On a single morning in July 1942, 89 African American men left Wilson County for induction into the United States Army.
Wilson Daily Times, 8 July 1942.
The obituary of Annie Barnes Taylor.
Wilson Daily Times, 22 October 1946.
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On 30 December 1896, Hilliard Taylor, 21, of Gardners township, married Annie Barnes, 21, of Gardners township, in Wilson County.
In the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Hilliard Taylor, 25; wife Annie, 23; and sons James, 4, and Albert, 3.
In the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Hilliard Taylor, 35; wife Annie, 30; sons Albert, 13, and Walter W., 5; and lodger Joe D. Bynum, 20.
In 1918, Hillard Taylor registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born February 1873; lived at R.F.D. #2, Stantonsburg; farmed for J.J. Mattox; and his nearest relative was Annie Taylor.
In the 1920 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Hilliard Taylor, 47; wife Annie, 35; sons Gray, 24, Albert, 22, and Walter, 16; and servant Mary Ward, 23.
In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Hilliard Taylor, 53; wife Annie, 48; and sons Walter, 24, and Moses, 14.
In the 1940 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farm laborer Walter Taylor, 34; wife Hagar, 27; father Hilliard, 65; mother Annie, 55; aunt Mattie, 60; cousin Lee, 35; and lodgers Jay Vance, 22, and Mary Taylor, 14.
Annie Taylor died 19 October 1946 in Saratoga township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was 67 years old; was born in Wilson County to Short Barnes and Matilda Barnes; was the widow of Hilliard Taylor; worked in farming; and was buried in Rest Haven cemetery. Walter Taylor of Stantonsburg was informant.
The murder of Pfc. Otis Newsome Sr.
Wilson Daily Times, 29 March 1948.
Within two weeks, the renowned Pittsburgh Courier picked up the story, and news of Otis Newsome‘s murder went national.
The Pittsburgh Courier, 10 April 1948.
The Kansas City Plain Dealer ran the story on April 16 — lifted verbatim from the Courier, but without attribution.
The Plain Dealer (Kansas City, Kans.), 16 April 1948.
On 10 May 1948, a jury deliberated two hours before acquitting Ulric C. Strickland of Newsome’s murder.
Otis Newsome’s case was one of three Wilson County homicides recently explored by Northeastern University’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project.
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In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer James J. Newsome, 36; wife Dolly, 26; and children William, 16, Ed L., 14, Odis, 8, and Dan, 5; and lodger Ben Clifton, 26.
Odies Newsome registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 22 February 1921 in Greene County, N.C.; lived at 110 South Reid Street, Wilson; his contact was James Newsome; and he was unemployed.
Otis Newsome died 27 March 1948 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 22 February 1921 in Greene County, N.C., to James Newsome and Dollie Ward; was married to Cleo Newsome; and was buried in Community Cemetery [Saint Delight Cemetery], Greene County. His cause of death: “Intra abdominal hemorrhage (aortic) damage resulting in death due to 38 cal. special revolver shot wound of right abdomen causing of severance of abdominal aorta.”
Howard Fitts applied for a military headstone for Newsome. The application contains an erroneous death date for Newsome, which was carved into his grave marker.
Studio shots, no. 241: the young Rev. Fred M. Davis.
A couple of weeks ago, a photo collector reached out to me concerning this priceless image. His research had identified the man as Rev. Fred M. Davis, the most prominent African-American Baptist minister in Wilson in the first half of the twentieth century, and he wanted to reconnect the portrait with Rev. Davis’ descendants. They are cherished family friends, and I was delighted to help.
Yesterday, after a meet-up in North Carolina, Rev. Davis’ portrait went home.
Diana Davis Myers gazes at a portrait of her grandfather, Rev. Fred M. Davis.
Thank you, G.G., for the diligent search that ultimately led you to Black Wide-Awake and the return of this family treasure. Photo courtesy of Michelle Myers Young.
Historic Black Business Series, no. 28: Short W. Barnes’ barbershop.
The 500 block of East Nash Street is justly remembered as the 20th century epicenter of Wilson’s African-American-owned businesses. However, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Black entrepreneurs and tradespeople also operated across the tracks. As Wilson’s downtown experiences a resurgence, let’s rediscover and celebrate these pioneering men and women.
Check in each Sunday for the latest in the Historic Black Business Series!
Short W. Barnes was a carpenter, not a barber, but at least briefly he invested in a barbershop in downtown Wilson that catered to white customers.
1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, March 2024.
The last will and testament of Martha Simms.
Born in 1772, Martha Dickinson Simms was the daughter of Shadrach and Keziah Simms Dickinson. At her death in about 1848, Simms lived in an area of Wayne County in or very close to present-day Wilson County. In May 1845, she executed a will that included these provisions:
- to daughter Elizabeth Whitley, two negro men Cader and Will
- to daughter Zillah Simms, negro woman Delanah and her children Simon, Charles, Dick and Sara
- to grandson Willey Simms, Harry, Lucy, Hannah
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- Harry and Hannah Simms and daughter Lucy Simms Woodard
Will of Martha Simms, Wayne County, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, http://www.ancestry.com.
The obituary of Alonza Ward.
Wilson Daily Times, 22 July 1944.
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In the 1930 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Powell Street, owned and valued at $1200, Preston Ward, 27, public building plasterer; wife Edna, 26; and children Preston, 10, Elonzy, 8, Johnie, 6, Janie, 5, Virginia, 3, and Sylvester, 8 months.
In the 1940 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Powell Street, widower Preston Ward, 38, building plasterer; sister Annie, 26; and children James P., 20, building plasterer, Alonza, 18, Johnny Lee, 17, Rosa, 14, Virginia, 12, Sylvester, 10, Ruby, 8, Doris, 6, and Golden, 2.
Survey on wheat growers.
The death of Zebulon M. Johnson, chiropodist.
We first encountered foot doctor Zebulon Myer Johnson in a post about his will. His obituary and a tribute letter yield more details of his singular life. Per Silas Lucas, a former mayor of Wilson, Johnson attended Cornell University and studied chiropody under a practitioner in Nashville, Tennessee. He was licensed to practice in North Carolina and Virginia and traveled a circuit through eastern North Carolina caring for patients’ feet. In 1926, he married Roberta Battle (one of the school boycott teachers) and settled in Wilson.
Wilson Daily Times, 14 July 1934.
Wilson Daily Times, 16 July 1934.
Wilson Daily Times, 16 July 1934.
In memory of Annie Williams.
Wilson Daily Times, 24 September 2005.
- Annie Williams