grave marker

The resting place of Hattie Maryland Wright.

Hattie Maryland Wright‘s headstone gleaming in a patch of sunlight in Sharpsburg Cemetery. Though tilted, it is nearly as pristine as it was when it placed and was so lovely I wanted it to have its own post.

She is not dead but sleeping. We trust our loss will be her gain.

Hattie Maryland Wright (1872-1930).

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In the 1880 census of Rocky Mount township, Edgecombe County, North Carolina: farmer John Maryland, 58; wife Melvel, 40; and children Haywood, 17, Schofield, 16 (who was deaf), Walter, 10, Mary, 9, John, 7, Hattie, 6, Primus, 4, and Jonas, 2.

On 11 September 1895, Turner Ward, 21, of Nash County, son of Mack and Rhoda Ward, married Hattie Maryland, 19, of Nash County, daughter of John and Penelope Maryland, at John Maryland in Coopers township, Nash County.

In the 1900 census of Rocky Mounty, Edgecombe County: day laborer Turner Ward, 25; wife Hattie, 25; children James H., 3, Minnie P., 2, and Ernest, 6 months; and niece Emma Maryland, 7.

On 4 September 1908, George Wright, 35, of Nash County, married Hattie Ward, 40, of Nash County, in Rocky Mount township, Nash County.

In the 1910 census of Toisnot township: on Elm City and Tarbor0 Road, farmer George Wright, 35; wife Hattie, 35; daughter Delia, 2; wife’s children Jessie, 18, James, 12, and El Gray, 6; and boarder Mamie Brant, 30.

In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Wilson Rocky Mount Road, farmer George Wright, 45; wife Hattie, 45; and children Elvira, 17, Estella, 11, Georgeanna, 9, and Samuel, 6. Next door: James Wright, 22, and wife Maggie, 18; Jordan Armstrong, 24, farmer, and Cella, 23; and boarder Charley Ford, 22, farmer.

Photo courtesy of Ancestry.com user marj11249.

The resting place of the Prince A. Aldridge family.

We’ve met Prince Albert Aldridge here, He was a native of Fremont, in northern Wayne County, and was buried in Fremont’s African American cemetery.

This unusual gray granite triple headstone, carved by Wilson stonecutter Clarence B. Best, marks the graves of Aldridge, his wife Annie Aldridge, and her mother Bettie Edmundson Baker.  At the foot, another narrow block inscribed with first initials — P. A. B.

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In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Ann E. Aldridge, 60, tobacco factory feeding machine; husband Prince A., 63; and mother Betty Baker, 78.

Prince Albert Aldridge died 15 May 1953 at his home at 303 North Reid Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 11 January 1902 in Wayne County to George Aldridge and Dora Green; was married to Annie Aldridge; and worked as a plasterer. Oddly, his place of burial is listed as “family cemetery” in Wilson County.

Bettie Baker died 29 April 1960 at her home at 1313 Atlantic Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 10 June 1889 in Greene County, N.C., to Jack Edmundson and Rena Sauls and was a widow. She was buried in Fremont Cemetery, Wayne County. Annie Aldridge was informant. 

Annie Edmondson Aldridge died 27 February 1981 in Goldsboro, Wayne County. Per her death certificate, she was born 5 July 1888 to Bettie Edmondson; was widowed; worked as a laborer; and lived in Kinston, Lenoir County, N.C.

It is likely that Annie Aldridge purchased this set of grave markers from Clarence B. Best after her husband and mother died, and no relative stepped forward after her death to get the headstone updated. 

Look at the little town of Fremont putting everybody to shame in its care of its historically African-American cemetery. (Its historically white cemetery is Elmwood, which is in town. Fremont Cemetery lies down Highway 222, across Interstate 795 from the town proper.) There are likely more Wilson County residents here; I’ll check.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, October 2023.

Cemeteries, no. 34: Sharpsburg Cemetery.

I found Sharpsburg Cemetery. And wow. Though it was active into the late 1990s, it has nearly completely reverted to woodland, with dozens and dozens of headstones standing above the forest floor, many in nearly pristine condition. Unlike wisteria-choked Rountree and Odd Fellows, however, these woods are easily traversed, though covered in naturalized English ivy.

The cemetery is on the Nash County side of Sharpsburg, down a gated track. It appears from county records to be privately owned. Its families lived in Nash, Edgecombe, and Wilson Counties, and I took photos with an eye for representation rather than Wilson residency. I’ll probably make a return visit when I’ve been able to study its known burials.

The gate threw me for a minute. But only a minute.

The open area at the front of the cemetery. The oldest part of the cemetery appears to be an area to the south deep inside the treeline.

Headstones, saplings, and grapevines. There was some trash at the site, but nothing to indicate it has ever been a dumpsite like Odd Fellows and Rountree. This clearly was a generally well-tended cemetery until perhaps 20 to 25 years ago.

  • Maggie Armstrong

In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Ernest Taylor, 49; wife Lela, 47; and children Lawrence, 18, Billie, 16, Carrie, 14, Addie, 12, Lee, 11, Lela, 8, Mary, 7, Thomas, 6, Maggie, 4, Nellie, 3, and Robert, 2; and brother Fred, 20.

In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Ernest Taylor, 49; wife Lalar, 47; and children Tomie, 16, Maggie, 15, Mollie, 13, Robert, 11, Ona, 9, Blanche, 8, Roscar, 6, James, 5, and Daisy, 1.

On 30 December 1932, Richard Armstrong, 21, of Jarratt, Virginia, son of Gus Armstrong and William Ann Turner, and Maggie Taylor, 21, of Sharpsburg, N.C., daughter of Ernest Taylor and Lala Anderson, were married in Greensville County, Virginia.

In the 1940 census of Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: farmer Richard Armstrong, 28; wife Maggie, 25; and children Earnest M., 6, Lawrence W., 5, Ivy Lee, 3, and Grady Earl, 1; widowed mother William Ann Armstrong, 68; and niece Mary Jeane McQueen, 15. Maggie and Mary Jeane had been Wilson County residents in 1935.

Maggie Armstrong died 11 February 1942 in Wilson, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 1 April 1915 in Wilson County to Ernest Taylor and Lala Anderson; was married to Richard Armstrong; was engaged in farming; and resided in Sharpsburg, Edgecombe County. She was buried in Nash County by S.E. Hemby, Fountain, N.C.

  • Ernest and Lalar Taylor, “Death is but life. Weep not.”

Ernest and Lalar Taylor were buried under a classic Clarence Best-carved double headstone.

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In the 1900 census of Upper Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: farmer Robert Anderson, 60; wife Margaret, 58; and children Lanie V., 21, Francis, 19, Lala, 17, Charlie, 15, and Lee E., 14, and grandson Luther, 8 months.

Oon 8 January 1902, Ernest Taylor, 22, son of Caroline Taylor, married Lila Anderson, 19, daughter of Bob and Margaret Anderson, in Toisnot township, Wilson County.

In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Earnest Taylor, 29; wife Lalar, 25; children Lawrence, 8, Lula, 7, Billie, 6, Carry, 4, Eddie B., 3, Lee E., 2, and May B., 2 months; and sister Hattie, 17.

Lalar Taylor died 12 March 1942 in Rocky Mount, Nash County, N.C. Per her death certificate, she was born 21 June 1883 in Nash County to Robert Anderson and Margaret Rice; and was buried in Sharpsburg Cemetery by S.E. Hemby, Fountain, N.C.

Earnest Taylor died 4 December 1961 in Rocky Mount, Nash County, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was born 10 May 1880 in Wilson County to Caroline [maiden name unknown] and worked as a farmer.

  • Turner Joyner

For reasons that are not apparent to me, Simon E. Hemby was the undertaker of choice for many families in Sharpsburg Cemetery in the 1930s and ’40s. Hemby’s business (which is still in operation as Hemby-Willoughby) was in Fountain, Pitt County — some 21, two-lane miles away from Sharpsburg. Amazingly the temporary metal marker Hemby placed at Turner Joyner’s grave in 1938 is still legible.

In the 1880 census of Rocky Mount township, Nash County:  farmer Jason Joyner, 40; wife Milbry, 44; and sons Hawood, 16, Nevison, 13, and Turner, 12.

On 18 December 1889, Turner Joyner, 22, married Martha Pittman, 19, at Evelina Pittman’s in Nash County.

In the 1900 census of Sharpsburg town, Rocky Mount township, Nash County: day laborer Turner Joyner, 30; wife Martha A., 26; and children William S.T., 8, Ella, 6, Billie, 3, and Minnie S., 1.

In 1918, Bill Joyner registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 9 December 1896 in Sharpsburg; was a cropper for Dr. Barnes “near cor. limits of Sharpsburg”; and his nearest relatives were father Turner Joyner and wife Emma Joyner.

In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Turner Joyner, 52; wife Martha, 48; and children S.T., 27, Mary, 25, Maggie, 18, Annie, 15, Mamie, 13, Eva, 10, and Grady, 2.

In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Turner Joyner, 61; wife Martha, 56; daughter Annie C. Clark, 26, and children J.C., 7, James, 5, and S.T., 4.

Turner Joyner died 10 August 1938 in Sharpsburg, Township #14, Edgecombe County. Per his death certificate, he was born 20 September 1873 in Nash County to Jason Joyner and Milba Joyner; was the widower of Martha Joyner; and was buried in Sharpsburg by S.E. Hemby.

  • Harry Williams, “He Is Gone, But Not Forgotten”

You know I love a headstone artist, and Sharpsburg Cemetery contains many examples of the grave markers produced by this unknown person. He (almost surely) worked in concrete, stamping letters and numbers with a die or punch and incising elaborate floral designs with wedge-shaped elements. My guess is that this was a Nash or Edgecombe County artist, as I have not encountered this type of headstone in Wilson County cemeteries.

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In the 1910 census of Township #14, Edgecombe County: farmer Harry Williams, 51; wife Mollie, 39; and children Mandonie, 17, Mack, 16, Starka, 13, Turner, 11, Harry Jr., 9, Paul, 7, and Silas, 3.

On 11 February 1920, Harry Williams, 21, of Toisnot township, Wilson County, son of Harry and Mollie Williams, married Mamie Justice, 21, of Toisnot township, daughter of Preston and Carrie Justice, in Elm City, Wilson County.

In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farm laborer Harry Williams, 22, and wife Mamie, 19.

Harry Williams died 1 July 1928 in Sharpsburg, Township #14, Edgecombe County. Per his death certificate, he was 30 years old; was born in Edgecombe County to Harry Williams and Mollie Lawrence; worked as a farmer; and was buried in Sharpsburg cemetery. Mondon Williams was informant.

  • Lillie Bell Williams

Lillie Bell Williams died 7 April 1929 in Toisnot township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 October 1928 in Wilson County to Paul Williams and Gladys Howard and was buried in Nash County.

  • Jacob C. Bellamy

This appears to be the headstone of the Jacob Bellamy who was born 1891 to James H. and Cherry Bellamy and lived in Edgecombe County. It is a lovely little marble stone in an older area of the cemetery that is overgrown with English ivy.

  • Eskimo Parker

The delightfully named Eskimo Parker, a Nash County native, is one of several veterans whose grave markers are visible in Sharpsburg Cemetery.

At White Oak Primitive Baptist Church.

Like other white Primitive Baptist congregations, Saratoga’s White Oak Primitive Baptist admitted African-Americans to segregated membership — probably from the time it was founded in 1830. However, when they were able to form their own congregations after Emancipation, most Black Primitive Baptists left white churches to worship in less discordant settings, and White Oak’s members joined African-American churches in southeast Wilson County, including Bartee and Cornerline.

White Oak P.B. is no longer active. A small cemetery lies adjacent to the church, but its graves are relatively recent. (The oldest marked grave dates to 1927.) It seems likely that prior to that time, church members were buried in family cemeteries in the neighboring community.

White Oak Primitive Baptist Church, Saratoga, Wilson County.

On a recent visit to White Oak, I was surprised to recognize a feature in the graveyard. Up to then, of hundreds I’ve found, I had never seen a Clarence Best-carved marker on a white person’s grave. Here, though, was a little cluster, a single family whose small marble headstones I immediately recognized as Best’s work. They tell a terrible tale of loss, four babies who died before they reached the age of two.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, August 2023.

Lane Street Project: the numbers.

The first clue to the density of graves in Vick Cemetery came in response to my September 2019 request for public records related to the Lane Street cemeteries. A map, prepared by F.T. Green and Associates [now Green Engineering], showed the location of every grave observed by contractors clearing the cemetery in 1995. The resolution of the copy the City sent me is awful, but close inspection revealed that what seemed to be little marks were actually numbers. Each grave was numbered as it surveyed, but the city cannot locate its copy of the key to these numbers.

I recently had the chance to examine a cleaner print of this document, and it broke my heart all over again. The image below is a close-up of just a section of the map. I had counted 1491 of the little marks; I was off by about 35. But the contractor was off by more than 2700. We now know there are 4,224+ graves in Vick. 

 

Lane Street Project: more photos of Vick Cemetery’s edges.

More photos from Vick Cemetery after New South Associates marked graves last week.

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First, a close-up of the markers at the base of one of the power poles. Should the poles be moved? Should the graves under the power lines and/or inside the public right-of-way be disinterred and reburied in Rest Haven? Should DNA testing be done on any remains found to determine who they (or their closest kin) are?

(By the way, these power poles distribute electricity from Wilson Energy’s Substation #2, which was built circa 1964. We can assume the original power poles were set at that time. These steel poles are upgrades.)

The same pole, a few feet back. The thick, dark green patches of grass generally indicate an underlying grave; several are visible, unmarked, in the right-of-way between the poles and the ditch.

A clear view of the anchor rods for the four guy wires for Pole 2 and of the random pine that has been allowed to grow up in the cemetery. Below the photo, I’ve inserted a generic diagram of what’s likely below the surface. I think it’s safe to say that each of these anchor rods and their attached anchors have destroyed graves.

 

Detail from Wood Pole Guys and Setting Depths, Michigan Department of Transportation, Bureau of Highways Delivery Standard Plan.

The next two photos show graves crossing the western edge of the cemetery into property owned by Wilson Farm Properties LLC (“the Wright Farm”). Though none was formerly filed, an easement for natural gas pipeline runs along the farm side of the boundary. Generally, natural gas lines are only a few feet deep, and these may lie atop graves. This area should be surveyed via ground-penetrating radar.

Below, the back west corner, where Wright Farm wraps around Vick Cemetery. This orange-painted block is outside the Vick boundary among young soybean plants.

The western section of the back boundary, which is covered by a low growth of sweetgum saplings, dog fennel, and other woody weeds. This strip was not surveyed by GPR.

Thanks to B.S. and C.H. for these photos.

Lane Street Project: in memory of David M. Allen (1875-1915).

I’ve spoken of the database I am developing of likely burials in Vick, Odd Fellows, and Rountree Cemeteries. My spreadsheet draws upon death certificates, obituaries, and other sources — most distressingly imprecise. The term “Rountree Cemetery” on these documents may refer to Vick, Odd Fellows, or Rountree. Some documents broadly refer only to burial in Wilson. However, in the absence of official burial records for any of the cemeteries, we make do.

This series honors the men, women, and children who never had grave markers, or whose stones have been lost or stolen or destroyed. Graves believed to be in Vick Cemetery, which the City of Wilson stripped of remaining markers in 1996, will be identified with a Vick Cemetery logo.

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David M. Allen died 28 February 1915 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born in 1875 to Simuel Allen and McKinsey Bridges; was married; worked as a common laborer; and was buried in Wilson by C.H. Darden & Sons. Informant was McKinsey Allen, Smithfield, N.C.

Lane Street Project: in memory of Jesse Henderson Jr. (1928-1929).

I’ve spoken of the database I am developing of likely burials in Vick, Odd Fellows, and Rountree Cemeteries. My spreadsheet draws upon death certificates, obituaries, and other sources — most distressingly imprecise. The term “Rountree Cemetery” on these documents may refer to Vick, Odd Fellows, or Rountree. Some documents broadly refer only to burial in Wilson. However, in the absence of official burial records for any of the cemeteries, we make do.

This series honors the men, women, and children who never had grave markers, or whose stones have been lost or stolen or destroyed. Graves believed to be in Vick Cemetery, which the City of Wilson stripped of remaining markers in 1996, will be identified with a Vick Cemetery logo.

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Jessie Henderson Jr. died 15 April 1929 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 5 months old; was born in Wilson to Jessie Henderson of Dudley, N.C., and Pauline Artis of Johnston County, N.C.; lived at 318 Pender Street; and was buried Rountrees Cemetery [likely Vick Cemetery] by C.E. Artis.

Lane Street Project: in memory of Damp Haskins (1851-1915).

I’ve spoken of the database I am developing of likely burials in Vick, Odd Fellows, and Rountree Cemeteries. My spreadsheet draws upon death certificates, obituaries, and other sources — most distressingly imprecise. The term “Rountree Cemetery” on these documents may refer to Vick, Odd Fellows, or Rountree. Some documents broadly refer only to burial in Wilson. However, in the absence of official burial records for any of the cemeteries, we make do.

This series honors the men, women, and children who never had grave markers, or whose stones have been lost or stolen or destroyed. Memorials for graves believed to be in Vick Cemetery, which the City of Wilson stripped of remaining markers in 1996, will be identified with a Vick Cemetery logo. Memorials for men and women born in slavery will be identified with a broken chain.

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Damp Haskins died 22 April 1915 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 64 years old; was born in North Carolina to Charles Haskins and a mother whose name was not known; worked as a farmer; and was buried in Wilson by C.H. Darden & Sons. William Haskins was informant.