Phillips

The shoe shine contest.

This photograph posted yesterday to the Instagram account @blackarchives.co, and my inbox blew up. Here’s the back story.

Back in September 2013, a couple of years before Black Wide-Awake launched, Will Robinson posted this to Wilson County Public Library’s local history and genealogy blog:

I jumped on it:

Suddenly:

… which led to an email exchange:

… which led to Will Robinson finding this 23 February 1952 Daily Times article about the event, which took place at Reid Street Community Center:

… which led to this September 2014 WUNC article that includes a dozen contest photos and short video featuring contest winner Curtis Phillips (and my cousin Otis Sherrod talking about his brother Earnest Sherrod, who’s the boy at far left.) 

Wilson County Public Library later exhibited the prints Linda Zimmerman donated, and she graciously extended me the opportunity to purchase a print of the photo @blackarchives.co posted yesterday. Almost exactly ten years after I first saw John Zimmerman’s work, I’m delighted to these priceless images find a wider audience. 

Look! The first colored fair!

Wilson Daily Times, 10 November 1920.

“It will be up-to-date in every way. Exhibits of every kind, good racing, good riders, good speaking, good shows, good midway, good free attractions, in fact, everything that it takes to make a good fair!”

  • Hon. Robert H. Terrell
  • Prof. E.J. Hayes — Edgar J. Hayes, superintendent of Wilson’s colored graded schools.
  • F.E. Edwards — Frank E. Edwards died 17 February 1931 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 57 years old; was born in Wayne County to King and Eliza Edwards; was married to Addie Edwards; lived at 426 Spring Street; and worked as a house mover.
  • W.M. Phillips — William H. Phillips, dentist.

Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.

Lane Street Project: Hood S. Phillips.

H.S. Phillips Born Dec. 6, 1870 Died Feb. 22, 1919 Gone, but not forgotten

——

In the 1880 census of Tarboro, Edgecombe County: minister H.C. Philips, 37, wife Emma, 34, and children Louisa, 12, Hood, 9, Walton, 6, and Cornelius, 3.

On 18 May 1893, Hood S. Phillips, 22, of the town of Wilson, son of H.C. and E.E. Phillips, married Phillis Gay, 24, of the town of Wilson, daughter of Wiley and Catharine Gay. Rev. H.C. Phillips performed the ceremony at the A.M.E. Zion church. Witnesses were Annie Mincy, Annie Thorn and Alex Warren.

Hood Phillips is listed as a barber living at 623 Viola in the 1908 Wilson City directory.

On 26 December 1916, Richard Renfrow, 50, married Matilda Taylor, 50, in Wilson. Hood Phillips applied for the license, and Missionary Baptist minister A.L.E. Weeks performed the ceremony in the presence of Boston Griffin, J.E. Farmer and Henry Lucas.

Alma Phillips died 9 December 1916 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 12 August 1901 in Wilson County to Hood Phillips and Bessie Ralia; was a school girl; and was buried in Wilson County [possibly in Odd Fellows Cemetery.]

Hood S. Phillup died 22 February 1919 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 48 years old; was born in North Carolina to Henry Phillip and Elezbith Moore, both of South Carolina; lived on Stantonsburg Road extended; was married to Phillis Phillips; worked as a barber for hire for Garfield Ruffin; and was buried in Wilson County. William Phillup, Green Street, was informant.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 415 Stantonsburg Street, widow Phillis Phillips, 33, tobacco factory laborer, and roomers John Bogans, 46, and Carl Goods, 25, both oil mill laborers.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 808 East Nash, paying $8/month rent, widow Phillis Phillips, 42, and, also paying $8, Ardena Barnes, 46, both tobacco factory stemmers.

Phillis Phillips died 22 May 1932 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 51 years old; the widow of Hood Phillips; was born in Wilson to Wylie Gay and Catherine Speights, both of Greene County, N.C.; and was buried in Wilson [probably in Odd Fellows Cemetery.] Catherine Arrington of Richmond, Virginia, was informant.

Numbers racket.

Wilson Daily Times, 6 March 1947.

  • Prince Aldridge — Prince Albert Aldridge. In the 1947-48 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Aldridge Prince (c; Annie) lab h 303 N Reid
  • Charlie Phillip — Probably, in the 1947-48 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Phillips Chas (c; Mable) h 503 Smith
  • James Nicholson — In the 1947-48 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Nicholson Jas (c) driver Safety Ca Co h 103 N Vick

Fine tea and program.

Pittsburgh Courier, 8 January 1949.

Dr. Phillips arrives.

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New York Age, 28 September 1916.

——

In the 1900 census of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina: cook Frank Phillips, 47; wife Margarett, 45; and children Mary, 25, Jeanett, 21, Dealian, [illegible], Frank, [illegible], Willie, 8, Bessie, 15, and Susie, 6.

In 1917, William Haywood Phillips registered for the World War I draft in Wilson. Per his registration card, he was born 23 December 1891 in Raleigh, North Carolina; lived at 530 1/2 Nash Street, Wilson; was single; and worked as a dentist.

On 30 November 1917, William H. Phillips, 25, married Jewell Jennifer, 18, in Washington, D.C.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 332 South Spring, widow Ella Battle, 52, and her children Grace [Glace], 27, teacher Roberta, 29, tobacco worker John, 25, and Olga Battle, 11, shared their home with boarders Georgia Burks, 25, a Georgia-born teacher, and chauffeur Theodore Speight, 17; and roomers William Phillips, 35, a dentist, and his wife Jewel, 23.

On 6 May 1930, William Haywood Phillips, 36, divorced, son of Frank and Margarett Haywood Phillips, married Rena Manor Carter, 34, widow, daughter of Robert and Mary D. Carter, in Norfolk, Virginia.

In the 1930 census of Tarboro, Edgecombe County: renting at 115 Andrew Street, dentist William H. Phillips, 37, and wife Rena C., 33.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 405 Green Street, dentist William H. Phillips, 47, and wife Rena C., 45.

William Haywood Phillips died 26 October 1957 at his home at 405 Green Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 23 December 1892 in Raleigh; was married to Rena J. Phillips; and worked as a dentist.

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Caldwell, A.B., History of the American Negro and His Institutions, North Carolina Edition (1921).

Cemeteries, no. 15: Living Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

This small cemetery, outside Lucama on Artis Road next to Living Hope Missionary Baptist Church, contains only eight marked graves.

IMG_9942

The earliest burial seems to be that of Rev. Clemon J. Phillips, one of the church’s pastors.

IMG_9941

Clement Phillips, 20, of Gardners township, son of Walter Phillips and Lizzie P. Edwards, married Estelle Farmer, 17, of Gardners, daughter of Jim Farmer and Mary F. Horne, on 4 December 1929 in Gardners. Elder Robert Edwards, a Primitive Baptist minister, performed the ceremony in the presence of Oscar Braswell, Jessie D. Pender and Elanzer Pender.

In the 1940 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: on Saratoga Macclesfield Road, farm laborer Clement Phillips, 28; wife Estelle, 27; and children Lula, 8, Mary L., 6, and Clement Jr., 5; plus uncle Ernest Blunt, 40.

In 1940, Clemant Phillips registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 2 February 1912 in Norfolk, Virginia; was married to Estelle Phillips, Route 3, Stantonsburg; and worked for Lonnie C. Worrell, Route 3, Stantonsburg.

Clemon Phillips died 8 October 1973 in a car accident near Lucama, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 2 February 1912 to Walter Phillips and Lizzie Blount; was married to Estelle Minerva Farmer; and was a Protestant clergyman. He was buried at Living Hope Church cemetery.

Photographs by Lisa Y. Henderson, November 2016.

They filled up with bug juice.

wa-9-17-1891

Wilson Advance, 17 September 1891.

  • Hood Phillips — in the 1880 census of Tarboro, Edgecombe County: minister H.C. Philips, 37, wife Emma, 34, and children Louisa, 12, Hood, 9, Walton, 6, and Cornelius, 3. On 18 May 1893, Hood S. Phillips, 22, of the town of Wilson, son of H.C. and E.E. Phillips, married Phillis Gay, 24, of the town of Wilson, daughter of Wiley and Catharine Gay. Rev. H.C. Phillips performed the ceremony at the A.M.E. Zion church. Witnesses were Annie Mincy, Annie Thorn and Alex Warren. Hood Phillips is listed as a barber living at 623 Viola in the 1908 Wilson City directory. He died 22 February 1919 in Wilson.
  • James Grant Taylor — in the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: railroad worker Jordan Taylor, 35, wife Jane, 22, and children James Grant, 7, Manora Ann, 4, General Washington, 3, and Lilly Green, 1.
  • Alex Warren — in the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: laborer Pompee Warren, 54, wife Della, 26, and sons John, 12, and Alexander, 2. In 24 December 1896, Alex Warren, 23, married Ida Davis, 22, in Wilson. Baptist minister W.T.H. Woodard performed the ceremony in the presence of Emma Burton, Mary Davis and Isaac Thompson. In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 367 Spring Street, ice factory blocker Alex Warren, 34, wife Ada, 36, and son John, 19, the latter two, factory workers. Alexander Warren died 4 January 1948 in Wilson. Per his death certificate: he was born about 1879 in Wilson County to Pompie and Della Warren; had worked as a laborer; resided at 403 E. Walnut Street; and was buried at Rountree cemetery. His neighbor John Parks of 405 E. Walnut was informant.
  • Chas. Yellock
  • Thomas Ellis

“Bug juice” was a slang term for low-quality whiskey.

Students of Saint Augustine’s School, 1915-1920.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0009

Founded in 1867 as Saint Augustine’s Normal School by Episcopal clergy to educate freed slaves, this historically black institution institution changed its name to Saint Augustine’s School in 1893 and then to Saint Augustine’s Junior College in 1919 when it began offering college-level coursework. It began offering coursework leading to a four-year degree in 1927 and changed its name to Saint Augustine’s College one year later. The first baccalaureate degrees were awarded in 1931.

The following pages featuring the names of Wilson students and alumni were culled from Saint Aug catalogues published between 1915 and 1920.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0045

1915-16 catalog.

Flora Ruth Mingo Clark (1898-1985) was the daughter of John H. and Ida Crenshaw Clark. (The family resided at 706 East Nash Street, a house that was only recently demolished.) She married Wilton Maxwell Bethel on 18 June 1930 at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Wilson.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0065 1916 1

1916-17 catalog.

Dinah (or Diana) Ada Adams (1891-1950) was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Troup Adams of Brooks County, Georgia. She married Wilson native Columbus E. Artis on 4 July 1918 in Washington DC. They returned to Wilson and settled at 308 Pender Street. C.E. operated an undertaker business and a filling station. They later moved to 611 East Green Street.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0057 1916 2

1916-17 catalog.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0117

1917-18 catalog.

Glennie Dora Hill (1906-1989) was the daughter of George and Mary Bynum Hill. They appear in the 1910 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County, with Glennie’s siblings Lena, Emma, George and Edwin. In the 1930 census, Glennie is listed in Cross Roads township, Wilson County with husband Nathan Donald and children Eugene, Frank L., Hubert L, Alma and Algie. Ten years later, the family is listed in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Glennie later was married to a Council.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0125 1917 1

1917-18 catalog.

Raleigh native William H. Phillips (1885-1957), son of Frank and Margaret Haywood Phillips, was Wilson’s first African-American dentist. His first wife was Jewel J. Phillips and his second, Rena Maynor Carter Phillips.

Phillips directory

Wilson city directory, 1922.

Phillips lived at 405 East Green Street and maintained an office at 525 East Nash.

annualcatalogueo19151930_0335 1920

1920-21 catalog.

Marie Wells (1898-1997) was the daughter of Mack and Cherry Wells. The family resided at 615 Viola Street. Marie worked as a teacher and married Joseph Lucas in 1934 in Wilson. (Flora Clark Bethel’s husband W.M. Bethel was a witness to the ceremony.) They had at least three children: Joseph (1936), John Dennis (1940) and Joseph Clifton (1942).

annualcatalogueo19151930_0337 1920 1

1920-21 catalog.

Viola P. Adkinson married Belton Parker in Wilson in 1925. They are listed in the city’s 1928 city directory at 224 Ashe Street. Belton worked as a chauffeur.

Catalog images via http://library.digitalnc.org/cdm/ref/collection/yearbooks/id/6161