On 15 December 1904, for $2500, James F. and Rebecca J. Farmer sold Samuel H. Vick a lot on South Goldsboro Street in the thick of downtown. The parcel adjoined a lot Vick already owned, as well as the Wilson Hotel Company and Wiggins & Washington. J.F. Farmer had an office on the Wiggins & Washington lot known as the “brick Market House,” and this deed carried a proviso that the twelve-foot-wide alley between the lots would be kept open. (The wording of the deed is ambiguous. Did Farmer retain ownership or use of the office?)
Deed book 68, page 271, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.
Exactly where was this lot?
This detail from the 1903 Sanborn fire insurance maps of Wilson shows most of the block bounded by South Goldsboro, Barnes, Spring [Douglas], and Nash Streets. The twelve-foot alley into the interior of the block from Barnes is marked (A). (B) is the brick market house. It’s impossible to tell which of the surrounding buildings belonged to Samuel H. Vick. Wilson Hotel Company owned the Briggs Hotel. The building was razed in 1955, and Rose’s Department Store was erected on the site. That building, now home to Wilson Arts Center, occupied a much larger footprint than the Briggs, stretching back to about the location of Farmer’s brick office.
Today, the interior of the block comprises mostly parking lots and the posterior of Wilson Arts Center.
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.
I was asked a question that stumped me during one of my talks last week. “What was the building that housed the Independent School before it was a school?”
I recalled vaguely that Samuel H. Vick had purchased the building from famed brick maker Silas Lucas Jr., but not much more. Maybe something about the Methodist Church?
I found a deed quickly. On 24 October 1904, S.H. Vick paid Silas and Charity Lucas $1650 for a lot on Vance Street adjacent to property Vick already owned, “it being the same lot on which is situate a nineteen room house.”
Deed book 68, page 227, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson, N.C.
In the 1913 Sanborn fire insurance maps of Wilson, the building is labeled “Tenements”:
I can’t find the reference that I seem to recall about the building’s original use and will need to do some additional deed digging to find Lucas’ purchase. (By the way: Lucas was renowned as a brick maker. Not only are his reclaimed original bricks still sought after for renovation projects, the name “Silas Lucas” is now generically used to describe any soft, pinkish brick.)
Having joined the Great Migration north, in 1903 William and Fannie Best Rountree sold the property William inherited from his father Warren Rountree. The Rountrees settled first in Philadelphia, then moved to Asbury Park, New Jersey, around 1904.
Deed Book 68, page 224, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson, N.C.
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In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Orren Best, 31, wife Hansey, 31, and children James, 9, Oscar, 6, George, 4, Fannie, 2, and Hattie, 3 months.
In the 1880 census of Taylors township, Wilson County: farmer Alfred Woodard, 50; wife Sarah, 45; children Florence, 28, Mary, 22, Howell, 18, Sarah E., 16,Zilly A., 17, Lundon, 13, Minnie, 12, Willie, 10, Josephine, 7, and Evvy, 4; and grandchildren Elizabeth, 7, Robt. B., 5, and John H. Bynum, 4. [Willie and Josephine were Alfred Woodard’s stepchildren. Their father Warren Rountree died in 1871, and Alfred Woodard’s wife Harriet Woodard Woodard soon after. On 13 February 1873, Alfred Woodard married Warren Rountree’s widow Sarah Woodard Rountree, who was his first wife’s sister.]
On 28 March 1900, Fannie Best, 22, married Willie Rountree, 28, at Orren Best’s house. Minister R.S. Rives performed the ceremony in the presence of Levi James, Fred Vastenable and Martha Vastenable.
In the 1900 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farm laborer Willie Rountree, 29, and wife Fannie, 22.
In the 1910 census of Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey: at 1310 Springwood Avenue, William Roundtree, 38, born N.C., odd jobs laborer; wife Fannie, 32, born N.C.; children Viola, 9, born N.C., Ethel, 6, born Pennsylvania, and Virginia, 5, born New Jersey; and boarders Henry Dixon, 49, and Edna Williams, 3.
In the 1915 state census of Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey: at 8 Borden Avenue, mail carrier William Roundtree, 45; wife Fanny, 37; children Viola, 14, Ethel, 11, Virginia, 10, and William Jr., 4; and boarders Richard M. Brooks, 43, and William Vance, 22.
In the 1920 census of Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey: hotel waiter William Rountree, 49; wife Fannie, 46; children Ethel, 16, Virginia, 14, and William Jr., 9; and lodgers Bertha Bess, 32, and Arthur Green, 12.
Asbury Park, New Jersey, city directory (1922).
In the 1930 census of Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey: at 8 Borden Avenue, owned and valued at $3000, city laborer William Rountree, 59; wife Fannie, 49; children Ethel, 26, maid, and William Jr., 20, chauffeur; and boarded Lulu Vann, 59, maid.
William W. Roundtree died 16 November 1932 in Asbury Park.
Asbury Park Press, 16 November 1932.
In the 1940 census of Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey: at 8 Borden Avenue, owned and valued at $2000, widow Fannie Rountree, 62, laundress, and five boarders.
Fannie Rountree died 2 September 1953 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Per her death certificate, she was born 2 February 1876 in Wilson, North Carolina, to Oren Best and Nancy Harper; lived in Asbury Park, New Jersey; was a widow; and was buried in White Ridge Cemetery, Eatontown, New Jersey. Ethel L. Rountree was informant.
Before Mary Grove Missionary Baptist could expand its church building in 1996, it had to secure six quitclaim deeds from heirs of I.O. and Ida Barnes, the couple from whom they bought their original .14 acres of land around 1919. Why? The church had never registered the deed for that land, and the deed has since been lost.
Here’s another reference to an African Methodist Episcopal church in Lucama. This deed, dated 13 December 1917, records the sale of a one-quarter acre lot on Main Street to trustees of an A.M.E. church for $475. The lot was identified as “the lot upon which St. Pauls Church stands.”
The metes and bounds description is slightly different, but this appears to be the same quarter-acre lot the church bought in 1903. I’ll need to research that further. In the meantime, though we now know what happened to the church, I still don’t know exactly where it was.
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Willis Hines
On 30 January 1901, Willis Hines, 44, of Wilson County, son of Simon and Easter Hines, married Edith Jones, 31, daughter of Noel and Sarah Jones, in Lucama, Wilson County.
In the 1910 census of Lucama, Cross Roads township, Wilson County: on Railroad Street, Willie Hines, 62, brickyard laborer; wife Edith, 46; children Lee H., 7, John H., 6, and Arcadie, 3; and stepdaughters Addie, 18, and Ida Deans, both servants.
Edith Hines died 15 May 1929 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 59 years old; was born in Wilson County to Noah Jones and Sarah Jones; was married to Willis Hines; and lived at 200 Pender Street, Wilson. Sarah Barnes was informant.
In the 1930 census of Lucama, Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farm laborer Willis Hines, 72, widower, and boarder Arnly Adams, 84, widower.
Ida Hines died 16 January 1931 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 28 March 1901 in Lucama to Will Hines and Sarah Barnes; lived at Route 5, Wilson; worked as a laundress; and was buried in Wilson.
R.D. Bethea — Roddie Bethea.
In the 1920 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Roddie Bethea, 50; wife Mary R., 45; and children Lillie, 15, James A., 11, Clifton, 9, Vashtie, 6, and Hubert, 22.
J.L. Wright — Jacob L. Wright.
In the 1910 census of Lucama, Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Jacob L. Wright, 41; wife Mary, 37; and children Willie M. [Wright], 20, Arece, 3, Annie M., 10 months, and Lenora, 20.
In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Willie Wright, 30; wife Lenora, 30; children Robert, 6, Silas, 4, and Mary, 1; father Jacob, 51, widower; and siblings Arsee, 13, Annie, 10, and Carlie, 9.
In the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: R.C. Wright, 22; father Jake Wright, 62; sister Annie Mae McCoy, 20, and her children James F., 5, Bernetha, 3, and James H., newborn.
Annie Mae Pettiford died 9 November 1968 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 6 July 1911 in Wilson County to Jacob Wright and Mary Jones; lived in 908 Stantonsburg Street; and was married to Benjamin Pettiford. Rematha Pettiford was informant.
Hilliard and Feraby Rountree Ellis sold Ellis Chapel for the nominal sum of $7.50 the half-acre parcel of land upon which Ellis Chapel Free Will Baptist Church was eventually built. Ellis Chapel’s cornerstone cites the church’s founding as 1882. This deed, however, is dated 26 April 1881 and shows the church had already formed at that time.
Deed book 18, pages 559-560, Wilson County Register of Deeds office.
The confusion may stem from the registration date of the deed — 16 June 1882.
Hat tip to Melanie Nelson Ellis for this copy of the deed.
Know all men by these presents that I Zachariah Gill Adm’r of Thomas T. Gill dec’d of the County of Edgecomb and State of North Carolina have bargained and sold unto Hilliard Thomas of the County and State aforesaid Two negroes named Mary and Warren for the consideration of the sum of Five hundred and Sixty three dollars and sixty cents in hand paid the receipt I do hereby acknowledge and therewith fully satisfied I do bind myself my heirs executors administrators and assigns forever to defend the right and title of said negroes as far as is vested in me as Administrator promise unto the aforesaid Hilliard Taylor his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claim or claims of all or any person or persons whatsoever In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal Oct 6th 1849 Zachariah Gill Adm Test Jos. Barbee H. Etheridge
Edgecomb County Court The execution of the foregoing Bill of Sale is duly acknowledged in open Court by Zachariah Gill, the maker thereof for the purposes therein mentioned and is ordered to be registered. Test Jno. Norfleet clk
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Judging by their combined price, my guess is that Mary and Warren were young children.
Hilliard Thomas is listed in the 1860 slave schedule of Joyners and Gardners district, Wilson County, with eight enslaved people — boys and men aged 12, 13, 40, and 74, and girls and women aged 13, 19, 38, and 57.
Deed book 25, page 317, Edgecombe County Register of Deeds, Tarboro, N.C.
New Hanover County native Hardy Tate arrived in Wilson before 1892, when he purchased a lot on Green Street. After the death of his first wife, Mary Jane Tate, in 1909, the brickmason returned to Wilmington to remarry, and Annie Thomas Tate joined him at his two-story house on East Green Street.
In 1920, Hardy and Annie Tate were among the heirs of Hannah J. Tate, daughter and heir of Samuel C. Nixon, who sold a tract on Pumpkin Kiln Branch in Cape Fear township, New Hanover County.
We have seen the will of Moses Farmer Sr., executed in 1844, and documents from his estate file, which was opened after his death in 1848. These records include references by name to 35 enslaved people.
Perhaps sensing failing health, Farmer was making moves to divest himself of property even before he made out his will. On 2 February 1843, Farmer gave his son Larry D. Farmer 320 acres on Buck Branch and Toisnot Swamp, as well as nine enslaved people — Huldah, Hilliard, Alex, Fortune, Clarkie, Amos, Hardy, Rose, and Peg. The deed of sale does not list their ages or relationships.
Deed Book 23, page 268, Edgecombe County Register of Deeds Office, Tarboro, North Carolina.
