Overwhelmingly, the residents counted in 1870 in Wilson County’s first post-Civil War were North Carolina natives. African-Americans were even more likely than whites to have been born in-state. A handful reported birthplaces in Virginia and South Carolina, but only one, George Drewry, was born outside the South. The 1870 census of Saratoga township lists Drewry, 21, with wife Rixy, 22, and son Frank, 7 months, both born in North Carolina.

Drewry apparently lived in Wilson County only briefly, as he married Rixie Tayborn in Nash County in 1869, and the family is listed in Nash in 1880. I have found nothing to explain how or why Drewry migrated to Wilson County.

Here are the available facts:

In the 1850 census of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan: Hannah Drury, 49, born in England; with Henry Luker, 11, Frances Drury, 9, Louisa Drury, 8 and George Drury, 2, all born in Michigan.  All were described as white. [After Henry Luce Luker, first husband of Hannah Carlton, died in Detroit in early 1838, a probate court judge granted letters of administration to John Drury [Drewry], who had become her second husband on 11 July 1838. It appears, however, that John Drewry died before 1850.]

In the 1860 census of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan:  Hannah Drewry, 50, Henry Luker, 21, and George Drewer, 11, all described as white.

On 15 February 1869, George Drewry, son of Hannah Drewry, married Rixey Taybron, daughter of Allen and Elizabeth Taybron, in Nash County. Both were described as colored. [Which begs the question of whether George Drewry passed for “colored” in order to marry in North Carolina.]

In the 1870 census of Saratoga, Wilson County, as above, all described as mulatto.

In the 1880 census of Ferrell township, Nash County: farmer Geo. Drewry, 30, farmer, born in Michigan; wife Abi Rixie, 35, described as “bilious”; and children Virginia, 8, Morris, 2, Denniss, 3 months, and Alcy, 4, all described as mulatto.

On 15 March 1885, George D. Drewry, 36, married Amanda Tayborn, 34, daughter of Allen Tayborn, in Wilson County. [Mandy Taybron was the sister of Drewry’s first wife, Rixie Tabron.]

In the 1900 census of Farrells township, Nash County: George Drury, 52; wife Mandy, 49; and children Virginia, 27, Octavia, 19, Nora, 17, Granville, 15, Qinly, 13, Charlie, 11, and Belinda, 2.

In the 1910 census of Mannings township, Nash County: George Drury, 62, born in Michigan; wife Mandy, 39; and children Octavia, 28, Belinda, 13, and Charles, 20, plus grandchildren Ida, 5, and Maggie, 2, all mulatto.

In the 1920 census of Ferrells township, Nash County: Dewit J. Levy, 34; wife Octavia, 37; step-daughters Ida, 14, and Maggie Wiggins, 12; father-in-law Geo. W. Drewry,72, widower; sister-in-law Jennie Drewry, 46; and step-daughter [niece?] Blonnie Drewry.

George Drewry died 20 March 1921 in Ferrells township, Nash County.  Per his death certificate, he was the widower of Rixie Drewry; colored, about 80 years old; and born in Canada to an unknown father and Mary Ann Drewry, both of Canada. He was buried in the Pulley burying ground.  Informant was Morris Drewry.