Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 9 January 1937.
This photo collage appears in a full-page article titled “Hospital Is Built Where Monument Intended; Lincoln Hospital at Durham Has Unusual History and Record; Duke Family’s Plan To Honor Negro Slaves Changed To Erection of Much Needed Hospital.”
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Journey and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 14 November 1942.
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The Eagle, the yearbook of North Carolina College for Negroes (1939).
The Eagle, the yearbook of North Carolina College for Negroes (1940).
On 19 October 1942, George Washington Logan Jr., 24, of Camp Lee, Virginia, son of George W. Logan and Maude Lewis, married Alice Wilhelmina Jones, 22, of Wilson, daughter of J. Robert Jones and Alice Albright, in Prince George County, Virginia.
In the 1947 Durham, N.C., city directory: Logan Geo W jr (Alice J) asst mgr Regal Theatre r 601 E Lawson
In the 1950 census of Durham, Durham County, N.C.: theatre manager George Logan Jr., 31; wife Alice, 29; and children George III, 6, Wenda C., 3, and Bonnie D., born in July.
Alice Wilhelmina Jones Logan (1918-2022).
“We celebrate the life of Alice Jones Logan who reached the end of her beautiful journey on August 5, 2022, at the incredible age of 103. Alice was born on October 25, 1918, to J. Robert and Alice Albright Jones in Wilson, North Carolina. She graduated from North Carolina College for Negroes (now North Carolina Central University) in Durham in 1940 with a BS Degree in Home Economics. After her 30-year career of teaching in the Durham Public Schools at James A. Whitted Junior High School and Hillside High School, she retired in 1983. In 1990, she was inducted into the Society of Golden Eagles at North Carolina Central University. She was extremely proud and looked forward to attending the induction ceremony each year and never missed the event since her induction.
“Alice had a love for flowers and enjoyed taking special care of her roses in the garden. The Pinochle Club, nicknamed ‘The Squirrels,’ and the Junior Mother’s Club were among her many pastimes. As a longtime member of White Rock Baptist Church in Durham, she recently enjoyed its services on YouTube, a technology she thought was amazing. She enjoyed the Big Band music of her generation. Her favorite songs were ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’ and ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).’
“Alice is preceded in death by her husband, George W. Logan, Jr. Her memory shall be cherished and shared by her son, George W. Logan, III of Durham; daughters, Wenda L. Ashford (Ronald) of Boston, MA and Bonnie D. Logan of Baltimore, MD; ‘special’ daughter, Thomasine Bass Perry of Durham; a granddaughter, Judge Tamara W. Ashford of Alexandria, VA; niece, India Cooke of Oakland, CA; nephews, J. Robert Jones, III of Wilson, NC, David B. Cooke (Betty Jo) of Atlanta, GA, and William Pearson (Stephanie) of Durham; two great nephews, J. Robert Jones, IV and Jamar Jones, of Las Vegas, NV; and countless friends.
“A Celebration of Life will be on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 1:00 PM at White Rock Baptist Church, 3400 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC.”
My mother and I went to see the Geer Cemetery exhibit at the Museum of Durham History yesterday, then stopped by Geer itself to pay respects.
The museum is small, but impactful, and offers a great model for Wilson, which, unlike neighboring Wayne and Johnston Counties, has no general history museum.
The Geer Cemetery exhibit offers the history of the cemetery and of efforts to reclaim it and has a number of interactive features, including StoryMaps.
At Geer Cemetery, I quickly found the iconic flower-shaped grave marker of Rev. Abram B. Joyner, which inspired Friends of Geer Cemetery’s logo.
Friends of Geer Cemetery has been an inspiration since Lane Street Project’s earliest days, and I congratulate and thank them for all they have done and continue to do at Geer. As with Brooklyn Cemetery in Athens, Georgia, Geer benefits immensely from the proximity of a top-notch major research university. Rountree, Odd Fellows, and Vick Cemeteries don’t have this advantage, but we’re taking notes!
A special shout-out to Deborah Taylor Gonzalez-Garcia. The Scavenger Hunt exercise? What a fantastic idea!
“The Museum of Durham History, in partnership with the Friends of Geer Cemetery, is proud to present Unearthing Stories of Geer Cemetery: Using Archaeology to Reclaim, Restore, and Respect Sacred Space. This powerful exhibit explores how archaeological discoveries at Geer Cemetery have uncovered long-forgotten artifacts, shedding light on the lives of those buried there and the community’s ongoing efforts to preserve their memory.”
Goals.
Jackson (Miss.) Advocate, 9 March 1946.
Javotte Sutton Greene was born in Wilson, but her family lived there only briefly, and she grew up in Durham, North Carolina.
More about “Striver’s Row” from the 2 March 1946 edition of The Ohio State News:
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Per the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936-2007, Javotte Sutton Greene was born 6 January 1922 in Wilson, North Carolina, to Ezekiel Sutton and Allensia M. McKinnon. She died 4 November 1998.
Durham Sun, 1 March 1933.
Robert Jones was finally arrested in Raleigh in early October. Within days, he was on trial, but facing a reduced charge of manslaughter. Jones had recanted a confession that he had shot Wilson native Mildred Powell in “a Hayti rooming house” over a liquor dispute. His defense then claimed he and Virginia White had been tussling over a gun that accidentally discharged and fatally struck Powell. While Jones was on the lam, White died of tuberculosis and the investigating detective was murdered, severely cramping the state’s case against Jones. Nonetheless, he was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
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Mildred Powell died 28 February 1933 in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina. Per her death certificate, she was 26 years old; was born in Wilson County to John Powell and Sarah Hagan; lived at 518 Elm Street; worked in a factory; and died of “gun shot wound (pistol) of chest; homicide.” Virginia White was informant, and Powell’s body was returned to Wilson for burial.
Durham Sun, 23 December 1958.
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Like his brother S.P. Artis of Wilson, Archie C. Artis of Durham was a prosperous barber and real estate investor.
Wilson Daily Times, 16 July 1912.
Wilson Daily Times, 9 August 1912.
Clippings courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.
Adam Rosenblatt of Friends of Geer Cemetery traveled to Wilson this past Saturday to help Lane Street Project in its first public cemetery clean-up. We appreciate both his physical labor and the opportunity to form alliances and learn from F.O.G.C. as we chart a path for our cemeteries.
Please join Friends of Geer Cemetery on 23 January 2021 for the virtual grand opening of its outdoor exhibit, In Plain Sight: Reflections Past & Actions Present in Durham’s Geer Cemetery. Eventbrite link here.
In Plain Sight: Reflections Past & Actions Present in Durham’s Geer Cemetery
The Friends of Geer Cemetery are proud to introduce In Plain Sight — an outdoor educational exhibit in Durham’s historic African American burial ground — through this Virtual Grand Opening. For far too long, the graves of this city’s African American founders have been hidden from view, their stories underappreciated. Join us to learn more about their lives and ongoing efforts to ensure respect for their memory.
In Plain Sight is a journey through the history of Durham and the cemetery itself, the result of a collaborative effort with local students, scholars, volunteers, and descendants of those laid to rest here. In this Virtual Grand Opening, you will learn about both the space and this project, hear from the Friends of Geer Cemetery about their advocacy work, and be prepared for a visit to the outdoor exhibit — on your own any time through Sunday, March 7th, or with safely distanced guided tours (visit DurhamInPlainSight.com for details).
The Virtual Grand Opening will be followed by an open Q&A session.
In Plain Sight is made possible in part by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and through generous matching donations from more than 70 supporters.
Jessie Beatrice Ruffin Hill (1908-1990).
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1007 East Nash Street, transfer man Garfield Ruffin, 39; wife Thennie, 28; and children Jessie, 12, Emma, 8, Mary, 7, Cora, 5, Naomi, 3, Kernice, 1, and Thennie, 7 months.
On 23 May 1929, William Hill, 21, of Durham, married Jessie Hill, 23, of Durham, daughter of Pres Binn (dead) and Thenie Ruffin of Washington, D.C., in Durham, North Carolina.
In the 1930 census of Durham, Durham County: at 504 Fowler Avenue, rented for $8/month, and shared with another family, factory worker William Hill, 24, wife Jessie, 22, and son William Jr., 2 months.
[In the 1930 census of Washington, D.C.: at 728 – 12th Street, barber James G. Ruffin, 45; wife Parthenia, 36; and children Emma, 19, Mary E., 18, Cora, 16, Naomi, 15, Kernice, 12, Parthenia, 11, James B., 9, Linwood, 7, Izah, 6, Calvin C., 4, and Canlice, 2.]
William Hill registered for the World War II draft in Durham, N.C., in 1940. Per his registration card, he was born 8 April 1906 in Roxobel, Bertie County; lived at 704 Pickett Street, Durham; worked for Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Company; and his contact was wife Jessie Beatrice Hill.
Jessie R. Hill died 29 July 1990 in Durham. Per her death certificate, she was born 3 March 1908 in Wilson to Henry G. Ruffin and an unnamed mother; was a widow; and had been a tobacco worker. George Hill of Albany, Georgia, was informant.
Photograph courtesy of Ancestry.com user jfount6081.