Family

Finding light on this bitter anniversary.

Rederick C. Henderson, about 1951.

I was talking to a friend a few days ago, and she said, laughing, “I never once spoke with your dad, but I swear I can hear him.” I don’t recall exactly what I said, but it was some pithy aphorism or another, and Rederick C. Henderson was the king of same, so she paid me the ultimate compliment.

I miss this man mightily and can hardly believe today marks two years since he left. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel him with me, and I am grateful for all he was in life and beyond.

N.A.A.C.P. honors …

I have lived a lot of places, but Wilson is home, and there is nothing quite like being recognized and honored by your home folk.

Tonight, I received a Community Service Award from the Wilson Branch of the N.A.A.C.P. at the organization’s annual Freedom Fund Banquet.

The evening included a special tribute to the late Frank D. and Bobbie D. Jones.

The magnificent Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II delivered personal anecdotes about the Joneses’ lives and work and a homily for the perilous times we live in. We face dangers seen and unseen, so what will you do with the time you have — whether six minutes or six hours or six days or six months or ….?

It was great to see two of the Joneses’ children, Bobbie and Freddie. We both lost fathers in 2022 and at the time reached out to remind each other of the blessing of being raised by such incredible men. (By the way, that’s Dante Pittman sitting at our table. I spotted him looking around and invited him to join us. If you live in Wilson, take some time to get to know this man.)

Thank the Lord I said my little bit before 95 year-old Samuel Caswell Lathan, legendary musician and my friend, was recognized. He brought the house down with a rendition of “What a Wonderful World,” followed by remarks that began “I was born in 1929 — and you don’t have to tell me nothing” about perils and rose to “I’m gon tell you some things — and I don’t care if you carry it back.” In other words, he delivered a word, too.

Harry B. Harris readies the Jones family for reflections on the night’s events.

The indefatigable William E. Myers. (He is 91, y’all. NINETY-ONE.) For the last 60+ years, a banquet in Wilson ain’t a banquet, a wedding ain’t a wedding, a funeral ain’t a funeral without this treasured musician live on sax or keyboards.)

Me and my lovely sister, Karla Henderson-Jackson.

Thank you.

Marking Rest Haven Cemetery’s origins.

Earlier this week, a small group gathered at the back of Rest Haven Cemetery to dedicate a bronze marker. The men — Rev. H. Maurice Barnes, Dr. Michael Barnes, and James Pender — are descendants of Jesse R. and Sarah Barnes Barnes, who once owned the acres of land of which Rest Haven was established in 1933.

Wilson Daily Times, 3 May 2024.

I wrote about the Barneses and Rest Haven’s roots here and am honored to have contributed to the marker’s wording. “Thank you” to the Barneses for taking action to memorialize their family’s — and the community’s — story and to Heather Goff for working with the Barnes family to install the marker.

[P.S. Dr. Boisey O. Barnes was not the first Black doctor in Wilson, but certainly was the most prominent during the decades he practiced. He was preceded by, notably, Dr. Frank S. Hargrave and Dr. William A. Mitchner.]

Mother and accomplices believed to have kidnapped boy.

Wilson Daily Times, 19 May 1937.

When 16 year-old John Lane was snatched from one of U.H. Cozart’s fields in May 1937, authorities blamed his mother. Seven years earlier, she had allowed a family named Williams to adopt the boy, and she migrated to Washington, D.C. A radio bulletin went out seeking three men and a women traveling in older model Paige automobile with D.C. tags.

Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque keeps bringing flowers.

Ryan Mitchell got off a flight from Lagos to this news:

During a roadtrip to New Orleans in summer 2021, I stopped by to see my cousin Zella Palmer. The pandemic was still cutting up, so we sat on her porch and chatted, mostly about family, food, and history. At one point, Zella mentioned that she’d received an email feeling out her interest in co-writing a book about North Carolina barbecue. Specifically, about Ed Mitchell and his family. “Girl, call them,” I urged. “Mr. Mitchell is a legend — and my dad’s good buddy!”

The rest … well, is a James Beard nomination!!

(You don’t have a copy of Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque?? What you waiting for??)

Image courtesy of Ryan Mitchell.

A second look at five generations.

I’ve obtained a clearer copy of the photograph posted here depicting five generations of women who lived on the lands of and worked for Edwin Barnes or his heirs near Evansdale.

Wilson Daily Times, 20 April 1950.

Unfortunately — and surprisingly — I’m still not able to identify the women with certainty.

Many thanks to J. Robert Boykin III for the clipping.

Rountree defends sister, threatens principal.

As printed in the 26 March 1915 edition of the Wilson Daily Times:

Julius Rountree Threatened Life of Principal Reid and Bound Over Under a Peace Bond.

There was only one case before Mayor Dickinson this morning, that of Julius Rountree, who threatened the life of J.D. Reid, principal of the colored graded school, telling him he would kill him if he put his foot on the ground.

Rountree went in the class room where he was making his threats, and witnesses heard him.

The trouble was over the principal whipping one of his pupils, a girl about 17 and sister of Rountree. Rountree was placed under a peace bond of $250 to keep the peace for six months. This was done at Reid’s request who stated he didn’t want to see Rountree go to the roads.

The evidence presented showed that Reid whipped the girl with a small switch and not unmercifully.

It seems the trouble started on the account of the misbehavior of the girl who shook her fist at Reid when reprimanded and the switching followed.

The girl resented this and struck Reid in the face and he put her out of the building. Then followed the entry of Julius into the trouble.

——

Julius Rountree was almost 20 years when he confronted J.D. Reid. The sister he defended was most likely Cora Rountree (sister Daisy Rountree had died the year before.) Three years after this incident, J.D. Reid was involved in the incident that led to the teacher strike and parent boycott of the Colored Graded School.