1910s

The last will and testament of Sidney Earp (1910).

Sidney Earp dictated his last will and testament on March 1910. The will entered probate 24 July 1914.

After providing for payment of his funeral expenses and debts, Earp directed:

  • to his wife Nancy, the 170-acre tract on which he resided for her lifetime or widowhood, and then a life interest in that property to daughter Mercilla
  • to son Joe and his heirs, a 60-acre tract on Turkey Creek
  • to son Johnnie, the balance of his land
  • also to Johnnie, his personal property after his and wife’s deaths, except Mercilla was to receive a “good bed and necessary cover”
  • in so many words, Joe and Johnnie to act as co-executors

——

On 25 August 1866, Sidney Earp and Nancy Richardson registered their cohabitation with a Nash County justice of the peace, legalizing a marriage made during the period of slavery.

In the 1870 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer Sidney Earp, 30; wife Nancy, 24; children Mercilla, 4, Loverton, 8, and Chestina, 2; and Edmond White, 60.

In the 1880 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer Sidney Earp, 39; wife Nancy, 35; and children Marzilla, 14, Chistiny, 11, Cissy, 7, Tysaney N., 6, Octavia, 4, and Joe Sidney, 2.

On 16 December 1891, William R. Robinson, 20, of Old Fields, son of Katie Freeman, married Sallie W. Earp, 19, of Old Fields, daughter of Sidney and Nancy Earp at Sidney Earp’s residence.

On 1 January 1894, Josiah Wilder, 27, son of Ishmael and Sarah Wilder, married Chestina M. Earp, 25, daughter of Sidney and Nancy Earp, at Sidney Earp’s residence in Oldfields, Wilson County.

On 8 October 1899, Joe Briant Holder, 25, of Johnston County, N.C., married Octavia Earp, 23, at Sidney Earp’s residence in Oldfields, Wilson County.

In the 1900 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer Sidney Earp, 60; wife Nancy, 57; children Siller, 34, Joseph S., 22, Aldora, 18, John, 17, and Tisana, 26; and grandchildren Omus, 5, Jasper, 2, and Ida, 1.

In the 1910 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer Sidney Earp, 70; wife Nancy, 68; and Mersilla, 44.

Octavia Holder died 2 May 1915 in Oneal township, Johnston County. Per her death certificate, she was about 35 years old; was born in Wilson County to Sid Earp; and was married.

Nancy Earp died 30 December 1929 in Oldfields township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born in 1858 in Wilson County to Ben Williams and Diana Pridgeon; was the widow of Sidney Earp; and was buried in the family cemetery.

Sissie Robinson died 26 October 1941 near Bailey, Nash County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was 69 years old; was born in Wilson County to Sidney Earpe and Mary Nancy [no maiden name]; was the widow of William Robinson; worked as a farmer; and was buried in New Vester Cemetery. Mary Nancy Reid was informant.

Mercilla Earp died 6 May 1953 in Oldfields township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 8 October 1864 in Wilson County to Sidney Earp and Nancy Richardson; was single; and worked in farming. Joseph Sidney Earp was informant.

Eldora Barnes died 30 April 1957 in Rocky Mount, Nash County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was born 17 September 1881 to Sidney Earp and Nancy Todd and was married to James Henry Barnes.

Joe Sidney Earp died 6 May 1959 in Oldfields township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 28 January 1892 [actually, more like 1878] in Wilson County to Sidney Earp and Nancy Richardson; was married to Lucy Earp; was a farmer; and was buried in the family cemetery.

John Earp died 28 July 1962 in Durham, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was born 24 December 1882 in Wilson to Sidney and Nancy Earp; was a widower; and was married to Mamie Earp.

 

Where we worked: Wilson Marble & Granite Company.

Freddie Sauls‘ death certificate reveals that he, like Clarence B. Best, worked for a marble company in Wilson.

City directories show that Sauls and Turner Mitchell were employed as stone polishers as early as 1912. They likely worked for E.L. Cobb’s Wilson Marble and Granite Company (also known circa 1920 as Wilson Marble, Mantle & Tile), which was established in 1908 and succeeded J.C. Lanier’s Wilson Marble Company, which was active as early as 1891. Cobb’s business operated at 108 West Nash Street, then 106 North Railroad.

Wilson Mirror, 23 December 1891.

When Clarence Best registered for the World War I draft, he described himself as a stone rubber at Wilson Marble Mantle & Tile Company and, by 1920, as a marble cutter. Within a few years, Best was designing and cutting headstones for African-American clients as a side gig. In 1946, after 32 years with E.L. Cobb, Best opened his own monument business.

Though not a stone cutter, William J. Brake also worked for Wilson Marble, listing his occupation as driver in the 1928 Wilson city directory.

Wilson Times, 21 October 1921.

An inquiry into the death of Will Brown.

We read of the murder of Will Brown here. Below, the conclusion and transcripts of the coroner’s inquest. 

Frank Tart shot Brown near the railroad near Stantonsburg. Witnesses to the crime included five black and three white men. Two years earlier, Otto King, who was found to be an accessory after the fact to Brown’s killing, and his brother Lum King had been involved in a non-fatal shooting that also involved gambling, and Otto King himself was murdered in 1924.

Bob Hall, being duly sworn says I was up the RR on Saturday afternoon near sunset. While up the road I saw Will Brown, Frank Tart, Otto King, Will Edwards, Josh Fleming, gambling playing skin. I saw standing around the gambling crowd. Columbus King & Hagans. I staid there not over 15 minutes. Will Edwards owed me $2.00 and I went for that. As soon as I could get it, I left. While I was there, Will Brown seem to be winning the money. I saw Frank Tart change his pistol from his hip pocket and put it into his side pants pocket. Did not hear pistol shot as I had left before the shooting occurred. /s/ Bob Hall

Peter Ward, being sworn says that Frank Tart and Otto King came to my house Saturday night about 8 o’clock. Staid there until about 9:30 and on leaving told me told me that they were going to Gray Tart. Otto King come to Stantonsburg with me said that he wanted to see Josh Fleming. That Josh had his pistol. I come to Stantonsburg, and Otto come with me. I do not know that he got out of the buggy. [Illegible] Lum told me that Frank Tart shot a man. I told him [illegible] Lum that Frank Tart was at my house. Peter (X) Ward

Josh Fleming, being sworn says that “at or about the time of the killing I was about 150 years from the scene of the homicide at the time. I heard the pistol shot. I saw Columbus King and Otto King come running from the direction of the place of the homicide and from the direction I heard the pistol shot. I asked Otto King who it was shot and Otto King said that Frank Tart had shot a fellow Will, but did not know what Will. Columbus King and Otto King both come to the stable where Frank Tart’s horse was, got the horse and buggy and drove off. I came back to Stantonsburg after the policeman Mr. Stancill. I went back with the crowd to the scene of the homicide. I saw a man shot by the name of Will Brown. /s/ Josh (X) Fleming

Josh Fleming, called to the stand later, says that previous to the shooting was in the woods with Frank Tart, Will Edwards, Otto King, Will Brown gambling. Louis Hagans, Columbus King was there but did not see them gamble. Will Brown was principal winner. I saw Will Brown have as much as twenty-two dollars. Josh (X) Fleming

Richard Stancil, being duly sworn says that Josh Fleming came for me and said that Frank Tart had shot a man down the Rail Road and I hurried as quickly as I could and when I got to the place where the shooting occurred I found no one there but the shot man Will Brown. He was lying near the Rail Road track. He was not dead at the time and I had him carried to the doctors office. /s/ Richard Stancil

Will Edwards being duly sworn says he was with Josh Fleming, Frank Tart, Otto King and William Brown gambling playing skin. Will Brown beat the boys out of the money and he got up and started towards the R.R. He had I know twenty dollars when Brown left the game busted. Mr. Ernest Hartley (white), Bob Hall, Louis Hagans, and Columbus King were on the grounds while the gambling was going on but did not gamble any. I was about 100 yards from the scene of the shooting. Heard the shot. Did not see any pistols. Do not know who shot Will Brown. When I heard the shot I was on R.R. in the woods going  towards home when the shot was fired, but left immediately for home. Will (X) Edwards

Ernest Hartley, being duly sworn says at the time of the shooting I was in the E Road about 30 years from the scene of the shooting. Did not know any one there except Will Brown the shot man. I was out hunting and come up to a crowd. They moved towards the R.R. and stopped and seemed to talking together. I saw one low chunky dark man take hold of Will Brown. About that time heard pistol shot. The pistol was in the hands of a tall yellow negro. Immediately after the pistol fired, saw the black negro bending over Will Brown as if her was searching Will Brown pockets. The crowd dispersed and I left for home. I was near Sunset when it occurred as well as I remember. I work with Mr. Ben Paschall at saw mill so did Will Brown. I think Brown was paid off Saturday afternoon. He had I think $7.00 or $8.00. I think he had some money on his person before being paid off.  /s/ Ernest Hartley

Columbus King, being duly sworn says I was down the Rail Road about 20 yards from the scene of the homicide. Heard the pistol shot. My brother Otto King came running towards me and said, “Let’s us go, Frank Tart has shot a man.” I asked my brother where Frank was — and my brother Otto say, “come on, I know where he is.” Me and my brother got Frank Tart’s horse and buggy and drove off towards Saratoga but when we got as far as Toisnot Swamp, Frank Tart came out of the woods and got on the buggy and put me out. They went on towards home, and I got in with George Edwards and rode home with him. I saw in the crowd when the shooting occurred Josh Fleming, Frank Tart, Otto King. I saw one white man at the scene of the shooting. Think he had on a brown hat.  Columbus (X) King

Dr. H.H. Powell, being duly sworn says that he came in his office about 7:30 Saturday February 14 1914. Found a man who was shot, and the bystanders said his name was Will Brown. He had a bullet wound in forehead. Penetrated the skull from which wound the brain was discharging. He was thus in a dying [illegible.] Died about 8:30. /s/ H.H. Powell

Punctuation added for clarity. Coroner’s Inquest (1914), Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

600 East Green Street, re-re-re-visited.

I’m not still not clear about the first owner of the lot at 600 [originally 601] East Green Street. However, the house mouldering there now is not the original.

Here is that house:

In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory shows:

So we know the Reids owned and built on the lot prior to 1908. The 1913 Sanborn fire insurance map shows this two-story house at 601 East Green:

But here is the house in the 1922 Sanborn fire insurance map. It has two stories, but does not resemble the one above. (However, it does match the house now onsite.)

What happened between 1913 and 1922?

Dock Royall’s honorable discharge.

Dock Royall relocated to Wilson from Sampson County, N.C., after his service in World War I. 

——

On 10 August 1928, Dockery Royall, 28, of Wilson, married Ossie Mae Jenkins, 25, in Wilson. Walter M. Foster applied for the license, and Baptist minister B.F. Jordan performed the ceremony.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 321 Hackney, Doc Royall, 34, body plant laborer, and wife Ossie May, 26, cook.

Dock Royall died 31 March 1938 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 14 September 1898 in Sampson County, N.C., to Samuel and Rachel Royall; was married to Ossie Mae Royall; worked as a mechanic at Hackney Body Company; and was buried in Wilson [probably Vick, but possibly Rest Haven, Cemetery.]

Enlistment (1919), Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh.

Bricks.

A moment to appreciate the bricks cladding Jackson Chapel First Missionary Baptist Church’s handsome Romanesque sanctuary, erected in 1913. By that time, brickmaking in eastern North Carolina had largely transitioned from hand molding to wire-cut extrusion machines that used tight wires to slice clay pushed through a die. This process yielded bricks with a more uniform shape than earlier products, but still with rustic, textured surfaces. Bricks ranging in tone from a bright orangey-red to oxblood were used to construct the storefronts, warehouses, and churches still found in Wilson’s historic districts.

We don’t know who the contractor who built Jackson Chapel was, but it’s reasonable to assume it was one of the many highly skilled black brickmasons in the community, such as John Mack Barnes, who built nearby Saint John A.M.E. Zion. Several of Jackson Chapel’s bricks show penciled calculations that could be graffiti, but are more likely quick calculations scratched out by bricklayers working out course heights, spacing, and material quantities. If so, these figures offer a rare glimpse of the craftsmen behind the work. 

By the way, contrast the smooth, uniformly bland face of the brick used for the church’s 2001 addition. 

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, August 2026.