Migration

Private First Class Arthur Goodman.

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Arthur Goodman was born 20 October 1920 in Plowden’s Mill, Clarendon County, South Carolina, to Ed Goodman and Annie Blanding, both of Alcolu, S.C.

In the 1920 census of Harmony township, Clarendon County, S.C.: Edward Goodman, 27; wife Annie, 25; and son Arthur, 10 months.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: laborer Ed Goodman, 29; wife Annie, 26; and children James, 10, Authur, 9, Remel, 6, Louise, 3, Annie M., 2, and Gladys, 1.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Ed Goodman, 45, public service laborer; wife Annie, 36; and children James, 20, clothing store attendant, Arthur, 19, candy company deliveryman, Helen, 14, Annie Mae, 12, Gladys, 11, Isiah, 7, Dorthy, 6, and Eddie Jr., 4.

In 1942, Arthur Goodman registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 3 October 1920 in Manning, S.C.; lived at 1201 East Atlantic Street, Wilson; his contact was Annie Goodman, 214 South Reid Street, Wilson; and he worked for James R. Shannon at Acme Candy Company, 123 West Barnes Street, Wilson.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 303 Carroll Street, Arthur Goodman, 29, truck driver for wholesale candy company, and wife Estelle, 26, house cleaner.

Arthur Goodman died 3 January 1981.

The obituary of Nellie B. Rice, esteemed educator.

Mamoroneck Daily Times, 23 May 1997.

Nellie Louise Barnes Baldwin Rice was born 14 April 1910 in Johnston County, North Carolina. Her parents William Orangie Barnes and Maggie Hinnant Barnes moved often between Wilson and Johnston Counties in her childhood.. After graduating from North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University), she spent years as a Wilson County educator.

(Note that 87 year-old Nellie Rice’s mother survived her. Maggie H. Barnes died the following year at age 115.)

Thomas Ellis, stationed at San Francisco.

In 1942, Thomas Ellis registered for the World War II draft in Washington, D.C. Per his death certificate, he was born 22 July 1924 in Wilson; lived at 1217-6th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.; his contact was Dora Ellis, 200 Pender Street, Wilson; and he worked at a Greek restaurant on Eye Street, N.W.

Thomas Ellis married Eva M. Young in Washington, D.C., on 22 September 1943.

In 1948, Ellis re-registered for the draft in Washington, D.C., declaring that he worked as a laborer for the Federal Works Agency.

In the 1950 census of Washington, D.C.: at 2401 – 16th Street, Thomas Ellis, 25, messenger at General Services Administration; wife Eva M., 29; sons Thomas G., 3, Phyllis, 2, and, Ronald M., born in March; mother-in-law Ella Young, 58; brother-in-law Lu W. Young, 28; and lodger William Hall, 34.

Thomas Ellis died 19 April 1973 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

Image courtesy of Veterans of World War II Wilson County, spiral-bound volume, Wilson County Public Library.

Where did they go?: Louisiana death certificates.

A new Ancestry.com database reveals these two women with Wilson County ties:

  • Minnie White

Minnie White died 16 February 1934 in Kinder, Allen Parish, Louisiana. Per her death certificate, she was born in 1893 in Douglass, Georgia, to Monroe Roundtree of New Bern, N.C., and Martha Jones of Wilson. She was a widow.

In the 1900 census of Douglas district, Coffee County, Georgia: Monroe Roundtree, 36, day laborer; wife Martha, 21; and daughter Minnie, 7. Both parents were listed as North Carolina-born.

In the 1910 census of Ward 7, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana: turpentine laborer Monroe Roundtree, 40, and wife Martha, 31.

In the 1920 census of Ward 3, Allen Parish, Louisiana: laborer Monroe Roundtree, 50; wife Martha, 44; and daughter Blanche, 12.

Louisiana Weekly (New Orleans, La.), 2 October 1926.

In the 1930 census of Kinder, Allen Parish, Louisiana: widow Martha Roundtree, 51; daughter Minnie White, 36, cook for private family; and grandson Charlie Ledd, 6.

In the 1940 census of Kinder, Allen Parish, Louisiana: widow Martha Roundtree, 61, laundry woman, and grandson Charlie Ladd, 17, farm laborer.

Louisiana Weekly (New Orleans, La.), 22 August 1942.

In the 1950 census of Kinder, Allen Parish, Louisiana: widow Martha Roundtree, 71, housework in private home.

Martha Jones Roundtree, age 83, died 25 May 1962 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Blanche Stewart died 27 January 1967 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Per her death certificate, she was born 31 May 1907 in Kinder, Louisiana, to Monroe Roundtree of South Carolina and Minnie White of Kinder, Louisiana. She was married to Sherman Stewart, age 69, and lived at 416 Flake Avenue, New Orleans.

  • Harriett Woodard

Harriett Woodard died 20 March 1935 in Shreveport, Caddo County, Louisiana. Per his death certificate, she was about 65 years old; was born in Wilson, N.C., to Austin Bonds and Tilda Anderson, both of Wilson; was the was widow of Handy Woodard; and Sam Woodard was informant. Cause of death: “injury by animal arm bit by mule and gas gangrene & fracture”.

In the 1910 census of Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts: at Concord Place, Matilda Bonds, 60, widow, born in N.C., laundress at steam laundry, and daughter Harriet, 38, born in N.C., laundress in steam laundry.

Matilda Bonds died 5 June 1912 in City Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Per her death certificate, she lived at 5 Concord Place; was a widow; and was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.

Perhaps: in the 1920 census of Otter Creek township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: Auston Bonds, 69, widower, farmer.

Perhaps: Austin Barnes died 30 January 1925 in Township No. 9, Edgecombe County, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was 76 years old; was born in Wilson County to James Barnes and Elvi Barnes; was married; was a farmer and landowner; and was buried near Macclesfield.

Louisiana State Death Records, 1825-1974, http://www.ancestry.com.

Doings about town.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 25 July 1931.

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Rest in peace, Lydia Bledsoe Hunter.

Lydia Bledsoe Hunter posted her first comment on Black Wide-Awake in December 2017. Descended from Armstrongs and Bullocks who migrated from Wilson County to Arkansas in the late 1800s, she has been one of my most active readers, liking, commenting, and sharing photos of her Exoduster family.

I was surprised and saddened this weekend to open a text message revealing the news of her passing. My deepest condolences go to her family as they mourn their tremendous loss. Mrs. Hunter always reminded me of the reach of Black Wide-Awake and its capacity to restore connections sundered more than 130 years. May she rest in peace.

The obituary of Alexander Allen.

Wilson Daily Times, 2 June 1948.

Alexander Allen registered for the World War II draft in Bailey, Nash County, North Carolina, in 1940. Per his registration card, he was born 14 June 1905 in Clarendon, South Carolina; his contact was his wife; and he worked for J.B. Manning, Bailey.

It is likely that Allen was a tenant farmer or sharecropper and had not lived in the Black Creek area long when he died. (Where were Victory Church and its cemetery??)