4-H Club

Valentines and Negro History Week.

In the lead-up to my February 8 talk at Wilson County Public Library, every day I’ll feature a post related to Wilson County’s Rosenwald schools. Here, Rocky Branch 4-H Club celebrated Valentine’s Day and Negro History Week in February 1947.

Wilson Daily Times, 21 February 1947.

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  • Francis Ashby — in the 1940 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: Joe Barnes, 82; wife Kizzie, 65; daughter Ester, 18; niece Gladys Smith, 14; grandchildren Francis, 7, and Bubble Ashby, 5; son S[illegible] Barnes, 24, and wife Bulah, 24.
  • George Reid
  • Ormond Ashby — “Bubble” Ashby, above?
  • Wadell Bagley
  • Mary E. Hinnant
  • Shirley Terrell
  • Louretha Renfrow — in the 1940 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farm laborer John Renfrow, 25; wife Eula Mae, 24; and children Louretha, 3, Edna Gray, 2, and Marie, 1.
  • Miss Wade — Helen T. Wade, home demonstration agent.

Watch the girls score!

Wilson Daily Times, 2 February 1940.

In 1940, after leadership by boys proved uninspired, girls took over Wilbanks 4-H Club, which met at Wilbanks Colored School.

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  • Odessa Hardy — in the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: widow Viola Hardy, 36, farm helper, and children Odesa, 15, Albert, 13, and Arthur L., 10.
  • Cora Lee McNair — Cora McNair traveled a few miles from Edgecombe County to 4-H Club in Wilson County. In the 1940 census of Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: William McNair, 70; wife Marina, 50; daughters Mary, 18, and Cora, 12, and extended family.
  • Mamie Dell Sharp — in the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Allen Sharp, 64; wife Mary, 56; son Mark, 27; daughter-in-law Clara, 23; and grandchildren Odel, 17, Roosevelt, 16, Mammie D., 14, Suddie M., 5, Barbara G., 3, Rudolph, 2, and Eugene, 8 months.
  • Willie Atkinson 
  • Mary Lee Weaver — in the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Ephram Weaver, 71, farmer; wife Carrie, 65; children Annie, 28, Mattie, 25, and Jessie, 20; granddaughter Mary L., 12; and lodger John Taylor, 18.
  • Jane E. Boyd —Jane Amos Boyd.

Harris makes highest corn yield.

Wilson Daily Times, 19 November 1935.

  • Volious Harris

In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Sidney Harris, 50, wife Hattie, 40, and children Emma, 17, Oliver, 16, Nathan, 13, Novella, 11, Volious, 8, Hattie M., 6, Beatrice, 3, and Clarence, 1.

In the 1940 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Sidney Harris, 59, wife Hattie, 50, and children Novella, 22, Volious, 17, Hattie Magarette, 15, Beatrice, 13, and Clearance, 12, and granddaughter Deloris McMillian, 6.

In 1942, Volious Lee Harris registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 17 June 1921 in Wilson County; lived at Route 2, Elm City; his contact was Sydney Harris; and was a student at A.&T. College, Greensboro, N.C.

On 21 July 1945, Volious Harris, 24, of Elm City, son of Sidney and Hattie Harris, married Helen Underwood, 25, of Goldsboro, N.C., daughter of William and Nellie Underwood, in Goldsboro, Wayne County, N.C.

Volious Harris died 28 February 1989 in Goldsboro, N.C.

Levi Simmons wins a second scholarship.

“Wilson County – July 30, 1940. Levi Simmons, Minshew Club member granted this second A and T College Club Scholarship for achievement in club work. The second project – 2 pigs. He will enter A and T in September to pursue an agriculture course.”

We’ve met David Levi Simmons before, here, here, here, and here. Simmons was a committed member of Minshew 4-H Club, which met at Minshew School near Black Creek.

4-H club member Levi Simmons with pigs for club project, University Archives Photograph Collection, 4-H Youth Development Photographs, UA 023.008, Special Collections Research Center, N.C. State University Libraries, Raleigh, N.C.

4-H Club honors.

Wilson Daily Times, 28 August 1939.

  • C.L. Spellman, county agent — Cecil L. Spellman.
  • Cleo Jones — in the 1940 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: farmer James L. Wood, 23, and wife Cleo C., 18; mother Flonnie Hall, 41; half-brother Lewis, 13, and Lizzie, 8.
  • Edith Joyner
  • Charles Ruffin — in the 1940 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Charles Ruffin, 39; wife Henrietta, 38; and children Bertha, 19, Charles, 17, James R., 16, Juanita, 12, Gladys Lee, 10, Christine, 8, Bruce, 7, Bertie Mae, 4, and and Curtis, 10 months. 
  • Levi Simmons — David Levi Simmons.
  • Aaron Clay — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Joe Clay, 47; wife Ezzie, 44; children Moses W., 19, Eva E., 9, Aron D., 18, and [Aaron’s wife] Gertrude, 17; brother John, 39; and granddaughter Ann D., newborn. All but Gertrude and the baby had lived in Sussex County, Virginia, five years before.
  • June Langston — in 1942, June Boney Langston Jr. registered for the World War II in Wayne County, N.C. Per his registration card, he was born 1 July 1922 in Wayne County; lived at “Fremont (Blackcrek) Wilson NC”; and his contact and employer was Jennie Langston, Fremont, Wayne, N.C. 
  • Mary Armstrong
  • Verdie Locus
  • Beatrice Jones
  • Joseph Simmons — in the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Junius Simmons, 44; wife Clara, 39; and children Levi, 21, Joseph, 20, Frank, 15, Julia, 10, Lettie, 5, Thomas, 1, and Edward, 9.

Levi Simmons is the state 4-H champion!

Wilson Daily Times, 2 August 1940.

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We read here the letter Pfc. David Levi Simmons wrote to the newspaper . Before he was a soldier or college student, Simmons was a member of the Minshew 4-H Club and 4-H state champion, with winning projects in pigs, gardening, tobacco, cotton, corn, potatoes, and peanuts. 

A letter from Pvt. Simmons.

Wilson Daily Times, 23 July 1942.

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In the 1920 census of Plowden Mills township, Clarendon County, South Carolina: Junious Simmons, 24; wife Clara, 19; and son David L., 1.

In the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Junius Simmons, 33; wife Clara, 29; and children Levi, 11, Joseph, 9, Frank, 4, and Julia May, 5 months.

In the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Junius Simmons, 44; wife Clara, 39; and children Levi, 21, Joseph, 20, Frank, 15, Julia, 10, Lettie, 5, Thomas, 1, and Edward, 9.

In 1940, David Levi Simmons registered for the World War II draft in Wayne County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 May 1918 in Manning, South Carolina; lived at Route 1, Fremont, Wayne County; his contact was father Junious Simmons; and he was a student at A.&T. College, Greensboro, N.C.

Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.

Countywide picnic.

Wilson Daily Times, 30 June 1941.

Picnics organized by Wilson County’s Black 4-H and Home Demonstration clubs were annual social highlights. In 1941, a hundred and fifty families traveled to Yelverton School at the far eastern edge of the county for fun and frolic in such contests as milk-sucking, cracker-eating, nail-driving, bag-racing, and horseshoe-pitching.