Wilson Daily Times, 14 July 1941.
An obituary for Charles Oats, a Darden Funeral Home employee whose grave is one of the few still marked in Odd Fellows Cemetery, followed two days later.
A death notice for Charles Oats.
Oats
Guard accidentally shoots four convicts.
Wilson Daily Times, 15 February 1927.
It’s hard to know what to say about this.
- John Collins
- Carrol Oats
Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.
Lane Street Project: Emma Oates and Rev. Henry W. Farrior.
“Emma Wife of Charlie Oates Died Sept 3 1908 Age 40 Years” “Rev. Henry W. Farrior Aug 12 1859 May 6 1937”
The headstones of Emma Oates and Rev. Henry W. Farrior stand in the Oates family plot in Odd Fellows Cemetery. They are clearly newer stones, erected long after the deaths of the people they commemorate. Nearby, Emma Oates’ broken original marker with the epitaph “Every joy to us is dead, Since Mother is not here.”
In the background of the first photo, the small white marker of Emma Oates’ husband, Charles Oates, leans against that of their daughter Fannie Oates McCullins. The markers of two other daughters, Ella Oates and Rosa Oates Barnes, lie broken nearby. Farrior’s kinship to the Oates family, if any, is not clear.
——
In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: day laborer Charles Oates, 34; wife Emma, 30; and children Willie, 11, Fannie, 9, Annie, 8, Effie, 5, and Queen Elsie, 4.
Emma Oates died before Wilson County maintained death certificates.
Emma Ruby Oates died 2 May 1922 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 10 May 1905 in Wilson to Charley Oates of Edgecombe County and Emma Williams of Edgecombe County; lived at 415 Hadley Street; was single; and was in school. [She was likely buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery with her parents and sisters.]
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, April 2021.
Lane Street Project: Fannie Oates McCullins.
Fannie Oates McCullins‘ broken headstone lies in Odd Fellows cemetery a short distance from her parents and sisters Rosa O. Barnes and Ella Oates.
Fannie Wife of Andrew McCullins
——
In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: day laborer Charles Oates, 34; wife Emma, 30; and children Willie, 11, Fannie, 9, Annie, 8, Effie, 5, and Queen Elsie, 4.
On 3 December 1908, Andrew McCullen, 40, of Wilson, son of Emma McCullen, married Fannie Oats, 19, of Wilson, daughter of Charles and Emma Oats. A.M.E. Zion minister J.S. Jackson performed the ceremony in the presence of Charles Knight, Henry Tart, and T.S. Beaty.
In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: pool room laborer Andrew McCollen, 36, and wife Fannie, 20, tobacco factory laborer.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 133 Ashe Street, tobacco factory laborer Andrew McCullers, 40, and wife Fannie, 30, shared a duplex with laborer Bob Strickland, 70, and wife Mary, 45.
Lane Street Project: Rosa Oates Barnes.
Rosa Oats Barnes‘ broken headstone lies in Odd Fellows cemetery a short distance from her parents and sister Ella Oates.
Rosa Wife of Matthew Barnes
——
On 25 August 1919, Matthew Barnes, 21, of Wilson, son of Nat and Emma Barnes, married Rosa Oats, 18, of Wilson, daughter of Charles Oats. A.M.E. Zion minister B.P. Coward performed the ceremony in the presence of John Norfleet, J.L. Moore, and James Whitley.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Railroad Street, tobacco factory worker Emma Barnes, 48, widow; son Matthew, 23, auto garage laborer; and daughter-in-law Rosa, 18, tobacco factory worker.
Rosa Oates died 18 November 1922 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 18 years old [actually, about 21]; was born in Wilson County to Charles Oats and Emma Williams; was divorced from Matthew Barnes; lived on Ash Street; and worked as a factory worker at Flemmings. Charlie Oats was informant.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, April 2021.
The obituary of Charles Oats, funeral home employee.
Wilson Daily Times, 16 July 1941.
Incredibly, the grave markers of Charles Oats and his wife Emma Oats are among the few that remain at Odd Fellows (not adjacent Rountree) cemetery. Oats was an employee of C.H. Darden and Sons Funeral Home.
——
In the 1870 census of Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: farm laborer Albert Oates, 40; wife Elizabeth, 30; and children Ferrebee, 10, and Charly, 3.
In the 1880 census of Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: Albert Oates, 51; wife Bettie, 34; and children Charles, 13, Turner, 11, Adam, 9, and Willie, 3.
In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: day laborer Charles Oates, 34; wife Emma, 30; and children Willie, 11, Fannie, 9, Annie, 8, Effie, 5, and Queen Elsie, 4.
On 9 August 1916, Charles Oats, 53, applied for a license to marry Lou Woodard, 48. It was never returned for registration.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on 119 Ash Street, laborer Charlie Oats, 52; wife Lilla, 42; and step-children Lizzie, 24, and Elmira Woodard, 15.
On 6 December 1920, Fannie McCullers died in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 32 years old; married to Andrew McCullers; lived on Ash Street; and was born in Wilson County to Charley Oates of Edgecombe County and Emma Williams of Wilson County.
On 3 February 1921, Matthew Smith of Greene County married Annie Edmundson, 30, of Wilson, daughter of Charles and Emma Oats. A.M.E. Zion minister B.P. Coward performed the ceremony in the presence of James Debury, Charles Thomas and Richard Green.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 203 Stantonsburg, rented for $24/month, Charlie Oats, 67, undertaking establishment laborer; wife Emma, 53; daughter Almira, 25; and mother Betsie, 92.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Jeff Benjamin, 41, bricklayer; wife Marie, 26, tobacco factory laborer; and lodger Charlie Oats, 75, widower, undertaker shop laborer.
Charles Oats died 13 July 1941 at his home at 112 South Vick Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 17 September 1873 in Edgecombe County to Albert Oats and Bessie Mercer; was widowed; and was an undertakers assistant.