Dawes

The toll.

The Spanish flu pandemic decimated families within days.

Between October 23 and 28, 1918, Daniel and Celia Lewis Ellis lost sons Sam, 20, Jackson, 17, and Orran Ellis, 8. 

Sam Ellis died 23 October 1918.

His brother Jackson Ellis had passed three hours earlier. 

Their little brother Orran Ellis died five days later on 28 October 1918. Will Artis buried all three on the E.C. Exum place in Wayne County.

Austin and Clara Lawrence Dawes lost sons Rosevelt, 8, Handy, 1, and Thomas Dawes, 4, over a four-day span.

Rosevelt Handy died 19 October 1918.

Handy Dawes died the next day. 

Thomas Dawes died on the 23rd. 

And then their father Austin died.

Austin Dawes, 49, tenant farmer. 

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In the 1910 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: on Stantonsburg Road, farmer Daniel Ellis, 50; wife Celia, 35; and children Maeliza, 13, Willie, 14, Samson, 11, Harry, 10, Robert, 7, and Jackson, 8.

In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Austin Daws, 37; wife Clara, 26; and children Hazel M., 9, Annah M., 4, Lara L., 2, and Theodore R., newborn.

Dawes suffocates in tobacco barn.

Wilson Daily Times, 6 August 1946.

Here’s another example of the value of newspaper accounts in providing broader context to the clipped conclusions set forth in death certificates. Per the coroner’s conclusion, the certificate said only “found dead, no sign foul play.”

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In the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Ed Dawes, 38; wife Cora, 27; and children Jesse, 14, Lena, 12, Della, 10, Lonny, 2, and Ned, 1 month.

In the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: on the Plank Road, farmer Edward Dawes, 52; his second wife Cora F., 33; and children Lena, 18, Mary D., 17, Lonnie, 11, Ned, 8, Isaih, 7, Charlie, 6, Estelle, 3, and Cora F., 9 months.

In the 1920 census of Jackson township, Nash County: farmer Ed Daws, 62; wife Cofranza, 41; and children Lonie, 21, Mary D., 25, Ned, 18, Izel, 17, Charlie, 14, Estella V., 12, Cora, 9, David L., 7, Mathew, 5, Claudy, 3, and [granddaughter?] Dolly May Edwards, 1.

Ned Dawes, 27, son of Ed and Cora F. Dawes, married Martha Goones, 40, daughter of Arthur and Minnie Goones, in Pitt County, N.C., on 21 December 1925.

In the 1940 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farm operator Ned Dawes, 41, and Martha, 30. 

Ned Dawes registered for the World War II draft in 1942 in Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 28 December 1898 in Wilson County; lived at Route 1, Elm City, care of R.H. Hinton; his contact was R.H. Hinton; and he worked for Earl Gardner, Saratoga, N.C.

Elm City’s Negro community, pt. 1.

Cecil Lloyd Spellman was a professor of rural education at Florida A&M in Tallahassee. In 1947, he published “Elm City, A Negro Community in Action,” a monograph intended to employ sociology to “interpret the Negro in his actual day to day activities and interrelationships with members of his own and other races.” This is an excerpt.

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In searching the records, one finds no mention of early Negroes in this area, however, by contacting some of the older living residents, the following information dealing with pioneer Negro residents has been obtained.** All the following people are now dead unless the fact is otherwise indicated.

J.H. Bellamy and his wife Cherry were among the first Negroes to move into the Sharpsburg vicinity. Bellamy was a preacher and a teacher. He did some good work in the general section in both these capacities. Together these two acquired a small tract of farm land. This was held up in his preaching and teaching as an example of what Negroes generally should do in order to succeed in life.

Sam Rice, a minister, was another of the early settlers in this area. No mention was made of the fact that he had a wife. He also bought farm land.

Thomas Dawes came early to this section and bought farm land. Dawes was an ex-slave. He came into the section from South Carolina. We are told that Thomas and his twin sister, Sarah (Bunn) were sold as slaves when they were about twelve years hold. It is not clear whether they were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, or achieved their freedom in some other manner.

Henry Bunn and his wife Sarah (sister of Thomas Dawes) came into the section from South Carolina. Sarah was an ex-slave. She and her twin brother Thomas Dawes were sold into slavery when they were about twelve years old. Sarah became a midwife, and was in constant demand for her service by both white and colored people during the late years of her life.

Dawson Armstrong was a very conspicuous early character of the area. He was known as the root doctor. Many fancy tales are told about him and his roots and herbs. He was well liked and no doubt his root medicine did some good because of the confidence which so many of the people had in him. Of course, there were always fanciful tales about some of his doings as he moved about in field and forest in search of the right roots, herbs and barks for the concoctions which he brewed.

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In the 1900 census of Sharpsburg township, Edgecombe County: farmer James H. Bellamy, 42, wife Cherrie, 34, and children Clara, 18, Jacob, 8, Cora, 6, and Rena, 1.

Dawson Armstrong died 24 May 1911 in Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County. Per his death certificate, he was at least 45 years old, was born in Wilson County to Abram and Priscilla Barnes Armstrong, was single, and engaged in general labor. Mattie Bryant was informant.

**This is odd. African-Americans came to the Toisnot area with the earliest white settlers pushing down from southern Virginia. They were the pioneers, not people who moved in after the Civil War. Spellman named black county extension agent Carter W. Foster as his source.