Beaufort County NC

Beaufort County voter registrations.

Beaufort County voter registration records from the 1890s reveal significant migration into the county from elsewhere in eastern North Carolina, Wilson County included.

  • David Barnes

Age 22 years; laborer; born in Wilson County; registered in Tranters Creek, 17 October 1896.

  • Gatlin Barnes

Age 54 years; farmer; born in Wilson County; registered in Tranters Creek, 10 October 1896.

In the 1900 census of Washington, Beaufort County: farmer Gatlin Barnes, 54; wife Jane, 45; and widowed sister Sarah, 75.

In the 1910 census of Washington, Beaufort County: farmer Gatlin Barnes, 65; wife Jane, 50; son David, 23; and widowed sister Sarah, 70.

  • James H. Barnes

Age 29 years; farmer; born in Wilson County; registered in Tranters Creek, 10 October 1896.

  • Edward Blount

Age about 30 years; laborer; born in Wilson County; registered in Third Ward, Washington, 2o September 1896.

  • Daniel Bone

Age 21; laborer; born in Wilson County; moved to Beaufort County from Wilson County; registered in Third Ward, Washington, 22 October 1898.

  • George Bynum

Age 28; farmer; born in Wilson County; registered in Aurora, 30 September 1890.

In the 1880 census of Richland township, Beaufort County: farmer Benj. Bynum, 43; wife Charlotte, 38; and children George, 21, John, 14, Lina, 12, Riley, 9, Randall, 7, Ida, 5, and Wilsey, 2.

On 15 April 1907, George Bynum, 45, married Cora Jennette, 18, in Craven County. Witnesses to the ceremony included Riley Bynum.

In the 1910 census of New Bern, Craven County: on Smith Street, odd jobs laborer George Bynum, 48; wife Cora, 24; and daughter Florney, 8 months.

In the 1920 census of Richland township, Beaufort County: on Brown Place Road, George Bynum, 60; wife Cora, 36; and children Florence, 10, Annie, 7, and Wilton, 3 months.

In the 1930 census of Richland township, Beaufort County: on Sandy Landing Road, laborer George Bynum, 60; wife Cora, 39; and children Annie, 18, Jessie, 4, and Florence, 21.

In the 1940 census of Richland township, Beaufort County: at Hickory Point, George Bynum, 72; wife Cora, 55, laborer; and son Jessie, 14.

In the 1950 census of Richland township, Beaufort County: George Bynum, 98; wife Cora, 56; and son Jesse, 25.

George Bynum died 20 November 1954 in Richland, Beaufort County. Per his death certificate, he was born 6 March 1875 in Wilson County to Charlotte Hams; was married; lived in Richland; worked as a common laborer; and was buried in Ardelia Cemetery, Beaufort. Jessie Bynum was informant.

  • John Dixon

Age 29; farmer; born in Wilson County; registered in Aurora, 15 October 1896.

  • E.G. Hays

Age 33; farmer; born in Wilson County; resided in Aurora; registered 30 September 1890; “left.”

  • Freeman Hines

Age 24; laborer; born in Wilson County; registered in Third Ward, Washington, 15 October 1892.

  • William O’Farrow

Age 29; farmer; born in Wilson County; registered in Third Ward, Washington, 22 October 1898.

  • John J. Taylor

Age 25; carpenter; born in Wilson County: registered in Third Ward, Washington, 26 September 1896.

  • Zebulon V. Thorne 

Age 22 years; laborer; born in Wilson County; registered in Beaufort, 1 October 1898.

In the 1880 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Adline Thorn, 40, and children and grandchildren Jane, 19, Charley, 14, William, 9, Preston, 5, Zebulon V., 3, and Candis, 2.

On 21 December 1898, Z.V. Thorne, 22, married Maggie Linton, 19, in Beaufort County.

In the 1900 census of Richland, Beaufort County: Vance Thorn, 23; wife Maggie, 21; mother Jane, 39; aunt Hattie, 20; uncle Moses, 16; and aunt Mamie, 13.

In the 1910 census of Richland, Beaufort County: farmer Zebulon V. Thorne, 34; wife Maggie, [no age listed]; daughters Mary Jane, 8, Bertha, 6, Hattie, 4, Flossie, 3, and Rosabel, 3 months; mother Jane, [no age]; and boarder Sandy Stepheson, 16.

In 1918, Zeblon Vance Thorne registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 16 August 1874; lived in Bath, Beaufort County; was a self-employed farmer; and his contact was wife Mag Thorne.

Zebulon Vance Thorne died 17 March 1927 in Bath township, Beaufort County, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was born 3 August 1876 in Wilson County near Elm City; was married to Mary E. Thorne; lived in Bath; and worked as a farmer. [Zeb Thorne’s headstone features the Odd Fellows’ three links.]

  • Gideon Scott

Age 43 years; fisherman; born in Wilson County; registered in Tranters Creek, 3 October 1896.

  • John H. Ward

Age 54; carpenter; born in Wilson County; moved to Beaufort County from Pitt County; registered in Third Ward, Washington, on 29 October 1898.

John H. Ward died 3 August 1936 in Washington, Beaufort County. Per his death certificate, he was 85 years old; was the widower of Hannah Ward; lived on 9th Street; and worked as a carpenter.

Beaufort County Voter Registration 1892-1898, North Carolina Voter Registers and Certificates of Registration 1843-1965, http://www.familysearch.org.

Darden student returns home for the holidays.

In an era in which black high schools were scarce, and schoolbuses even scarcer, many children in rural eastern North Carolina were forced to leave school after about seventh grade. When interest and resources aligned, however, families boarded their teenaged children with relatives or friends in larger towns.

Aurora is a tiny town in Beaufort County near the mouth of the Pamlico River. It is across and more than 30 miles down river from Washington, the county seat and location of the closest black high school. There was another high school in Pantego, which was closer as the crow flies, but direct travel there involved a ferry ride. Neither option was viable for a daily commute in 1941.

As the brief report below shows, Aurora’s black children dispersed as far as Wilson (90 miles) and Durham (160 miles) to pursue high school educations. Alvina Battle attended Darden High School. She and, apparently, her parents, were Beaufort County natives, so their connection to Wilson is unclear. Certainly, there were closer schools. I assume then, that a close relative had made the move and invited Battle to follow.

Alvina Battle does not appear on a roster of Darden High School graduates.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 4 January 1941.

Voter registration in Beaufort County.

James H. Barnes, Gatlin Barnes, and David Barnes registered to vote in 1896 in Beaufort County, North Carolina. Gatlin was father to James and David, and all lived in the Tranters Creek community.

  • Gatlin Barnes reported that he was 54 years old, worked as a farmer, and was born in Wilson County.

In the 1870 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: Gatlin Barnes, 31, wife Jane, 22, and children Henry, 4, and Bud, 1, Sabra Ward, 70, and Sarah Barnes, 34.

In the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farmer Gallin Barnes, 36; wife Jane, 36; and sons Henry, 13, and Bud, 8.

In the 1900 census of Washington township, Beaufort County: farmer Gatlin Barnes, 54; wife Jane, 45; and widowed sister Sarah, 75.

In the 1910 census of Washington township, Beaufort County: farmer Gatlin Barnes, 62; wife Jane, 50; divorced son David, 23; and widowed sister-in-law Sarah, 75.

  • James H[enry]. Barnes reported that he was 27 years old, worked as a laborer, and was born in Wilson County.
  • David Barnes reported that he was 22 years old, worked as a laborer, and was born in Wilson County.

Tranters Creek, Beaufort County, 1896, North Carolina Voter Registers and Certificates of Registration, http://www.familysearch.org.