Follow-up: what was the Independent School before it was the Independent School?

Here, I posted the deed for Samuel H. Vick‘s 1904 purchase of the tenement, i.e. apartment, building that would later be converted to a school for children whose parents were boycotting Wilson Colored Graded School.

I recalled reading somewhere that the building had been a church, maybe Methodist, owned by brick maker Silas Lucas, but I could not find the reference. I still haven’t found it, but I did find this:

Wilson Advance, 11 February 1897.

So, the building had been a Baptist, not Methodist church. The first iteration of Wilson’s First Baptist Church, now at 311 Nash Street North, was built near the intersection of  Lodge and Green Streets (later the site of Wilson’s bus station and now of Wilson Community Health Center).

Gray’s 1882 map of Wilson shows “Missionary Baptist Ch.” in the first block of Green Street from the railroad:

I need to confirm that the “Tate lot” was on Vance Street, but I am fairly certain that the old church moved “below the railroad” was the building converted into the Independent School.

The estate of Prince Daniels (1889).

Wilson County Probate Court appointed farmer Perry Rentfrow administrator of the estate of Prince Daniel in January 1889.

Wilson Advance, 21 February 1889.

On 26 February 1889, Rentfrow sold Prince Daniel’s personal property at auction, netting $102.44.

In October 1889, the Clerk of Superior Court filed a notice concerning the sale of Prince Daniels’ land. (Daniel had purchased a small farm from Elizabeth and John Hayes in 1871, just six years after his emancipation. Deed Book 4, page 372.)

Wilson Advance, 24 October 1889.

Wilson County Records of Accounts, 1884-1891, North Carolina Records, http://www.familysearch.org

The Kent-Lucas family reunion celebrates 46 years!

Congrats to the Kent-Lucas family, which celebrated its 46th family reunion this past weekend! I was honored that Black Wide-Awake was helpful to the family in documenting its ancestors and was thrilled that Rev. James Robert Kent shared with me the family history report distributed to attendees. The report contains priceless oral history accounts, as well as copies of marriage and death certificates and of funeral programs, as well as posts from Black Wide-Awake.

Kudos to the Kent-Lucas family historians, who are doing this thing right!

606 East Green Street.

The two hundred-fourth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District: “ca. 1922. 2 stories. Catherine Clark house; gable front house with side hall and intact classical porch posts; Clark was a school teacher.”

The house was numbered 607 prior to 1922 and may have been built as early as about 1900 by Catherine Clark’s mother, Sarah Hill Clark.

On 3 January 1898, for $180, the Vicks sold Sarah Clark a lot on Green Street bordering Jonah Williams and Millie Bryant. The deed was registered 9 January 1899 in Deed Book 50, page 474. Sarah Clark and her husband Rhoden Clark, natives of Scotland Neck, Halifax County, North Carolina, were married at the time, but she bought this lot in her name only. Rhoden Clark died a few years later.

In the 1908 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Clark Sarah, h 607 e Green; also, Clark Catherine, dressmkr h 607 e Green

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Sarah Clark, 45, school teacher; daughters Catherine, 22, Letha, 19, and Bettie, 17; granddaughter Ruth Jenkins, 8; and servant Mary Jenkins, 26.

Wilson, N.C., city directory, 1912.

Wilson, N.C., city directory, 1916.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 607 Green, widow Sarah Clark, 28 [sic], and daughters Lena, 20, Bettie, 17, and Kathryn, 24, a teacher.

Sarah Hill Clark died 27 January 1927 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 64 years old; was born in Scotland Neck, N.C., to James Hill and Evelyn Barnes; lived at 606 East Green; and was buried in Rountrees Cemetery (probably, Vick Cemetery.) Catherine Clark was informant.

Wilson, N.C., city directory, 1930.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 607 Green, owned and valued at $8000, Katherine Clark, 30, teacher, and sister Aleatha Clark, 24, a seamstress. Both women died in the mid-1930s, and the house was converted to upstairs and downstairs apartments.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: undertaker Talmer Hunter, 29, and wife Naomie, 27 a nurse, renting for $24/month; laborer Sidney Tomlinson, 27, wife Luney, 26, and son Alton, 18 months, renting for $8/month; Randolph Hunter, 7; Ethel Baptist, 40; Shorty Baker, 27; and Thomas Pender, 14.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: (downstairs) widow Jane White, 48, laundry checker; son-in-lsw Bruce Sutton, 28; daughter Lucille, 20, and their sons William E., 2, and Bruce Jr., 1; (upstairs) Charlie K. Clark, 60, day work mowing lawns, and son Donald, 7.

N.88.2.466-467, Catherine Clark House, 606 E. Green Street, East Wilson Historic District, Wilson, Wilson County, Survey and National Register Branch, State Historic Preservation Office.

The obituary of Hettie Barnes Powell.

Wilson Daily Times, 19 June 1947.

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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 303 South Park Drive, a duplex rented for $8.50/month per side, Dave Powell, 65, farmer, and wife Hattie, 41, stemmer in redrying plant.

Hettie Powell died 18 June 1947 in Mercy Hospital in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 1 May 1900 in Wilson County to Hilliard Barnes; was married to Dave Powell; lived at 818 Mercer Street, Wilson; worked in a factory; and was buried in Jones Hill Cemetery.

[Where was Saint Dew church and how long did it meet?]

Farmer shoots boys in watermelon patch.

Wilson Times, 30 July 1918.

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In the 1910 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Henry Dudley, 55; wife Fannie, 34; and children Maggie, 24, William L., 20, Rosa, 18, William H., 15, Jacob A., 13, Naoma, 11, Leroy, 8, Dorena, 5, and Bessie M., 2.

In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Henry Dudley, 63; wife Fannie, 43; and children Leroy, 17, Darlena, 15, Bessie, 11, Franny B., 9, and Ernest, 6.

Oldest, biggest, best minstrel show.

Daily News (Wilson, N.C.), 20 September 1900.

Minstrel shows were sure-fire crowdpleasers for white audiences well into the twentieth century. Al. G. Field’s Big Minstrels’ national touring company brought forty minstrel stars to town, including Welby & Pearl, America’s Fin de Siecle Exponents of Refined Negro Comedy — who were not decidedly not Negro.