Clark

Offie E. Clark excels on the field and in the classroom.

Though his stellar collegiate career unfolded after Black Wide-Awake’s coverage cut-off 0f 1950, Offie Elliott Clark was born in Wilson in 1932 and graduated from Darden High School in 1950. His remarkable three-sport achievements at Atlanta’s Clark College are worth remembering and celebrating.

Clark played basketball for the Panthers.

Atlanta Daily World, 29 January 1953.

And ran track.

Tampa Bay Times, 15 May 1953.

And was a honor-roll scholar.

Atlanta Daily World, 23 October 1953.

And on the gridiron, despite having played only one year of high school football, he was an all-conference quarterback, who also ran the ball, served as kicker, and was a safety on defense. (He also was a member of Clark College’s modern dance troupe.)

Atlanta Daily World, 12 November 1953.

Alabama Tribune, 4 December 1953.

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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 502 East Vance Street, fertilizer factory laborer William Clark, 37; wife Katie E., 37, laundress; and children Romaine, 16, Elaine, 14, Geraldine, 12, Arthur [Offie] E., 8, Addie E., 5, and William T., 2.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1300 Washington Street, William Clark, 47, mechanical helper in guano factory; wife Katie E., 47; and children Offie E., 18, Addie E., 15, and William T., 12; and grandson Milton Grady, 2.

The Trojan, the yearbook of C.H. Darden High School, 1950.

Offie Clark died 16 March 2006.

Atlanta Constitution, 21 March 2006.

The funeral of Ida Ross Clark.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 24 January 1942.

This remarkable photograph captures Ida Ross Clark‘s coffin as it was wheeled from old Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in January 1942. She was buried in the Masonic Cemetery.

Though the Wilson Daily Times ran a brief obituary, only Black newspapers like the Journal and Guide could be relied upon to run respectful images for events the community deemed important.

The Clarks get their land back.

Deed book 153, page 448, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

On 13 September 1924, for a nominal sum, Lula Whitehurst conveyed the seven parcels of the Harry Clark farm to the Clark heirs. Whitehurst, a young white woman, worked as a stenographer for attorney Frederick D. Swindell. The 1921 plat map of the Clark farm is titled “Map Showing Division of Land Near Wilson Owned By the Heirs of Harry Clark.” How did the Clarks lose their inheritance? How did Whitehurst get it, and why did she essentially give it back? Harry Clark’s estate records could yield clues, but I have not found the file digitized.

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  • Harry Jenkins of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, plat number 3 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring nine acres;
  • Ella M. Hinton of Addor, North Carolina, plat number 4 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring six acres;
  • Maggie F. Golding of Alamo, Georgia, plat number 1 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring three and 1/10 acres; also, a house and lot in Beaufort, North Carolina at 623 Fifth Street, formerly owned by Henrietta V. Clark;
  • Thomas G. Clark of Jamaica, New York, plat number 2 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring nine acres;
  • William H. Clark of Birmingham, Alabama, plat number 5 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring eight acres;
  • John H. Clark of Wilson, plat number 6 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring eight acres; and
  • Augustus S. Clark of Cordele, Georgia, plat number 7 of the Harry Clark farm, measuring eight acres.

Black History Month talks in Wilson.

I love to share African-American history with a hometown audience, and a weather delay means I’ll be speaking two nights in a row at Wilson County Public Library!

Tonight, February 24, 6:30 PM:

Tomorrow night, February 25, 6:00 PM, Wilson County Genealogical Society meeting (open to the public):

 

The Clark sisters.

We’ve met the four Clark brothers — sons of Harry and Flora Latham Clark. What of their four sisters?

  • Mary Jane Clark Davis

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Harry Clark, 27; wife Flora, 26; and children John, 6, Mary, 5, Ella, 3, and Henriett, 1.

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County, farmer Henry Clark, 39, wife, Florah, 38, and children John, 16, Mary J., 14, Ella, 12, Henrietta, 9, Henry, 8, Augustin, 5, Thomas, 3, and Margaret, 10 months.

On 5 June 1884, George W. Davis, 20, married Mary Jane Clark, 19, at Jordan Taylor‘s in Wilson. Methodist minister P.W. Howard performed the ceremony in the presence of C.H. Darden, E.C. Simms, and Jno. A. Gaston.

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Harry Clark, 27; wife Flora, 26; and children John, 6, Mary, 5, Ella, 3, and Henriett, 1.

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County, farmer Henry Clark, 39, wife, Florah, 38, and children John, 16, Mary J., 14, Ella, 12, Henrietta, 9, Henry, 8, Augustin, 5, Thomas, 3, and Margaret, 10 months.

On 18 September 1884, J.A. Gaston, 25, married Eller Clark, 17, in Wilson. Witnesses were Samuel H. Vick, C.D Howard and Braswell R. Winstead.

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Ella Gaston, 30, divorced, and children Ralph, 10, and Albert, 2.  Also, per the 1900 census of Wilson, John and Ella’s sons Theodore, 13, Cicero, 10, and George Gaston, 8, were listed in their father’s household.

On 18 December 1902, Alexander Hinton, 29, of Wilson, married Ella Clark, 31, of Wilson, in Wilson. Presbyterian minister E.A. Mitchell performed the service in the presence of Ida R. Clark and E.J. Hooker.

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Nash Street, Alex Hinton, 40, college cook, and wife Ella, 39, laundress. Both reported having been married twice, and Ella reported that five of her seven children were living.

In the 1940 census of Hampton, Virginia: at 35 Tyler, Ella Hinton, 72, widow; granddaughters Edna, 21, tea room waitress, and Eloise Gaston, 13; and lodgers Jessie Wright, 75, Elliott Wyche, 32, gardener, and Rebecca Butler, 20. Ella and Edna were born in North Carolina, Eloise in Pennsylvania, Jessie and Elliott in Virginia, and Rebecca in “Africa.”

Ella Hinton died 17 May 1947 in Wilson township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 6 June 1871 in Wilson to Harry Clark and Maude [sic; maiden name unknown]; was widowed; and was buried in Rest Haven cemetery. Albert Gaston was informant.

  • Henrietta V. Clark

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Harry Clark, 27; wife Flora, 26; and children John, 6, Mary, 5, Ella, 3, and Henriett, 1.

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County, farmer Henry Clark, 39, wife, Florah, 38, and children John, 16, Mary J., 14, Ella, 12, Henrietta, 9, Henry, 8, Augustin, 5, Thomas, 3, and Margaret, 10 months.

In the 1900 census of Washington, Beaufort County, N.C.: Henrietta Clark, 27; Maggie Clark, 18; and uncle William Clark, 65, sawmill laborer.

In the 1910 census of Washington, Beaufort County, N.C.: Henretta Clark, 40, in the household of Robert and Dicey A. Brown.

Henrietta V. Clark died 3 August 1911 in Washington, Beaufort County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was born 4 March 1869 in Wilson to Harry Clark and Flora Latham; was a teacher; and was buried in Wilson. Ella Hinton was informant.

  • Margaret Clark Golding

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County, farmer Henry Clark, 39, wife, Florah, 38, and children John, 16, Mary J., 14, Ella, 12, Henrietta, 9, Henry, 8, Augustin, 5, Thomas, 3, and Margaret, 10 months.

In the 1900 census of Washington, Beaufort County, N.C.: Henrietta Clark, 27; Maggie Clark, 18; and uncle William Clark, 65, sawmill laborer.

Senior Class, Theology Department, Lincoln University College and Theological Seminary Catalogue 1904-1905.

In the 1910 census of East Franklinton township, Franklin County, N.C.: at Albion Academy, “1st asst. principal” Russell D. Golding, 38, teaching-school farm, born in Georgia; wife Maggie L., 29; son Russell D. Jr., 2, and three students.

In the 1920 census of Alamo, Wheeler County, Georgia: Presbyterian minister Russell D. Golding Sr., 49; wife Maggie, 38, teaching school; and children Russell D. Jr., 12, and Flora, 9.

In the 1930 census of Lumberton, Robeson County, N.C.: at Red Stone Academy, widow Maggie Golding, 50, matron.

In the 1930 census of Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia: at Haynes Institute (Colored), Russell Golding, 21, waiter.

Maggie Golding died 3 April 1938 in Washington, Beaufort County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was born 28 July 1884 in Wilson to Harry Clark and Flora Latham; was the widow of Russell Golding; worked as a nurse; and was buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Washington.

In the 1940 census of Bronx, New York: railroad waiter Russell Goldin, 33, and wife Nettie, 31, both North Carolina natives.

In 1940, Russell Dunwoodie Golding Jr. registered for the World War II draft in Bronx, New York. Per his registration card, he was born 17 August 1907 in Wilson, N.C.; lived at 1314 Prospect Avenue, Bronx; his contact was wife Nettie Allison Golding; and he worked for Penn R.R.

In the 1950 census of Bronx, New York: Penn Railroad waiter Russell Golding, 41; wife Nettie, 42; and cousin LeVaughn Scrugg, 30, assembly work for educational toy company.

Selden Institute.

When Lucy A. Dawson died in 1917, her daughter Mattie Dawson was teaching at Selden Institute in Brunswick, Georgia.

Established in 1903, Selden merged in 1933 with Gillespie Institute, the Cordele, Georgia, school run by another Wilson native, Augustus S. Clark.

The site of the school’s campus is now a public park, and only the headmaster’s house remains of the original buildings.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, June 2024.