baptism

African-Americans baptized at and dismissed from Lower Black Creek P.B. Church, part 5.

Lower Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church, founded in 1783, was the second church organized in what is now Wilson County. (It closed its doors in 2010.) The church’s nineteenth and early twentieth-century records includes names of enslaved and freed African-American members, who worshipped with the congregation as second-class Christians even after Emancipation.

This page continues the previous “Reception to Babtism” with entries from 1824 to 1831, as well as names of several members “dismissed by letter.” (Members leaving voluntarily requested letters of good Christian character from their home church to another church.) The page includes references to seven enslaved African-Americans. (Don’t let “servant” fool you.) As Primitive Baptists did not practice infant baptism, the seven were, if not adults, then nearly so, and thus were all born in the 1700s or very early 1800s. Some may have lived to see Emancipation, but even if they remained in Wilson County, I have no way to identify them further.

Baptisms:

  • Dick, a servant
  • Raiford, a servant
  • Lewis, a servant
  • Will, a servant of Johnathan Dickerson
  • Jane, a servant of A. Farmer

Dismissals by letter:

  • Kedar, a servant
  • Harry, a servant

Copy of documents courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III. Originals now housed at North Carolina State Archives. 

African-Americans baptized at Lower Black Creek P.B. Church, part 4.

Lower Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church, founded in 1783, was the second church organized in what is now Wilson County. (It closed its doors in 2010.) The church’s nineteenth and early twentieth-century records includes names of enslaved and freed African-American members, who worshipped with the congregation as second-class Christians even after Emancipation.

This page continues the previous “Reception to Babtism” entries from 1824 to 1831 (with other notes inserted in the second column.) It includes references to six enslaved African-Americans. (Don’t let “servant” fool you.) As Primitive Baptists did not practice infant baptism, the six were, if not adults, then nearly so, and thus were all born in the 1700s or very early 1800s. Some may have lived to see Emancipation, but even if they remained in Wilson County, I have no way to identify them further.

  • Briton(?), a servant of Patience Aycock
  • Cloah, a servant of John Barnes Senr
  • Joe, a servant of William Horn
  • Lidge, a servant of Hardy Horn
  • Haywood, a servant of John Sherrod
  • Haner, a servant of Little John Barnes

Copy of documents courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III. Originals now housed at North Carolina State Archives. 

African-Americans baptized at Lower Black Creek P.B. Church, part 3.

Lower Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church, founded in 1783, was the second church organized in what is now Wilson County. (It closed its doors in 2010.) The church’s nineteenth and early twentieth-century records includes names of enslaved and freed African-American members, who worshipped with the congregation as second-class Christians even after Emancipation.

(A) the church’s location since 1876; it was originally a little closer to Black Creek (the waterway); (B) the church cemetery, which contains some interesting roughly dressed fieldstone headstones, but no known graves of enslaved people.

This page records “Reception to Babtism” from 1809 and 1823 and includes references to 13 enslaved African-Americans. (Don’t let “servant” fool you.) As Primitive Baptists did not practice infant baptism, the 13 were, if not adults, then nearly so, and thus were all born in the 1700s. Some may have lived to see Emancipation, but even if they remained in Wilson County, I have no way to identify them further.

  • Hardy, a servant
  • Kedar, a servant
  • James, a servant
  • Samuel, a servant
  • Raiford, a servant
  • Rufe, a servant
  • Ann, a servant of John Bardin
  • Lucy, a servant of Sally Barnes
  • Edward, a servant of Ephraim Daniel
  • Phillisa, a servant of John Bardin
  • Rose, a servant of Willie Fort
  • Hannah, a servant of Jesse Aycock
  • John, a servant of John Sherrod

Copy of documents courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III. Originals now housed at North Carolina State Archives. Aerial image courtesy of Google Maps.

African-Americans baptized at Lower Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church, part 2.

Lower Black Creek Primitive Baptist Church, founded in 1783, was the second church organized in what is now Wilson County. (It closed its doors in 2010.) The church’s nineteenth and early twentieth-century records include names of enslaved and freed African-American members, who worshipped with the congregation as second-class Christians even after Emancipation.

This page records baptisms “under the Care of Elder Reuben Hays” from 1803 and 1808 and includes references to nine enslaved African-Americans. (Don’t let “servant” fool you.) As Primitive Baptists did not practice infant baptism, the nine were, if not adults, then nearly so, and thus were all born in the 1700s. Some may have lived to see Emancipation, but even if they remained in Wilson County, I have no way to identify them further.

  • Dick, a servant
  • Lewis, a servant
  • Jane, a servant
  • Dick, a servant
  • Will, a servant
  • Harry, a servant
  • Beck, a servant
  • James, a servant
  • Salath, a servant

Copy of documents courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III. Originals now housed at North Carolina State Archives.

Received at Toisnot Baptist, pt. 3: F-R.

Baptisms of African-American members of Toisnot Primitive Baptist Church, continued from here. The names in parentheses indicate a slaveowner.

F

  • Abraham Farmer (John Farmer’s) was baptized on 28 August 1842.
  • Abraham Farmer was a member about 1870.

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Abraham Farmer, 57, farm laborer; wife Cherry, 54; Caroline Armstrong, 30, Jane Farmer, 16; Gray Armstrong, 6; Thadeus Armstrong, 4; John Armstrong, 2 months; York Gill, 35.

  • Anecay Farmer was baptized in 1861.
  • Chaney Farmer was baptized 24 July 1853, dismissed 22 February 1856, and restored to fellowship on 24 June 1871.

H

  • Hannah Horn (Jeremiah Horn’s) was dismissed by letter 22 June 1822.
  • Jeffery Horn (Henry Horn’s) was baptized 24 June 1821.
  • Nancy Horn (Henry Horn’s) was dismissed by letter after 1820.
  • Nancy Horn was baptized 25 December 1853.
  • Sarah Horn (John Horn’s) was baptized 24 September 1826.
  • Hulda was baptized 25 February 1856.

J

  • Jeffry was dismissed by letter 26 September 1863.
  • Jeptha was baptized 25 June 1854.
  • Charlotte Jordan was baptized 26 August 1855.

In the 1870 census of WIlson, Wilson County: farm laborer Thomas Harrell, 47; wife Mary, 34; Mary Jordan, 17; Charlotte Jordan, 51; and Celia Barnes, 110.

  • Fran Jordan (Cornelius Jordan’s) was excommunicated after 1820.
  • Rily Jordan was a member about 1870.
  • Violet Jordan (Henry Jordan’s) was excluded from membership on 24 March 1821 for having “two husbands.”

L

  • Hardy Lassiter, a free black, was a member prior to 1820.
  • Orpha Lassiter was baptized 22 December 1872.

In the 1860 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Silas Lassiter, 38; wife Orpie, 34; children Sallie, 12, Mary, 11, James, 9, John, 7, Elizabeth, 5, Penina, 4, Hardy, 3, Silas, 1, and George, 2 months; and Delpha Simpson, 14.

M

  • Martha Mayo was received 23 July 1870.
  • Milbery was baptized 22 July 1855.
  • Milley was baptized 23 September 1855.

P

  • Caesar Pittman was a member about 1870.
  • Hester Pittman (Jesse Pittman’s) was baptized 24 February 1854.

In Gardners township: Cesar Pittman, 75, and wife Hester, 60.

R

  • Rachel was excluded from membership 23 June 1821 for “Stealing and Lying.”

Baptisms at Saint Mark’s, no. 1.

Patrick M. Valentine’s The Episcopalians of Wilson County: A History of St. Timothy’s and St. Mark’s Churches in Wilson, North Carolina 1856-1995 (1996), features several invaluable appendices that illuminate Wilson’s tiny African-American Episcopalian community. Valentine credits Cindy and Jeff Day with compiling them, and this post is the first in a series annotating these lists.

“Appendix F: Baptisms, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church” shows that Rev. J.W. Perry baptized these children between 1889 and 1892:

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: blacksmith Henry Hill, 35; wife Henrietta, 29; and children Celicia, 9, Robert, 4, and James H., 1. Henrietta Hill died 21 April 1928 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 78 years old; was born in Washington, North Carolina, to George Cherry and Martha Gardner; was a retired maid for the A.C.L. station; resided at 205 Pender Street; and was a widow. Cecilia Norwood was informant.

  • 9 February 1890, Joseph C. Palmer, sponsors: J.H. Clark, S.S. Nixon, Henrietta Hill
  • 23 February 1890, Adaline Allen, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Henrietta Hill, Ella Palmer

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: cook Adeline Allen, 36, widow, and children Frank, 14, James, 13, Susan, 12, Ony, 7, Edgar, 6, and Willie, 4. In 1910, the family is found in the census of Portsmouth, Virginia.

  • 9 March 1890, Mary Harris, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Henrietta Hill, Sylvia Stricklin
  • 23 March 1890, James Artis, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Henrietta Hill

Ida R. Clark died 13 January 1942 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 25 May 1873 in Franklin County to Prince and Chaney Crenshaw of Frankin and Edgecombe Counties; was married; worked as a teacher and homemaker; and was buried in the Masonic cemetery. John H. Clark was informant.

  • 8 August 1890, Ardina Purrington, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Henrietta Hill
  • 14 September 1890, Anna M. Purrington Marshall, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Joseph C. Palmer
  • 14 September 1890, Zalia Purrington, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Joseph C. Palmer
  • 12 October 1890, David Dupree, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Clara Dupree

David Dupree died 4 September 1954 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 8 May 1881 in Newport News, Virginia; worked as a laborer; and resided at 701 Wiggins Street. Informant was Lonnie Mercer.

  • 12 October 1890, Joseph Dupree, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Henrietta Hill
  • 19 March 1891, Irine Winstead, sponsors: J.H. Clark, Ida Clark, Virginia Crenshaw

In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Arrene Winstead, 32, widow.

  • 19 March 1891, Josephine Peyton, sponsors: J.H. Clark, John Boykin, Henrietta Hill
  • 26 June 1891, Chanie Virginia Clark, sponsors: J.H. Clark, John Boykin, Henrietta Hill

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: school teacher John H. Clark, 36; wife Ida R., 34; and daughters Chany V., 7, and Flora R., 2.

  • 28 August 1892, Bud Allen, sponsors: J.H. Clark, John Boykin, Henrietta Hill
  • 28 August 1892, Susan Allen, sponsors:  J.H. Clark, John Boykin, Henrietta Hill

Bud and Susan Allen were children of Adeline Allen, above.

Baptizing at Contentnea Creek.

WDT_6_6_1911_J_Williams_baptizing_at_Contentnea_Creek 1

Wilson Daily Times, 6 June 1911.

Rev. Jonah Williams (1845-1915) was a Primitive Baptist elder who led several African-American congregations in Wayne, Wilson and Edgecombe Counties, including London Church and Barnes Chapel in Wilson and Little Union near Town Creek, east of Elm City. Born free near Eureka in Wayne County to Vicey Artis, a free woman, and Solomon Williams, her enslaved husband, Rev. Williams spent his final years living in Wilson.