The last will and testament of Pitts Kirby (1864).

On 3 November 1864, Pitts Kirby of Wilson County executed a detailed will disposing of his worldly goods. Kirby lived on the far southwest edge of the county, within a mile or two of the Johnston County line.

In addition, Kirby directed that his “Negro Boy Isaac” be hired out until his youngest child reached age eighteen “& then to be Sold & Equally Divided among all of my Children.”

Pitts Kirby didn’t die for more than a decade and, in any event, Ellick and Isaac were emancipated six months after this will was drafted.

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The 1860 slave schedule of Kirbys district, Wilson County, lists Pitts Kirby with two enslaved young men, a 19 year-old and a 17 year-old — Ellick and Isaac. (Or Isaac and Ellick.)

On 6 May 1866, Alexander Kirby and Martha Perry registered their cohabitation with the Johnston County clerk, thereby legitimating their marriage, which had taken place in June 1861.

On 2 May 1867, Isaac Kirby and Mary Barnes were married in Johnston County, North Carolina.

In the 1870 census of Beulah township, Johnston County, N.C.: farmer Isaac Kirby, 30, and wife Mary, 18, farm laborer. He claimed $50/real estate and $125/personal estate.

In the 1870 census of Beulah township, Johnston County, N.C.: Alexander Kirby, 30, farm laborer; wife Martha, 30; and five children Allen, 8, Willis, 6, Neely, 3, James, 2, and Mary, 3 months. [The eldest two children were born in slavery on the farm on which their mother was enslaved.]

In the 1880 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer Isaac Kirby, 41; wife Mary, 25; and sons Willis, 14, and Leroy, 1.

In the 1880 census of Beulah township, Johnston County: farmer Alic Kirby, 43; wife Martha J., 40; and children Clarkey, 21, Willis, 17, Milley J., 14, James A., 12, Mary, 10, Martha A., 8, Martha A., 7, Sarah E., 6, Evaline, 3, Lewis Z., 2, and Leroy, 10 months.

In the 1900 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer Isaac S. Kirby, 58; wife Mary, 54; and sons Leroy A., 21, William, 14, and Isaac R., 13.

In the 1900 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: day laborer Alex Kirby, 61; wife Martha J., 60; sons Amos, 18, and Obie, 12; and grandson Wiley, 5.

It appears that both Isaac S. Kirby and Alexander Kirby died between 1900 and 1910. Were they brothers?

Cemeteries, no. 40: Red Hill Cemetery.

I’ve been seeing (and puzzling over) Red Hill Cemetery for years. Death certificates and obituaries site it near Stantonsburg, but that post office serves both Wayne and Wilson County residents, and the cemetery’s precise location was not clear.

Detail of death certificate of Richard Artis of Stantonsburg, Wilson County, who died 29 November 1932. 

Detail of death certificate of Phill Hines of Stantonsburg, Wilson County, who died 15 March 1946.

However, thanks to Portia Newman and her amazing grandfather, Donald L. Woodard Sr., I now know Red Hill is a few hundred feet beyond the Wilson County toward Eureka in Wayne County. It sits on a parcel of land owned by Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church of Stantonsburg.

I went on a chilly, dark, drizzly morning to have a look.

Though active as late as the 1970s, there is no obvious entry into Red Hill Cemetery.

I finally struggled in via a deer path, but could not advance very far through snarls of greenbrier. An estimated 250 graves lie here, but I did not see any headstones or other markers.

Photographs by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2026.

Lane Street Project: the March cleanups.

The weather has not been kind this cleanup season, but March is here with the promise of balmy weather. Our service days this month are the 14th and 28th.

We have specific goals we need to achieve over the second half of the season, and we encourage you to come out to lend a hand. There’s work for every level of ability, and we welcome you.

In preparation for a future project, we need to clip all the weeds and vines to the ground. Ideally, they should be low enough to keep them in check with a heavy-duty lawnmower.

We want to raze this clump of weeds between the Vick and Mincey plots.

We want to clear out the privet (the green stuff) and the dry weeds here. Try to avoid trampling the daffodils though, and watch out underfoot, there’s an old brick vault in this area.

We want to scalp this back to the tree line. Please don’t lean on grave markers.

Also, don’t cut the yucca. They were planted 100+ years ago to mark graves.

Any other little vine or sapling you see is fair game though.

Do you have a heavy-duty weed whacker? Perhaps with a brush cutter attachment? We really need your help!

Remember: SAFETY FIRST. Wear long pants and heavy boots or shoes. Gloves and goggles. There are tripping hazards at ground level, so please keep an eye out. Thank you!

The grave of Henry Ruffin (ca. 1864-1928).

Henry Ruffin‘s headstone, topped with a Masonic emblem, marks his grave in the former Elm City Colored Cemetery, now Heritage Cemetery.

In the 1870 census of Springfield township, Nash County, N.C.: farm laborer George Ruffin, 50; wife Minerva, 35; and children Thomas, 10, Virginia, 4, and Henry, 2.

On 21 December 1887, Henry Ruffin, 21, of Wilson County, son of George and Mariney Ruffin, married Jane Tillery, 22, of Wilson County, daughter of Ben and Cherry Tillery, at four o’clock at Ben TIllery’s house in Gardners township, Wilson County.

In the 1900 census of Elm City, Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Pender Street, Henry Ruffin, 32, common laborer, and wife Ella Jane, 35, cook.

In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Wilson Road, farm laborer Henry Ruffin, 48, and wife Mahalley Jane, 39, cook.

In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Ruffin, 52, and wife  Janie, 49.

Henry Ruffin died 26 July 1928 in Toisnot township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 16 March 1964 in Johnston County, N.C., to George Ruffin and Mammie Ruffin; was married to Jane Ruffin; and was buried in Elm City.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2026.

Keeping the Atkinson-Battle-Farmer stories alive.

Kudos to Samuel Joyner, who has published a volume detailing the “who, where, when” of more than seven generations of his Atkinson, Battle, and Farmer lines. These surnames that will be familiar to African-American Wilson County researchers. This 500+ page book is available via Amazon.com.

Pink Reid borrows from F.S.A.

Pink Reid borrowed $585 from the Farm Security Administration on 10 January 1942. To guarantee his loan, he pledged two mules, a Poland China brood sow, and a milch cow, as well as  his farm equipment.

Deed Book 275, page 303, Wilson County Register of Deeds, Wilson.

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In the 1940 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Pink Reid, 58; wife Matilda, 57; and son Allen T., 20. All were living in Wayne County five years earlier. 

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1003 Stantonsburg Street, Pinkey Reid, 68, yard cleaner; son Horace Reid, 32, butler; nephew Randolph Braswell, 26, bricklayer, and his wife Sarah, 25; and wife Matilda Reid, 67, nurse maid.

Pinkney Reid died 30 November 1961 at his residence at 504 North Vick Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 25 July 1881 in Wayne County to William Reid and Bettie Wilson; was married to Matilda Reid; was a farmer; and was buried at Turner Swamp cemetery, Wayne County.

Cemeteries, no. 39: the William and Nannie Shaw Kirby cemetery.

The Kirby family’s cemetery is off Revell Road a mile or so north of Kenly. It stands on land that remains within the family.

In the 1900 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer Isaac S. Kirby, 58; wife Mary, 54; and sons Leroy A., 21, William, 14, and Isaac R., 13.

In the 1900 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer David H. Shaw, 37; wife Roxey A., 34; and children Herbert, 16, Nettie, 15, Willie F., 14, Nannie F., 10, Hattie C., 8, Estella, 5, Lemon L., 4, John C., 4, Henry S., 3, Joseph L., 1, and Luthor, 1 month.

On 17 January 1909, William Kirby, 24, of Springhill township, son of Isaac and Mary Kirby, married Nannie Shaw, 19, of Springhill township, daughter of David and Roxie Shaw. Missionary Baptist minister W.H. Mitchiner performed the ceremony at the bride’s father’s house.

In the 1910 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer William Kirby, 23; wife Nannie, 20; daughter Fredie M., 5 months; mother Mary, 66, widow; boarder Leroy, 32; and brother Ransom, 23.

In 1918, William Kirby registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 24 July 1884; lived at Route 3, Kenly; was a self-employed farmer; and his nearest relative was Nannie Kirby.

In the 1920 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: “near section of the Kenly and Wilson Road,” farmer William Kirby, 35; wife Nannie, 30; children Frader, 9, James, 8, Elizabeth, 6, Sarah, 4, John Q., 2, and John D., 3 months; nephew Jessie, 6; nieces Fannie and Annie, 4; and mother Mary, 60, widow.

In the 1930 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: on property owned and valued at $6000, farmer William Kirby, 45; wife Nannie, 41; and children James D., 19, Freeda M., 20, Elizabeth, 18, Sarah, 15, Roxana E., 13, William H., 11, Queene E., 9, Hobby L., 8, Isaac H., 5, Nettie, 2, and Willie K., 2 month.

James Kirby died 1 October 1934 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 23 years old; was born in Wilson County to William Kirby and Nannie Shaw; was married to Mary Kirby; and worked as a barber.

The double headstone of William H. and Nannie S. Kirby.

In the 1940 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer William Kirby, 55; wife Nannie, 52; children Hobby Lee, 17, Havey Isa, 15, Nettie, 13, Willie K., 13, and Roxia A., 22; niece Lucille Shaw, 18; and lodger Jr. Barnes, 4.

In 1943, Harvey Isaac Kirby registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Perhis registration card, he was born 1 March 1925 in Wilson County; lived at Route 3, Kenly, Wilson County; his contact was Nannie Kirby; and he worked on his father William Kirby’s farm.

William Kirby died 5 June 1943 in Springhill township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was 58 years old; was born in Wilson County to Isaac Kirby and Mary Barnes; was married to Nannie Kirby; and was buried in the family cemetery by C.E. Artis. William Henry Kirby was informant.

On 20 May 1950, James Richardson, 65, of Wilson, son of Dick and Topsie Richardson, married Nannie Kirby, 62, daughter of Dave and Roxie Shaw, in Wilson. Missionary Baptist minister F.F. Battle performed the ceremony.

These vernacular concrete headstones mark the graves of two children of William and Nannie Kirby who died as young adults. Their father’s original headstone, of a similar concrete make, now leans against the chainlink fence.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2026.