Council

206 North Pender Street.

The one hundred-fourth 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.

The vacant lot at 206 North Pender Street. Visible in the distance is the corner of Ashe Street and Darden Lane.

As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District, this house is: “ca. 1922; 1 story; John Clark tenant house; gable-end, side-hall house with turned-post porch; a variant of the shotgun; Clark was a white tobacconist, who built house for black tenant.”

The house was previously numbered 135 Pender. Mary C. Euell listed this address in her letter to W.E.B. DuBois about the incident that lead to the 1918 school boycott.

In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Crocker James lab h 206 Pender and Crocker Nancy cook h 206 Pender

In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Crocker James H (c; Nancy) sta fireman h 206 Pender

In 1940, Donnie Daniel Graham registered for the World War II draft in Chowan County, North Carolina. Per his registration card, he was born 15 February 1908 in Wayne County; he resided at 211 East Church, Edenton, Chowan County; his contact was Nancy Crocker, 206 Pender, Wilson; and he worked for George P. Folk, Hotel Joseph Hughes, Edenton.

In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Crocker James H (c; Nancy) h 206 Pender

James H. Crocker died 3 May 1945 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 65 years old; was born in Wayne County to Joseph I. Crocker and Celia Hooks; was married to Nancy Dew Crocker; resided at 206 Pender Street; and worked as a common laborer. Informant was Gaston Crocker, Fremont, North Carolina.

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Council Adam (c; Ophelia) chauffeur Dave Woodard h 206 Pender

Photo courtesy Google Maps Streetview.