Author: Lisa Y. Henderson

History. Genealogy. Culture.

Saratoga enslavers.

The 1860 slave schedule is the only known surviving, contemporaneous list of the men and women who enslaved black people in Wilson County. It is not a list of the enslaved themselves, as none are named in that census. Rather, the schedule described people by “color” (black or mulatto), sex, and age.

Organized by township, this series will set forth these enslavers, the number of people they held in 1860, and the ages of the youngest and oldest people held. Where possible, I will also name people known to be enslaved by each person. They may or may not correspond to people described in the 1860 slave schedule. The paucity of such identifications is heartbreaking, and I continue to search.

Saratoga district (roughly today’s Saratoga and Stantonsburg townships) was the southern end of Edgecombe County prior to 1855. The 1860 slave schedule lists 69 enslavers in this section of Wilson County, the largest of whom, William Barnes, held 79 people in bondage and controlled another 26 as a trustee. This area, spanning the southeast from the borders of present-day Pitt and Greene to Wayne, was the epicenter of slavery in Wilson County.

Hickman Ellis — 23, ages 1 to 55 years

  • Hannah, Jim, Netty, Aaron, Rose, Mary, Hannah, Old Peter and Old Chaney, Jack, Margaret, Elvy, Hewel, Tempy, Peter, Harriet, Gray, Hardy, Chaney and child Isaac, Eliza, John, Milbry and child Betsy, and Nancy

J.J. [John J.] Lane — 10, ages 8 months to 28 years

Annie Exum — 3, ages 15 to 40 years

William Felton — 12, ages 1 to 40 years

  • Piney, Esther

Thomas J. Gardner [constable of Saratoga] — 1, age 55 years

Drewry Joyner — 9, ages 9 to 70 years

Elizabeth Eason — 3, ages 3 to 26 years

W.J. [William J.] Moore — 4, ages 2 to 22 years

Starkey Howard — 6, ages 1 to 36 years

L.S. Dilda — 1, age 31 years

John Thigpen — 2, ages 17 and 44 years

Nancy Scarboro — 10, ages 2 to 50 years

Seth Tyson — 1, age 45 years

Seth Tyson, in trust — 6, ages 2 to 20 years

Edwin Whitley — 1, age 55 years

G.W. [George W.] Stanton — 7, ages 3 to 72 years

G.T. [Gatsey] Stanton — 7, ages 4 months to 70 years

  • Harry, Violet, Eliza and child, Ben, Dan, and Edy.

H.M. [Henry M.] Thompson — 21, ages 8 months to 24 years

Alvin Bagley — 4, ages 1 to 26 years

John A. Rodgers — 15, ages 8 months to 60 years

William Barnes Sr. — 26, ages 1 to 63 years

J.J. Bynum — 9, ages 8 to 38 years

Reuben Bynum — 21, ages 2 to 85 years

Reuben Bynum, in trust — 29, ages 1 to 60 years

Willie [Wiley] Sims — 30, ages 1 to 52 years

Wright Edmundson — 63, ages 1 to 48 years

David Batts — 1, age 14 years

Penelope Ellis — 19, ages 1 to 75 years

Sallie Applewhite — 32, ages 3 months to 65 years

Temperance Ellis — 1, age 13 years

Robert A. Ellis, in trust — 5, ages 4 to 50 years

G.J. Felps — 2, ages 10 and 17 years

Laura Felps — 2, ages 12 and 14 years

Rebecca Stanton — 1, age 49 years

Sallie Stanton — 2, ages 8 and 27 years

Julia Stanton — 2, ages 15 and 18 years

William C. Ellis — 13, ages 4 to 38 years

J.N. Amason — 2, ages 10 and 70 years

James B. Peacock — 4, ages 1 to 18 years

Sarah Peacock — 8, ages 1 month to 60 years

Jonathan Applewhite — 5, ages 4 to 80 years

Orpa Applewhite — 2, ages 10 and 18 years

Celia Applewhite — 1, age 20 years

W.H. [William H.] Applewhite — 2, ages 8 and 38 years

J.H. [James H.] Armstrong — 10, ages 6 to 55 years

Augustin Farmer, in trust — 2, ages 45 and 70 years

Rufus Edmundson — 35, ages 1 to 38 years

Warren Woodard — 21, ages 1 to 53 years

Washington Barnes — 5, ages 12 to 50 years

Winifred Bass — 2, ages 7 to 22 years

Jacob Barnes, in trust — 7, ages 2 to 45 years

Eliza Bass — 5, ages 8 months to 60 years

Joseph Peacock — 4, ages 10 to 44 years

Sarah Peacock — 8, ages 1 month to 60 years

Mahaly Barnes — 13, ages 4 months to 52 years

Macon Moye — 21, ages 2 months to 80 years

C.C. [Calvin C.] Peacock — 13, ages 4 to 25 years

John Wilkinson — 3, ages 20 to 55 years

John Hardy — 1, age 12 years

R.W. [Dr. Robert W.] King — 7, ages 2 to 35 years

E.G. [Edwin G.] Whitley — 28, ages 2 months to 67 years

Penelope Anderson — 4, ages 4 to 40 years

  • Olive, Larrow, Rose, Ellen, Evaline, Rody, Lucy the child of Olive, Jack, Ben, Judy, and Anaky

Edwin Barnes — 48, ages 3 months to 50 years

Edwin Barnes, in trust — 15, ages 1 month to 35 years

  • Dinah, Mason, Dick, Jane, Caroline, Handy, Grace, Pearce, Beck, Peg, Delpha, Turner, Lucy, Ginny, and Hester

William Barnes — 79, ages 1 month to 60 years

William Barnes, in trust — 26, ages 2 to 56 years

Simon Dildy’s crime and punishment.

I first posted about the murder of grocer and barkeep Charles Gay by Simon Dildy here. Recently, I discovered more newspaper articles about the crime and its aftermath.

Charles Gay and his wife Emma operated a “stand” near the corner of present-day East Nash and Pender Streets. Simon Dildy was Gay’s brother-in-law, but it’s not clear if he was Emma Gay’s brother or the husband of an unidentified sister of Gay. Dildy worked in Gay’s store.

Wilmington Journal, 14 March 1874.

Franklin Courier, 20 March 1874.

Dildy was convicted of murder in Wilson Superior Court and sentenced to death. His attorney appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court on procedural grounds.

Wilmington Morning Star, 26 September 1874.

Goldsboro Messenger, 28 September 1874.

The North Carolina Supreme Court granted Dildy a new trial, citing error in the trial judge’s rulings on the admissibility of certain evidence.

Goldsboro Messenger, 22 March 1875.

The file in State v. Dildy, 72 N.C. 325 (1875) is found at http://www.familysearch.org. It is a trove of detail about Reconstruction-era Wilson.

The grand jury pool included five black men — Amos Bynum, Orren Batts, Calvin Barnes, Howell Darden, and Hilliard Ellis — and Darden and Ellis were on the panel that indicted Dildy. Dildy was represented at trial by Hugh F. Murray and Harry G. Conner, and Ned Barnes and Green Lassiter sat on the jury that convicted him.

Aaron Skinner‘s testimony was included in the record forwarded to the Supreme Court. Skinner appears in the 1870 census of Wilson, Wilson County, as a 37 year-old carpenter. (By 1880, he had moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, but was in Virginia by the late 1880s.)

On direct examination, Skinner said he was at Charles Gay’s shop the night of the homicide between midnight and 2:00 A.M. with Spellman Moore, Gay, Simon Dildy, and another man. Skinner left to go to Moore’s house about forty yards away, but turned back when he heard arguing. Gay said, “If anybody treats me as you have done, I will take up a stick and beat them down or whip them or kill them.” Skinner then saw Gay walking toward his own house, and Dildy walking in the opposite direction toward Anthony Gay‘s house. Skinner then went to Moore’s house. About ten minutes later, Dildy came to Moore’s house and called Skinner to come out. Dildy was holding a double-barreled shotgun he had gotten from Anthony Gay. Skinner said, “What are you going to do with that?” Dildy responded, “Shoot Charles Gay.” Skinner and Dildy walked toward Gay’s house, and Skinner said, “You ain’t going to do it.” Dildy responded, “I’ll be dog-goned if I ain’t going to do it if he troubles me.” Skinner said, “Stop. I won’t go with you any further if you carry that gun for if Charles sees you with it, he’ll blame me as much as you.”Skinner told Skinner that it Skinner wouldn’t speak to Gay, and and his wife could have Skinner’s house for the night. Dildy agreed and asked Skinner to go to Gay and ask Dildy’s wife to come out. Skinner’s wife came out for four to five minutes. Gay said, “Dog gone it. They may come in. I ain’t going to trouble them.” Dildy’s wife went back to the house, and Gay came out: “Simon! Simon! Is that you? Come here!” Skinner barely had time to turn around before the gun blasted. Skinner ran to Gay, who was leaning against the fence, and they both fell onto a woodpile. Skinner carried Gay into the house, where he died within a few hours. Only about ten minutes elapsed between him leaving Gay’s shop and Gay being shot.

On cross-examination, Skinner asserted that when he first arrived at the shop, Gay was behind the counter “threatening and quarreling about shop affairs.” Dildy was standing outside the bar or counter, saying nothing. Skinner offered to let Dildy and his wife stay at his house because earlier — at about 8 or 9 o’clock — he had heard Gay say, “This here fellow Simon has been wasting my things, and I’m going to get him out of here or kill him out.” Dildy had been clerking for Gay, and Dildy and his wife had lived in the Gays’ house. Skinner noticed buckshot in a fence post that had come from the direction of Anthony Gay’s house. The woodpile was comprised of a billet of oak sticks and pine logs too large to be used as weapons and was about thirty-five feet from Gay’s front door in a corner of the lot to the left of the gate. Gay had been standing atop it. The front gate was about twenty feet from the front door. Skinner had been standing at the gate. When Skinner saw Gay inside the house, Gay “was as mad as I ever saw him; and I’ve seen him as mad as a man ought ever to be.” Gay was “a large and powerful man and, when provoked, a violent and dangerous one.” Gay weighed about 175 pounds, and Dildy about 140. Gay had no weapons on him except a pistol in his pocket, which was not cocked. When Gay had called out, “Simon! Simon!,” he had spoken in a sharp and angry tone.

Henry Johnston testified that he was one of the party that had gone out to arrest Dildy. They had found him about twelve miles from Wilson. As they approached, they pulled their sidearms, but did not point them at him. They did not tell him why they were there, and he did not appear alarmed. When asked what he was doing, Dildy said, “Just walking about.” One man then said, “What made you kill Charles Gay?” Dildy’s attorney objected, but Dildy was ordered to respond and said, “Is he dead?” Johnston replied, “You ought to know he’s dead when you killed him.” Counsel objected again, asserting that Dildy had been coerced by his captors. The judge again overruled him. According to Johnston, Dildy then confessed to shooting Gay, claiming that he had meant to shoot him in the legs, not kill him. Counsel for the defendant renewed its objection to the admission of Dildy’s confession.

The Supreme Court opened its decision with “We should never ruthlessly invade the sanctuary of the prisoners own breast for evidence to convict him with” and quickly determined that Dildy had confessed involuntarily when cornered and questioned by three armed men. Dildy was granted a new trial.

Dildy’s counsel reached a plea agreement — guilty to manslaughter in exchange for a ten-year sentence.

Wilmington Morning Star, 8 May 1875.

Seven years later, Governor Thomas J. Jarvis pardoned Simon Dildy.

News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), 30 April 1882.

In January 1886, a Raleigh newspaper reported that Dildy had been convicted of affray (public fighting or brawling) there.

Then this:

Richmond Dispatch, 29 January 1887.

This is confusing. Did Dildy literally escape from prison or metaphorically, via pardon? Was the capture for an escape years earlier, or for nearly killing his wife? The News and Observer‘s brief coverage is more straightforward.

News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), 19 January 1887.

I have not been able to find a name for Simon Dildy’s wife or anything further about Dildy.

Lane Street Project: creating the Vick Cemetery Advisory Committee.

A reminder — the City Manager’s recommendations to City Council concerning Vick Cemetery included this paragraph:

Yesterday, the City of Wilson posted a notice advising that City Council’s Nominating Committee will meet Thursday to discuss the organization of the Vick Cemetery Advisory Committee.

Cheers to the City as it continues to act upon its promises. I look forward to learning more about the Committee’s charge and composition.

B.W.A. Historical Black Marker Series: Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church.

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.

TRINITY A.M.E. ZION CHURCH

Second oldest active African Methodist Episcopal Zion church in Wilson. Former sanctuary stood here on land purchased in 1909 from Rev. O.L.W. Smith, former consul to Liberia and A.M.E.Z. presiding elder.

Viola Beamon weighs in on relationships.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 24 September 1927.

——

In the 1920 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: Josh Flemmin, 38; wife Lizzie, 26; children Wade, 10, Clifton, 7, Dydie, 5, and Antabelle, 3; and stepchildren Viola, 10, Susie, 4, and Simm J. Beaman, 2.

In the 1930 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: Josh Flemming, 47; wife Lizzie, 37; and children Viola, 19, Clifton, 17, Dida, 15, Sudie, 14, Archie B., 13, Esie, 12, Josh Jr., 9, Lizzie, 7, Mary, 5, Douglas, 2, and Gernas, 7 months.

On 16 November 1935, Hubert McPhail, 27, of Wilson County, son of Andrew and Mary McPhail, married Viola Beaman, 25, of Wilson County, daughter of Willie and Lizzie Beaman, in Nash County, North Carolina.

Viola B. McPhail died 16 June 1948 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 11 June 1910 in Greene County to Willie Beamon and Lizzie Jones; was married to Hubert McPhail; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery [probably Vick Cemetery.]