fundraiser

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

Bazaar to benefit the hospital.

Wilson Daily Times, 7 December 1916.

A few years after it opened, friends of the Wilson Colored Hospital (later known as Mercy) held a pop-up shop of sorts in the Odd Fellows Hall on East Nash Street to raise money for indigent tuberculosis patients. On offer, clothing, but mostly undoubtedly delicious food — barbecue, chicken salad, oysters, sausages, sandwiches, sweets and ice cream.

Benefit for Mercy Hospital.

Unlike this benefit in 1930, the program below was aimed at an African-American audience.

Wilson Daily Times, 3 December 1946.

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