Wilson Daily Times, 22 April 1948.
Month: April 2025
Principal among two charged in fatal accident.
Wilson Daily Times, 26 April 1940.
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M. Stanley Gilliam Jr. was principal of Williamson School.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: filling station attendant Herman Gilliam, 20; his widowed mother Annie, 48, a cook in a private home; and brothers Charles, 28, a waiter at Cherry Hotel, Stanley, 26, a teacher, and George, 22, a janitor at Carolina Theatre.
- Jake Edwards
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: tobacco factory laborer Jake Edwards, 45, widower, and children Mattie, 17, Golden, 22, oil mill laborer, and Eugene, 20, public service laborer.
- Mamie Gibson
Mamie Gibson died 3 April 1940 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 12 February 1908 in Wilson County to Phillip Cooper and Florence Ruffin, both born in Wayne County, N.C.; was married to Willie Gibson; lived at 1204 Atlantic Street; worked as a teacher; and was buried in Rocky Branch Cemetery. Her cause of death: “multiple fractures of pelvis; fracture left clavicle due to automobile accident” (“was 2-3 months pregnant.”) Frederick Cooper was informant.
S.H. Vick’s letters to John C. Dancy.
This catalogue of twelve years of correspondence received by John C. Dancy contains nearly a dozen letters from Samuel H. Vick.
The summaries of the letters are somewhat vague; I am searching for the originals.
The first, dated 21 April 1899, makes reference to a reference for “Dr. Price,” who I jumped to conclude was Rev. Joseph C. Price. Price died in 1893, though, so, no.
In the second, from 21 January 1902, Vick asked Dancy for help finding work for Grant Foster, who was “out of business,” noting that Foster was “a good penman and thoroughly competent.” Foster was a butcher, and we have evidence that he operated a shop both before and after this letter was written.
Both Vick and Dancy held political appointments, and Vick’s 21 May 1902 letter suggests they leaned on each other for support, privately and when “intercession” was called for.
On 13 November 1902, Vick wrote the first in a series of letters (and a telegram) to Dancy about his fight to retain his postmaster seat.
On 17 January 1903, Vick acknowledged the risk to Dancy of involvement on Vick’s behalf and urged cautious action.
Now out of office, Vick’s 26 and 28 September 1906 letter touched on Odd Fellows politicking. Without context, this summary is difficult to interpret, but clearly makes reference to Vick getting Dancy to represent Zion Hall Lodge No. 5952, Wilson’s Grabneck-area Odd Fellows lodge.
On 26 November 1906, Vick sent another letter about the Odd Fellows, this time inviting Dancy to an all-expense-paid anniversary observation.
Vick’s 26 September 1910 letter refers to high drama at the Biennial Movable Committee of G.U.O.O.F involving internal politics. He also asks Dancy to look into “that matter” for “Henry,” who, presumably, was Vick’s brother William Henry Vick, who was practicing pharmacy in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1910.
Calendar of the John C. Dancy Correspondence 1898-1910, The Michigan Historical Records Survey Project (1941), Division of Community Service Programs, Works Project Administration, www.hathitrust.org.
Selections in English, German, and Italian (and a few Negro spirituals).
Simmons inspects his peanuts.
Described as “Wilson County — July 30, 1940. Levi Simmons and C.L. Spellman inspecting his acre of peanuts. Simmons was [?] the seven projects conducted this year. He has been in club work for five years.”
University Archives Photograph Collection, 4-H Youth Development Photographs, UA 023.008, Special Collections Research Center, N.C. State University Libraries, Raleigh, N.C.
The obituary of William Roberson.
Wilson Daily Times, 19 May 1961.
William Roberson‘s obituary is especially notable for its reference to “Old” Rountree Cemetery. By 1961, Rountree, Odd Fellows, and Vick Cemeteries were overgrown and seldom-used, and Rest Haven was firmly established as the public cemetery for African-Americans in Wilson.
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In the 1930 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: Hoyet Robinson, 72; wife Lenorah, 55; and son William, 19.
In the 1940 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: Hart Roberson, 81; wife Leandora, 64; and son William, 29, farm laborer.
In 1940, William Robinson registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 7 March 1911 in Wilson County; lived at R.F.D. #1, Wilson; his contact was mother Lenoria Robinson; and he worked for Selby Brewer.
William Roberson died 15 May 1961 in Taylor township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 7 March 1912 in Wilson County to Hart Roberson and Leonora Atkinson; was married to Esther Roberson; worked as a farmer; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Lizzie Knight was informant.
B.W.A. Historical Marker Series, no. 23: Wilson Colored Graded School.
In this series, which will post on occasional Wednesdays, I populate the landscape of Wilson County with imaginary “historical markers” commemorating people, places, and events significant to African-American history or culture.
We been here.
These South Pender Street apartment buildings are on the site where Wilson Colored Graded School stood for almost sixty years.
Built in 1890s to educate African American students in grades 1-8. Large wooden bldg. Later known as Sallie Barbour School; closed about 1950. Area still known as “the School Yard.”
Agent Spellman’s excellent report, part 1.
Wilson County Negro Extension Agent Cecil A. Spellman did not stint. His two-part 1939 Annual Narrative Report is a 146-page treasure chest whose nuggets create a finely textured view of rural African-American life just before World War II — home demonstration, community entertainment, school improvement, test farms, engineering activities, tobacco work, gardening, corn-growing, meat-cutting, 4-H clubs, camp, spelling matches, Negro Health Week, projects, spotlights on people, houses, and schools — including photographs — and more.
There’s nothing to do but present Spellman’s report in totality, serialized.
The 66 pages of Section 1 are devoted to general and adult extension work. We meet Outstanding Man of the Year, Henry Armstrong of Elm City, and Outstanding Woman of the Year, Mrs. Charles Ruffin [Henrietta Ruffin] of the Saratoga side of the Fountain area.
Spellman praised the location of the county extension office at 559 1/2 East Nash Street, Camillus L. Darden‘s commercial building. He then described the equipment and furnishings supplied by the county (plus a few things he brought in.)
Spellman set out the organization of the extension agency and identified the eight-member County Advisory Committee as Seth T. Shaw, Thomas Hilliard, Robert L. Mitchell, Earnest A. Jones, Charlie Ruffin, Chester Woodard, John H. Clay, and Isaac Renfrow.
Spellman briefly mentioned the 4-H Club, which would be covered in detail in Section II, noting that its council met at Darden High School’s auditorium. He also lauded the principals of the county schools that hosted 4-H Clubs “as a very helpful body in the promotion of junior work in the county.”
Spellman then praised the agent training program he had attended at Hampton Institute [now Hampton University] in July.
North Carolina County Agent Annual Narrative Report, Wilson County, N.C., North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, UA102.002, Special Collections Research Center at N.C. State University.
Lane Street Project: on Earth Day, thank you, Chris Facey.
The obituary of Janie Williams.
Wilson Daily Times, 27 November 1944.
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In the 1880 census of Brogden township, Wayne County, N.C.: Adline Brown, 30 (“H left her”), and daughters Sallie, 10, Jane, 6, and Lizzie, 3.
In the 1900 census of Mount Olive, Brogden township, Wayne County, N.C.: Adlene Spells, 54, and daughters Jane, 23, and Mattie, 17, all day laborers, and grandson Edgar, 4.
In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) h 647 E Vance
In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) h 206 E Spruce
In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) factory hd h 213 E Spruce
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 213 Spruce, Jane Williams, 46, and son Edgar, 24, both tobacco factory workers.
In the 1920 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Janie (c) dom h 213 E Spruce
In the 1922 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) janitress h 207 E Spruce
In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) dom h 207 E Spruce
In the 1928 and 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) lndrs h 207 E Spruce
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Jane Williams, 55, laundress, widow; Elizabeth Bowden, 12; and Josh Smith, 56, widower, brickmason.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 207 Spruce, washerwoman Jane S. Williams, 68, and bricklayer Josh Smith, 65, born Kentucky.
Jannie Williams died 25 November 1944 at her home at 207 Spruce Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 68 years old; was born in Mount Olive, N.C., to Isaac and Adline Spells, and was buried in Rountree Cemetery, Wilson.