To date, my Family Ties series has focused on the ways my grandmother Hattie Henderson Ricks and her adoptive mother (her great-aunt) Sarah Henderson Jacobs Silver maintained ties with the Henderson diaspora, which had begun spreading out from Wayne County, North Carolina, in the late 19th century. However, a chance find in a newspaper clipping sends this post in a different direction.

I’ve written of my great-great-grandparents, Green and Fereby Taylor, who were enslaved in far northern Nash County on the plantation of Kinchen Taylor, but appear in 1870 in Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County, near present-day Pinetops. In the 1880 census, their household was multi-generational, with five grandchildren — Nannie, Carrie, Lizzie, Louisa, and Isaiah — whose parentage is not clear.

1880 census of Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County.

I puzzled out Lizzie Taylor‘s identity (if not her parents) some time ago. As Eliza Taylor — the name she used throughout adulthood — she married Jordan Taylor and lived in Wilson for several decades. The others remained a mystery until I recently stumbled upon this notice of a funeral service:

Goldsboro News-Argus, 24 January 1965.

Edna Gray Taylor Desvigne, Joyce Taylor Crisp, and Roderick Taylor Jr. were my father’s half-siblings — children of Roderick Taylor Sr. and great-grandchildren of Green and Fereby Taylor. Mary John Pender Taylor was their mother. Who was Lula Faucette to them?

Her death certificate answered the question. Lula Faucette was Louisa Lula Taylor Faucette — the Louisa listed in the 1880 census, and Roderick Taylor Sr.’s first cousin. She was born 2 February 1882 [or thereabouts] in Wilson County to parents who were unknown to informant Roderick Taylor Jr. [her first cousin once removed]; lived at 306 South Leslie Street; and was a widow. She was buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

The Faucettes prospered in Goldsboro, and records show Lula Taylor Faucette maintained contact with her Wilson kin for the rest of her life.

On 26 May 1898, J.T. Faucett, 22, of Wayne County, married Lula Taylor, 18, of Wilson County, at the residence of M. Taylor [probably, Mike Taylor, Lula’s uncle.] W.J. Moore, [A.M.E. Zion] minister of the gospel, performed the ceremony in the presence of T.A. Saunders, Mary E. Moore, and Elsie McCullers. The marriage register does not name her parents.

In the 1910 census of Goldsboro township, Wayne County: locomotive fireman Thomas Faucette, 37; wife Louisa, 29; and daughter Susie, 11.

The 1914-1915 catalogue of Scotia Seminary in Concord, N.C., lists Susie Mae Faucette of Goldsboro as a first-year seminary student.

In the 1920 census of Goldsboro, Wayne County: at 508 Canal Street, owned and valued at $5000, Thomas Faucette, 46, locomotive fireman; wife Louise, 40; and daughter Susie, 21, public school teacher.

On 23 November 1921, the Goldsboro News-Argus reported that the Civics Department of the Woman’s Club had organized a civic club “among the colored people” that would go house to house to campaign for planting and cleaning up. Mrs. Thomas Faucette was named as the representative for District #5, Little Washington, from the railroad to the Old Folks’ Home.

In this photo taken circa 1925, Susie Faucette is third from right on the top row. Goldsboro News-Argus, 12 December 1976.

In the 1930 census of Goldsboro, Wayne County: at 426 Canal Street, owned and valued at $5000, Thomas Faucette, 54, steam railway fireman; wife Lula, 50; and daughter Susie, 31, public school teacher.

1930 Goldsboro, N.C., city directory.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 30 May 1934.

My review of available death certificates for Wilson County in May 1934 did not establish the identity of the sister who died. However, Eliza Taylor Taylor died 25 May 1934 in Rose Hill township, Duplin County, and I would bet good money that she was the sister.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 28 July 1934.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 27 January 1937.

Thomas Faucett died 27 January 1937 in Goldsboro, Wayne County. Per his death certificate, he was born 11 December 1876 in Hillsboro[ugh], North Carolina, to Ray Faucett and Susan Wortham; was married to Louise Faucett; lived at 209 South James; worked as a railroad fireman; and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

The Faucettes’ charitable contributions were regularly noted in the News-Argus‘ Black society column.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 14 December 1938.

Two years later, principal Hugh V. Brown submitted this tribute to the local newspaper:

Goldsboro News-Argus, 2 February 1939.

Later that year, Lula and Susie Faucette sold their house on Canal Street in Goldsboro’s Little Washington neighborhood. They bought a house at 209 South James Street. In 1959, they built and moved into a house at 308 South Leslie Street, which still stands.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 21 July 1939.

Per the First African Baptist Church 1864-1978: Dedicational Year church history book, in the late 1930s, Lula Faucette, with Henrietta Wooten, founded the Stitch and Chatter Club “for spiritual, social, and financial and to help First African Baptist meet its financial obligations.”

Per News-Argus reports, beginning about 1942, Lula and Susie Faucette began sponsoring the Thomas Faucette Award, given to the “most useful boy” in senior class at Goldsboro’s Dillard High School.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 2 April 1942.

Mrs. Jimmie Reaves was Bertha Taylor Reaves, daughter of Mike and Rachel Barnes Taylor and Lula Faucette’s first cousin.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 3 July 1944.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 5 August 1944.

(Who were these Philadelphia relatives??)

Goldsboro News-Argus, 26 April 1948.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 28 March 1950.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 28 June 1950.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 24 March 1951.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 11 July 1951.

Rev. Fred M. Davis, most closely associated with Wilson’s Jackson Chapel First Missionary Baptist Church, served as pastor of First African Baptist from 1916 to 1924.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 14 August 1957.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 29 June 1962.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 6 February 1963.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 8 February 1963.

Susie Mae Faucette died 6 February 1963 in Goldsboro. Per her death certificate, she was born 9 March 1906 [sic] in Wayne County to Thomas Faucette and Louise Taylor; was never married; worked as a teacher; and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 14 March 1963.

Susie Faucette’s estate was valued at nearly $187,000 in 2025 dollars.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 20 March 1963.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 11 February 1965.

Louise Faucette’s estate was valued at about $234,ooo in 2025 dollars.

308 South Leslie Street, Goldsboro, per Google Street View, June 2022.