The Afro-American (Baltimore, Md.), 1 February 1936.
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Robert Huff Johnson married Muriel Jeanette Moore during the brief time her father I. Albert Moore was pastor at Wilson’s Saint John A.M.E. Zion Church. Johnson’s father, Rev. Robert J. Johnson eventually was appointed rector at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Wilson. The marriage imploded in less than a year.
Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 2 December 1939.
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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 704 Viola Street, laborer Saul Kittrell, 41; wife Lettie, 35; and children Rebecca, 16, Saul, 15, Bernice, 10, Lillie, 8, Margaret, 7, Charles, 2, and William, 1.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 804 East Vance, painter Saul Kittrell, 52; wife Lettie, 48, practical nurse; and children Bernice, 19, Lilly, 18, Margaret, 17, Charles, 10, and Henry, 9. Sol valued their house at $10,000.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 804 East Vance, building painter Solomon Kittrell, 65; wife Lettie, 63; children Berenice, 32, a tobacco factory hanger, and Charles, 22, assistant county agent’s office; and lodgers Charles Beatty, 40, a blacksmith in a repair shop, and his wife Emma, 28, who reported living in Clinton, North Carolina, in 1935.
In 1940, Charles Elva Kittrell registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 12 March 1918 in Wilson; lived at 804 East Vance Street; his contact was mother Lettie Kittrell; and he worked for the National Youth Administration.
Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 27 May 1933.
Rev. C.H. Richmond led Calvary Presbyterian only a few years.
From A.A. Morisey’s “Carolina Chronicles” column, Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 25 November 1939.
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The eighth in a series — Pennsylvania death certificates for Wilson County natives:
In the 1870 census of Upper Conetoe township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: Salomon Merritt, 18, farm laborer.
In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County, N.C.: laborer Solomon Merritt, 24; wife Amanda, 23; and Robert, 1.
In the 1900 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: at 1326 Wood Street, hostler Solomon Merritt, 39; wife Amanda, 40; and sons Robert, 20, and Kinney, 16, all born in North Carolina.
1918 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, city directory.
In the 1920 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: at 951 Jessup Street, Amanda Merritt, 57, keeper of lodging house; nephew Earl J. Lane, 18, railroad station elevator operator; niece Nanie Kearney, 18, servant; boarder Lloyd J. Ross, 8; and lodgers Clifford Holtz, 26, lathe machinist at steel works; and Anner Butler, 22, restaurant cook.
Solomon Merritt died 10 April 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Per his death certificate, he was 61 years old; was born in North Carolina; was married to Amanda Merritt; and worked as a driver.
In the 1930 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: at 112 North 59th Street, widow Amanda Merritt, 65; granddaughter Dorthy Maller, 17; Clarence Miller, 23, grandson-in-law; granddaughter Reba Merritt, 12; great-grandson Clarence Miller, Jr.,
In the 1940 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: widow Lulu Langford, 49; granddaughter Lulu Rucker, 16; and lodger Emanda Merritt, 83.
Amanda Merritt died 29 January 1942 in Philadelphia. Per her death certificate, she was born 1 May 1860 in Wilson to Clarssie Taylor; was a widow; and lived at 1604 Seybert Street.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Stephens Smith, 40; wife Hattie, 31; and children Essie, 13, Bertie, 7, Mary, 2, and Marvin, 4 months.
In the 1930 census of Enfield township, Halifax County, N.C.: Stephen Smith, 60; wife Hattie, 38; and children Mary L., 12, Marvin, 10, Annie B., 8, Hattie B., 5, and Dorsey L. Smith, 5 months.
Hattie Smith died 24 May 1937 in Philadelphia. Per her death certificate, she was 52 years old; was born in Wilson, N.C., to William Porter and Louisa Barnes; was married; lived at 611 North 36th Street; and was a housewife. S.B. Smith was informant. [In fact, per census records, Hattie Smith was born in Georgia.]
In the 1870 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Hilliard Ellis, 43; wife Feribee, 40; and children Caroline, 16, William, 14, George, 11, Emily, 9, Hilliard, 6, Mary H., 4, and Warren, 8 months.
On 8 April 1880, Joshua Bunn, 21, married Emma Hill, 19, in Wilson County.
In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Joshua Bunn, 40; wife Emma, 37; daughter Hattie T., 22; son-in-law James Thorpe, 22; lodgers Bettie Lucas, 21, and Calonia Lane, 19; adopted daughter Nora Bunn, 8.
In the 1930 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: at 1819 Van Pelt Street, owned and valued at $1800, Emma Bunn, 65; daughter Hattie Stevens, 46; son-in-law Samuel, 46, laborer for City of Philadelphia; grandchildren Walter, 12, and Joseph Stevens, 6; and several roomers.
In the 1910 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: at 1735 Woodstock Street, Henry Parker, 37; wife Charity, 34; and children Leon, 12, and Theodosia, 9; four lodgers; and boarder Samuel Parker, 27. All the Parkers were born in North Carolina.
Theodosia Parker died 31 March 1918 in Philadelphia. Per her death certificate, she was 17 years old; was born in Wilson, N.C., to Henderson Parker and Charity Hunter; lived at 1911 Montgomery Avenue; was a school girl; and was buried in Elm City, N.C.
In the 1920 census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: at 922 South 17th Street, widow Martha Roundtree, 42, restaurant cook, and daughter Etta Logan, 22.
Etta E. Logan died 17 August 1920 in Philadelphia. Per her death certificate, she was born in 1895 in Wilson, N.C., to Windsor [no surname listed] and Martha Daniel; lived to 922 South 17th Street; and was married. Joseph L. Logan was informant.
Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 23 August 1930.
The various African-American social clubs of the early 1900s deserve of a post of their own, and it’s coming soon. Meanwhile, we meet the Ever Ready Club, which gave a “social” at the Whitley on a Friday night in August 1930.
Where was Green Wreath/Green Reef Park?
The “local graduate nurses club” was probably the Mary Mahoney Nurses Club. Its officers were Ada D. Artis (Mrs. C.E. Artis), Charlotte M. Faison, and Henrietta Colvert. Picnic guests were Sarah E. Hines, Elba Vick Valle (Mrs. Carlos C. Valle) and her daughter Mabel Valle, Catherine Clark, Lelia Washington, and Willie L. Hargrove.
Hartford Bess, though unable to complete his studies at Fisk, went on to make an enduring musical mark in Wilson.
New Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 13 August 1938.
In 1938, Darden High School added two new faculty members, an optional twelfth grade, and an extra month to the school year.
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Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 21 August 1937.
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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 507 Mercer, Edd Ingram, 38; wife Mary, 33; and children Louise, 4, Rosa Bell, 7, James, 2, and Thelma, 5 months.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 210 East Hines, Ely Carroll, 28; wife Rosa B., 18; Ed. Ingram, 45; wife Mary, 40; and children Louise, 14, James E., 9, Thelma, 8, and Robert L., 7.
On 24 July 1937, Raymond Tillery, 24, of Wilson, applied for a license to marry Louise Ingram, 22, of Wilson.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1109 Washington, Raymond Tillery, 27, water at Carolina General Hospital; wife Louise, 24, cook; and children Edna R., 2.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 909 Mercer, John Tillery, 51; wife Conielia, 45; and children Jessie, 20, Ashley L., 18, Raymond, 16, Adelia, 14, Johny L., 11, Elnora, 7, and Clyde, 5.
.On 24 July 1937, Raymond Tillery, 24, of Wilson, applied for a license to marry Louise Ingram, 22, of Wilson.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1109 Washington, Raymond Tillery, 27, water at Carolina General Hospital; wife Louise, 24, cook; and children Edna R., 2.
In 1940, Raymond Ben Tillery registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 18 March 1913 in Wilson; lived at 1009 East Washington Street; his contact was Mrs. Raymond Ben Tillman; and he worked at Carolina General Hospital.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 405 East Walnut, John Parks, 49, laborer in tobacco redrying plant; children Beatrice, 27; John Henry, 26, laborer in tobacco redrying plant, Ida Doretha, 22, Mark Alexander, 21, odd jobs laborer, Helen Gray, 17, and Douglas Wright Parks, 15; Fred Jr., 9, Vivian Lavorne, 8, and George Randolph Woods, 4; and father-in-law Alexander Warren, 63, laborer in tobacco redrying plant.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Cora Beckworth, 42; daughter Dezelle Whitick, 28; son-in-law Walter Whitick, 32; and grandchildren Cora, 3, and Walter Jr., 4.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on South Lodge Street, house carpenter Walter Whitted, 38, wife Delzle H., 35, a public school teacher, and children Walter H., 14, and Cora J. Whitted, 13.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: W.C. Whitted, 47; wife Helen Delzell, 49; son Walter H., 24, and daughters Cora, 23, and Louise, 13.
In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 516 Lodge, letter carrier Milton Fitch, 30; wife Cora, 31; children Jerome, 7, Milton, 3, Patricia, 2, and Ernestine and Christine, born the previous December; father-in-law Walter Whitted, 58; and mother-in-law Helen Whitted, 56, 6th grade school teacher.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Black Creek Road, farmer Jake Crutchfield, 40; wife Maggie, 35; and children Willie, 18, Julia Ann, 17, Gaston, 12, Winston, 9, George, 6, Maggie J., 4, and Ellen, 3.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 202 East Hines, farmer Jake Crutchfield, 50; wife Mag, 44; and children Gaston, 20, Winston, 18, storage house helper, Georgie, 16, guano factory helper, Mary J., 14, Ellen J., 11, and Leana, 8.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 202 East Hines, Mag Crutchfield, 56, hangs tobacco in redrying plant, and children Gaston, 32, horse racing attendant, Maggie Jane, 24, Ellen, 20, sweeper in redrying plant, and Lena, 18, sweeper in redrying plant.
In the 1940 census of Brooklyn, Kings County, New York: Primrose Carter, 25, hotel handyman, boarder. Carter reported that he had been living in Wilson, N.C., in 1935.
In 1940, Primrose Carter registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 30 September 1914 in Morehead City, N.C.; lived at 607 Banks Street, Wilson; his contact was sister Dolly Armstrong, 607 Banks; and he worked for Export Tobacco Company.
Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 10 October 1931.
As we know, Black Wilsonians did not play about their children’s educations.
The Pittsburgh Courier article we saw earlier did not name the “prominent citizens” who had called for William H.A. Howard‘s removal, but the Journal and Guide laid out the nearly 70 of them in three paragraphs. (Rife with misspellings.) All the big dogs. Howard survived the coup, but died the following year.
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The signatories: James T. Teachey, Lee Simms, Jack Rountree, Alfred Robinson, Samuel H. Vick, John M. Barnes, Walter S. Hines, William Hines, Benjamin F. Jordan, John P. Battle, Linwood Barefoot, G.F. Faison, J.P. Roundtree, Nannie Best, Darcey C. Yancey, Henry Lucas, Ada Winstead, George W. Barnes, William H. Mitchell, Albert Gay, Columbia E. Artis, Charles B. Gay, Elijah L. Reid, Samuel Barnes, John Cherry, Jarrett J. Langley, George Farmer, Jasper Reid, George W. Ragin, Nazareth A. Pierce, Oliver N. Freeman, Wiley Rountree Jr., George W. Coppedge, G.C. Black, Jarrett Z. Staton, George K. Butterfield, William A. Mitchner, Joseph H. Knight, R.J. McPhail, Charles Thomas, J.W. McCowan, William H. Phillips, W.M. Edwards, William Dixon, G.H. Hatcher, John T. Coates, Thomas Batts, John Teachey, J.F. Barnes, Clarence B. Best, S.L. Barnes, Ross McCollum, Wilson Best, Neverson Green, James Whitfield, Andrew J. Townsend, E.D. Holden, James Thomas, John Parks, J.A. Tucker, Edward Hinnant, Thomas Cook, Mack D. Cannon, Barney Reid, Robert H. Sheridan, C.S. Edwards, and Henry S. Reid.
