Travel

The McGrews call at the Wabash Avenue Y.

In an article about happenings at Chicago’s Wabash Avenue Y.M.C.A.:

Chicago Defender, 7 December 1912. 

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I have found only one other reference to James H. and Hattie I. McGrew in Wilson, which mentioned that James McGrew had come to work in Wilson for Lincoln Benefit Society in the fall of 1912. They didn’t stay long.

In 1910, the couple appears in the census of Brunswick County, Virginia. In 1915, J.H. McGrew was counted in the 1915 state census of Bluff Creek, Iowa. In 1920, the McGrews are listed in Richmond, Virginia, where James worked as state secretary of the Y.M.C.A. By the mid-1930s, he was executive secretary of Atlanta’s famed Butler Street Y.M.C.A.

Wabash Avenue Y.M.C.A., Chicago, Illinois.

Pullman porter Reed returns to his roots.

Chicago Defender, 16 June 1951.

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  • Samuel Reed

On 20 November 1877, Shade Reed, 23, married Susan Edwards, 21, in No. 8 township, Edgecombe County, N.C.

In the 1880 census of Sparta township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: farmer Shade Reid, 25; wife Susan, 23; and son Ross, 1.

In the 1910 census of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana: farmer Shed Reed, 55; wife Caroline, 45; and children Sammie, 24, Lossa, 24, and Ossa, 21, all born in North Carolina.

On 27 February 1913, Samuel Reed, 28, married Mary Hamilton, 29, in Chicago, Illinois.

On 22 November 1916, Samuel Reed, 31, married Mary J. Wright, 23, in Chicago.

In 1918, Samuel Reed registered for the World War I draft in Cook County, Illinois. Per his registration card, he was born 22 July 1885; lived at 6204 Ada, Chicago; worked as a Pullman porter for Pullman Company, Chicago & Alton Railroad; and his nearest relative was wife Mary J. Reed.

In the 1920 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois:  at 6145 South Ada, railroad porter Samuel Reed, 34, and wife Mary, 25.

In the 1930 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois: at 6231 Racine, railroad porter Samuel Reed, 43; wife Birdie, 41; mother[in-law?] Ollie Smith, 65; and Elizabeth Walker, 19, xx.

In the 1940 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois: at 6016 May, owned and valued at #3000, Samuel Reed, 54, porter on steam railroad; wife Nancy, 39; and daughters Amelia, 16, and Elizabeth, 17.

In 1942, Samuel Reed registered for the World War II draft in Cook County, Illinois. Per his registration card, he was born 22 July 1885 in Edgecombe County, N.C.; lived at 6016 South May, Chicago; his contact was Louis Baler, 6142 South Ada, Chicago; and he worked for the Pullman County, Chicago.

In the 1950 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois: railroad company porter Samuel Reed, 64, and wife Nancy, 49.

  • Peter Randolph

In the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Dan Randolph, 28, farmer; wife Mary, 26; children Paul G., 2, and Deloise, 1; and uncle Pete Randolph, 67, widower.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 608 Spring, Peter Randolph, 77, and wife Clockie, 67.

Peter Randolph died 4 March 1959 at his home at 510 South Spring, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 4 July 1883 in Edgecombe County, N.C., to Robert Randolph and Julia Johnson; was a widower; and was buried in Elm City Cemetery. Mattie Ruffin was informant.

  • Patsy Feltie
  • Andline Cook

Home for the holidays.

  • Robert Vick
  • Madelia Wilkins
  • Irene Wilson — in the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Wilson Irene (c) student r 302 N Vick (Wilson married Ralph Sherrod, below, on 25 March 1932 in Greensville County, Virginia.)
  • Ralph Sherrod
  • Floyd Fisher — in the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Fisher Floyd (c) student r 624 E Green
  • Willie Hargrove
  • Inez Speight — in the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Speight Inez (c) student r 308 Hackney

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 3 January 1931.

  • William McCollum
  • Levi Godwin — in 1940, Levi Godwin registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 29 January 1910 in Wilson; lived at 900 Washington Street, Wilson; his contact was wife Esther Godwin; and he worked for North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, 633 East Nash Street.
  • James Knight — perhaps, James H. Knight Jr.
  • Ethel Moye

Lula Howard goes North to visit.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 1 June 1940.

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In the 1900 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer Doctor Farmer, 45; wife Elizabeth, 43; children Loula, 16, William L., 13, Ella E., 12, Emma L., 9, Walter W., 5, and Geneva A., 2; plus, boarder Sarah Parker, 24.

On 28 March 1905, William Howard, 22, of Taylor township, son of Ira and Harriet Howard, married Lula Farmer, 22, of Taylor township, daughter of Dock and Elizabeth Farmer, in Wilson.

In the 1910 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farmer William Howard, 26; wife Lula A., 26; and children Percy Lee, 3, and Essie May, 11 months.

William Howard died 18 January 1918 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 30 June 1892 in Wilson County to Ira Howard and Harriett Wilkins; was married; and worked as a farmer. Lula Howard of Wilson was informant.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 906 Atlanta [sic] Street, owned and valued at $2000, Lula Howdard [sic], 47; daughter Essie Pender, 22; son-in-law Fred Pender, 24; children Lara, 17, William, 16, Arthur P., 14, and Walter L., 11.

In 1940, William Ira Howard registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 27 October 1913 in Wilson; lived at 906 East Atlantic; his contact was other Lula Annie Howard; and he worked for C.L. Hardy at Service Barber Shop, 113 South Tarboro Street. He “can’t hear out of right ear.”

In 1940, Arthur Poe Howard registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 12 October 1915 in Wilson; lived at 906 Atlanta; his contact was other Lula Anna Howard; and worked for Imperial Tobacco Company.

In 1940, Walter Lenord Howard registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 6 May 1917 in Wilson; lived at 906 Atlanta; his contact was other Lula Anna Howard; and he was unemployed.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 906 Atlanta, widow Lula A. Howard, 66; children Ezzie M., 40; and granddaughter Barbara J., 3.

Lula Howard died 27 May 1959 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 November 1883 in Wilson County to Dock Farmer; was the widow of William Howard; and was buried in Howard Cemetery, Wilson County.

Back-to-school in Wilson, October 1934.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 6 October 1934.

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School opened on October 1.

Sara Shade visited her brother John Shade in New York.

Walter and Sarah Hines and their son Carl Hines and Camillus and Norma Darden visited the Chicago World’s Fair.

Herbert Reid came home to see his mother Eleanor P. Reid.

Rupert Brown and Esther Moore went off to Livingston College. Mary Della Wilkins went to Fisk. James Bess left for N.C. State College (now North Carolina Central University). William C. Hines went to Johnson C. Smith. Cora J. Whitted went to Bennett College, and sisters Mary Frances and Connie Freeman went to Barber-Scotia College, where Scottie Hines was an instructor.

Wilson news, August 1930.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 23 August 1930.

The various African-American social clubs of the early 1900s deserve of a post of their own, and it’s coming soon. Meanwhile, we meet the Ever Ready Club, which gave a “social” at the Whitley on a Friday night in August 1930.

Where was Green Wreath/Green Reef Park?

The “local graduate nurses club” was probably the Mary Mahoney Nurses Club. Its officers were Ada D. Artis (Mrs. C.E. Artis), Charlotte M. Faison, and Henrietta Colvert. Picnic guests were Sarah E. Hines, Elba Vick Valle (Mrs. Carlos C. Valle) and her daughter Mabel Valle, Catherine Clark, Lelia Washington, and Willie L. Hargrove.

Hartford Bess, though unable to complete his studies at Fisk, went on to make an enduring musical mark in Wilson.

Vicks visit “thriving Afro-American settlement.”

Philadelphia Tribune, 19 August 1916.

In 1916, Samuel H. Vick drove his “big touring car” on a visit to Whitesboro, New Jersey, with his young son George White Vick, Clarence Dillard, and Alfred Robinson. On the way back, they stopped in Washington, D.C.

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