Lydia Bledsoe Hunter posted her first comment on Black Wide-Awake in December 2017. Descended from Armstrongs and Bullocks who migrated from Wilson County to Arkansas in the late 1800s, she has been one of my most active readers, liking, commenting, and sharing photos of her Exoduster family.
I was surprised and saddened this weekend to open a text message revealing the news of her passing. My deepest condolences go to her family as they mourn their tremendous loss. Mrs. Hunter always reminded me of the reach of Black Wide-Awake and its capacity to restore connections sundered more than 130 years. May she rest in peace.
In his 30 September 1856 will, William J. Armstrong directed his slaves be hired out until all his debts were paid, then divided equally among his heirs with the proviso that “it is my desire that at the division of my Slaves my Daughter Mary E. Barnes have Slave Harry as a part of her share at a fair valuation as she has had him for several years.”
Chicago Defender founder and publisher Robert Sengstacke Abbott created Bud Billiken in 1923 for the Defender Junior, the newspaper’s children’s page. The Bud Billiken Club encouraged reading, good behavior, and community involvement. Though based in Chicago, club membership was open to children across the country, and 14 year-old Christine McDaniel quickly applied.
Chicago Defender, 3 March 1923.
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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: widow Mamie McDaniel, 36, laborer; daughter Christian, 11; roomer Mattie Allen, 29, cook at Wilson Sanatorium; and brother Thomas Hicks, 18, cafe cook.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: widow Minnie McDaniel, 58; daughters Christine Smith, 27, teacher at Turner School, and Erma L. McDaniel, 14; and roomers Mozelle Simms, 22, and Lizzie Rogers, 20, both cooks.
In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Minnie McDaniel, 64, widow; son-in-law Robert Armstrong, 29, local hospital orderly; wife Christine, 35, elementary school teacher; and lodger Emma L. Armstrong.
Julia Armstrong — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 411 East Green Street, owned and valued at $6000, Hallie Armstrong, 48, pool room operator; wife Julia, 29; and lodgers Annie M. Brown, 39, hospital nurse, Jeanett M. Lee, 24, hospital nurse, and Lawrence Peacock, 27, servant.
In the 1870 census of Joyners township, Wilson County: farm laborer Jolly Taylor, 35; wife Patsey, 48; Dock Taylor, 15; and Nellie, 12, Haywood and Richard, 12, and George Farmer, 16.
In the 1880 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Jolly Taylor, 60; wife Cherry, 38; son Richard, 18, farm laborer; and David Cotton, 18, farm laborer.
In the 1900 census of Concordia Parish, Louisiana: farmer Patrick Jackson, 44, born in Mississippi; wife Anna, 26; stepson Charlie Armstrong, 12; uncle Jolly Taylor, 86; aunt Cherry Taylor, 69; and orphan Susie Harris, 8. All except Patrick Jackson were born in North Carolina. [Pat Jackson married Anna Armstrong 16 October 1899 in Concordia Parish, Louisiana.]
Cherry Tillery died 30 November 1916 in Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was about 72 years old; was born in Wilson County to Jollie Taylor and Jinnie Farmer; was married; and was buried in Elm City. Henry Ruffin was informant.
Ellen Taylor died 21 February 1919 in Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was about 70 years old; was born in Wilson County to Jolly Taylor; and was buried in Elm, City. Charlie Armstrong was informant.
Lucy Taylor died 25 June 1928 in Township No. 10, Edgecombe County. Per her death certificate, she was about 74 years old; was born in Wilson County to Jollie Taylor; was married; and was buried in Pitt Burying Ground, Edgecombe County.
On 16 January 1918, Henry Armstrong, 25, of Toisnot township, son of Nelson and Mary Armstrong, married Minnie Barnes, 21, of Toisnot township, daughter of Joe and Ella Barnes, in Wilson County. Joshua Armstrong applied for the license, and minister E.D. Telfor performed the ceremony in the presence of Frank Smith, W.M. Parker, and Frank Armstrong.
In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Armstrong, 42; wife Minnie, 33; and children Mary, 11, Fred, 8, Rosa, 6, Clarence, 4, and Nathan, 1; plus father Nelson Armstrong, 75.
In the 1940 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Armstrong, 52; wife Minnie, 42; and children Mary, 19, Fred, 18, Rosa, 16, Clarence, 14, Nathan, 11, Daniel, 9, Louise, 8, David, 6, and Henry, 3.
In the 1950 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Armstrong, 62; wife Minnie, 50; and children Nathan, 21, Louise H., 18, David T., 14, and Henry C., 13.
The People’s Voice (New York, New York), 9 March 1946.
With Marie Everett battling imprisonment, Julia Armstrong went North for help. Direct from New York City’s Penn Station, she headed to the office of The People’s Voice, the Harlem newspaper founded in 1942 by Adam Clayton Powell Jr. She gave a literal blow-by-blow of the events at the Carolina Theatre and pled for funds to assist Everett. For her own part, Armstrong said she planned to sell her “tourist home” and move North after Everett was released. (Wilson, of course, is not “a few” miles from Tennessee.)
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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 411 East Green, Hallie Armstrong, 48, pool room operator; wife Julia, 29; and lodgers Annie M. Brown, 39, of Mooresville, Iredell County, hospital nurse; Jeanett M. Lee, 24, of Mount Olive, Wayne County, hospital nurse; and Lawrence Peacock, 27, of High Point, sewer project laborer.
Hallie Armstrong died 18 June 1947 at his home in Farmville, Pitt County, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was 55 years old; was born in Halifax County, N.C., to John Armstrong and Marina Lark; was married to Julia Armstrong; operated a shoe repair shop; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Wilson.
However, in 1950, she was still in Wilson: in the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 411 East Green, widow Julia Armstrong, 39, born in Kentucky, and lodgers Mary Rose, 29; Anne Everette, 2; Herbert Rose Jr., born in July; Edward Harris, 20, construction company bricklayer; McDonald Hayes, 33, electric power company laborer; Josephine Hayes, 28, cotton picker on farm; and Willie Mack Hayes, 15, cotton picker on farm.
Julia Miller Armstrong died 9 March 1964 in Jacksonville, Onslow County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was born 14 September 1904 in South Carolina to John F. Miller and Bessie Scruggs; she did domestic work as a cook; and she was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Wilson.
I’ve gone on and on about the artistry of Clarence B. Best, the marble cutter who carved thousands of gravestones in and around Wilson County between the 1920s and mid-1970s. Now, after a few years of exploring local African-American cemeteries, I recognize the signature work of other monument makers. Whether the work of an individual, like Best, or a company, they were likely produced in Wilson or an adjoining county, and perhaps by African-American craftsmen.
On a recent visit to the former Elm City Colored Cemetery, now known as Heritage Cemetery, I noticed these two concrete markers, clearly produced by the same maker. Other than one other (Charlie Armstrong) I saw on an earlier visit to Heritage, these are the only markers I have seen in this style, but I will be on the lookout for more. All are simple cement slabs with half-round tops, and their inscriptions feature large letters deeply drawn in a natural handwritten style. Two are decorated by a large naturalistic leaf — one a sweetgum and the other an oak — drawn above the inscription. Two of the names on the headstones are spelled with double N’s, the first of which is reversed.
The three Reverse-N Style headstones found so far mark the graves of two siblings (Charlie Armstrong and Annie Armstrong Braswell Dawson) and a collateral relative (Dennis Batts, who was the father of Annie Dawson’s husband’s second wife).
Dennis Batts
Dennis Batts Died June th 8 1932
In the 1870 census of Joyners township, Wilson County: Orren Batts, 41, wife Mary, 34, and children Dennis, 16, Amos, 14, Henriet, 10, Haywood, 9, Precilla, 5, and Louisa, 3. In the 1880 census of Toisnot: Orren Batts, 53, wife Mary, 47, and children Haywood, 19, Priscilla, 14, Louiza, 12, John, 9, Reddick, 7, and James B. Batts, 1.
On 8 February 1877, Dennis Batts, 22, married Rose Farmer, 21, at Jarman Farmer’s in Wilson County.
In the 1880 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Dennis Batts, 26, farmer; wife Rhoda A., 26; sons John H., 2, and William A., 5 months; and sister-in-law Maggie Farmer, 12, domestic servant.
In the 1900 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: widower Dennis Batts, 46, farmer, and children John H., 22, William A., 20, Mary J., 17, Patience, 15, Haywood, 13, Hattie, 11, Samuel, 9, Gorman, 6, and Rosa, 3.
On 25 October 1900, Dennis Batts, 47, son of Orren and Mary Batts, married William Ann Whitley, 23, daughter of Mingo and Catharine Whitley, at Isaac Page’s in Toisnot township, Wilson County. Baptist minister Joseph Barnes performed the ceremony in the presence of Red Mack, Bloss Barnes, and Anna Brown.
On 17 February 1909, Sidney Harriss, 24, of Toisnot, son of Matthew and Tempy Ann Harris, married Hattie Lena Batts, 19, of Toisnot, daughter of Dennis and Rose Ann Batts at Dennis Batts’ house. Witnesses were G.A. Gaston, J.G. Mitchell, and J.F. Carter, all of Elm City.
In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Gooch and Parkers School House Road, farmer Dennis Batts, 46, and children Mary J., 27, Patsy, 25, Samy, 18, Jarman, 15, Jannie, 7, and Turner, 4.
On 8 November 1916, Dennis Batts, 62, of Toisnot township, son of Orrin and Mary Batts, married Eliza Allen, 23, of Toisnot township, daughter of Owen and Minnie Allen, at Rose Bud. Free Will Baptist minister J.H. Lynn performed the ceremony in the presence of Lu Hagans, William Pitt, and Walter Barnes, all of Wilson.
Jessie Batts died 26 May 1921 in Toisnot township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 26 November 1919 in Wilson County to Dennis Batts and Eliza Allen. Dennis Batts was informant.
In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: paying $5/month rent, Dennis Batts, 75; wife Eliza, 50, hotel servant; and children Lou, 13, and George R., 8.
Dennis Batts died 9 June 1932 in Elm City, Toisnot township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 30 May 1854 in Wilson County to Arnold Batts and Mary Farmer; was married to Eliza Batts; worked as a tenant farmer; and was buried in Elm City. Sidney Harris was informant.
On 2 September 1932, Van Dawson, 56, of Toisnot township, son of Sarah Dawson, married Jennie Batts, 30, of Toisnot township, daughter of Dennis and William Ann Batts, in Wilson.
Annie Dawson
Annie Dawson (with large incised sweetgum leaf)
In the 1870 census of Upper Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: farm laborer Wright Barnes, 54, Lucinda Armstrong, 31, and Charles, 7, Ann, 5, Shade, 16, and Goddin Armstrong, 7.
In the 1880 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Lizette Armstrong, 51, Lucinda, 41, Charley L., 16, Gray Anna, 13, and Shadrick, 10.
On 6 February 1886, Gray Braswell, 28, married Aner Armstrong, 19, at Lucinder Armstrong’s residence in Wilson County. Missionary Baptist minister S.G. Alston performed the ceremony in the presence of Fred McGuire, James J. Taylor, and Frank Barnes.
On 18 February 1897, Van Dawson, 21, married Annie Braswell, 27, at the bride’s residence in Wilson County.
In the 1900 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: day laborer Van Dawson, 23; wife Anne, 37; and niece Sally Armstrong, 17.
In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Elm City Lane, lumber wagon teamster Van Dawson, 36; wife Annie, 42, laundress; and daughter Estell, 9.
In 1918, Van Dawson registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 2 March 1873; lived in Elm City, Wilson County; was a self-employed farmer; and his nearest relative was wife Annie Dawson. He signed his card with an X.
Annie Dawson died 22 August 1929 in Elm City, Toisnot township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was 55 years old; was born in Elm City to P[illegible] and Lucinda Armstrong; was married; and farmed for Dr. E.G. Moon. Van Dawson was informant. [Van Dawson later married a daughter of Dennis Batts; see above.]
Both born into slavery, Nelson and Mary Ann Bullock Armstrong owned a large farm northeast of Elm City near the Edgecombe County line. We visited their well-tended family burial plot here.
Many thanks to Lydia Hunter and Nelson Armstrong for sharing this photo.
