Washington (N.C.) Daily News, 5 September 1941.
On September 7, the News and Observer‘s covered Charlie Cobb‘s return to his father under a plain “What To Do With Infant Worries Wilson Officer.”
Women
The last will and testament of Bernicia J. Hines.
Bernicia J. Hines executed her last will and testament on 19 February 1945. In it, she created a trust for the benefit of her children William Lee, Ossie May, James Clee, Lestus Ray, Paul Douglas, Bernicie Viola, and John Edward Hines, most of whom were minors, and appointed her neighbor Clarence B. Best trustee. C.E. Artis and James Watson signed as witnesses.
In an undated document that probably was submitted in 1946, Clarence B. Best filed a final account for Hines’ estate. He reported receipts from selling personal items, including a sewing machine, bedroom suit, and wash pot; collecting rent on a house on Viola Street; and cash and bonds.
Disbursements included paying for a cemetery lot (in Rest Haven), opening the grave, clothing for Hines’ children, court fees and other estate-related expenses, funeral services by Columbus E. Artis, a tombstone from Joyner Memorial Company, loan repayments, a bill from Dr. Boisey O. Barnes, a screen door, and a water “spicket.”
Bernicia Hines’ youngest child, John, turned 21 on 23 July 1957, after which the trust expired, and Best made a final distribution dividing $2115.07 among her seven children.
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On 28 December 1922, Ashley Hines, 21, of Wilson, son of Turner and Bettie Hines, married Bernicia Smith, 21, of Toisnot township, daughter of Mahala S. Barnes. A.M.E. Zion minister John A. Barnes performed the ceremony at the bride’s house in Toisnot in the presence of Clarence Best, James Hagans, and Eddie Dew.
In the 1930 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Ashley Hines, 24; wife Beanice, 25; and children William, 6, Ossie M., 5, James C., 2, and Lester, newborn.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1314 Nash Street, cook Ernest Barnes, 28; wife Lucile, 29; mother Mahala, 73; sister Bernice Hines, 35, divorced, tobacco stemmer, and her children William, 16, Ossie May, 14, James Clee, 12, Lester, 11, Paul D., 7, Bernice, 5, and John Eddie, 3.
In 1942, William Lee Hines registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 20 October 1923 in Wilson; lived at 1205 Carolina Street; his contact was Bernica Hines, same address; and he worked for T.A. Loving Company at Cherry Point, N.C.
On 28 February 1949, James Clee Hines, 21, son of Ashley Hines and Bernice Smith Hines, married Beulah Joyner, 26, in Wilson.
On 14 April 1950, William Lee Hines, 21, of Wilson, son of Ashley and Bernice Barnes Hines, married Annie Reynolds, of Elm City, daughter of William Reynolds and Effie Priest, in Toisnot township, Wilson County.
John Hines died 18 May 1964 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Per his death certificate, he was born 24 July 1936 in Wilson, N.C., to Ashley Hines and Bernice Smith; was married to Loretta Hines; and worked as a floor waxer.
Property Settlement Records, 1942-1960, Wilson, North Carolina, United States Records, http://www.familysearch.org.
Snaps, no. 117: Annie Washington Vick.
Annie Washington Vick seated on the side porch of her home at 622 East Green Street, circa late 1940s.
Thank you for sharing, V. Cowan!
State vs. John Smith.
To stave off responsibility for caring for poor women and their children, unwed mothers were regularly brought before justices of the peace to answer sharp questions about their circumstances.
On 28 April 1875, Ettie Baker admitted to Wilson County justice of the peace T.J. Meacham that she had given birth to a child whose father was John Smith. Meacham ordered that Smith be arrested and taken to a justice to answer Baker’s charge.
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- Ettie Baker
Probably, in the 1870 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farm laborer Ephraim Baker, 51; wife Margarett, 45; Bitha, 17, and Pricilla Baker, 15; Elias Williamson, 18; and Etta, 12, Pinah, 10, Louisana, 7, Needham, 5, Margarett, 3, and Benjamin, 2 months.
- John Smith
Bastardy Bonds, 1866, Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
Agent Spellman’s excellent report, part 2.
Wilson County Negro Extension Agent Cecil A. Spellman did not stint. His two-part 1939 Annual Narrative Report is a 146-page treasure chest whose nuggets create a finely textured view of rural African-American life just before World War II — home demonstration, community entertainment, school improvement, test farms, engineering activities, tobacco work, gardening, corn-growing, meat-cutting, 4-H clubs, camp, spelling matches, Negro Health Week, projects, spotlights on people, houses, and schools — including photographs — and more.
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Spellman spoke highly of State Subject Matter Specialist W.R. Laws, who visited the county to deliver talks and demonstrations to women, such as making articles from fertilizer bags; making window screens from tobacco cloth or wire with denim bindings that could be buttoned to windows; and making fly traps. Spellman attached photos of Laws at Williamson and Jones Hill Schools.
Spellman then turned his attention to the pressing need for a permanent home demonstration agent for Wilson County, reporting that county commissioners had finally agreed to fund such a position. He credited the Women’s Civic Club of Wilson for their advocacy, specifically naming Mrs. H.L. Daniel, Odell Barnes, Mrs. Freeman [Willie Hendley Freeman?], and Mrs. William Hines [Ethel Cornwell Hines]. “These women were aided from the rural end” by Mrs. R.L. Mitchell [Ellenora Manley Mitchell], Mrs. K.R. Mitchell [Martha Taylor Mitchell], Rosetta Farmer, Rena Hilliard, Mrs. Charlie Ruffin [Henrietta Ruffin], and others. With supportive husbands in tow, women packed commissioners’ meetings in support of their cause.
Unfortunately, matters did not proceed as smoothly as hoped. As Spellman cryptically explained, “The beginning of extension work in the county on the home agent front was not as pleasant as it might have been due to several unfortunate ‘misunderstandings.’ Under different circumstances the work could have gotten off to a better start. As it turned out I was maligned and embarrassed and others, some innocent, also suffered as a result. The matter for a time threatened to split the community. For a time I regretted my little part in the movement to obtain a home agent in the county. Matters have now become ‘more or less’ adjusted.'”
Annie B. Brown was appointed home agent from June 1 to September 1. Jane Amos Boyd succeeded her as permanent agent on September 1, 1939.
North Carolina County Agent Annual Narrative Report, Wilson County, N.C., North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, UA102.002, Special Collections Research Center at N.C. State University.
Principal among two charged in fatal accident.
Wilson Daily Times, 26 April 1940.
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M. Stanley Gilliam Jr. was principal of Williamson School.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: filling station attendant Herman Gilliam, 20; his widowed mother Annie, 48, a cook in a private home; and brothers Charles, 28, a waiter at Cherry Hotel, Stanley, 26, a teacher, and George, 22, a janitor at Carolina Theatre.
- Jake Edwards
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: tobacco factory laborer Jake Edwards, 45, widower, and children Mattie, 17, Golden, 22, oil mill laborer, and Eugene, 20, public service laborer.
- Mamie Gibson
Mamie Gibson died 3 April 1940 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 12 February 1908 in Wilson County to Phillip Cooper and Florence Ruffin, both born in Wayne County, N.C.; was married to Willie Gibson; lived at 1204 Atlantic Street; worked as a teacher; and was buried in Rocky Branch Cemetery. Her cause of death: “multiple fractures of pelvis; fracture left clavicle due to automobile accident” (“was 2-3 months pregnant.”) Frederick Cooper was informant.
Agent Spellman’s excellent report, part 1.
Wilson County Negro Extension Agent Cecil A. Spellman did not stint. His two-part 1939 Annual Narrative Report is a 146-page treasure chest whose nuggets create a finely textured view of rural African-American life just before World War II — home demonstration, community entertainment, school improvement, test farms, engineering activities, tobacco work, gardening, corn-growing, meat-cutting, 4-H clubs, camp, spelling matches, Negro Health Week, projects, spotlights on people, houses, and schools — including photographs — and more.
There’s nothing to do but present Spellman’s report in totality, serialized.
The 66 pages of Section 1 are devoted to general and adult extension work. We meet Outstanding Man of the Year, Henry Armstrong of Elm City, and Outstanding Woman of the Year, Mrs. Charles Ruffin [Henrietta Ruffin] of the Saratoga side of the Fountain area.
Spellman praised the location of the county extension office at 559 1/2 East Nash Street, Camillus L. Darden‘s commercial building. He then described the equipment and furnishings supplied by the county (plus a few things he brought in.)
Spellman set out the organization of the extension agency and identified the eight-member County Advisory Committee as Seth T. Shaw, Thomas Hilliard, Robert L. Mitchell, Earnest A. Jones, Charlie Ruffin, Chester Woodard, John H. Clay, and Isaac Renfrow.
Spellman briefly mentioned the 4-H Club, which would be covered in detail in Section II, noting that its council met at Darden High School’s auditorium. He also lauded the principals of the county schools that hosted 4-H Clubs “as a very helpful body in the promotion of junior work in the county.”
Spellman then praised the agent training program he had attended at Hampton Institute [now Hampton University] in July.
North Carolina County Agent Annual Narrative Report, Wilson County, N.C., North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, UA102.002, Special Collections Research Center at N.C. State University.
The obituary of Janie Williams.
Wilson Daily Times, 27 November 1944.
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In the 1880 census of Brogden township, Wayne County, N.C.: Adline Brown, 30 (“H left her”), and daughters Sallie, 10, Jane, 6, and Lizzie, 3.
In the 1900 census of Mount Olive, Brogden township, Wayne County, N.C.: Adlene Spells, 54, and daughters Jane, 23, and Mattie, 17, all day laborers, and grandson Edgar, 4.
In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) h 647 E Vance
In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) h 206 E Spruce
In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) factory hd h 213 E Spruce
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 213 Spruce, Jane Williams, 46, and son Edgar, 24, both tobacco factory workers.
In the 1920 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Janie (c) dom h 213 E Spruce
In the 1922 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) janitress h 207 E Spruce
In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) dom h 207 E Spruce
In the 1928 and 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Williams Jane (c) lndrs h 207 E Spruce
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Jane Williams, 55, laundress, widow; Elizabeth Bowden, 12; and Josh Smith, 56, widower, brickmason.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 207 Spruce, washerwoman Jane S. Williams, 68, and bricklayer Josh Smith, 65, born Kentucky.
Jannie Williams died 25 November 1944 at her home at 207 Spruce Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 68 years old; was born in Mount Olive, N.C., to Isaac and Adline Spells, and was buried in Rountree Cemetery, Wilson.
A change in Annie E. Weeks’ funeral.
Escapes death — now a stage star!
Jackson (Miss.) Advocate, 9 March 1946.
Javotte Sutton Greene was born in Wilson, but her family lived there only briefly, and she grew up in Durham, North Carolina.
More about “Striver’s Row” from the 2 March 1946 edition of The Ohio State News:
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Per the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936-2007, Javotte Sutton Greene was born 6 January 1922 in Wilson, North Carolina, to Ezekiel Sutton and Allensia M. McKinnon. She died 4 November 1998.