Harper

The last will and testament of Argent Harper.

In a will executed 22 May 1928, Argent Harper left her daughter Deborah Swindell her house and part of the lot it sat upon on Suggs Street, and the remainder of her property to all her children — Swindell, Charles Harper, Elizabeth Hampton, and Effie Lewis. She nominated Camillus L. Darden her executor.

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In the 1870 census of Kinston, Lenoir County, North Carolina: Thomas Morris, 40, works in blacksmith shop; wife Judia, 30; children Clarissey, 21, Argeant, 13, Allice, 11, and Fannie, 5; Jonah Phillips, 26, farm laborer; Eunice Phillips, 1; and Argeant Morris, 66, midwife.

On 6 November 1879, Richard Harper, 28, of Wilson County, son of James and Cloe Harper, married Argent Morris, 19, of Lenoir County, daughter of Tom and Judah Morris, at the A.M.E.Z. church in Kinston.

In the 1880 census of Kinston, Lenoir County, North Carolina: blacksmith Thomas Morris, 56; wife Judy, 45; children Alice, 20, and Fannie Morris, 6; daughter Clarisa Phillips, 30, laborer; daughter Argent Harper, 22, laborer; and grandchildren Henrietta, 7, Jonah, 6, Sally, 1, and Mary Phillips, 13.

In the 1900 census of Pinetucky district, Laurens County, Georgia: farmer Richard Harper, 59; wife Argen, 43; and children Cora, 17, Dora, 16, Deby, 13, Charlie, 12, Estella, 10, Richard, 7, and Elizabeth, 5.

On 8 November 1917, Whit Lewis, 29, of Wilson, married Effie Harper, 24, of Wilson, in Wilson. A.M.E. Zion minister B.P. Coward performed the ceremony in the presence of Alice Carington, Thomas Cooke, and John Graham.

Richard James Harper died 8 January 1918 in Wilson township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 31 August 1851 in Greene County, N.C., to James and Clara Harper; was married to Argent Harper; worked as a tenant farmer for Ashley Young; and was buried in Wilson County.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: widow Argent Harper, 58, and daughters Deba, 25, seamstress, and Elizabeth, 17.

In the 1920 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Harper Argent (c) dom h 141 Suggs

On 30 January 1924, Louis Swindell, 24, of Washington, N.C., son of Lewis Swindell and Selista [no maiden name], married Deborah Harper, 27, of Wilson, daughter of Richard and Argene Harper, in Wilson. A.M.E.Z. minister B.P. Coward performed the ceremony in the presence of Julia Bryant, Effie Lewis, and Whit Lewis.

In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Harper Argent (c) laundress h 630 Suggs

In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Harper Argent (c) lndrs h 630 Suggs

Argen Harper died 1 August 1929 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 60 years old; was born in Kinston, N.C., to Tom Morris and Judy Morris; was the widow of Richard Harper; and was buried in Wilson [probably, Vick Cemetery.] Deborah Swindell was informant.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 630 Suggs, owned and valued at $1000, Debbie Swindell, 40, helper at beauty parlor; roomer [sic; sister] Effie Lewis, 35, widow, servant; roomers [Effie’s children?] Essie M., 10, Mathew, 8, and William J. Lewis, 4; and daughter Deborar Swindell, 6.

Effie Lewis died 14 March 1958 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 15 March 1890 in Georgia to Richard Harper and Argent Morris; was a widow; lived at 413 Stantonsburg Street, Wilson; and worked as a domestic. Effie Mae Fields was informant.

Charles H. Harper died 11 May 1965 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Per his death certificate, he was 29 March 1890 in South Carolina to Richard Harper and Argent Morris; was married to Lucinda Harper; and was retired.

Deborah Harper Swindell died 2 February 1979 in Burlington, Alamance County, N.C. Per a North Carolina Death Index, she was born 24 August 1886.

The obituary of Charlie W. Harper.

Petersburg Progress Index, 19 July 1967.

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In 1942, Charlie Wesley Harper registered for the World War II draft in Petersburg, Virginia. Per his registration card, he was born 30 January 1896 in Robinson [sic] County, North Carolina; lived at 469 Byrne Street, Petersburg; his contact was Mary Harper, same address; and he worked for Boyle Russell Wise Contracting Company, Richmond, Virginia.

In the 1950 census of Petersburg, Virginia: at 300 Gill Street, Charlie Harper, 54, widower, born in North Carolina, wholesale tobacco factory laborer.

Charlie Wesley Harper died 18 July 1967 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Durham, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was born 17 April 1896 in Cumberland County, N.C.; was a widower; worked in construction; and lived at 508 New Bern Street, Wilson.

Notice of sale of McGowan’s lot.

Tillman McGowan and wife Charity McGowan died within days of one another in 1892. In an earlier post, I noted that I had not found estate records for the McGowans. Now, I have.

The McGowans had at least nine children — Martha McGowan Cole, Chloe McGowan Barnes, Amy McGowan Hinnant, Lucinda McGowan Harper, Aaron McGowan, Ira McGowan, Delia Ann McGowan Morgan, Nathan McGowan and Courtney McGowan. At appears that three — Martha, Aaron and Courtney — died before their parents, though of these only Martha left heirs.

The McGowan children inherited as tenants in common a half-acre single lot at the corner of Vance and Maplewood Streets. Too small to divide seven ways, the McGowan heirs sought to sell the lot and divide the proceeds equally among them. To do this though, everyone needed to be on board. Ira and Nathan McGowan had migrated to Indianapolis, Indiana, and Delia McGowan Morgan was still living in Wilson. It is not clear to me where Chloe Barnes, Lucinda Harper or Amy Hinnant were living, but they were accounted for. All joined as plaintiffs in a suit for partition, naming their nieces and nephews — Charity, Nelson, Mary, Aaron and John Cole — as defendants. The Coles could not be found in the state, however, and the court named Henry G. Connor as guardian ad litem to represent their interests. The notice below ran for six weeks in the Wilson Mirror, but the children did not respond. On 10 December 1894, an appointed commissioner conducted a public sale of the lot, netting a $345 bid. After fees were deducted for the plaintiffs’ attorney ($20.00), the guardian ($5.00) and the commissioner ($10.00), the McGowans shared the proceeds.

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Wilson Mirror, 19 September 1894.

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In the 1870 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Setta Whitfield, 37, domestic servant; Gross Conner, 18, a white news dealer; Tillman McGown, 35, farm laborer, wife Charity, 36, and children Amy, 17, Lucinda, 15, Aaron, 20, Ira, 5, Delia A., 7, Nathan, 3, and Courtney, 1.

On 15 October 1875, Lucinda McGowan, 20, married Richard Harper, 22, in Wilson.

In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: farmer Tilman McGown, 43, wife Charity, 49,  and children Delia A., 18, Ira R., 15, and Nathan, 13.

On 1 September 1892, Delia Ann McGown, 22, of the Town of Wilson, daughter of Tilghman and Charity McGown, married Dennis Morgan, 38, of Wilson township. Rev. Crocket Best performed the ceremony in the presence of J.T. Deans, Paul Loyd and Cora Beckwith.

On 24 May 1894, Nathan McGowan married Clara Hester in Marion County, Indiana.

On 2 December 1894, Ira R. McGowan married Alice A. Stout in Marion County, Indiana.

Ira McGowan died 17 May 1939 at his home at 952 Camp, Indianapolis, Indiana. Per his death certificate, he was born 8 January 1865 in North Carolina to unknown parents; worked as a laborer; and was married to Alice McGowan.

Wilson news.

NY_Age_9_9_1922_H_Colvert_visits_Atl_City

New York Age, 9 September 1922.

  • Mrs. Jasper Coley —  Laura (or Laurena) V. Coley, daughter of Isaac and Penny Coley, married Jasper Allison Coley on 6 June 1912 in Wayne County. A native of Pikeville, Wayne County, like her husband, Laura died 12 May 1923. She was a teacher. Jasper Coley was the son of Phillip R. and Annie Exum Coley. He is listed in Wilson city directories in the early 1920s as a carpenter, a plasterer and a bricklayer, and lived at 401 North Vick Street.
  • Mrs. William Hines — Ethel Cornwell Hines (1894-1983) was a South Carolina native.
  • Roberta Battle, Glace Battle, Georgia Burks and Henrietta Colvert
  • Mrs. B.P. Coward — Sarah Adelaide Brown Coward (1867-1946) was the wife of A.M.E. Zion minister Bryant Pugh Coward.
  • Mrs. Stattie Cannon — In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Charles Cannon, 35, barber in a “white shop”; wife Statie, 34; and children Charles, 11, Ruth, 9, and Statie Benton, 13. In the 1922 Wilson city directory, Stattie Cannon is listed as a dressmaker and Charles Cannon as a carpenter; both resided at 724 East Green Street. In the 1940 census of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey: Charles Cannon, 44, mother Stattie Cannon, 65, brother-in-law Fred Langford, 29, and sister Ruth Langford, 33. All were born in North Carolina and described as “white.”
  • A.N. Darden — Arthur N. Darden (1889-1948) was a son of Charles H. and Dinah Scarborough Darden and worked in his father’s undertaking business.
  • John Clark
  • Mrs. C.L. Darden — Norma Duncan Darden (1895-1987), a native of Montgomery, Alabama, was married to Arthur Darden’s brother, Camillus L. Darden.
  • Rev. A.H. George
  • Mrs. S.L. Bowser — Burt Bowser, born in Halifax County, married Sarah Rountree, daughter of Peter and Lucinda Rountree, on 4 December 1888 in Wilson. Reddin S. Wilkins, A.J. Lindsay and James W. Parrington were witnesses to the ceremony. In the 1900 census, Burt L. Bowser is described as a bar tender and in 1910 as the conductor of a pool room. Sarah is described as a dressmaker. Burt Landers Bowser died in 1920; Sarah Bowser, in 1935.
  • John Spells — In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Pender Street, carpenter John E. Spell, 50, wife Martha A., 39, and son John E., Jr., 16. (John’s death certificate lists his middle name as Stephen.) Martha A. Spell, a native of Guilford County, died in Wilson in 1966.
  • Wesley Rogers — Per the city directory, in 1922, John Wesley Rogers lived at 548 East Nash Street and worked as a porter at Oettinger’s department store. His wife,  a native of Johnston County, was Mary Elizabeth Thomas Rogers (1878-1950). Rogers was born in Durham County in 1870 and died in Wilson in 1951.
  • Deby Harper — Deborah Harper Swindell was the daughter of Argent Harper. She was briefly married to Louis Swindell.
  • Dr. DuBissette
  • Dr. and Mrs. J.B. Darden — Pharmacist James Benjamin Darden was a brother of Arthur and Camillus Darden. After a brief partnership with his brother John W. Darden, a doctor in Opelika, Alabama, he settled in Petersburg, Virginia.
  • Mrs. A.B. Bowser — Astor Burt Bowser, born 1896, was a son of Burt L. and Sarah L. Bowser, above. He married Deloris Harvey of Alamance County on 17 August 1921 in Wilson. Rev. B.P. Coward officiated. In the 1930 census, the couple and their children, Astor B., Jr., and Sarah, are listed in Chicago, Illinois. Astor worked as an artist in his own studio and Deloris as a saleslady in a millinery. Astor died in Hennepin County, Minnesota, in 1981.