Saint Luke A.M.E.

1002 Atlantic Street.

The one hundred-twelfth 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: “ca. 1940; 1 story; modified brick-veneered hip-roofed cottage.”

In Hill’s 1928 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Sherard J W h 1002 Atlantic

In Hill’s 1930 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Sherard John W h 1002 Atlantic

John W. Sherard died 23 May 1931 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 62 years old; was born in Wayne County to Swinson Sherard and Laura Sherard; lived at 1002 Atlanta [sic]; worked as a carpenter; and was buried in Wayne County.

In Hill’s 1941 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Purefoy Dallie A Rev (c; Alberta; 3) h 1002 Atlantic

Albrater Purefoy died 23 October 1941 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Per her death certificate, she was born in 1890 in Wilson County to Rufus Vinson and Johana Richardson; lived at 1002 Atlantic, Wilson; and was married to Dallie Purefoy.

Dallie A. Purefoy was pastor of Saint Luke A.M.E. Church in the 1930s and early 1940s. The church is located at the corner of Vick and Atlantic Streets, and 1002 Atlantic Street, which is adjacent to the rear of the church, has served as a church parsonage.

Photograph by Lisa Y. Henderson, July 2019.

Saint Luke’s Christmas news; or “I will pray for the many white people who gave the tree.”

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Wilson Daily Times, 23 December 1940.

  • Rev. A. Betha
  • Ella Bryant — possibly, in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: William Bryant, 55; wife Ella, 53; and niece Willie Merrill, 23. William was a hospital cook; Ella and Willie, cooks in private homes.
  • Rev. M.C. McNeil

And, again in 1942, prayers for white people (though “a few colored contributed.”)

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Wilson Daily Times, 23 December 1942.

  • Marilla Murphy
  • Mary Robinson
  • George M. Mason
  • Rev. Muggin 

Four years later, Bryant was still thanking the Good White Folks for their generosity.

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Wilson Daily Times, 16 December 1944.

  • Rev. McIntyre
  • Mattie Poole — possibly, in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 309 Stantonsburg Street, Jim Poole, 55, and wife Mattie, 45, both tobacco factory laborers, and daughter Odell, 10.
  • Helen Mears

Saint Luke A.M.E. Church, Christmas 2018.

Doings at Saint Luke A.M.E.

Wilson Daily Times, 20 October 1936.

Wilson Daily Times, 26 October 1938.

  • Saint Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church
  • Ella Bryant — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 200 Pettigrew Street, a duplex shared by two families paying $10/month rent each, tobacco factory laborer Johnnie Battle, 28, wife Annie, 26, maid, and children Clinton, 9, and Willie O., 6; and hospital cook William Bryant, 55, wife Ella, 53, and niece Willie Merrill, 23, both cooks for private families; Ella Jane Bryant died 10 March 1945 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was about 56 years old; was born in Ivanhoe, North Carolina, to John Pridgeon and Maggie Ferrelle; was married to William Bryant; and resided at 200 Pettigrew Street. She was buried in Ivanhoe [Sampson County].
  • Jennie Joyner
  • Will Rogers — perhaps, in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 612 Spruce Street, paying $9/month rent, Wiley Lucas, 73; wife Lizzie Lucas, 64; daughter Ruth Lucas, 19, folder of clothes at a laundry; grandson Lemon Morgan, 15; and lodger William Rogers, 27, W.P.A. laborer.
  • Rev. Coaxum
  • Jeanette Grainger — the “Mrs.” before her name, alone of all the women mentioned in these articles, signifies Grainger’s status as a white woman. In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 202 Broad Street, Jeannette Grainger, manager of state employment office; her sister Rosa McFarand, chief operator at the telephone company; and father Robert McFarland, all born in Virginia.
  • Georgia Mason — in the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 110 Manchester Street, rented for $12/month, Melvin Mason, 50, and wife Georgia, 46, both tobacco factory laborers.
  • Mae Pridgen
  • Rev. D.A. Purefoy — Dallie Purefoy died 13 July 1946 at his home at 104 South Vick Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 18 August 1889 in Johnston County to Sam Purefoy of Durham County and Effie Nunn of Johnston County; was a minister; was married to Rhoda Purefoy; and was buried in Wilson Mill cemetery, Johnston County.
  • Johnnie Freeman
  • Jeana Joyner [perhaps same as Jennie Joyner, above]