railroad fatality

Rich testifies: “The trains never blow at this crossing.”

W.H. Raper was struck and killed by a night train near Lucama on 20 March 1897. The plaintiff in Martin Raper, Adm’r W.H. Raper, deceased, vs. The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad argued that the railroad company’s negligent upkeep of the guard rail at the railroad crossing caused or contributed to Raper’s death. Much of the testimony detailed the severe mutilation of Raper’s body, but Isaac Rich testified more generally about the frequency of night trains.

A white witness vouched for Rich’s good character:

Another witness, John H. Hill, testified that he had walked with Raper that night: “I went past the colored church and section house and there told him goodbye and told him to go home by county road.”

Raper’s estate lost at trial and again on appeal.

Wilson [County, North Carolina] Estate Case Files 1854-1959, http://www.familysearch.org.

The death of George Sharp.

George Sharp, a 17 year-old boy with intellectual disabilities, died after being struck by train in Wilson in June 1913. I have not been able to discover more about the incident.

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In the 1900 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Daniel Sharp, 58; wife Lucindy, 25; and sons Joseph L., 6, George W., 4, and James H., 2.

Four killed at foggy crossing.

Pittsburgh Courier, 9 January 1943.

  • Minnie Horton — Minnie Taylor Horton was the daughter of Berry and Mamie Newsome Taylor and wife of Clinton Horton.

  • Zollie Brockton — Zollie Brockington was the son of John and Mary Sketters Brockington.

  • Johnny Barnes — Johnie Barnes was the son of James and Mozilla Barnes and husband of Ollie Barnes.

  • Lucille Clay — Lucille Clay was the daughter of Robert and Mary Artis Clay. She celebrated her 21st birthday less than two days before she was killed.

  • Clinton Horton — Clinton Horton, the sole survivor, recovered and apparently eventually left Wilson County. No death certificate is found for him there. Here, however, is his World War II draft registration card, filed in 1940, when he and Minnie Taylor Horton were likely newly married.