Deed book 51, page 70, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office.
On 4 February 1899, Alex Williamson entered into an agreement to purchase from J.D. Farrior one back mare mule for $125.00. The purchase was made on credit, due 1 September 1899, and until Williamson paid in full, title to the mule remained with Farrior.
[Sidenote: “Ellick” was the local pronunciation of Alex.]
Wilson Daily Times, 7 November 1932.
Ben Summerlin was 13 years old.
How that fact escaped the person who wrote this article, the person who described a boy as a “negro tenant farmer,” is inconceivable. Per his death certificate, Benjamin Summerlin was born 24 May 1919 in Wilson County to Benjamin Summerlin and Addaliza Rice. He died 5 November 1932.
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In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Benjamin Sumerlin, 24; wife Pearl, 22; and sons Harvey, 4, and Benjamin, 6 months.
In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Analiza Sumerlin, 52, farmer, widow, and children Emma L., 18, Martha J., 15, Harry L., 16, and Bengiman, 10, all farm laborers. [It appears that Ben Summerlin’s death certificate contains a reporting error. Benjamin Summerlin was his father, but his mother was named Pearl. Annaliza Rice Summerlin was his (and Harvey Summerlin’s) grandmother.]
Wilson Daily Times, 13 July 1913.
A mule kicked Jim Franklin in the face as he tried to catch it, “displacing his right eye and breaking his jaw bone.”
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On 12 August 1916, James Franklin, 24, of Wilson, obtained a license to marry Sudie Bryant, 22, of Wilson.
In 1917, Jim Franklin registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born January 1891 in Johnston County, N.C.; lived at 521 Lodge Street, Wilson; and worked as a laborer for Briggs & Simms. He claimed a draft exemption because he had one eye.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 521 Lodge, Ohio-born Jim Franklyn, 28, oil mill laborer; wife Sudie, 25; and son Freddie, 8 months, who shared a dwelling with Lina Smith, 21, laundress; her son Arthur, 1; and her grandmother Ella, 70, widow.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: James Franklin, 54; wife Sudie F., 35; and children Freddie F., 11, and Bertha L., 7.
Jim Franklin died 17 July 1939 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 46 years old; was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Rollingson and Emma Franklin; was married to Sudie Franklin; worked as a strikeman; and lived at 504 East Spruce Street, Wilson.
Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.
These photographs of African-American Wilson County tobacco farm laborers were likely taken by Raines & Cox in the 1940s.
Photos courtesy of Keith Barnes, The World’s Greatest Tobacco Market: A Pictorial History of Tobacco in Wilson, North Carolina (2007).
Wilson Daily Times, 7 November 1932.
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Though the news report did not find it worth mentioning, Benjamin Summerlin, “negro tenant farmer,” was only 13 years old when he was killed.
In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Benjamin Summerlin, 24; wife Pearl, 22; and sons Harvey, 4, and Benjamin, 6 months.
Early in 1898, Ishmael Wilder and his son Josiah Wilder gave a note to Jefferson D. Farrior to secure payment of $100 for their purchase of two mules, one sorrel and the other gray.
Deed book 46, page 201, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.
On 17 December 1897, Thomas A. Jones purchased a bay mare mule from John Y. Moore for $75 on credit. Until Jones paid the full purchase price, title remained in Moore. On 7 January 1900, he satisfied his debt.
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In the 1870 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: farm laborer Jno. A. Jones, 22; wife Susan, 19; children Thomas, 2, and Jesse B., 7 months; and Rosett Boykin, 10.
In the 1880 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: Dempsy Powell, 52, farmer; wife Sallie, 46; daughter Susan A. Jones, 27, and her husband John A. Jones, 34; their children Thomas A., 13, Jessee B., 11, James A., 7, Celia C., 5, Sallie C., 4, and John A., 1; and W.D. Lucus, 21, laborer.
In the 1900 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: farmer Thomas A. Jones, 32; [second] wife Mary, 25; and children Wesley, 11, Earnist, 9, William P., 7, Locus C., 7, Eppie, 3, Bell L., 5, Milbry, 3, and Roxey, 6 months, plus brother Sylvester Jones, 13.
In the 1910 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: Thomas Jones, 43; wife Ida, 36; and children Earnest, 19, William, 17, Bettie, 15, Milbrey, 12, and Maoma, 21, and grandchildren Wiley J., 3, and Elroy Jones, 3 months.
In the 1920 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: on Sims Road, farmer Thomas A. Jones, 51; wife Mary I., 45; children Milbry T., 23, Andrew, 19, Leona, 17, James H., 14, Ollie, 9, Ida May, 7, Paul H., 5, and Jim Lawrence, 3; and granddaughter Bettie Lee, 4.
In the 1930 census of Crossroads township, Wilson County: farmer Thomas Jones, 61; wife Ida, 54; and children Leona, 27, Ollie, 19, Ida M., 17, Paul, 15, James, 13, and Willie, 8.
Thomas A. Jones died 20 February 1925 in Lucama, Springhill township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 14 May 1868 in Wilson County to John Jones and Susie Powell; was a widower; had been married to Ida Jones; was a farmer. Informant was Earnest Jones of Bailey, N.C.
Deed book 46, page 90, Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.
Wilson Daily Times, 1 November 1910.
In which G.R. Jones shoots into a house and wounds four people after Patty Spell and her children curse him out.
Wilson Daily Times, 29 July 1910.
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In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Morton Road, widow Patsie Spells, 33, with children Lula, 19, Johnnie, 14, and Effie, 11. Next door: Daniel Geer, 75, wife Sarah, 66, and children Mary E., 29, Chas., 21, James, 20, Frank, 18, Floyd, 12, Cora, 11, Clarra, 9, Thomas, 6, and William, 5. [Sidenote: on Christmas Eve 1918, Effie Spell, 18, daughter of Hugh and Patsey Spell, married Ashley Simms, 22, son of Needham and Jane Simms, all of Wilson County. This is not the same Ashley Simms pictured in a previous post.]
Amos Hayes appears in the 1910 census of Wilson township as a 55 year-old white farmer. Doc Hilliard and G.R. Jones are not found.