“Broken skull struck on back of head with Pitch fork. Murdered. rush to Hospital, but died before Doctor attended.”
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Cook Louis (c) lab r 526 E Nash
“Broken skull struck on back of head with Pitch fork. Murdered. rush to Hospital, but died before Doctor attended.”
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Cook Louis (c) lab r 526 E Nash
Wilson Daily Times, 20 April 1950.
The caption identifies this as a photograph of five generations of an African-American Barnes family that lived on the Edwin Barnes farm, “one of the fine old plantations of the state.” There is no mention of the age of the photograph (I would guess approximately 1900-1910) or its provenance. The names of the young woman and baby at bottom left were unknown. “Old Aunt Rose” is at bottom right. Standing at top right is “Aunt Sylvia,” who was a cook for Edwin Barnes and then his daughter Mrs. J.T. Graves for forty years and was “famous for her chicken stew.” At top left is Aunt Sylvia’s daughter, Jane Barnes Simms.
To my surprise and disappointment, I have not been able to document Rose Barnes, her daughter Sylvia, and granddaughter Jane Barnes Simms. Can anyone help?
In December 1980, the Daily Times featured Georgia Williams Dupree and Rosa Rhine Lupe Weathers in an article about holiday cooking.
Wilson Daily Times, 13 December 1980.
State vs. Ruffin Cook & Dora Stephens } Before Elias G. Barnes J.P.
Oscar Neal, being duly sworn, testifies as follows: Dora Stephens has been living on my place and near my house, about three years. Last June Ruffin Cook came to Dora’s and he or Dora or both asked me for a mule and buggy to go to Lucama to get married. They came back and said they were married, and have lived together since as man and wife so far as I have been able to see. They seemed to stay in the same room at night.
Joe Barnes being sworn testifies as follows: I went to Dora’s on the night of _____ at 3 o’clock A.M. and she and Ruffin were in bed together. I thought nothing of it as I thought they were married.
Ruffin Cook has a living wife. She was at this trial. Lives at Knightdale Wake county. Dora also has a living husband it is said.
——
On [illegible] December 1898, Gillis Stevens, 20, son of Gillis and Silvey Stevens, married Dora Adams, 20, daughter of Albert and Spicey Adams in Springhill township. Spencer S. Shaw applied for the license.
In the 1900 census of Spring Hill township, Wilson County: Gillis Stephens, 22; wife Dora, 25; and son Henry, 1.
In the 1910 census of Spring Hill township, Wilson County: farm laborer Dora Stevens, 36, divorced; with children Henry, 9, James, 8, Spicy, 6, Pearl, 4, and Petdonia, 3 months.
In the 1920 census of Spring Hill township, Wilson County: Dora Stevens, 39, described as divorced; and her children Henry, 20, James, 18, Spicy, 16, Pearl 12, Pet D., 10, and Albert, 1.
Undated, Adultery Records, Miscellaneous Records, Records of Wilson County, North Carolina State Archives.
The twenty-sixth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
As described in the nomination form for East Wilson Historic District: “ca. 1930; 2 stories; Thomas Cook house; cubic form with low hip roof and bungalow elements; asphalt shingles; Cook was a house painter.”
Actually, Thomas Cook lived at 900 Stantonsburg Street, across from the Wesley Jones family. This home, instead, belonged to Jerry L. and Clara Godette Cook, who arrived in Wilson from New Bern, North Carolina, in the 1920s.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Hadley Street, railroad mail clerk Jerry L. Cook, 43; wife Clara, 39, teacher; children Henderson, 20, Edwin D., 18, Clara G., 14, Georgia E., 12, Annie, 8, Jerry L., 6, and Eunice D., 4; sister Georgia E. Wyche, 48, teacher; and nieces Kathaline Wyche, 7, and Reba Whittington, 19.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 916 East Green Street, railway clerk J.L. Cook, 54, born Wake County; wife Clara, 48, born Craven County; children Henderson J., 30, Clara, 24, Annie, 18, Jerry, 16, and Eunice, 14; and cousin Ella Godette, 18. Henderson and young Clara were born in New Bern; the remaining children in Wilson.
Clara Godette Cook died 31 January 1952 at her home at 916 East Green Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 18 April 1891 in Craven County, North Carolina, to Jesse P. Godette and Eliza Ann Fenner; was married; and worked as a teacher. Clara Cook Bailey, 916 East Green Street, was informant.
Jerry Lee Cooke died 9 September 1976 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 30 November 1886 to Henderson Cooke and Mariah D. Matchlor; resided at 916 East Green Street; was widowed; and was a retired postal clerk.
African-Americans dominated certain trades in early twentieth-century Wilson, including barbering and operating eating houses. Here, in their entireties, are the entries for these vocations in the 1908 Wilson city directory. “Colored” people were designated with asterisks.
Sanborn Fire Map of Wilson, N.C., 1908.
(Click to enlarge.) In eating houses in red: (1) Annie Best, 121 South Goldsboro; (2) Moses Brandon, 127 South Goldsboro. Four other eating houses were three blocks southeast in the 400 block of Nash Street, which straddled the Atlantic Coastline Railroad. Barbershops in blue: (1) S.W. Barnes, 123 South Goldsboro; (2) Richard Renfrow, 126 South Goldsboro, (3) A.N. Neal, 109 East Nash; (4) Henry C. Holden, Branch Bank, 125 East Nash; (5) Tate & Hines, New Briggs Hotel, 209 East Nash Street; (6) Levi Jones, 105 North Goldsboro; (7) William Hines, 119 South Tarboro.
All census and vital records found at http://www.ancestry.com.
Wilson Daily Times, 3 July 1923.
Per her death certificate, Emma Evans died of aortic regurgitation. She was a native of Wayne County, and her sister Florence Loftin, who lived at 600 West Nash Street in Wilson, served as informant. (Emma’s employer, department store merchant Charles Gay, appears in the 1920 census residing at 104 West Green Street.)
Emma died intestate. Her brother Major J. Loftin applied to open her estate, estimated at $450 in value, listing her siblings Sylvester Loftin, Robert Loftin, Ben F. Loftin, Alice Ford, Lena Loftin, Bettie Loftin, Florence Loftin, Mary Hinnant, and Jessie Barron and mother Eveline Loftin as her heirs at law. (In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: on the road to Horns Bridge, widower Major J. Loftin, 42, his widowed mother Evaline, 71, brother-in-law Sam Barron, 24, sister Jessie Barron, 24, and nieces Donnie, 13, Maybelle, 12, and Marie Barron, 10. In earlier censuses, the Loftins appear in Indian Springs township, southern Wayne County.)
North Carolina Wills and Estates, 1665-1998 [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com.