Ferrell’s School entertains the superintendent.

Wilson Daily Times, 10 November 1933.

Ferrell’s School, near Black Creek, entertained county commissioners and the school superintendent and laid out a spread of barbecue, cole slaw, fried chicken, potato salad, pumpkin pie, and “cakes of every kind.”

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  • Ferrell’s School — see also here.
  • Dora Godwin — in the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 910 Wainwright Avenue, Robert Godwin, 29, odd jobs laborer; wife Dora, 23, public school teacher; and stepson [sic] Paul Helpler, 16.
  • Emily Wilson — in the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Wilson Emily (c) sch tchr r 711 E Green
  • Augustas Woodard — in the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Gus Woodard, 49; wife Lizzie, 38; and children Eva M., 20, Mamie, 19, Daisye, 18, Ruth, 14, Augustus, 16, Purrell, 15, and James, 8.

The obituary of James D. Barnes.

Wilson Daily Times, 26 March 1948.

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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: John A. Barnes, 65, garden worker; wife Sarah J., 71; son John A., Jr., 39, works at Hackney Bus Bodies; daughter-in-law Emma, 35; son Wade, 36; and grandchildren James D. Barnes, 17;  George, 15, Odell, 13, and Margaret McAllister, 10, and Inez Tart, 9.

 

The Taylor sisters, as imagined.

I am ambivalent about using artificial intelligence to restore photographs. Or, more specifically, I’m concerned about manipulated photographs supplanting original images and further blurring the line between reality and misinformation. However, the allure of AI-enhanced images is strong, as I often contend with blurry, poorly lit photographs in unnatural sepia or black-and-white tones. Photographs whose condition sometimes exacerbates the distance between us and our ancestors.

I have been experimenting with ChatGPT lately, feeding it queries and images to be restored and colorized. The results are somewhat haphazard, with many images weird and off-putting. Other times, the images are breathtakingly sharp and … alive. Black Wide-Awake exists to resurrect forgotten lives, and I believe these images are valuable to help us connect with the men and women we read about in these posts. From time to time, I’ll share the better ones here, clearly marked as AI-generated. Let me know what you think about them.

——

 Alice Taylor Perry (1889-?) and Martha Taylor Jones (1887-1970).

Where did they go?: Missouri death certificates.

  • Wright C. Blount

In the 1870 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Calvin Blount, 35; John Bantler, 23, born in South Carolina, and sons Dick, 12, Tillman, 10, Frank, 6, Wright, 7, and William, 4.

In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Calvin Blount, 44, wife Emily, 48, and sons Wright, 17, William, 14, and Franklin, 16.

In the 1887 Saint Louis, Missouri, city directory: Blount Wright, servant, r. al. rear 2212 Franklin

Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, 22 August 1889.

In the 1889 Saint Louis, Missouri, city directory: Blount Wright, lab. r. 5 N. Ewing av.

On 19 December 1889, W.C. Blount married Lula C. Wright in Saint Clair County, Illinois.

Saint Louis, Missouri, city directory (1895.)

Eldredge Lucina Blount was born 24 June 1895 in Saint Louis to Wright C. Blount and Lulu Wright.

In the 1900 census of Saint Louis, Missouri: at 116 1/2 Leonard Avenue, Wright Blount, 33, day laborer; wife Lula, about 30; and children Norma, 10, Alta, 8, Eldridge, 4, and Josephine, 2.

In the 1901 Saint Louis, Missouri, city directory: Blount Wright, lab. r. 116A S Leonard av

In the 1908 Saint Louis, Missouri, city directory: Blount Wright, porter. r. 318 S Compton av

In the 1910 census of Saint Louis, Missouri: at 2915 Lawton, Wright C. Blount, 46, jobber; wife Loden, 28, working out; and children Attie, 20, laundress, Eldrage, 13, Josephine, 11, and Nick, 6.

In the 1917 Saint Louis, Missouri, city directory: Blount Wright, janitor. r. 3439 Lawton av

Saint Louis Argus, 7 December 1917.

In the 1920 census of Saint Louis, Missouri: Lula Blunt, 45; children Josephine Mosby, 20, and Eldridge, 24, Melvin, 16, and Alto Blount, 26; and grandchildren Helen, 4, and Ester Mosby, 2. [Lula was described as a widow.]

In the 1930 census of Mermen township, Saint Louis County, Missouri: Lulu Wright, 60, servant, with Katherine Logan. [Again, Lula was described as a widow.]

Wright Blount died 15 July 1936 in Saint Louis, Missouri. Per his death certificate, he was about 74 years old; was born in North Carolina to Calvin Blount; was the widower of Lula Blount; and had worked as a common laborer. Josephine Mosley was informant.

Eldredge Blount died 11 June 1969 in Saint Louis. Per her death certificate, she was born 24 September 1898 in Saint Louis to Wright Blount and Lula Wright; never married; and worked as a domestic. Josephine Mosby of Cleveland, Ohio, was informant.

  • Henry Artis

Though his death certificate lists Wilson County, North Carolina, other records point to Wayne County, North Carolina, as Henry Artis’ birthplace. His family migrated to Mississippi around 1890 and then on to Missouri.

In the 1850 census of the North Side of the Neuse, Wayne County: in the household of white farmer Burkett Barnes, four free children of color, Henry, 15, Duncan, 13, Leonard, 10, and Ashberry Artice, 7.

On 9 September 1862, Leonard Artis and Pernicy Hagans were married in Wayne County.

In the 1870 census of Pikeville township, Wayne County: Leonard Artice, 34; wife Pearcy, 23; and children Diza, 8, John, 7, Lousar, 6, Larrance, 2, and Wiley J., 4 months.

In the 1880 census of Pikeville township, Wayne County: Leonard Artice, 43; wife Demecia, 35; children John W., 16, Loudy, 13, Wiley J., 10, Hubard A., 6, Frances, 4, Martha A., 3, and Hattie, 1; and niece Dizer, 16.

In the 1900 census of Glen Allen township, Washington County, Mississippi: Lenord Artis, 67; wife Pernicy, 54; children Henry G., 16, Calvin, 19, and Adam and Addie, 12; grandchildren Elnora, 6, and Lupattie, 4; and niece Pearl G. Miller, 8. (All but the youngest three were born in North Carolina.)

In the 1930 census of Saint Louis, Missouri: Henry Artisy, 35, steel plant laborer, and wife Lula, 34, roomers in household of Albert L. England.

In the 1940 census of Saint Louis, Missouri: Henry Artis, 50, W.P.A. power plant laborer; wife Lula, 48; and brother Addie, 46.

In 1940, Henry Artis registered for the World War II draft in Saint Louis. Per his registration card, he was born 12 March 1890 in Goldsboro, N.C.; lived at 2613 Delmar Street; and his contact was Lulu Artis.

Henry Artis died 10 February 1943 in Saint Louis, Missouri. Per his death certificate, he was born 12 March 1899 in Wilson County, N.C., to Lenard Artis and Neice Higgins; and worked as a wholesale drug company porter.

In the 1950 census of Caruthersville, Pemiscot County, Missouri: Addie Artis, 64, widower.

Addie Artice died 22 February 1958 in Hayti, Pemiscot County, Missouri. Per his death certificate, he was born 4 April 1885 in North Carolina to Leonard Artice and Pernecia [no maiden name]; was a widower; worked as a laborer.

B.W.A. Historical Marker Series, no. 30: Griffin Hill.

In this series, which will post on occasional Wednesdays, I populate the landscape of Wilson County with imaginary “historical markers” commemorating people, places, and events significant to African-American history or culture.

We been here.

GRIFFIN HILL

With adjacent New Grabneck community, developed circa 1920 for black landowners displaced from Grabneck community on W. Nash St. by real estate developers. In late 1950s, area cleared for low-income housing project for white residents. 

——

Griffin Hill was two long blocks running between present-day Parkview and Jefferson Streets west of Hominy Swamp.

Wilson Daily Times, 18 November 1959.

Wilson Daily Times, 23 June 1961.

As seen via Google Maps, Griffin Hill today is largely occupied by the Forrest Road Homes housing project.

 

Benjamin A. Harris Sr., as imagined.

I am ambivalent about using artificial intelligence to restore photographs. Or, more specifically, I’m concerned about manipulated photographs supplanting original images and further blurring the line between reality and misinformation. However, the allure of AI-enhanced images is strong, as I often contend with blurry, poorly lit photographs in unnatural sepia or black-and-white tones. Photographs whose condition sometimes exacerbates the distance between us and our ancestors.

I have been experimenting with ChatGPT lately, feeding it queries and images to be restored and colorized. The results are somewhat haphazard, with many images weird and off-putting. Other times, the images are breathtakingly sharp and … alive. Black Wide-Awake exists to resurrect forgotten lives, and I believe these images are valuable to help us connect with the men and women we read about in these posts. From time to time, I’ll share the better ones here, clearly marked as AI-generated. Let me know what you think about them.

——

Benjamin A. Harris Sr. (1894-1955), brickmason.