Jones

Snaps, no. 118: Daniel Vick and his granddaughter.

Here, Samuel H. Vick‘s father Daniel Vick is seated in front of a living screen of fig leaves. The girl standing beside him is likely one of his granddaughters — Annie or Nettie Jones, whose mother Nettie Vick Jones had been murdered by their father A. Wilson Jones in 1897. Daniel Vick died in 1908, and this photo likely was taken shortly before then.

Vick is holding a photograph that appears to depict a young girl. Was she the girl’s sister? Both girls — and their brother Samuel Henry Jones — outlived their grandfather, but Annie and Nettie have not been traced into adulthood.

Photo courtesy of Vicki Cowan.

Myrtle Jones is queen of Handel’s Chorus.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 11 September 1937.

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  • Myrtle Jones

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 808 East Nash, Butler Jones, 39, painter; wife Myrtle, 36; and children Gertrude, 12, Louise, 6, Joseph, 5, Ruth M., 3, and Willard, 3 months.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1011 East Nash, owned and valued at $2500, Buller Jones, 49, building painter; wife Myrtle, 46; and children Gertrude, 23, cook, Louise, 16, Joseph, 15, Myrtle, 11, William, 9, and John, 8.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1011 East Nash, Butler Jones, 59, painter; wife Myrtie, 51; sons Joseph, 25, Willard, 20, and John, 19, all painters; and William Tabron, 26, janitor at Carolina Theatre, wife Myrtie Tabron, 21, and daughter Patsy, 3 months.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1011 East Nash Street, painter Butler Jones, 69; wife Myrtie, 67; son John H., 27, and his wife Lizzie M., 28; son-in-law William L. Tabron, 35; wife Myrtie, 30; and daughters Patsy, 10, and Julia, 9.

Jones stabbed to death on farmworker truck.

Goldsboro News-Argus, 28 May 1932.

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  • Hattie Jones — per her death certificate, Hattie Jones died 28 May 1932 in Goldsboro, Wayne County, N.C.; was 25 years old; was married; and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Goldsboro. Cause of death: “killed by a stab in throat; homicide.”
  • Walter Powell

Graduation season!

Bulletin of A.&T. College, 1949-1950.

The 1949-50 bulletin of A.&T. College, now North Carolina State Agricultural and Technical University, reported 24 students from Wilson County the previous year, including three graduating seniors — Idell Jones, B.S. Home Economics, and cousins Kester Congress Mitchell, B.S. Business Administration, and Warren Harding Mitchell, B.S. Agriculture. The ’48 Ayantee, the school’s yearbook, reveals a fourth — John Wesley Jones.

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  • Idell Jones

In the 1930 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer Silvester T. Jones, 42; wife Ida, 38; children William J., 19, Alford T., 15, Willey E., 13, S.T., Jr., 10, Sallie C., 7, Jonie A., 5, and Idell, 2; and nephew Willey R. Jones, 23.

In the 1940 census of Oldfields township, Wilson County: farmer Sylvester Jones, 53; wife Ida, 46; and children John A., 15, Iredell, 12, Stanley E., 9, and Louie, 7.

1946 Ayantee yearbook.

In the 1950 census of Greensboro, Guilford County, N.C.: in the household of Fredrick D. Caldwell, lodger Idell Jones, 22, assistant 4-H Club state agent at state agricultural extension service.

On 26 October 1951, Idell Jones, 24, of Greensboro, N.C., daughter of Sylvester and Ida Boykin Jones, married Morris W. Randall, 30, of Greensboro, son of M.H. and Joanna Wright Randall, in Wilson. Rev. J.A. Fisher of United Holy Church of America performed the ceremony in the presence of Ida Jones, S.T. Jones, and Cleo Wood.

  • Kester C. Mitchell

In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Caster [Kester] Mitchell, 37; wife Martha, 35; and children Flora L., 14, Mamie L., 12, Kester C., 10, Willie R., 8, Christine, 6, Amanda G., 4, Purzzell and Inell, 2; and Caster [Cashe], 10 months.

In the 1940 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Kester Mitchell, 45; wife Martha, 44; and children Flora Lee, 23, Mamie, 21, Kester Jr., 20, Roy, 18, Christine, 16, Amanda Gray, 14, Purnell and Inell, 12, Cash, 10, and Mildred, 8.

In 1940, Kester Congress Mitchell registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 23 July 1919 in Wilson County; lived at Route 2, Elm City; his contact was mother Martha Ann Mitchell; and he worked for Kester Mitchell.

  • Warren H. Mitchell

In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Robert L. Mitchell, 35; wife Ellenora, 26, public school teacher; and sons Warren H., 9, Robert L., Jr., 8, and Arthur P., 5.

In the 1940 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Robert Lee Mitchell, 43; wife Ellenora, 35; and sons Warren Harding, 19, and Arthur Payton, 14.

In 1942, Warren Harding Mitchell registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 6 December 1920 in Wilson County; lived at R.F.D. 2, Elm City; his mailing address was Box 576, A.&.T College, Greensboro; his conduct was Mrs. Robert L. Mitchell; and he was a student at A.&.T. College.

In the 1950 census of Beaverdam township, Richmond County, N.C.: at Morrison Training School of Correction, school farm supervisor Warren H. Mitchell, 29; wife Joycelyn, 31; and daughter Joycelyn D., 2.

  • John W. Jones

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 901 Stantonsburg Street, fertilizer plant laborer Westley Jones, 41; wife Martha, 42; and children Mildred, 15, Lucille, 12, Marion B., 10, Willie B., 6, John W., 4, James T., 2, and Elroy, 3 months.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 901 Stantonsburg Street, Wesley Jones, 51, fertilizer plant laborer; wife Martha, 52, tobacco factory laborer; and children Lucille, 22, teacher at Fremont School, Vernon, 20, Willie, 16, John, 14, James, 12, and Elroy, 10.

In 1943, John Wesley Jones registered for the World War II draft. Per his registration card, he was born 10 October 1925 in Wilson; lived at 901 Stantonsburg Street, Wilson; his mailing address was A.&T. College, Greensboro; his contact was Wesley Jones; and he was a student.

County schools, no. 21: Sims School.

The twenty-first in a series of posts highlighting the schools that educated African-American children outside the town of Wilson in the first half of the twentieth century. The posts will be updated; additional information, including photographs, is welcome.

Sims School

Sims School is listed in “Survey File Materials Received from Volunteer Surveyors of Rosenwald Schools Since September 2002.” 

Location: Down a dirt path behind Flat Rock Church of Christ Disciples and a mobile home, Flat Rock Church Road, Sims.

Per Research Report: Tools for Assessing the Significance and Integrity of North Carolina’s Rosenwald Schools and Comprehensive Investigation of Rosenwald Schools In Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wayne and Wilson Counties (2007),

Per sale advertised for several weeks in the Wilson Daily Times in the fall of 1951: “SIMS COLORED SCHOOL in Oldfields Township, near the Town of Sims, and being Lots Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, in Block H as shown by map or plat recorded in Book 78, at page 125, Wilson County Registry, containing 1 5/8 acres more or less. Also the lot excepted from the deed from the Board of Education of Wilson County to Ruben Peele dated 14 March, 1929 and of Record in Book 179 at Page 478, Wilson County Registry. See deeds recorded in Book 179, at pages 513 and 514, Wilson County Registry.” 

On 19 November 1951, Grover L. Jones made the high bid of $800 at the auction of Sims School, but the Board Education determined the bid was inadequate. Jones raised his bid to $925, and he and his wife Allencia Jones took possession.

When Research Report was published, Sims School was one of two Rosenwald schools more-or-less standing in Wilson County, as shown in this photo from the report:

Since then, the school building has completely collapsed.

Known faculty: principal Howard M. Fitts; teachers Alice M. Shaw, Vivian M. Speight.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, March 2025.

An account of the estate of Daniel Vick.

Samuel H. Vick was administrator of his father Daniel Vick‘s estate and guardian of his deceased sister Nettie Vick Jones‘ children Samuel, Annie, and Nettie Jones. Vick filed this detailed account of receipts and expenditures from March 1908 through November 1909.

The estate’s $562 income consisted of monthly rent from tenant housing, a yearly rental payment for a farm, and a one-time death benefit payment of $100 by the Odd Fellows.

Vick paid out $82.50 for expenses related to his father’s final illness ($8 to Drs. Moore and Dickinson) and death ($45 for a coffin, $5 for a hearse, $12 for carriages), as well as a loan repayment to Wilson Building & Loan Association.

In December 1908, Vick also began to buy material, including lumber, windows, doors, moldings, porch posts, shingles, brick, etc., “for another house adjoining homestead.” Where? For whom? The precise location of Daniel Vick’s house has not been identified, but he owned acreage in the area of what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.

Another surprise: “Repairs Brick Store.” Vick had awnings installed, shelving built, a new room partitioned and plastered, and a new tin roof put on a store building at Nash Street and Stantonsburg Road. See below the detail from the 1908 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson showing that intersection. Was Daniel Vick’s store at (A) or (B), adjacent to Charles H. Darden‘s undertaking and blacksmith shops? What did he sell?

Sam Vick also made repairs and improvements to rental houses at “#11,” 504, and 509 Stantonsburg Road and at 520-526 Church Street.

Per the 1908 Sanborn fire insurance maps of Wilson, 520-522 and 524-526 Church Street were one-story wooden duplex dwellings with a front porch spanning the width of the building. 

The largest expenditures were paid out for Daniel Vick’s heirs. Son William H. Vick, at this point a practicing pharmacist in New Jersey, received regular payments in 1908-1909 totaling $420, apparently his share of the estate. Youngest son James Oscar Vick received a one-time $25 disbursement.

Daniel Vick’s granddaughters Annie and Nettie Jones were boarding students at Mary Potter Academy in Oxford, North Carolina. Their expenses included carfare to and from Oxford; dress goods at Oettinger’s store in Wilson; payments to Elsie Knight for dressmaking; tuition and board; shoes, hosiery, hats, gloves, and handkerchiefs; and cash.

Account Records 1905-1910, Wilson County, N.C., Records, http://www.familysearch.org. 

The obituary of Myrtie Ruth Jones Tabron, nonagenarian.

Courier-Post (Camden, N.J.), 24 September 2011.

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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 808 East Nash, Butler Jones, 39, painter; wife Myrtle, 36; and children Gertrude, 12, Louise, 6, Joseph, 5, Ruth M., 3, and Willard, 3 months.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1011 East Nash, owned and valued at $2500, Butler Jones, 49, building painter; wife Myrtle, 46; and children Gertrude, 23, cook, Louise, 16, Joseph, 15, Myrtle, 11, William, 9, and John, 8.

On 21 April 1939, William Tabron, 24, of Wilson, N.C., janitor, son of Henry Tabron and Mattie Smith, married Myrtie Jones, 19, of Wilson, N.C., daughter of Butler Jones and Myrtie Johnson, in Emporia, Greensville County, Virginia.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1011 East Nash, Butler Jones, 59, painter; wife Myrtie, 51; sons Joseph, 25, Willard, 20, and John, 19, all painters; and William Tabron, 26, janitor at Carolina Theatre, wife Myrtie Tabron, 21, and daughter Patsy, 3 months.

In 1940, William Lemon Tabron registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 29 September 1914 in Wilson; lived at 1011 East Nash Street; his contact was wife Mytie Ruth Tabron; and he worked for Lumberton Tobacco Company, Lumberton, N.C.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Butler Jones, 69, painting houses for building construction company; wife Myrtie, 67; son John H., 27, painting houses; his wife Lizzie M., 28, domestic servant; son-in-law William L. Tabron, 30, painting houses; daughter Myrtie, 30, babysitting; and their daughters Patsy, 10, and Julia, 9.

William Lemon Tabron died 19 December 1966 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Per his death certificate, he was born 29 September 1914 in Wilson, N.C., to Mattie Belle Smith and Thomas Henry Tabron; lived in Camden, New Jersey; was married to Myrtie Tabron; worked as a painter; was a World War II veteran; and was buried in New Camden Cemetery.

Historic Black Business Series, no. 35: Levi H. Jones’ Barbershop.

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!

Levi H. Jones operated a barbershop near the site of Wilson County’s Human Relations Office at what was then 105 North Goldsboro Street.

Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory (1908).

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2024.