Violence

Soldier stabbed.

Wilson Daily Times, 12 April 1943.

William H. Vick survived this knife attack and lived till 1963.

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  • Willie Ruffin
  • William H. Vick

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.

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.

Julia Armstrong goes North for help.

The People’s Voice (New York, New York), 9 March 1946.

With Marie Everett battling imprisonment, Julia Armstrong went North for help. Direct from New York City’s Penn Station, she headed to the office of The People’s Voice, the Harlem newspaper founded in 1942 by Adam Clayton Powell Jr. She gave a literal blow-by-blow of the events at the Carolina Theatre and pled for funds to assist Everett. For her own part, Armstrong said she planned to sell her “tourist home” and move North after Everett was released. (Wilson, of course, is not “a few” miles from Tennessee.)

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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 411 East Green, Hallie Armstrong, 48, pool room operator; wife Julia, 29; and lodgers Annie M. Brown, 39, of Mooresville, Iredell County, hospital nurse; Jeanett M. Lee, 24, of Mount Olive, Wayne County, hospital nurse; and Lawrence Peacock, 27, of High Point, sewer project laborer.

Hallie Armstrong died 18 June 1947 at his home in Farmville, Pitt County, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was 55 years old; was born in Halifax County, N.C., to John Armstrong and Marina Lark; was married to Julia Armstrong; operated a show repair shop; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Wilson.

However, in 1950, she was still in Wilson: in the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 411 East Green, widow Julia Armstrong, 39, born in Kentucky, and lodgers Mary Rose, 29; Anne Everette, 2; Herbert Rose Jr., born in July; Edward Harris, 20, construction company bricklayer; McDonald Hayes, 33, electric power company laborer; Josephine Hayes, 28, cotton picker on farm; and Willie Mack Hayes, 15, cotton picker on farm.

Julia Miller Armstrong died 9 March 1964 in Jacksonville, Onslow County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was born 14 September 1904 in south Carolina to John F. Miller and Bessie Scruggs; she did domestic work as a cook; and she was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Wilson.

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.

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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.

Hamilton shot to death on Stantonsburg Street.

Wilson Daily Times, 23 April 1935.

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  • Hyman Hamilton
  • Dallas Fennell — Dallas Fennell died 21 April 1935 at Moore-Herring Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 41 years old; was born in North Carolina; was the widower of Sarah Fennell; and worked as a laborer. He died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. [Though they could not be admitted for routine medical care, African-Americans were often sent to “white” hospitals for emergency trauma surgery.]

Young woman fatally stabbed by ex-boyfriend.

Wilson Daily Times, 25 February 1949.

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  • Charlie Bennette — In 1942, Charlie Bennette registered for the World War II draft in 1942. Per his registration card, he was born 30 May 1903 in New Zion, South Carolina; lived at 113 S. (A.C.L) Railroad Street, Wilson; his contact was Adeline Fleming, New Zion, N.C.; and he worked at Marine Barracks, Jacksonville, N.C. In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 654 Wiggins Street, tobacco factory machine operator Charlie Bennett, 48, widower, and lodger Annie M. Williams, 19, maid.
  • Irene Sethem — Irene Sessoms died 23 February 1949 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 10 November 1925 in Johnston County, N.C., to Z.S. Sessoms and Louella Williams; lived at 113 Pettigrew Street, Wilson; was not married; and worked as a laborer. She died of hemorrhage and shock after a knife wound to her right carotid artery.

Ben Reid survived; Nolia Reid did not.

Wilson Daily Times, 6 May 1921.

This brief report fails to name Nolia Reid as the murdered woman or to state the first name of the man — her husband — who killed her. He was Ben Reid.

Nolia Reid died 1 May 1921 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 19 years old; was born in Wilson to George Best and Louisa Farmer; worked as a laundress; lived on Nash Street; and was married to Ben Reid. She died of “homicide–stab wound.” Her uncle Thomas Farmer was informant. She was buried in Wilson [likely, Vick Cemetery.]