Month: May 2025

The sale of William Taylor’s property.

After William Taylor‘s death, likely at the end of 1885, his administrator Toby Farmer oversaw the auction of his household furniture. The buyers, who probably bought more to help the family than from a need for these commonplace items, included Jacob Pitt, Charles Darden, Treasy Taylor, Nicey Harper, Haywood Freeman, Ennis [Enos] Thompson, Alfred Dew, Henry Young, John H. Lassiter, Jerry Washington, Mack Bynum, Charles Bynum, Charles Gay, Cary Gray, Daniel Vick, B.R. Winstead, and S.H. Vick.

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  • William Taylor

Perhaps: in the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: carpenter William Taylor, 22, and wife Anna, 16.

And, in the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: house carpenter William Taylor, 32; wife William Ann, 26; daughter Hattie, 2; and niece Mary Gay, 9.

  • Jacob Pitt

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Jacobs Pitt, 40; wife Quilla, 35, farm laborer; and daughter Vinah, 3; and Turner Strickland, 20, farm laborer.

In the 1880 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Jacobb Pitt, 53; wife Quiley, 34; and daughter Vinah, 13.

  • Treasy Taylor

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: drayman Aaron Jones, 30; wife Mollie, 25; and daughter Emma, 13; mother Theresa Taylor, 40; and boarder Blake Watson, 36, laborer.

  • Nicey Harper

Nicey A. Barnes died 11 April 1963 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 28 December 1871 to John and Edna Harper; was a widow; lived on Route 4, Wilson; and was buried in the Masonic Cemetery, Wilson. Alene Harper of Snow Hill, N.C., was informant.

  • Ennis Thompson

Probably Enos Thompson. In the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County:  farmer Enos Thompson, 41; wife Hellon, 41; and children John, 17, Margaret, 16, Lucy, 6, Pet, 4, and Ennis, 3.

  • Henry Young

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Henry Young, 34; wife Anna, 37; and children Jane, 4, John, 2, and George, 5 months.

On 15 November 1879, Henry Young, 45, married Zilpha Barnes, 24, in Wilson. Minister Daniel Blount performed the ceremony at his home in the presence of Sam Williams and Elias Strickland.

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Henry Young, 45; wife Zilpha Ann, 21; and children Joseph, 15, Nettie, 13, and George, 10.

In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Young, 65; wife Annie, 42; and boarder Pennie Young, 22.

Henry Young died 9 March 1910 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 72 years old; was born in Franklin County, N.C., to Herbert and Clarisa Young; was married; and was buried in Wilson. Walter Foster was informant.

  • Cary Gray

In the 1870 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Cary Gray, 35, farm laborer; wife Fillis, 25; and children Mary, 12, Cherry, 10, Henry, 8, Susan, 5, and Robert, 1.

In the 1880 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Cary Gray, 45, farmer; wife Phillis, 30; and children Susan, 14, Henry, 18, Robert, 12, Colia, 9, Fannie, 6, and Caroline, 2.

Ethel Coley retires after 40+ years of teaching.

Wilson Daily Times, 6 May 1971.

Long-time teacher Ethel Moye Coley‘s early education came at Wilson Training School, also known as the Independent School or Industrial School — the school the Black community founded after leaving Wilson Colored Graded School in protest in 1918.

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In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 459 Goldsboro Street, widowed laundress Della Moye, 31, with her children Albert, 17, twins Hattie and Mattie, 9, and Ethel, 2.

In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Moye Ethel (c) student h 420 E Green

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: laundress Delia A. Moye, 50; grandson William A., 12; Zophey Sills, 25, cook; and Ethel M. Moye, 19.

On 29 December 1933, John A. Cain Jr., 24, of Durham, son of John A. Cain Sr. and Georgeanna Cain, married Ethel Moye, 24, of Wilson, daughter of Boston Moye and Delia Moye, in Raleigh, Wake County, N.C.

On 18 August 1944, Ethel Mae Moye, 35, daughter of O.L.W. Smith and Della Smith [sic], married David H. Coley, 49, son of W.H. and Luanna Coley, in Wilson. A.M.E. Zion minister W.A. Hilliard performed the ceremony in the presence of C.L. Darden, Norma Darden and Mrs. Ambrose Floyd.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1207 Washington Street, David H. Coley, 56, barber, and wife Ethel Cain Coley, 40, primary teacher/principal at rural school.

Wilson Daily Times, 27 February 1987.

Dobson kills wife over skirt.

Wilson Daily Times, 29 May 1928.

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  • Charley Dobson

In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Dobson Charles (c) firemn First Natl Bk Bldg h 707 E Vance

On 23 December 1936, Charlie Dobson, 58, of Wilson, son of George and Betsy Dobson, married Sue Ellis, 37, of Wilson, daughter of Robert and Lula Ellis, at the home of A.M.E. Zion minister John A. Barnes in Wilson. John A. Barnes Jr., Frank W. Barnes, and Wade Barnes were witnesses.

Charlie Dobson died 5 October 1953 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 69 years old; was born in Duplin County, N.C., to George Dobson and Bessie Savage; worked in farming; was divorced; and was buried in Duplin County.

  • Hannah Dobson

Hannah Dobson died 26 May 1928 at “Wilson Col. Hospital.” Per her death certificate, she was 26 years old; was born in Onslow County, N.C., to Thomas Rhodes and Sarah E. Lee; was married to Charlie Dobson; and was buried in Shepherds Cemetery, Onslow County. Willie Rhodes of Verona, N.C., was informant.

Witnesses to divorce.

Haywood Freeman, Sidney Freeman, Nettie M. Vick, Hagar Edwards, and Mary Ward were called as witnesses to the divorce action filed by Charles H. Smith against his wife Virginia Smith.

Haywood and Sidney Freeman were the father and brother of Joseph Freeman, who was named as one of the men with whom Jenny Smith allegedly committed adultery. Hagar Edwards’ home in Greene County was the site of an alleged tryst. The focus of Nettie Vick and Mary Ward’s anticipated testimony is not known.

Three witnesses requested that their witness fees be paid over to someone else — in two cases, the man for whom they testified, Charles H. Smith himself. At a minimum, this request would raise an eyebrow today.

“please pay to C.H. Smith what is due me as a witness in his case”

“please pay to C.H. Smith the amount due me as a witness in his case”

Nettie M. Vick requested that her fee go to her brother W. Henry Vick. (Samuel H. Vick was another of her brothers.)

“please pay to Henry Vick the amount due Nettie Vick Witness of C.H. Smith case”

Jones stabbed to death on farmworker truck.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 28 May 1932.

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  • Hattie Jones — per her death certificate, Hattie Jones died 28 May 1932 in Goldsboro, Wayne County, N.C.; was 25 years old; was married; and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Goldsboro. Cause of death: “killed by a stab in throat; homicide.”
  • Walter Powell