Morgan

The obituary of Almeda Bynum Morgan.

Wilson Daily Times, 10 March 1949.

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In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: lumber sawyer Charley Bynum, 41; wife Julia Ann, 43; and children Calvin, 21, Mary Jane, 18, Ameta, 16, Annie, 13, John C., 9, and Abraham, 1.

On 3 February 1904, Calvin Morgan, 23, of Wilson, married Almeter Bynum, 20, of Wilson, daughter of Charles Bynum, at Charles Bynum’s in Wilson. John Reid applied for the license, and Missionary Baptist minister Fred M. Davis performed the ceremony in the presence of Peter Bynum, John Bynum, and F.B. Barnes.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Calvin Morgan, 39, tobacco factory worker; wife Alameda, 30; and children Willie, 15, butcher shop delivery boy, Calvin, 8, Surenda, 11, and Mayanna, 1.

In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Morgan Calvin (c; Almeda) lab h 102 Ashe

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 600 Stantonsburg Street, rented for $12/month, Calvin Morgan, 52, laborer at Colored High School; wife Almeta, 40; sons Willie, 23, tobacco factory laborer, Surrender, 21, radio company laborer, and Calvin Jr., 17, bellboy at Cherry hotel; Almeta Hannah Jr., 16; son Fred D. Morgan, 14; daughters Mary A., 9, Sarah J., 8, Rubie, 7, and Ninie L., 3; and son Lindberg, 2; daughter-in-law Eloise Morgan, 18; and son-in-law Lemore Hannah, 22, fertilizer factory laborer.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Calvin Morgan, 65; wife Almeta, 58; Calvin Jr., 28, tobacco factory laborer, Almeta, 26, housekeeper, Fred, 24, Baptist preacher, Mary, 20, tobacco factory laborer, Sarah, 19, tobacco factory laborer, Ruby, 18, housekeeper, Lindberg, 11, and Minie, 12.

In 1940, Calvin Morgan registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his draft registration card, he was born 25 January 1909 in Wilson; lived at 600 Stantonsburg Street, Wilson; his contact was Almeta Bynum Morgan; and he worked for Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Company, Wilson.

Almeter Morgan died 6 March 1949 at her home at 317 Stantonsburg Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 23 September 1893 in Wilson County to Charlie Bynum and Julia Davis; was widowed; and worked as a laborer. She was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Mary J. Lassiter was informant.

Morgan triplets born; mother Missouri Morgan dies.

Wilson Daily Times, 27 February 1945.

 

Wilson Daily Times, 27 February 1945.

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On 16 September 1934, Cleveland Morgan, 30, of Wilson, son of Sallie Morgan, married Missouri Carter, 25, of Wilson, daughter of Willie and Henrietta Carter, in Wilson. M.M. Wells, a Disciples minister, performed the ceremony in the presence of James Morgan, Victoria Webb, and Annie Pender.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Dew Street, Cleveland Morgan, 36, redrying tobacco factory laborer; wife Missourie, 32; and children Dorothy, 10, William, 7, Cleveland Jr., 5, and Marie, 2.

Missouri Morgan died 25 February 1945 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 2 February 1908 in Duplin County, N.C., to William Carter; was married to Cleveland Morgan; and lived at 607 Banks Street. Cause of death: “late toxemia of pregnancy due to 9 mos. delivery immediately before death of mother childbirth at term,” other conditions: “triplets.”

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: veneer company laborer Cleveland Morgan, 46; sister Nonnie Dunston, 49, private maid; and children Cleveland Jr., 15, Marie, 12, Carlillie, 8, and Petrola, Pauline, and Paul, 5.

Cleveland Morgan Sr. died 11 November 1971 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 2 March 1905 in North Carolina to Sallie Morgan; was a widower; worked as a laborer; lived at 611 East Walnut Street Alley. Cleveland Morgan Jr., 406 East Walnut, was informant.

Rev. and Mrs. Morgan’s son marries.

Call and Post (Cleveland, Ohio), 26 June 1948.

Rev. and Mrs. Eugene E. Morgan Sr. do not appear in the 1947-48 Wilson city directory, and apparently did not live in the city long. Rev. Morgan briefly served as pastor of Saint John A.M.E. Zion Church. Eugene E. Morgan Jr. was also an ordained A.M.E. Zion minister, serving longest in Akron, Ohio. In 1949, he was guest speaker at his father’s church.

Wilson Daily Times, 1 April 1949.

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.

Marriage to maids is like war to men.

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Wilson Blade, 20 November 1897.

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  • Alice Darden — Alice Darden, born 1879, was the daughter of George and Ava Darden. In the 1880 census of Speights Bridge township, Greene County: laborer George Darden, 22, wife Ava, 18, daughter Alice, 1, and niece Rose, 10. The couple had married 14 February 1878 in Greene County, and their marriage license lists George’s mother as  Mariah Darden and Avey Thompson’s father as Bryant Thompson.
  • Allen Morgan
  • L.A. Moore — Lee A. Moore.
  • Rev. N.D. King — Nicholas D. King, born about 1873, was a native of Princess Ann County, Maryland. He was apparently newly arrived in Wilson, as an 11 December 1897 report in the Raleigh Gazette named him as head of a Lumberton, North Carolina, church. The following spring, he married Mamie Gay. In keeping with the dictates of Methodist itineracy, the family moved often, and census records and city directories over the next  few years place them in Edenton, North Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rev. King died in 1943 in Buffalo, New York.

ND King

Buffalo Courier-Express, 1 October 1943.

  • S.A. Smith — Simeon A. Smith.
  • Mamie L. Gay — Mamie Lee Gay, born 1880, was the daughter of Samuel and Alice Bryant Gay, and appears with her family in the 1880 census of the Town of Wilson, Wilson County. On 16 March 1898, she married Rev. N.D. King at Saint John A.M.E. Zion. Rev. O.L.W. Smith performed the ceremony, and S.A. Smith, H.H. Bryant and W.J. Moore were official witnesses. Mamie King died 28 July 1927 in Chattanooga and was buried in Wilson.
  • Annie L. Darden — Annie Lee Darden, born 1878, was the daughter of Charles H. and Dinah Scarborough Darden. She married John M. Barnes, son of Charles and Rebecca Barnes, on 22 December 1903. [Was Annie the bride’s cousin? Because the identity of Charles Darden’s parents is now unknown, their relationship remains speculative.]