My mother, me, and my sister soon-to-arrive, Easter 1967, 1401 Carolina Street.
Honoring and remembering all our mothers, past and present, this Mother’s Day.
Women
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.
The obituary of Zannie Daniel Moore.
Wilson Daily Times, 8 May 1947.
——
In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Amos Daniel, 44; wife Olive, 25; and children Willy, 14, and Zana, 12.
In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Pettigrew Street, Edward [Edmond] Moore, 23; wife Zana, 22; and daughter Mary, 3.
In the 1900 census of Rocky Mount, Nash County, North Carolina: on Thomas Street, Edmon Moore, 43, farmer; wife Zanie, 45; and children Mary, 22, Susa, 19, Edgar, 18, Wiley, 15, Matilda, 13, and Fred, 5.
In the 1910 census of Rocky Mount, Nash County, North Carolina: Edmond Moore, 55, farmer, and wife Zany, 50.
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Moore Edward (c; Zanie) lab h 904 Atlanta [Atlantic]
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 904 Atlantic, Edward Moore, 70; wife Zannie, 60, laundress; and lodgers Blanch Guilford, 16, Julia Williams, 16, Ruth Donald, 17, private nurse, and Edner Donald, 15.
Zannie Moore died 6 May 1947 at Saint Agnes Hospital, Raleigh, North Carolina. Per her death certificate, she was 91 years old; was born in Wilson County to Amos Daniel and Ollie Jenkins; was the widow of Edmond Moore; worked as a farmer; and was buried in William Chapel church cemetery.
The Vaughns arrive in Indy.
The Freeman, 6 October 1900.
Shortly after moving to Indianapolis, Mittie Vaughn reverted to her maiden name, Ward, though she retained the title “Mrs.” She and her younger daughter Minerva Vaughn actually had lived briefly in Washington, D.C., after leaving Wilson.
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.)
——
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.
The obituary of Mittie Ward.
Happy 104th birthday, Mother Battle!
Wilson Daily Times, 25 April 2024.
——
In the 1930 census of Oak Level township, Nash County, North Carolina: farmer William Gray, 68; wife Georgeanna, 48; sons Bennie, 19, and Stephen, 13, and grandchildren Robert, 12, Walter, 9, Boney, 8, and Ellen Gray, 10, and Loneva Battle, 5.
On 4 June 1937, Elroy Battle, 21, of Wilson County, son of Alfred and Exie Battle, married Ellen Gray, 18, of Wilson County, daughter of William and Georgeanna Gray, in Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina. Witnesses to the ceremony included Eva Gray of Black Creek and Alice Artis of Wilson.
In 1940, Elroy Battle registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 August 1918 in Wilson County; lived on R.F.D. 3, Wilson; his contact was wife Ellen Battle; and he was self-employed.
In the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Elroy Battle, 21; wife Ellen, 20; sister Daisy, 19; brother-in-law Barney Gray, 18; and brother Lonnie Battle, 13.
In the 1950 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Elroy Battle, 31, farmer; wife Ellen, 30; son Richard Ray, 4; and cousin Walter Gray, 29.
The obituary of Annie Elizabeth Cooke Weeks.
Wilson Daily Times, 20 April 1943.
——
- A. Elizabeth Weeks — Annie Elizabeth Cooke Weeks.
- J.L. Cooke — Jerry L. Cooke.
- G.E. Wyche — Georgia E. Cooke Wyche. Georgia Cooke Wyche died 22 February 1970 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 6 January 1882 to Henderson Cooke and Mariah D. Batchelor; was a widow; was a retired teacher; and lived at 916 East Green Street. J.L. Cooke was informant. She was buried in Olive branch cemetery, Wake Forest, North Carolina.
- Rev. W.A. Hillard — William A. Hilliard.
The death of Rosetta Ellis McCoy, Exoduster.
In a post about the Littleton and Judie Ellis cemetery on today’s Forest Hills Road in Wilson, I asked if the Ellises had migrated to Arkansas with the Exoduster movement, then returned to Wilson. The death certificate of their daughter Maggie Ellis Darden reported that she was born in Arkansas in 1886.
Below, the death certificate of Rosetta McCoy, filed in North Little Rock, Pulaski township, Arkansas, states she was born 22 October 1887 in Wilson, N.C., to Littleton Ellis and Mary [is this a mistake?; maiden name unknown]. Thus we have additional evidence that Littleton Ellis and family made the long journey west, but returned to Wilson County before 1900.
In the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farmer Littleton Ellis, 45; wife Judah, 30; and children Bryant, 14, Martha, 12, Patsey, 10, Mary, 8, Bud, 6, Thomas, 4, Rose, 2, and James, 1.
On 28 November 1897, James McCoy, 21, of Toltec, Lonoke County, Arkansas, married Rosetta Ellis, 19, of same, in Lonoke County, Arkansas.
In the 1900 census of Williams township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: farmer James McCoy, 23; wife Rosetta, 22; and children Alberta and Birtrice, 1; also, Sarah Smith, 26, a cook.
In the 1910 census of Lafayette township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: on Witherspoon Road, farmer James McCoy, 33, born in North Carolina; wife Rosetta, 32; and children Bertrice and Alberta, 11; Willie, 9; Johnny, 8; Asillie, 6; Gus C., 4, and James M., 1.
In the 1920 census of Lafayette township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: on Keo Road, James H. McCoy, 47; wife Rosetta, 43; children Bertrice and Alberta, 21, Willie, 19, Johnnie, 18, James M., 11, Norah, 8, L.C., 7, Nathaniel, 5, Ruthie, 2, and Thomas, 6 months; daughter Rosa L. Huggins, 16, and son-in-law James Huggins, 19.
In the 1940 census of Lafayette township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: farmer Rosetta McCoy, 45, widow; children L.C., 17, Nathaniel, 15, Ruthie, 13, and Thomas, 10; and grandson Willie Henry, 8.
In the 1940 census of North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas: Rosetta McCoy, 63, widow, born in North Carolina; daughter Gertrude Duckery, 40, widow, maid; and grandchildren Rosetta Howard, 15, Artelia Howard, 12, James Duckery, 9, Famous Hall, 15, and Rosie Anne McCoy, 4.
The obituary of Catherine Campbell.
Wilson Daily Times, 6 March 1948.
Catherine Campbell died 1 March 1948 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 31 July 1922 in Wilson, N.C., to Leroy Dudley and Rachel Wingate; was married to Luther Campbell; lived at 622 Murray; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery.