Rowe

The last will and testament of David Rowe.

We have discussed here, here and here the small Crossroads community of interrelated mixed-race families who moved back and forth across the color line in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. David Rowe, perhaps born Rose, was part of this community.

On 26 February 1848, David Row married Exey Sasser in Johnston County. Sasser was white, the daughter of Josiah and Sally Beard Sasser.

In the 1850 census of District 9, Johnston County, N.C.: farmer David Roe, 30; wife Axey, 25; Treasey Horne, 70; Sally Sasser, 50; and Ruffin Roe, 1. All were described as white.

In the 1860 census of Kirbys district, Wilson County: farmer David Rose, 36; wife Axey, 34; son Ruffin, 10; Theophilus, 13 [no relationship designated]; and Sallie Sasser, 67. Sallie Sasser and Theophilus Rose were white; the others mulatto.

In the 1870 census of Crossroads township, Wilson County: farmer David Rose, 50; wife Exile, 43; son Ruffin, 18; and Sallie Sasser, 75.

In the 1880 census of Crossroads township, Wilson County: farmer David Rowe, 55, and wife Exeline, 54; also William Woodard, 50; wife Eliza, 50; and children John, 27, Clarkie Ann, 19, Calvin, 17, Montiville, 16, Claudius, 12, and Louisa, 8. The Rowes were described as mulatto; the Woodards as white.

David Rowe made out his will on 23 January 1896. To his “beloved wife Axie Rowe,” he left life interests in one-third of all his land, including his residence and outhouses, and his personal property and money. To daughter-in-law Talitha Rowe, he left a life interest in “4 acres of land on east side of the lane, including the residence of Ruffin Haywood Rowe Sr.” To Sarah, daughter of Talitha Rowe: one-fifth of his personal estate. All remaining property was to be divided among his four grandsons, James William Rowe, David J. Rowe, John Hardy Rowe, and Ruffin Haywood Rowe Jr. Rowe named James Newsome both his executor and the guardian of his minor grandsons and signed his will with an X.

In the 1900 census of Crossroads township, Wilson County: widow Exie Rowe, 70; grandsons David J., 23, James W., 25, John H., 21, and Ruffin H., 19; [grand]daughter-in-law Prytha [Piety], 20; grandson Albert M., 8 months; [grand]daughter-in-law Alice, 18; and daughter-in-law Litha, 46, divorced [from Ruffin H. Rose Sr.]

The final account of David Rowe’s personal property, dated 1 June 1905, reveals that his widow purchased the entire lot, mostly on credit.

Will of David Rowe (1896), North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, http://www.ancestry.com.

They have abandoned their families and eloped.

Wilson Advance, 25 February 1881.

As he wound his way through Crossroads township, Wilson County, in 1880, the census taker encountered farmer Tarrell Parker, 45; wife Minerva, 18; and children Trecy, 5, Jesse, 3, and Mancy Ann, 1.

A year later, Parker placed a notice in the Wilson Advance, offering a reward for anyone bringing to justice his wife Minerva and Ruffin Rowe, who had run off together.

Rowe [whose surname appears in early records as Rose] was married to Tilithia Locus, and they appear in the 1880 census of Crossroads, too: farmer Ruffin Rowe, 31; wife Tillitha, 26; and children James William, 5, David, 3, and John Hardy, 1. [A fourth son, Ruffin Haywood Jr., was born 1879-80.]

Tarrell Parker lived the remainder of his life in Wilson County. I find no further record of Minerva Parker and Ruffin Rowe Sr. Rowe was omitted from his father David Rowe‘s will, and his wife was described as divorced in the 1900 census.

310 North Reid Street.

The one hundred-nineteenth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District, this house is: “ca. 1930; 1 story; Thomas Foster house; bungalow with hip roof and engaged porch; Foster was janitor at Wilson post office.”

In the 1925, 1928 and 1930 Wilson city directories, Thomas and Olivia Foster are listed at 310 North Reid.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: owned and valued at $3000, Tom Foster, 45, post office janitor, and wife Oliva, 43.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: owned and valued at $3000, John T. Foster, 60, post office janitor; wife Olivia, 59; and her brother Claude Artist, 53, odd jobs.

In 1940, Du Bissette Best registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 26 January 1922 in Wilson; lived at 308 North Reid; his contact was Tom Foster, 310 North Reid; and he worked for W.G. Taylor, Taylor’s Barber Shop, 106 South Tarboro.

Tom Foster died 17 October 1956 at Mercy Hospital. Per his death certificate, he was born 3 April 1883 in Wayne County to John Thomas Foster and Louise Thompson; was married to Olivia Foster; worked as an elevator laborer; and resided at 310 North Reid.

Olivia Foster died 15 November 1956 at her home at 310 North Reid. Per her death certificate, she was born 4 October 1886 in Wayne County to Jesse Artis and Lucinda Hobbs; was a widow. Informant was Ada Rowe, 1006 Atlantic Street, Wilson.

Tom and Olivia Foster had mortgaged their home early in 1955 and, the spring after their deaths, the loan went into default. Trustee Wade A. Gardner posted this notice of sale in the local newspaper. Among the details: the Fosters had purchased the lot, part of the Rountree Tract, from Levi H. and Hannah Peacock in 1916.

Wilson Daily Times, 9 May 1957.

Around the same time, Tom Foster’s executor advertised a sale of the contents of the house, which offers an interesting glimpse at the typical furnishings of a working-class household in mid-century East Wilson.

Wilson Daily Times, 8 June 1957.

Claude Artis died 16 January 1960 at his home at 310 North Reid Street. Per his death certificate, he was born 3 January 1890 in Wayne County to Jesse Artis and Lucinda Hobbs; was never married; and worked as a laborer. Ada Rowe, 310 North Reid, was informant. (Claude Artis was Olivia Artis Foster’s brother. Did he buy the house, or did he pay rent to whomever purchased it?)

Photograph by Lisa Y. Henderson, July 2019.

Cemeteries, no. 1: the Hilliard Ellis family.

Hilliard Ellis, born in slavery, was a successful farmer and landowner in Wilson township. He married Fereby Rountree circa 1848 and registered their 18-year cohabitation in Wilson County on 11 August 1866. As culled from census, marriage and death records, their children included: Louisa Ellis Rowe (1850-1924), Adeline Ellis Mitchell (circa 1853-??), Caroline “Carrie” Ellis Coleman Woodard (1854-1914); William Ellis (1856); George Ellis (1859-1941); Emma Ellis Bunn (1861-1937); Hilliard D. Ellis (1865-1924); Mary Anne Ellis(1866-??); Warren Ellis (1869-??); Phillis Ellis Barnes Hagans (1870-??); and Millie Ellis Smith Hunt (1874-??).

The Hilliard Ellis family cemetery is located just off Nash Street in the New Hope area, which is now within the extreme northwest limits of the city of Wilson. There are approximately 25 identifiable graves in the cemetery, including those of Ellis and his children Hilliard Ellis Jr., Carrie Coleman, Louisa Rowe, and Warren Ellis Jr.

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Hilliard I. Ellis, 6 Jan 1825-22 Sept 1900.

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Louisa Rowe, 1850-7 May 1924.

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