born in Wilson, N.C., to John and Mary Ella Burks, in Manhattan, New York, New York.

On 19 July 1943, Claudis Lassiter, 25, helper, born in Edgecombe County, N.C., to Roy Lassiter and Annie Mitchell, married Bettie Burke, 20, fountain girl, born in Wilson, N.C., to John Burke and May Ella Blue, in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 1944, John Davis Burke registered for the World War II draft in Baltimore, Maryland. Per his registration card, he was born 27 February 1926 in Wilson, N.C.;

Photo, adapted, courtesy of Morris Applewhite.