horseshoer

Historic Black Business Series, no. 34: Isaac J. Young’s blacksmith shop.

The 500 block of East Nash Street is justly remembered as the 20th century epicenter of Wilson’s African-American-owned businesses. However, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Black entrepreneurs and tradespeople also operated across the tracks. As Wilson’s downtown experiences a resurgence, let’s rediscover and celebrate these pioneering men and women.

Check in each Sunday for the latest in the Historic Black Business Series!

In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Young Isaac J blacksmith 213 S Goldsboro h 427 Banks

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 315 Spring Street, horseshoer Isaac J. Young, 46; wife Laura, 27; children Cornelius, 12, and Robert, 9; and laborer Henry May, 5 [sic].

In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Young Isaac J blksmith 213 S Goldsboro h 427 Banks

Also, in the 1912 directory:

Isic J. Young died 15 March 1913 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 1 May 1864 to Grandison Young and Nancy Cooper; was married; lived at 427 Banks; worked as a horseshoer; and was buried in Oxford, North Carolina. Laura Young was informant.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2024.

Historic Black Business Series, no. 15: Jack Williamson’s blacksmith shop.

The 1872 map of Wilson shows Jack Williamson‘s blacksmith shop on Tarboro Street, west of Barnes Street. The approximate location is now a parking lot.

Williamson, born enslaved in the Rock Ridge area, came to Wilson shortly after Emancipation. His wife, Ann Jackson Williamson, learned blacksmithing and horseshoeing from him and worked alongside him and their son Charles Williamson.

Jack Williamson died in 1899.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, March 2024.

Where we worked: livery stables, hostlers, and horseshoers.

Recent demolition in the 200 block of South Goldsboro has exposed this ghost sign for J.Y. Buchanan’s horse shoe repair shop.

When my paternal grandmother’s family arrived in Wilson circa 1905, two found work at Jefferson D. Farrior‘s livery stable in the 200 block of Tarboro Street. Farrior, in fact, gave Jesse Henderson his lifelong nickname, Jack, to distinguish the younger man from his uncle, Jesse A. Jacobs Jr. The care of horses was vital work well into the twentieth century, and this running list memorializes African-American livery stable owners and workers, hostlers, and horseshoers who worked in downtown Wilson.

  • Georgia W. Aiken, livery stable manager, 1920
  • John H. Aiken, livery stable owner, 1908; Crockett & Aiken, 1914
  • Robert Austin, hostler, 1908
  • Billie Banlock, livery stable laborer, 1910
  • James Barnes, horseshoer, Stallings & Riley, 1928
  • Cary Battle, horseshoer, J.Y. Buchanan, 1922
  • Charles Battle, blacksmith and horseshoer, 1896
  • William Best, hostler, 1908; stableman, J.H. Akins [Aiken], 1912
  • Mark Bullock, hostler, 1908
  • William Bullock, hostler, 1908
  • William Bullock, livery stable owner, 1908
  • Nick Chambers, employee, Wilson Livestock Company, 1918
  • Alexander Crockett, Crockett & Aiken, 1914
  • George Farmer, hostler, T.R. Lamm, 1908
  • Harvey Fox, horseshoer, 1912
  • Isaac Hagins, stableman, Maynard Livery & Transfer, 1912
  • James Hardy, livery employee, 1912
  • John Hardy, livery stable owner, Hardy & Holland, 1908
  • Theodore Hargrave, horseshoer, J.Y. Buchanan, 1916
  • George Hawkins, stable boy, Ed Dillard, 1917
  • Jesse Henderson, employee, Jefferson D. Farrior, 1910s
  • Thomas Holland, livery stable owner, Hardy & Holland, 1908
  • Frank Istine, horseshoer, I.J. Young, 1912
  • Jesse A. Jacobs Jr., employee, Jefferson D. Farrior, 1910s
  • Frank Jenkins, horseshoer, Holmes & Boykin, Centre Brick Warehouse, 191-
  • Sam Johnson, laborer, J.J. Clark’s stable, 1917
  • Thomas Joyner, stableman, 1912
  • Zollie Joyner, hostler, 1908
  • James H. Knight, horseshoer, J.Y. Buchanan, 1918
  • Fletcher Lee, horseshoer, J.Y. Buchanan, 1916
  • Almus Lovett, horseshoer, G.T. Purvis, 1916
  • John L. McKinley, stablehand, E.L. Hawkins, 1918
  • John Norfleet, stableman, L.J. Herring, 1916
  • Washington Pitt, horseshoer, 1908
  • Fred Pope, stable boy, Stantonsburg Livestock Company, 1917
  • Ed Underwood, sales stables, Ed Dillon, 1918
  • Braswell R. Winstead, livery stable owner, 1908
  • John Yancey, hostler, 1908
  • Henry Young, horseshoer, C.C. Culpepper, 1918

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, March 2024.

Historic Black Business Series, no. 3: William Hargrove’s blacksmith shop.

The 500 block of East Nash Street is justly remembered as the 20th century epicenter of Wilson’s African-American-owned businesses. However, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Black entrepreneurs and tradespeople also operated across the tracks. As Wilson’s downtown experiences a resurgence, let’s rediscover and celebrate these pioneering men and women.

Check in each Sunday for the latest in the Historic Black Business Series!

Edgecombe County native William Hargrove arrived in Wilson in the late 1880s. By 1897, he was shoeing horses in Wilson “back of Wiggins’ Prize House.” (J.T. Wiggins’ Tobacco Prize House stood at the southeast corner of Goldsboro and Barnes Streets. It is not clear if Hargrove had his own shop behind the prize house, or he shoed horses in a space belonging to James T. Wiggins and on Wiggins’ property. The 1897 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson shows a wagon shed and an unidentified outbuilding near the prize house.) By 1900, Hargrove was describing himself as blacksmith and, in the 1908 city directory, lists his workshop address as 206 South Goldsboro.

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In the 1870 census of Cokey township, Edgecombe County: Jerry Hargrove, 29; wife Sarah, 29; and children Anna, 9, Gordon, 6, William, 4, and Marcus, 1.

In the 1880 census of Cocoa township, Edgecombe County: Gerry Hargrove, 39; wife Sarah, 38; and children Gordon, 15, William, 13, Marcus, 11, Farrar, 8, Matthew, 6, Frank, 6, and Henry, 10 months.

On 30 December 1890, William Hargrove, 23, of Wilson, son of Jerry and Sarah Hargrove, and Louvenia Hines, 21, of Edgecombe, daughter of Joshua Bulluck and Harriet Hines, were married at Joshua Bulluck’s in Township #14, Edgecombe County. Hilliard Reid and Bush Dew of Wilson were witnesses. 

Wilson Daily Times, 6 August 1897.

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: blacksmith William Hargrove, 32; wife Leuvenia, 30, washing; daughters Bessie, 6, and Lillie, 3; widowed sister Mary Boddie, 25, cooking; and cousin Julious Heat, 20, farm hand.

In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Hargrove Wm blksmith 206 E Goldsboro h 606 E Green

Detail, 1908 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson, N.C.

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 606 Green, blacksmith William Hargrove, 43; wife Louvenia, 40; daughters Bessie, 17, and Willie L., 13; and boarder John Howard, 18. But also, in the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Joyner, 51; wife Annie, 51; and boarder William Hargrove, 40, horse shoer in own shop. Did Hargrove maintain shops in both Wilson and Elm City?

In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Hargrove Wm blksmith h 606 E Green

William Hargrove died 4 January 1914.

Bill Hargrove, horse shoer.

Wilson Daily Times, 6 August 1897.

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In the 1870 census of Cokey township, Edgecombe County: Jerry Hargrove, 29; wife Sarah, 29; and children Anna, 9, Gordon, 6, William, 4, and Marcus, 1.

In the 1880 census of Cocoa township, Edgecombe County: Gerry Hargrove, 39; wife Sarah, 38; and children Gordon, 15, William, 13, Marcus, 11, Farrar, 8, Matthew, 6, Frank, 6, and Henry, 10 months.

On 30 December 1890, William Hargrove, 23, of Wilson, son of Jerry and Sarah Hargrove, and Louvenia Hines, 21, of Edgecombe, daughter of Joshua Bulluck and Harriet Hines, were married at Joshua Bulluck’s in Township #14, Edgecombe County. Hilliard Reid and Bush Dew of Wilson were witnesses. 

Wilson Mirror, 23 September 1891.

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: blacksmith William Hargrove, 32; wife Leuvenia, 30, washing; daughters Bessie, 6, and Lillie, 3; widowed sister Mary Boddie, 25, cooking; and cousin Julious Heat, 20, farm hand.

In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Hargrove Wm blksmith 206 S Goldsboro h 606 E Green

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 606 Green, blacksmith William Hargrove, 43; wife Louvenia, 40; daughters Bessie, 17, and Willie L., 13; and boarder John Howard, 18. But also, in the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Henry Joyner, 51; wife Annie, 51; and boarder William Hargrove, 40, horse shoer in own shop.

In the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Hargrove Wm blksmith h 606 E Green

Per his headstone, William Hargrove died 4 January 1914. Per Findagrave.com, Hargrove is buried in the Hines/Bullock cemetery near Pinetops, Edgecombe County.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 606 East Green, Luvenia Hargrove, 40, widow, and daughter Willie, 20, public school teacher.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 605 East Green, Luvenia Hargrove, 60, widow, and daughter Willie, 29, public school teacher.

Luevenia Hargrove died 22 February 1958 in Wilson at her home at 605 East Green. Per her death certificate, she was born 27 February 1869 in Edgecombe County to Joshua Bulluck and Harriet Hines and was buried in Bulluck cemetery, Edgecombe County. Informant was Mrs. Willie Smith, 605 East Green.

Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.