The obituary of Marie Ravennah Taylor.

The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 18 June 1942.

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Marie Louise Ravennah was born about 1885 in Hampton County, South Carolina, to Emile J. Ravennah and Georgianna Rivers Ravennah. She married Rev. Halley B. Taylor in 1909; they likely met while students in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Taylors lived in Wilson about a decade, where Rev. Halley led Calvary Presbyterian Church.

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In the 1920 census of Town of Wilson, Wilson County: at 700 Green Street, preacher Henry [sic; Halley] Taylor, 40; wife Louise, 28; and children Bettie, 8, Louise, 6, Robert, 5, and Halley, 4.

In the 1930 census of Washington, D.C.: at 1715 First Street, minister Halley B. Taylor, 50; wife Marie L., 45; and children Bettie S., 19, M. Louise, 17, Robert E., 14, Halley B., Jr., 12, and Harold H., 1.

In the 1940 census of Washington, D.C.: Halley B. Taylor, 60; wife Marie L., 54; and sons Halley Jr., 22, and Holard T., 11.

 

Sampson Barnes’ family shows appreciation.

Wilson Daily Times, 7 August 1937.

Young adult Samson Barnes died suddenly of young disease. This notice includes a detail presumably affixed by the copy writer: Barnes worked or sharecropped for Herman and Lilly Mattox, who rented land owned by a Woodard.

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In the 1920 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: Preston Barnes, 27; wife Rosettar, 20; and children Samson, 5, Aulander, 3, and Sallie, 5 months.

In the 1930 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: widow Mollie Williams, 59, and grandchildren Lorenzo, 17, Nathaniel, 15, and Mary Williams, 12, and Samson, 16, Orlando, 14, and Sally Barnes, 12.

Samptson Barnes died 3 August 1937 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 22 years old; was born in Wilson County to Preston Barnes and Rosetta Williams; was 22 years old; worked as a farmer; and was single. Drew Barnes was informant.

Hagans vs. Hagans.

Wilson Times, 26 November 1897.

Probably: on 26 October 1889, Amos Hagans, 31, of Cross Roads township, son of John Hagans and Eliza Rich, married Jane Fields, 18, of Cross Roads township, daughter of Washington and Julia Fields, at Ben Binum’s in Cross Roads township, Wilson County.

If so, Amos Hagans remarried a couple of years after his divorce. On 21 February 1900, Amos Hagins, 39, son of John Hagins and Eliza Rich, married Lillie Richardson, 17, daughter of John and Mollie Richardson, at Mollie Richardson’s in Cross Roads township.

A prank gone terribly wrong.

News & Observer, 17 August 1948.

  • J.C. Austin — James C. Alston.

James Alston died 14 August 1948 in Oldfields township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 14 September 1928 in Wilson County to Herman Alston of Nash County and Mildred Jones of Wilson County; worked in farming; and died of homicide, specifically, “left thoracic pulmonary hemorrhage due to blast from shotgun shell to the left chest and arm.”

  • G.B. Deans — actually, C.B. Deans.

Deans claimed he shot into the dark without seeing his victim. He was convicted of manslaughter less than a month later and sentenced to four to six years in prison.

Visitors to Cape May.

In August 1925, the Pittsburgh Courier posted a long list of recent guests at Cape May, New Jersey’s Hotel Dale, which included:

Pittsburgh Courier, 15 August 1925.

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  • Hotel Dale

Image of postcard courtesy of Hope Gaines, “A Place to Stay,” Cape May magazine, June 2018.