family reunion

Plate sale!

Few traditions reinforce and preserve family history like regular reunions, and I love to see Wilson County families keep them going. The Harris, Lucas, Pope, and Barnes Family Reunion is holding a June 13 fundraiser for their 2025 gathering. Gon on and get you a plate!

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The Harris branch of the Harris, Lucas, Pope, and Barnes Family Reunion descends from James and Charity Harris, whose known children were Sarah, Joseph, Arch, Charles, Amanda, Jane, Lucy, Abraham, and  Henry.

  • James and Charity Harris

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer James Harris, 56; wife Charity, 40; and children Joseph, 18, Arch, 18, Charles, 15, Sarah, 19, Amanda, 15, Jane, 10, Lucy, 6, Abraham, 4, and Henry, 5 months.

Perhaps: on 2 October 1879, John Williams, 51, married Charity Harris, 51, at the Wilson County Court House in Wilson.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: James Harris, 28, Dora, 22, and Rosa, 1, with grandmother Cherady Harris, 80.

Charity Harris died 18 January 1915 in Taylor township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was 100 years old; was “single”; and was buried in Wilson. George W. Harris was informant.

A Wilmington newspaper greatly exaggerated her age at death, as was common concerning elderly Black people. Charity was not 111 years old. She was not even 100. Her true age was closer to 90.

Wilmington Morning Star, 22 January 1915. 

  • Sarah Harris

Perhaps: on 2 January 1873, Alfred Stanton, 21, married Sarah Harris, 21, in Wilson County.

  • Joseph Harris
  • Arch Harris

On 19 October 1876, Rose Woodard, 19, married Arch Harris, 23, in Wilson County.

In the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farmer Arch Harris, ; wife Rosa, 51; and children James, 3, Martha, 1, and Morrison, 2 months.

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: farmer Arch Harris, 53; wife Rosa, 45; and children James, 22, Arch, 20, Mary Jane, 18, Nancy, 16, Lucy, 12, Minnie, 11, Maggie, 8, Jessie, 6, and Annie, 3.

On 29 January 1902, Arch Harris, 19, of Wilson County, son of Arch and Rosa Harris, married Chaney Horne, 19, of Wilson County, daughter of Simon and Nancy Horne, at Simon Horne’s residence in Wilson County.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Arch Harris, 56, Rosa, 51, and children Jessie, 15, Annie, 12, and James, 12.

In the 1920 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer James Harris, 42; wife Dora, 38; father Arch, 70; mother Rose, 50 [sic]; and children Roscoe, 16, Helen, 14, Beulah, 7, and Eula May, 3.

Jesse Harris died 4 June 1875 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 5 November 1893 to Arc Harris and Rosetta Woodard; was married to Delphia Harris; lived at 919 Poplar Street; and worked as a farmer.

  • Charles Harris
  • Amanda Harris
  • Jane Harris
  • Lucy Harris
  • Abraham Harris

On 5 July 1891, Abram Harriss, 21, of Stantonsburg, son of Charity Harriss, married Mattie Hilliard, 21, of Stantonsburg, daughter of Jack and Sarah Hilliard, in Stantonsburg, Wilson County.

  • Henry Harris

“Passing the legacy” — the Coleman-Barnes Family Reunion.

In 1942, when the descendants of Spicey Barnes Barnes and Hannah Barnes Coleman gathered for a birthday dinner to honor both sisters, they began a tradition that has lasted more than eight decades!

If Coleman-Barnes Reunion isn’t the longest-running African-American family gathering in Wilson County, I want to know what is!

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  • Spicey Barnes Barnes

In the 1880 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: George Barnes, 55; wife Gracy, 45; and daughters Spicey, 7, and Hannah, 5.

On 5 January 1899, Joe Barnes, 35, of Wilson County, son of Richard Barnes and Amanda Toodle, married Spicy Barnes, 23, of Wilson County, daughter of George Barnes and Grace Strickland. Nestus Bagley applied for the license, and Free Will Baptist minister Daniel Blount performed the ceremony.

In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Jospeh Barnes, 26; wife Spicy, 25; and children Daisy A., 9, Wiley, 8, Naster, 7, Gray, 6, and Earnest, 1 month.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Joseph Barnes, 52; wife Spicy, 39; children Earnest, 10, George E., 8, Annie, 4, and Turner, 3; step-daughter Gracie Moore, 21; and children Daisy, 21, Leslie, 15, and Wily, 18.

In the 1920 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Joe Barnes, 52; wife Spicy, 42; and children Ernest, 19, Geo., 16, Annie, 14, and Turner, 11.

On 23 December 1929, Ernest Barnes, 29, of Wilson, son of Joe and Spicy Barnes, married Lillie Ellis, 29, of Wilson, daughter of Jack and Mintree Yancey, in Wilson. Disciple minister W.W. Webb performed the ceremony in the presence of Calvin Baker, Ella Adams, and Martha Ellis.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Ernest Barnes, 40, widower; sister Annie, 38; and mother Spicey, 60, widow.

In 1942, Ernest Barnes registered for the World War II in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 12 May 1900 in Wilson; lived in Wilson County; his contact was mother Spicey Barnes; and he worked for Zell Winstead, Tarboro Street Extension.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 313 Finch, Ernest Barnes, 49, widower, cement mixer at concrete pipe company; mother Spicey, 78, widow; sister Annie, 44, tobacco factory picker; and cousin Stephen Coleman, 43, barber.

Spicey Barnes died 9 August 1963 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 1 June 1868 in Wilson County to George Barnes and Grace Barnes; lived at 414 Lane Street; and was a widow. Annie B. Barnes was informant.

  • Hannah Barnes Coleman

On 30 March 1894, Robert Coleman, 23, of Oldfields township, son of Jack and Nancy Coleman, married Hannah Barnes, 18, of Oldfields township, in Oldfields township, Wilson County.

In the 1900 census of Taylors township, Wilson County: farmer Robert Coleman, 39; wife Hannah, 25; and children Mary, 9, James, 7, and Clary, 4.

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Finch Mill Road, farmer Robert Coleman, 46; wife Hannah, 39; and children James, 16, Clara, 14, Martha, 8, Thomas, 6, Stephen, 4, and Katrina, 3 months.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Finch Mill Road, farmer Robert Coleman, 52; wife Annie, 45; and children Martha, 18, Tom, 16, Stephen, 12, and Katie, 9.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: widow Hannah Coleman, 57, and children James, 38, William G., 26, both farm laborers, and Stephen, 23, barber.

Martha Holley died 19 July 1934 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 33 years old; was born in Wilson County to Robert Coleman and Hannah Barnes; was married to Will Holley; lived in New Grabneck; worked on a farm; and was buried in Wilson [likely, Vick Cemetery.]

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: widow Hannah Coleman, 68; son Thomas, 36; and grandsons Robert Holiday Holly, 14, William Holly, 13, and Cal Waddell Holly, 8.

William Thomas Coleman died 11 April 1973 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 18 February 1904 to Robert Coleman and Hannah Barnes; was a widower; lived on Black Creek Road; and had worked as a laborer. Darnell Coleman was informant.

Image of reunion program courtesy of Tijuana Locus. Thank you!

Henderson Family Reunion 2024.

I’m just back in Atlanta from the Henderson Family Reunion. We are from southern Wayne County, just below Wilson County, but my line arrived in Wilson about 1905 — a story I told here.

Our reunion brings together descendants of the children of James Henderson, a free man of color born about 1815. My line is that of his first son, my great-great-great-grandfather Lewis Henderson, who was alive when my grandmother Hattie Henderson Ricks was born. Lewis’ daughter Sarah Henderson Jacobs Silver was the first in the family to settle in Wilson. She reared her sister Loudie Henderson’s children Bessie Henderson and Jack Henderson and Bessie’s children (my grandmother and great-aunt Mamie Henderson Holt), and nearly 40 of their descendants were among the almost 150 Hendersons in Goldsboro this weekend.

I gave a family history presentation Saturday morning at First Congregational United Church of Christ, the church in Dudley that Lewis Henderson helped found in 1870. My cousins still attend the church; one was guest pastor yesterday. The church cemetery — where my great-great-great-grandparents, great-great-grandmother and her siblings, great-grandmother, and innumerable cousins are buried — is right down the road.

The headstone of Cora Q. Henderson, daughter of Lucian and Susan Henderson — my great-grandmother’s 23 year-old first cousin.

Lewis Henderson died in 1912, and his wife Margaret Balkcum Henderson in 1915. By then, only James Lucian Henderson, their elder son, remained in Dudley. Twice a week, Sarah walked from Elba Street down to Wilson’s A.C.L. depot and handed up to a porter a shoebox packed with cornbread and ham and sweet potatoes. At Dudley, he threw the box off the train to a cousin waiting on the ditch bank. And thus Uncle Lucian and Aunt Susie were fed.

The Dudley depot is gone, but these tracks still run to Wilson.

Nearly 120 years after my Hendersons left Wayne County, the links remain.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, July 2024.

It’s reunion season!

July is peak family reunion season, and the Jones family gathered in Wilson over the extended Fourth of July weekend. The Joneses’ roots are in western Wilson County; they descend from Bethany Jones, a free woman of color born about 1772, perhaps in Johnston, Wayne, or Nash County. The most prominent line of her offspring descend from John Jones and wife Susan Simpson, alias Powell, and includes generations of well-known, accomplished Wilson County residents like John Wesley Jones, brothers Howard C. and Franklin D. Jones, and Kristi Jones.

Is your family gathering in Wilson County this summer?

Shaunna Stevens shared this Jones family tree drawn by her talented mother Karole Turner Campbell. Thank you! 

Thank you, Freeman-Hagans family.

I was honored to be asked to speak at the Freeman-Hagans reunion last night — the first family reunion I’ve addressed beyond my own. The family is fortunate to have richly documented genealogical knowledge, so I knew I couldn’t just show up and tell the Freemans about the Freemans. As I considered topics, I remembered a passage in Mary Freeman-Ellis’ fantastic The Way It Was in which she vividly described attending services at London’s Primitive Baptist Church. As genealogy is brought to life, so to speak, by an understanding of the contexts of our ancestors’ lives, I decided to talk about the history of the church that was so central to the lives of Eliza Daniels Freeman and several of her children. My thanks to Patricia Freeman for the invitation;  to the Lillian Freeman Barbee family for sharing their table with me; and to all who welcomed me so warmly.

London Church twelve years after it was moved from its original location on Herring Avenue. A hoped-for benefactor had not materialized, and the building was beginning to break down. Wilson Daily Times, 31 March 2004.

Here’s the inspirational excerpt from Mary Freeman-Ellis’ memoir:

“… Aunt Lydia [Freeman Norwood Ricks], Uncle Lovette [Freeman], and Julius [F. Freeman Jr.] were members. Once a year, usually early spring, the church had its annual meeting. People came from near and far. A great deal of time was spent inside the church during the service. This was the annual ‘Big August Meeting,’ I used to hear Aunt Lydia say, lots of preparation occurred during the year to cleanse the heart, soul and the mind in order to be able to receive communion. The church grounds, as they were called, were set up with long wooden tables with benches to sit on. Each table was covered with a sheet then a white table cloth.

“I had never seen so much food any place before. There was fried chicken, roast beef, roast pork, potato salad, slaw and several tin tubs with iced cold lemonade. There were also several kinds of pies and cakes. This was the first time I had ever seen anybody eat only cake and fried chicken together. We tried it and it was good. People ate, greeted each other with big hugs and the preacher did his share of hugging the sisters. London Baptist Church was a primitive church; I never understood that term.

“Although the fellowship of the church grounds was a vital part of this Big August Meeting, what transpired inside was the thing that had us traumatized. For example, the services started with the pastor greeting the congregation. The membership was made up of all blacks and the women far outnumbered the men. The service continued with a long prayer, going into a song led by the pastor. There was no organ or piano. Most of the songs appeared to have anywhere from five to eight verses. I was familiar with the hymn, Amazing Grace, but had never heard it sung the way the Primitive Baptists sang it. The preacher would read off two lines as follows: ‘Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. It saved a wreck [sic] like me.’ The congregation would follow with these same two lines. The pastor would continue with, ‘I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.’ This was called ‘lining a hymn.’ The preacher took his text from the Prodigal Son. He had him going places and doing things I had never heard of before. Since we were children, we knew to keep quiet because this was a house of worship and it was good manners to sit quietly. We had also begged Aunt Lydia to take us and we did not want her to know how disappointed we were. There was very little going on for children other than eating when the time came.

“We could not get home fast enough to tell Mother and Dad about our experience, especially how hard those wooden benches were. I wanted the center of attention so I began relating each thing as it happened. Dad momentarily looked up at me for a moment with a sheepish grin on his face. He said, ‘You know you were not forced to go.'”

“It’s so nice to see/ All the folks you love together …”

I’m not sure what resonates most: the over-excited child in a hotel room, the O’Jays, the picnic, the slightly bored teenagers, the teeshirts, the cemetery cleaning, the banquet, the Electric Slide, the history lecture, the camera up in folks’ faces. Everything about this video screams BLACK FAMILY REUNION, and this one is a gathering of the Carters in Wilson in 1990.

I paused the tape at 4:34. The wall of ancestors. I recognized these names. This was a gathering of the descendants of George and Nancy Parker Carter, with the Mary Ida Carter Brockington branch exceptionally well-represented.

I hope the next generation of Carters is somewhere planning the 2020 reunion — and that they’ll film it and share!

Hat tip to Zella Palmer for leading me to this gem, and thanks to Ronald Steele, who blessed us all by posting it to Youtube.

South Carolina roots: the Britton family reunion.

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Wilson Daily Times, 22 June 1977.

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In the 1910 census of Indian township, Williamsburg County, South Carolina: farmer Waders Britton, 33; wife Emma, 34; and children Prince D., 6, Eda M., 5, Elizabeth, 4, Manda A., 2, and Joseph S., 9 months.

In the 1920 census of Ridge township, Williamsburg County, South Carolina: farmer Waiters Britton, 46; wife Emma, 33; and children Prince, 15, Etta, 13, Carry, 11, Jane, 10, Florence, 8, Cora, 6, and Nettie, 2.

In the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County, North Carolina: farmer Waitren B. Britton, 50, born in Florida; wife Emma, 52, born in South Carolina; and children Elizabeth, 22, Phoebe, 20, Ruth, 18, Emma Jr., 14, Sarah, 11, and Johney, 6, all born in South Carolina; and boarder Idee Howard, 22.

Emma Britton died 29 June 1931 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 58 years old; was born in Florence, South Carolina, to James Meyers and Amanda Bostic; had been farming on the “Tillman farm” since 1928; and was married to Watus B. Britton.

Walter Britton died 4 May 1933 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was a widower; was 58 years old; was born in Florence, South Carolina, to Walter and Feebie Britton; was a widower; and worked as a day laborer. Emma Britton was informant.

Mary Ruth Lofton died 22 May 1963 at her home at 807 East Vance Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 8 August 1913 in South Carolina to Watis Britton and Emma Myers; was married. Informant was Benjamin Lofton, 807 East Vance.

On 9 November 1964, Charles Jennette, 45, twice divorced, born in Belhaven, N.C., City of Norfolk garbage collector, married Elizabeth Britton Stewart, 53, twice divorced, born in Florence, S.C., beautician, daughter of Watties Bonwell Britton and Emma Myers, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Rev. Phoebe Ann Britton Cotton died 15 December 1971 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 28 February 1916 in South Carolina to Waitis Barnwell Britton and Emma Britton; was a widow; resided at 1303 Carolina Street; and was a minister. John Cotton of Augusta, Georgia, was informant. She was buried in Jones Hill cemetery.

Elizabeth Jennette died 4 February 1980 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 5 June 1910 in South Carolina to Watis Barnwell Britton and Emma Myers; was married; lived at 1600 Lane Street; and was a beautician. Sister Sarah B. Applewhite was informant.

Sarah Addie Britton Applewhite died 12 November 1986. Per her death certificate, she was born 28 April 1919 in South Carolina to Watis Britton and Emma Myers; was widowed; worked as a belt operator at Export Tobacco Company; and lived on Lane Street Extension. Daughter Janifer A. Burns, Chesterfield, Virginia, was informant.

The Edwards family reunion.

On the Fourth of July 1954, the Edwards family — 200 strong — held its 20th annual reunion in Nashville, Nash County, North Carolina. Rev. Buck H. Edwards of Wilson County, the oldest living family member, gave the invocation prior to a dinner of barbecue, fried chicken and slaw.

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Wilson Daily Times, 10 July 1954. 

The tradition continues! On 4 July 2019, Edwards family members gathered in Wilson to celebrate their 85th annual reunion.

Special thanks to Carla Edwards Williams, granddaughter of B.H. Edwards, for the photo!

Reid reunion.

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Wilson Daily Times, 26 July 1971.

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In the 1900 census of Otter Creek township, Edgecombe County: farmer Gray Read, 47; wife Lucy, 37; and children Joseph R., 18, Nancy L., 7, Elija, 5, Mart Eva, 4, Jona, 3, and Lucy, 5 months.

In the 1910 census of Otter Creek township, Edgecombe County: farmer Amos Read, 64; lodger Gray Read, 57, and children Gray, 18, Eligh, 15, Margrett, 13, and John, 13.

Elijah Reid, 21, of Gardners township, son of Gray Reid, married Ida Hagans, 18, of Gardners, daughter of James and Hannah Hagans, on 13 January 1915 on the Old Whitehead farm. Witnesses were Robert Hilliard, Lawrence Hagans and J.B. Owens.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: James Hagans, 53; wife Nora, 50; sons John, 18, Joe, 18, and Laurence, 16; daughter Etta, 21; grandchildren Elizabeth, 15, Sudie M., 13, Leeoma, 10, David, 5, Bessie M., 3, Lillie M., 1, and Charlie Reid, 4; and daughter Ida Reid, 32.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: tobacco factory laborer Elijah Reid, 49; wife Ida, 44; and children Willie, 12, Troy, 8, Sudie, 20, Naomie, 17, David, 15, Bessie, 14, Eula, 9, and Ester, 6.

Naomi Reid, 21, born in Wilson to Elijah Reid and Ida Hagans, married Oliver Lee Howard, born in Wilson to Will Lucas and Lena Howard, were married 28 January 1943 in Norfolk, Virginia, where both resided.

Lillie Mae Reid, 20, daughter of Eligha and Ida Reid, married William Atkinson, 26, son of Lester and Martha Moore Atkinson, on 25 February 1951 at 300 South East Street, Wilson. Witnesses were Mildred Reid, 911 Washington Street; Howard Hopkins, 703 Manchester Street; and David Reid, 300 South East STreet.

Ida Hagans Reid died 29 June 1967 at her home at 300 South East Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 21 August 1896 in WIlson County to James Hagans and Hannah Bynum; was married to Elijah Reid; and worked as a tobacco factoryhand. Elizabeth Reid was informant.

Elijah R. Reid Jr. died 26 March 1977 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 7 October 1917 in Wilson to Elijah Reid Sr. and Ida Hagans; was married to Mildred Coel; worked as a minister; and resided at 911 Washington Street.

Elijah Reid Sr. died 24 August 1982 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 2 August 1894 in Edgecombe County to Gray Reid and an unknown mother; resided at 804 Hines Street, Wilson; was a widower; and worked as a self-employed repairman. Eula Wilkins of Washington, D.C., was informant.