Greensboro Daily News, 30 January 1917.
We do not have context for the violence here, but quarries were dirty, dangerous workplaces in which African-American laborers did the dirtiest, most dangerous work in a quarry like Neverson. Violence against workers was rife, and retaliation in response was not unheard of.
Wilson Daily Times, 23 July 1921.
Charlie Younger’s beer recipe sounds … intriguing. (Note that as late as 1921, East Wilson was described as a “negro settlement south of the railroad.”)
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In 1918, Charlie Younger registered for the World War I draft in Wilson. Per his registration card, he was born in 1876; lived at 203 Manchester; worked as a laborer for American Tobacco Company; and his nearest relative was Maggie Younger.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Charlie Younger, 49; wife Maggie, 31; and children Charlie Jr., 16, Doctor, 13, Florence, 9, Edna, 7, Sarah Bell, 5, and James, 2.
On 7 August 1920, Charlie Younger, 21, son of Charlie and Maggie Younger, married Laura Southern, 21, daughter of Burrell and Eliza Southern, in Wilson. Cleveland Daniel applied for the license, and Missionary Baptist minister Charles T. Jones performed the ceremony in the presence of Thea Owens, Emma Rountree, and Buirl Summerville.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Methodist minister Raymond Murphy, 31; wife Eula, 31; children Jackson, 11, John D., 9, Robert L., 7, Mary L., 5, and Martha L., 6 months; and roomer Charlie Younger, 58, widower, guano plant laborer.
The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 8 July 1887.
News and Observer, 28 July 1909.
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In the 1870 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farm laborer James Moye, 51; wife Edith, 54; children Delsey, 18, Harriet, 16, George, 10, and Warren, 8; and Learh Moye, 90.
On 17 October 1891, George Moye, 39, son of James and Edith Moye, married Annie Arrington, 30, daughter of Emma [no maiden name given] at Annie Arrington’s residence in Wilson. Free Will Baptist minister Crockett Best performed the ceremony in the presence of David Mercer, Adline Mercer, and John Artis.
In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: tinshop laborer George Moye, 52, widower, with boarders Annie Graves, 40, widow, and Cora Williamson, 23, both day laborers.
On 6 October 1904, George Moye, 58, son of E. and J. Moye, married Annie Gray, 45, in Wilson.
In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Moye George carp h 106 N Pettigrew
George Moye died 13 August 1931 at the County Home in Wilson, North Carolina. Per his death certificate, he was 86 years old [actually, closer to 70] and was born in Wilson County to James Moye. Hattie Arrington was informant.
Wilson Daily Times, 26 July 1934.
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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Vance Street, house carpenter Jefferson Holloway, 35; wife Ardena, 35; and children Katherine, 12, Ralph E., 9, Jeff D., 3, and Robert, newborn.
In the 1930 census of Goldsboro, Wayne County: at 326 Pine Street, insurance agent Jefferson Davis, 44; wife Ardena, 43, trained nurse; and children Ralph, 19, Jefferson, 13, and Harry, 10.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: in New Grabneck, Jeff Holloway, 54, carpenter for building contractor; wife Ella, 40; and sons Jeff Jr., 24, tobacco laborer, and Harry, 20, new worker.
Jefferson Davis Holloway registered for the World War II draft in 1940. Per his registration card, he was born 10 February 1917 in Wilson; lived in New Grabneck, Wilson; his contact was father Jeff Holloway; he was unemployed; and he had “initials tattood on right arm.”
Wilson Daily Times, 29 March 1948.
Within two weeks, the renowned Pittsburgh Courier picked up the story, and news of Otis Newsome‘s murder went national.
The Pittsburgh Courier, 10 April 1948.
The Kansas City Plain Dealer ran the story on April 16 — lifted verbatim from the Courier, but without attribution.
The Plain Dealer (Kansas City, Kans.), 16 April 1948.
On 10 May 1948, a jury deliberated two hours before acquitting Ulric C. Strickland of Newsome’s murder.
Otis Newsome’s case was one of three Wilson County homicides recently explored by Northeastern University’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project.
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In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer James J. Newsome, 36; wife Dolly, 26; and children William, 16, Ed L., 14, Odis, 8, and Dan, 5; and lodger Ben Clifton, 26.
Odies Newsome registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 22 February 1921 in Greene County, N.C.; lived at 110 South Reid Street, Wilson; his contact was James Newsome; and he was unemployed.
Otis Newsome died 27 March 1948 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 22 February 1921 in Greene County, N.C., to James Newsome and Dollie Ward; was married to Cleo Newsome; and was buried in Community Cemetery [Saint Delight Cemetery], Greene County. His cause of death: “Intra abdominal hemorrhage (aortic) damage resulting in death due to 38 cal. special revolver shot wound of right abdomen causing of severance of abdominal aorta.”
Howard Fitts applied for a military headstone for Newsome. The application contains an erroneous death date for Newsome, which was carved into his grave marker.
Evening Times (Washington, D.C.), 3 July 1897.
I have not been able to find out much more about this strange abduction tale, other than the circus in question was Barnum & Bailey. The Thorntons were an interesting family. Presley Thornton Sr., before going straight and getting on with the government, had some larceny history. Son Presley Thornton Jr. carried on the tradition, as did son Harry Thornton, who was arrested around the time Phillip Thornton went missing. Sister Fannie Thornton disappeared for weeks in the spring of 1896 and, also around the time her brother was snatched, was badly injured when trampled during a “fire panic” at school. It beggars belief that a ten-year old boy could vanish without wider attention paid to his plight or show up alone in rural Wilson County seeking (and obtaining) a job, but — 1897.
Greensboro Daily News, 15 May 1918.
Another account of Henry Lucas‘ very deliberate assault on J.D. Reid discloses this new tidbits: Mary C. Euell left Wilson within days of the incident. Just six weeks later, she was working at a Washington, D.C., school, and could not immediately return to Wilson for C.L. Coon’s trial.
Norfolk Virginian, 9 July 1891.
Millie Smith Sutton‘s murder of her sister-in-law Lucy Smith made regional newspapers.
Wilson Daily Times, 12 April 1943.
William H. Vick survived this knife attack and lived till 1963.
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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Rufus Neal, 66, gardener; wife Hattie B., 55; children David L., 17, tobacco warehouse trucker, Joseph, 16, tobacco warehouse trucker, and Viola, 12; granddaughter Essie Ray Lucas, 7; and lodger William H. Vick, 22, tobacco factory cooper.
In 1940, William Henry Vick registered for the World War II draft in Wilson. Per his registration card, he was born 1 May 1917 in Nash County, North Carolina; lived at 608 Daniel Street; his contact was friend Sam Clark, same address; and he worked for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Wilson.
In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Sam Clark, 45, nightwatchman at tobacco redrying plant; William H. Vick, 32, repacker at tobacco warehouse; and Luther Walker, 26, “ships out” at tobacco warehouse.
William Henry Vick died 27 January 1963 at the Veterans Administration hospital in Durham, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was born in Rocky Mount, N.C., to Will Vick and Bessie Cook; was never married; lived at 707 West Walnut Street, Wilson; was an odd jobs laborer for James I. Miller; was a veteran of World War II; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery.