Wilson Daily Times, 11 March 1950.
——
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 317 North Hackney Street, Annie Sauls, 30, laundress; father Will Odom, 50; and lodger Flora Terry, 30, and her son Rudolph Terry, newborn.
Annie Pearl Williams died 9 March 1950 at her home at 110 Ash Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 December 1910 in Georgia to Will Odom and Martha Bullock; was married; and was a factory worker. Roosevelt Williams was informant.
Wilson Daily Times, 10 March 1949.
——
In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: lumber sawyer Charley Bynum, 41; wife Julia Ann, 43; and children Calvin, 21, Mary Jane, 18, Ameta, 16, Annie, 13, John C., 9, and Abraham, 1.
On 3 February 1904, Calvin Morgan, 23, of Wilson, married Almeter Bynum, 20, of Wilson, daughter of Charles Bynum, at Charles Bynum’s in Wilson. John Reid applied for the license, and Missionary Baptist minister Fred M. Davis performed the ceremony in the presence of Peter Bynum, John Bynum, and F.B. Barnes.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Calvin Morgan, 39, tobacco factory worker; wife Alameda, 30; and children Willie, 15, butcher shop delivery boy, Calvin, 8, Surenda, 11, and Mayanna, 1.
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Morgan Calvin (c; Almeda) lab h 102 Ashe
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 600 Stantonsburg Street, rented for $12/month, Calvin Morgan, 52, laborer at Colored High School; wife Almeta, 40; sons Willie, 23, tobacco factory laborer, Surrender, 21, radio company laborer, and Calvin Jr., 17, bellboy at Cherry hotel; Almeta Hannah Jr., 16; son Fred D. Morgan, 14; daughters Mary A., 9, Sarah J., 8, Rubie, 7, and Ninie L., 3; and son Lindberg, 2; daughter-in-law Eloise Morgan, 18; and son-in-law Lemore Hannah, 22, fertilizer factory laborer.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Calvin Morgan, 65; wife Almeta, 58; Calvin Jr., 28, tobacco factory laborer, Almeta, 26, housekeeper, Fred, 24, Baptist preacher, Mary, 20, tobacco factory laborer, Sarah, 19, tobacco factory laborer, Ruby, 18, housekeeper, Lindberg, 11, and Minie, 12.
In 1940, Calvin Morgan registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his draft registration card, he was born 25 January 1909 in Wilson; lived at 600 Stantonsburg Street, Wilson; his contact was Almeta Bynum Morgan; and he worked for Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Company, Wilson.
Almeter Morgan died 6 March 1949 at her home at 317 Stantonsburg Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 September 1893 in Wilson County to Charlie Bynum and Julia Davis; was widowed; and worked as a laborer. She was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Mary J. Lassiter was informant.
Wilson Daily Times, 7 March 1950.
——
In the 1880 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: laborer Blunt J. Bess, 32; Sarah, 23; children William L., 9, Nellie J., 6, Joseph H., 4, and Ivory, 8 months; and sister-in-law Annie Barnes, 11.
In the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Blount Best, 53; wife Sarah, 44; children Joe H., 24, John I., 20, Minnie, 18, Blount, 16, Iola, 14, Annie, 13, Mariah, 10, Ella, 8, Albert, 4, Sack, 3, Joshua, 1, and Leslie, newborn; and servant Mariah Bynum, 32.
On 17 May 1906, Joe Henry Best, 30, of Wilson, son of Blount and Sarah Best, married Minnie Moore, 18, of Edgecombe, daughter of Sam and Caroline Moore, at Cromwell Bullock’s house in Edgecombe County, North Carolina.
In the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: on Plank Road, Joe H. Best, 35, farmer; wife Minnie, 20; daughter Nellie, 2; and boarders Lula Roundtree, 17, and Bettie Moore, 7.
In 1918, Joseph Henry Best registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 11 September 1875; lived at Route 1, Walstonburg, Wilson County; farmed for J.T. Williams; and his nearest relative was Minnie Best.
In the 1920 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: on Plank Road, farmer J.H. Best, 45; wife Minnie, 33; children Nellie, 12, and Norman, 6; and cousin Gray Bynum, 17.
In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: on North Carolina State Highway 91, farmer J.H. Best, 55; wife Minnie, 40; children Nellie, 19, Norman, 17, and Sylvester, 15.
In the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Joe Henry Best, 65; wife Minnie, 50; son Norman, 26; daughter Lucille, 22; grandson Joe Lee, 5; granddaughter Vernice, 10 months; and brother Albert Best, 43.
In 1940, Norman Best registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his draft card, he was born 14 April 1911 in Wilson County; lived at Route 4, Wilson; his contact was father Joe Henry Best; and he worked for Lina Webb.
In 1942, Romon Manning registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his draft card, he was born 1 July 1922 in Nash County; lived at Route 4, Wilson; his contact was Joe Henry Best; and he worked for U.H. Mozart.
Joe Henry Best died 5 March 1950 in Saratoga township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 11 September 1976 in Wilson County to Blunt Best and Sarah Applewhite; was a farmer; and was buried in Bullock Cemetery near Fountain, N.C. Albert Best was informant.
Wilson Daily Times, 14 March 1949.
——
Sam Barnes died 12 March 1949 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 18 December 1918 in Wilson County to Jimmie and Mary J. Barnes; was married to Carrie L. Barnes; lived at Route 3, Wilson; worked in farming; and was buried in Reese Cemetery, Wilson County.
Wilson Daily Times, 7 March 1950.
Wilson Daily Times, 9 March 1950.
——
In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: street laborer George Bryant, 42; wife Jane, 32; and children George, 14, Walter, 11, Floyd, 7, Luther, 4, Rosa Vell, 2, and Nathaniel, 3 months.
In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer George Briant, 52; wife Jane, 42; and children Floyd, 17, Luther, 15, Sister, 11, Nathaniel, 9, and Willie, 6.
In the 1930 census of Jackson township, Nash County, N.C.: farmer George Bryant, 61; wife Jane, 51; and children Luther, 24, Nathaniel, 18, and Eugene, 8.
In the 1940 census of Glisson township, Duplin County, N.C.: farm laborer Nathan Bryant, 30, and wife Eula Mae, 25.
Nathaniel Bryant registered for the World War II draft in Duplin County, N.C., in 1940. Per his registration card, he was born 4 February 1910 in Wilson County; his contact was wife Eula Mae Bryant, Mount Olive, Duplin County, N.C.; and he worked for farmer Lizzie Herring.
Eula Mae Bryant died 3 March 1950 at her home at 1002 Wainwright Avenue, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 3 December 1913 in Duplin County, N.C., to Rose(?) Everett and Virginia Branch; was married; and worked in farming. The cause of her death: “hemorrhage (massive) due to 5 1/2 inch knife wound to lower left abdomen.”
Nathaniel Bryant died 7 March 1950 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 7 February 1910 in Wilson to George Bryant and Janie Lucas; was a widower; lived at 1002 Wainwright Avenue; worked as a laborer for the City of Wilson; and was buried in Granite Point Cemetery.
Wilson Daily Times, 23 April 1935.
——
Wilson Mirror, 11 April 1894.
——
In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Sydnor Campbell, 48; wife America, 40; and children York, 16, Thomas, 12, Pennina, 7, Rueben, 5, Nelly, 3, Lawrence, Â 2, and Nancy, 1.
In the 1880 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Peter Barnes, 34; wife Emly, 30; and children Mathew, 13, Bolden, 11, John, 6, Mary E., 5, Cofield, 2, and Emly, 1 month.
On 7 April 1894, John T. Barnes, 20, of Wilson County, son of Peter and Emma Barnes, married Nellie Campbell, 19, daughter of Sidney and America Campbell, at the register’s office in Wilson, North Carolina.
On 13 December 1928, William Ellis, 70, of Wilson, son of Bob Ellis and Caroline [maiden name not listed], married Nellie Baker, 65, of Wilson, daughter of Sidney and Emmaline Campbell, at the bride’s residence in Wilson.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 201 West Walnut, Nellie Ellis, 66, stemming machine worker at redrying plant; husband William Ellis, 71; roomer Julia Powell, 82, widow; nephew’s daughter Lizzie Sharpe, 35.
Nellie Baker Ellis died 12 October 1960 at her home at 201 West Walnut Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 18 April 1883 in Wilson County to Sidney Campbell and Mikie Farmer; was widowed; and was retired.
Atlas Obscura recently posted an article about restoration efforts at a “long-lost” African-American cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The story is numbingly familiar, of course, though each of these cemeteries followed a unique path from prime to nadir to rediscovery. Toward the end of the piece, in which we learn that historians at Middle Tennessee State University are spearheading the effort to reclaim Pleasant Garden — there’s this refreshing bit:
The city is interested in restoring it, too. As we have seen in Statesville, North Carolina, there’s nothing that inherently prevents a city from investing in the reclamation of privately owned (or abandoned) cemeteries. The City of Wilson’s representatives have held up their hands against involvement with Odd Fellows Cemetery, citing a “slippery slope” argument. In other words, if they do for Odd Fellows, they’ll have to do for all old private cemeteries in the city whose owners are absent or unknown. Wilson has made a choice.
Actually, there are only a handful of private cemeteries within Wilson’s city limits. The two most prominent, other than the LSP graveyards, are the Winstead family cemetery surrounded by the parking lot of the old Parkwood Mall and the tiny cemetery at Pine and Kenan Streets that the City paid good money to have surveyed via ground-penetrating radar back in 2019. (I blogged about the latter, but apparently accidentally deleted the post a couple of months ago.) However, none of the others holds the historical significance of Odd Fellows. Founded by Samuel H. Vick, Wilson’s most prominent 19th/early 20th century African-American for accomplished African-American men and women locked out of burial in bucolic, segregated Maplewood, Odd Fellows deserves the recognition and sustained care that only the City can provide.
Thank you for sending me this link, Debbie Price Gouldin!
Wilson Daily Times, 13 March 1948.
Delmarie Artis died 10 March 1948 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 July 1931 in Greene County, N.C., to John C. Artis and Arkansas Lane; lived at 310 South East Street; worked as a waitress; and was buried in Rest Haven.
Wilson Daily Times, 13 March 1950.
——
In the 1910 census of Otter Creek township, Edgecombe County: farmer Amos Read, 64; lodger Gray Read, 57, and children Gray, 18, Eligh, 15, Margrett, 13, and John, 13.
On 11 February 1915, Gray Reed Jr., 23, of Gardners township, son of Gray and Lucy Reed, married Mary Hagans, 18, of Gardners township, daughter of James and Hannah Hagans, in Wilson County. Primitive Baptist minister Ruffin Hyman performed the ceremony.
In 1917, Gray Reid registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born July 1891 in Edgecombe County, N.C.; and had an injured leg.
In the 1940 census of Burgaw, Pender County, North Carolina: Gray Reid, 48, formerly of Edgecombe County, N.C., inmate at North Carolina State Prison Camp.
Gray Reid died 11 March 19 1950 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 22 November 1891 in Edgecombe County to Gray Reid and Lucy Joyner; lived at Route 3, Wilson; was a widower; and worked as a laborer. Elijah Reid, 300 South East Street, was informant.