Court Actions

The sale of Arthur, Richmond, Celia and her child Winny, and Lydia.

James W. Bridgers died without a will in the spring of 1850 in what was then Edgecombe County. (He and his family lived near Shallingtons Mill, adjacent to James Barnes, David Shallington, and Eli Robbins.) He left a widow, Millicent Freeman Bridgers, and eight children, adults William F. Bridgers, Reddin Bridgers, Thomas Bridgers, and Mary Ann Bridgers Barnes (wife of James W. Bridgers), and minors John Bridgers, Sally Ann Bridgers, Joseph Bridgers, and Edwin Bridgers.

James Barnes (a “miller”) was appointed administrator of the estate. After settlement of all debts, there remained five enslaved people — Arthur, Richmond, Celia, Lydia, and Winny. William F. Bridgers had paid off the purchase of some of the enslaved people. All the children wished to divide the enslaved people equitably, which was not possible without liquidation by sale, which they petitioned a court to approve.

John G. Williams was appointed commissioner to sell the five on six months’ credit with interest from date of sale. On Christmas Eve day, 1852, Williams opened bidding at the Bridgers’ house. Arthur was “nocked off” to Allen May for $701.15. David Williams bought Rich for $687. James W. Barnes bought Celia and her child Winny for $665, and William Thomas was high bidder for Lydia at $307. Thus, a small community, perhaps of kinspeople, was torn four ways.

 

The apprenticeship of Jennie and Ella Daniel (1883).

On 9 June 1883, a Wilson County Probate Court judge ordered 9 year-old Jennie Daniel and 7 year-old Ella Daniel bound as apprentices to Prince Daniel until they reached 21 years of age. She was to be trained in housekeeping.

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In the 1880 census of Crossroads township, Wilson County: farmer Prince Daniel, 67, and wife Absley, 44. Next door: farm laborer Isaac Daniel, 23 (who was probably Prince and Ansley’s son); his wife Zilla, 24; and their daughters Virginia, 5, Ella Jane, 3, and Mobelia, 3 months.)

United States Indenture and Manumission Records, 1780-1939, database at https://familysearch.org.

The last will and testament of Charity Pope (1858).

William Pope died intestate in about 1857. He lived on the south side of Contentnea Creek, in the Black Creek area, in either Wayne or Wilson County. He left a widow and six children (and grandchildren of a seventh) and a complicated estate. Records indicate that Pope died possessed of ten enslaved people — Isaac, Mary, Nancy, Green, Zilpha, Rachel, Bryant, Patsy, Maria, and Ellis.

On 6 November 1858, William’s widow Charity Pope, who lived in Wilson County, executed a last will and testament that included this provision:

“[T]o my esteemed friend William Thompson one third part of my right and title & interest as one of the distributees of my late husband William Pope in and to Negroes Isaac, Patsy, Zilpha, Mary, Nancy, Green, Rachel, Bryant [and] Ellis ….” The remaining two-thirds interest was to go to her daughters Martha and Elizabeth Pope.

 

In 1 December 1859, well before Charity Pope’s death, all the people WilliamPope had enslaved were sold at court-ordered auction. They went to seven different purchasers, most of whom — Benjamin H. Bardin, Edwin G. Clark, James Newsome, James D. Barnes, and Charity Pope — lived in Wilson County.

Charity Pope purchased Patsy and her children Ellis and Maria, the newborn, for $1205.00. On credit.

In the meantime, in January 1860, estate administrator Simon Hooks paid Charity Pope for “keeping” Patsy for the year 1857. (The other enslaved people were hired out.) Per their agreement, Pope was to receive fifty dollars for her service, plus an additional ten dollars “if the negro woman brought a child during [the] year.” In other words, Pope was to be rewarded if the pregnant Patsy safely delivered (and thereby increased the value of her husband’s estate.)

Estate of William Pope (1856), Will of Charity Pope (1858), North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, http://www.ancestry.com

Parker sentenced for refusing to go to back of the bus.

News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), 7 April 1943.

Raleigh’s major newspaper followed up on the sentence levied on James Parker, who refused to move to the back of a Wilson bus twelve years before Rosa Parks. All things considered, Parker’s punishment was surprisingly light — perhaps, none yet perceived a real threat to the Jim Crow system.

Mitchell vs. Smith and Moore.

In 1911, Annie Mitchell filed suit against Rev. Owen L.W. Smith over a land dispute. In 1907, Mitchell had purchased from Smith a lot in what is now the 500 block of East Nash Street. Per the deed, the lot measured 44 1/4 feet by 210 feet.

Soon, though, Mitchell learned that the lot was only 147 feet deep and that the back 63 feet that she thought she owned in fact was R.J. Taylor’s lot. She sued for the difference in the values of the full lot and the lot she got.

For reasons unstated, the court granted O.L.W. Smith’s motion to add Edward Moore as a party.

On 15 February 1913, Judge B.D. Cline ordered Smith to pay Mitchell $125, plus interest, and Moore to pay Smith $100, plus interest.

Civil Action Papers Concerning Land, Wilson County, N.C., 1908-1916; Wilson County, N.C., Court Records 1904-1916; http://www.familysearch.org.

Simms family sued for nonpayment.

Sometime prior to February 1897, Frank I. Finch contracted with Abbie Simms, Joe Simms, and Lee Simms to make repairs on “a house upon their lot in or near the town of Wilson N.C. adjoining the lands of the colored cemetery lot G.W. Suggs and others ….” Finch claimed he completed the work, but the Simmses refused to pay. Finch placed a lien on the property and filed suit claiming $210 in damages, plus interest.

Finch won, and a judge entered a judgment against the Simmses. The county sheriff auctioned off the property on 7 January 1898; Sidney A. Woodard, who had represented the Simmses in the matter, had the winning bid.

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  • Abbie Simms

On 24 April 1894, Abbie McMannon conveyed to Lee Simms and his heirs “one lot or parcel near the Town of Wilson, Wilson County and State of North Carolina, adjoining the lands of Geo. Washington Suggs, Abbie McMannon, and others and bounded as follows: Beginning at a ditch near the Colored Cemetery on the old Barefoot road and … containing 1/5 of an acre more or less …” S.A. Smith witnessed McMannon’s execution of the deed. Deed book 36, page 141, Wilson County Register of Deeds, Wilson.

  • Joe Simms

On 25 December 1889, James Caraway, 50, married Rosa Simms, 17, in Wilson township, Wilson County. Minister Crocket Best performed the ceremony in the presence of Henry Peacock, Joe Simms, and Abbie Simms.

  • Lee Simms

On 12 August 1886, Lee Simms, 26, of Wilson County, son of David and Aby Simms, married Mary Harris, 16, of Wilson County, daughter of Sely Harris, in Wilson County.

On 1 June 1894, Lee and Mary Simms mortgaged the property above to secure a $86.32 loan from James W. McCowan. (The money was for materials to build a house on the lot.)

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Wainwright Street, brickmason Lee Simes, 35; wife Marry, 30, washing;  and daughters Bessie, 13, tobacco stemmer, and Maggie, 9.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Saratoga Road, Lee Sims, 44; wife Mary, 40, laundress; and daughter Maggie, 18.

In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Simms Lee (c) bricklyr h 813 E Nash

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 648 Wainwright, brickmason Lee Sims, 56; wife Mary, 47; daughter Maggie Williams, 25, and son-in-law Sam Williams, 26, presser at pressing club.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 410 Hadley, brickmason Lee Sims, 66, bricklayer; wife Mary, 60, laundress; and adopted son Clarence Woodard, 6.

Robert Lee Sims died 10 October 1939 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 9 April 1864 in Wilson, N.C., to David Simms and Abbie Gay; lived at 205 North Vick; was married to Mary Sims; and was buried in Wilson [probably, Vick Cemetery.] Bessie Woodard was informant.

Civil Action Papers, Wilson County, N.C., Court Records 1895-1896, http://www.familysearch.org

The guardianship of the McIver girls.

In November 1908, Wilson County Superior Court named George W. Suggs guardian to sisters Kate, Sarah, Bettie and Ida McIver, the minor children of Amanda McIver. Their father, Rev. Byron D. McIver, was still alive, but had been removed as guardian overseeing the tiny inheritance from their deceased mother. L.A. Moore signed the bond with Suggs.

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In the 1900 census of Hookerton, Greene County, N.C.: clergyman Byron D. McIver, 44; wife Amanda, 29; and daughters Laura, 16, Minnie, 11, Katie, 6, Sarah, 3, and Bettie, 2.

Wilson County, N.C., Guardianship Records 1903-1909, http://www.familysearch.org.

School row continues in Wilson.

I don’t know who the Chicago Defender‘s Wilson correspondent was, but he (or she) filed several vivid reports in the wake of Superintendent Charles L. Coon’s assault on teacher Mary C. Euell on 9 April 1918.

On April 27, the Defender reported that school principal J.D. Reid had fled for his life after being beaten in the streets by angry citizens as he left church services. (Though it downplayed the severity of the clouting, the Wilson Daily Times reported the incident, as well as the meeting of community leaders with the school board.)

Chicago Defender, 27 April 1918.

A week later, the Defender reported that Reid was hiding out in the woods near town; that parents were refusing to send their children to school if Reid remained principal; and that three men were hauled into court because they had held their children out.

Chicago Defender, 4 May 1918.

On May 11, the defender reported Coon’s indictment on assault and battery charges and claimed Coon had allegedly said he knew how “to handle n*ggers.” Reid reportedly was still in the woods, having been spotted slipping in and out carrying food.

Chicago Defender, 11 May 1918.

The estate of Emma L. Evans.

Emma L. Evans‘ administrator, Major J. Loftin, paid $271.oo to C.H. Darden & Son for burial expenses, $25.00 for a tombstone, and $15.00 to rent three cars to transport mourners to the funeral.

Per her death certificate, Evans was buried in Wilson. In 1923, this generic designation usually meant Vick Cemetery (though Rountree, Odd Fellows, and, to a much lesser extent, Oakdale were possible.) I’ve never seen it. If Evans was laid to rest in Vick, her headstone is either deeply, and perhaps irretrievably, buried or destroyed. If in Odd Fellows or Rountree, perhaps it will be found.

Wilson County, N.C., Property Settlement Records 1923-1931, http://www.familysearch.org.