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Xmas Night Dance at the Center.

Wilson Daily Times, 23 December 1943.

Twenty-one year-old impresario Percy Mincey put together an impressive Christmas night dance in 1943, five months before he enlisted in the United States Army. (Note the reduced price for white “spectators,” who could watch, but not dance.)

  • Percy Mincy

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 500 Stantonsburg Street, John Mincey, 50, tobacco factory laborer; wife Olivia, 46; children Olivia D., 17, tobacco factory laborer, Joseph, 23, Margie, 15, Susie M., 12, Johnie M., 8, Percy, 6, and Prince, 21, and his wife Alice, 19; and grandchildren James, 12, Lawrence L., 7, and Willie L. Carroll, newborn.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 500 Stantonsburg Street, Jack Mincey, 61; wife wife Olivia, 58; sons Johnie, 20, and Percell, 19; and grandson Darance, 17.

In 1942, Percy Mincey registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 29 December 1922 in Wilson; lived at 500 Stantonsburg Street; his contact was Ben Mincey, 650 Wiggins; and he worked for Watson Warehouse, Goldsboro Street.

  • Ike Carpenter and his 12 Piece Orchestra — This would seem to be Isaac Carpenter, a white jazz bandleader from Durham, N.C., but biographies of Carpenter indicate he did not form his first band until 1945, and he generally led octets.
  • The Three Aces — This is another conundrum. The most well-known Three Aces group did not form until 1951.

Stith’s hostlers.

Wilson Ledger, 28 April 1858.

In the spring of 1858, Buckner D. Stith placed an ad in a Wilson newspaper to tout his spacious new livery stable — fifty horses at a time! Stith offered horses for hire — Davy Crocket, Bullock, Fox, Bill, Spitfire and General Walker — as well as hostlers on duty. Tom, Butler, and John, surely enslaved, fed, curried, and otherwise cared for horses left at Stith’s stable.

A love story.

Samuel Farmer stayed chasing runaways. Two weeks after disappearing into the inky darkness of a winter night, Davy slipped back into Farmer’s quarters to steal away his wife Malvina.

Tarboro Free Press, 19 February 1833.

$60 Reward.

RAN AWAY from the Subscriber, on Tuesday night, 22d January last, negro man

DAVY

Aged about 27 or 28 years, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, well built, dark complexion, has a scar about an inch and a half in length on the forehead near the hair, and several scars on his head. Davy came home clandestinely on Tuesday, 5th Feb. and took off with him his wife MALVINA, aged about 21 or 22 years, dark complexion and well grown. A reward of $50 will be given for Davy, and $10 for Malvina, if both or either of them be delivered to me, or secured in any jail so that I get them again. All persons are forewarned harboring, employing, or carrying off said negroes under penalty of the law. SAMUEL FARMER.

Edgecombe Co. Feb. 12, 1833

Reward for George, who may be headed home.

Tarboro Free Press, 22 September 1827.

$25 Reward.

RANAWAY from the Subscriber, on the 23d of July last, a Negro boy named GEORGE; he is about 17 or 18 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches in height, dark color, a pert lively look, and in speaking is apt to stutter a little; he has lost most of his fore teeth, and has two or three distinct scars on his throat, occasioned by a rising some time since. Said boy was purchased about eighteen months since, from Mr. Matthew Cluff, of Norfolk, at which place he was raised, but has frequently been to Elizabeth-City, in this State, and the boy said that he had been several times at sea. I expect that he will attempt to get either to Elizabeth-City or Norfolk. A reward of Twenty-Five Dollars will be given to any person who will apprehend said boy and lodge him in any jail, so that I can get him again. Masters of vessels and all other persons are hereby forbid harboring, employing, or carrying off said boy, under the penalty of the law. SAMUEL FARMER.

Edgecombe County, N.C.  Septem. 4, 1827.

The Norfolk Herald and Elizabeth-City Star will please give the above three insertions, and forward the account to this office for collection.

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In September 1827, Samuel Farmer, who lived in the area between Hominy and Toisnot Swamps, placed this ad seeking the return of an enslaved teenager who had run away in July. George was believed to trying to make his way back to Norfolk, Virginia, where he had grown up, or Elizabeth City, North Carolina, which he had often visited. (Four and a half years later, Farmer was chasing another young man, John.)

10 or 12 likely Negroes for sale.

Tarboro’ Press, 29 January 1833.

William Davis Petway’s plantation was well east of Elm City just inside what is now the boundary of Wilson and Edgecombe Counties. His father Micajah Petway lived nearby. In the winter of 1833, as trustee for a loan that his father, presumably, had failed to pay off, W.D. Petway advertised the sale of 10 or 12 enslaved people to satisfy the debt.

Will trade land for young Negroes.

Tarboro Free Press, 2 August 1831.

In 1831, William Knight prepared to join the exodus of white farmers from the tired soil of North Carolina to the newly opened lands of the Deep South. He offered his 800-acre plantation on White Oak, in what is now eastern Wilson County, for sale for cash, credit, or “young Negroes.”

Where we worked: Wilson Furniture Company.

Wilson Daily Times, 22 August 1941.

Wilson Furniture Company’s large newspaper ad included its deliveryman, James “Gates” Johnson. The business was located at 125-127 South Goldsboro Street.

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In the 1930 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Highway 91, farmer James Johnson, 50; wife Carrie, 38; and children Mamie, 17, Roxanna, 12, Victoria, 9, James, 7, Lendsy, 5, Katie B., 3, and Clyde, 1.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 503 Viola, house carpenter James H. Johnson, 50; wife Carrie, 45; children Mamie, 25, Roxanna, 22, Victoria, 18, all domestic servants, James, 16, retail feed store delivery boy, Lancey, 13, Katie, 12, Clyde, 9, Herman, 7, and Stella M., 5; and foster son Thurman Land, 14.

In 1942, James Arthur Johnson registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 27 November 1923 in Wilson; lived at 503 Viola Street, Wilson; his contact was William Henry Johnson, 611 Warren Street, Wilson; and he worked for E.H. Barnes of Wilson Furniture Company. He was described as 6 feet 10 inches tall and 165 pounds. 

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 907 Stantonsburg, Henry Johnson, 60; wife Carrie, 55; and children Roxanne, 31, James, 28, Lansey, 24, Katie B., 21, Herman, 16, Helen, 10, and Jo Ann, 8.