theft

Sam Hall charged with B&E, theft.

Daily Journal (Wilmington, N.C.), 12 September 1871.

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In the 1850 census of North Side Neuse, Wayne County: Lucy Hall, 45, and children Sarah, 16, George, 15, Nathan, 13, Nicy, 10, Samuel, 3, and Esther Hall, 6, plus Alford Artis, 15, and John Artis, 14, and Rhoda Artis, 13, and her children Julia, 12, and Rheuben Artis, 10, plus Rufus Lane, 22.

In the 1860 census of Saratoga district, Wilson County: farm worker Noah Walker, 25; wife Polly, 21; and Samuel Hall, 13. The Walkers were white; Hall, “mulatto.”

In the 1870 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: brick maker Samuel Hall, 22; wife Caroline, 20; and children Donas, 3, and John, 2 months [next door to Wyatt and Nicey Lynch.]

In the 1880 census of Speights Bridge township, Greene County, N.C.: laborer Sam Hall, 32; wife Caroline, 32; and children John W., 10, Jane E., 8, Sam, 6, and Baby, 1.

In the 1900 census of Bulloch County, Georgia: woodcutter Sam Hall, 50; wife Caroline, 50, washerwoman; children Sam Jr., 24, George, 21, Emma, 19, and Minnie, 10; and daughter-in-law Fannie, 23, washerwoman. All but Fannie were born in North Carolina.

In the 1910 census of Bulloch County, Georgia: farmer Sam Hall, 65; wife Caroline, 63; son-in-law John Kennedey, 31; daughter Maria, 19; and their children Pearl, 2, and John, 3 months.

Sentenced to shovel dirt on the Western road.

Wilson Advance, 30 May 1884.

Justice was merciless in 1884. In a single week of May of that year, Inferior Court, which handled low-level misdemeanors and minor civil matters, heard 23 cases. Two black men were convicted and sentenced to the state penitentiary. As a practical matter, as revealed in this news brief, that meant brutal work on the Western North Carolina Railroad under North Carolina’s convict leasing system. Between 1870 and 1890, roughly 65% of North Carolina’s prison population, disproportionately black men, was forced to cut through mountain rock, lay tracks, and blast tunnels under lethal conditions. They faced frequent cave-ins and landslides, rock-blasting accidents, and outbreaks of serious disease.

Ephraim Perry was sentenced to serve two years for stealing a shovel, and Nathan Herring got five for taking a clock out of the “colored Methodist church,” i.e. Saint John A.M.E. Zion.

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  • Ephraim Perry — this possibly was the 26 year-old farm laborer Ephraim Perry listed in the 1870 census of Sparta township, Edgecombe County. In 1892, several years after his release from incarceration, Perry was arrested in Asheville on suspicion of theft.
  • Nathan Herring

Holloway charges his son with shoe theft.

Wilson Daily Times, 26 July 1934.

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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Vance Street, house carpenter Jefferson Holloway, 35; wife Ardena, 35; and children Katherine, 12, Ralph E., 9, Jeff D., 3, and Robert, newborn.

In the 1930 census of Goldsboro, Wayne County: at 326 Pine Street, insurance agent Jefferson Davis, 44; wife Ardena, 43, trained nurse; and children Ralph, 19, Jefferson, 13, and Harry, 10.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: in New Grabneck, Jeff Holloway, 54, carpenter for building contractor; wife Ella, 40; and sons Jeff Jr., 24, tobacco laborer, and Harry, 20, new worker.

Jefferson Davis Holloway registered for the World War II draft in 1940. Per his registration card, he was born 10 February 1917 in Wilson; lived in New Grabneck, Wilson; his contact was father Jeff Holloway; he was unemployed; and he had “initials tattood on right arm.”

I saw they had my gin.

The Black Dispatch (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 31 August 1940.

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African-American newspapers like The Black Dispatch were not above mocking the mishaps and peccadilloes of Black people, especially as related to alcohol. And solecisms.

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  • Rev. Paul Bunch

In the 1900 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County, North Carolina: farmer Mack Bunch, 55; wife Cailinie, 44; children Hairiet, 25, Clara, 23, George A., 22, Fannie, 19, Joseph, 17, Jarvish, 15, Paul, 14, Jamess, 12, Manda, 8, Laura, 6, Stella, 4, and Earvin, 5; grandsons Dabert, 1, and Sidney, 3; and mother Hannah Bunch, 80.

In the 1910 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County, North Carolina: farmer Paul Bunch, 28, and wife Nina, 22.

In 1918, Paul Bunch registered for the World War I draft in Wayne County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 March 1884; lived in Fremont, Wayne County; was a tenant farmer for W.F. Yelverton; and his nearest relative was Nina Bunch.

In the 1920 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County, North Carolina: farmer

In the 1930 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County, North Carolina: farmer Paul Bunch, 45; wife Nina, 42; and children Hezekiah, 19, Glenny, 18, Mack, 16, Ellenor, 15, Cora, 9, Nora, 8, Mary, 6, Paul Jr., 5, Nina, 2, and Rachel, 1.

In the 1940 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County, North Carolina: farmer Paul Bunch, 56; wife Nina, 53; children Cora, 19, Nora, 17, Mary, 16, Paul, 15, Nina, 12, Rachel, 11, DeCris, 9, and Caesar, 4; and grandchildren Ralph, 2, and Rathus, 1.

In the 1950 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Paul Bunch, 65; wife Nina, 63; children Nora, 29, Nina R., 22, Rachel, 21, and Decrist, 19; and grandchildren Ralph Sauls, 13, Caesar Harris, 12, Raiford A., 10, and Solomon C. Artis, 7, Brantley [Bradley] Henderson, 3, and Emanuel Bunch, newborn.

Paul Bunch Sr. died 6 November 1954 in Black Creek township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 15 March 1885 in Wayne County to Mack Bunch; was married; was a minister; and was buried in Best Cemetery, Wayne County. Nina Bunch was informant.

  • John Hines

Possibly: in 1940, John Hines registered for the World War II draft in Stantonsburg, Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 17 October 1913 in Nash County, N.C.; his contact was mother Laura Hines, Stantonsburg; and he worked for Stantonsburg Lumber Company.

  • Ben Cunningham

In the 1940 census of Stantonsburg, Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: on Railroad Street, Ben Cunningham, 41, railroad laborer.

In 1940, Ben Cunningham registered for the World War II draft in Stantonsburg, Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 December 1909 in Georgia; lived in Stantonsburg; his contact was neighbor Zelma Sherrod; and he was unemployed.

Stolen chickens sold back to owner.

I don’t even know what to say about this, except that the accused were teenagers and perhaps on a lark. Roosevelt Hines, who was about 14, was sentenced to six months on a roadwork chain gang. Vance James was sentenced to 90 days “on the roads.”

Wilson Daily Times, 12 December 1940.

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  • Roosevelt Hines — in the 1930 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Robert Hines, 24; wife Alberta, 25; and children Roosevelt, 4, and William H., 2.
  • Vance James — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 517 Walnut Street, Doshia James, [age illegible]; children Augusta J., 27, Inez J., 25, Pauline, 24, DeWitt, 22, Bessie Lee, 18, Vance, 15, Helen, 12, and Joseph, 10; and grandchildren Addie, 10, Mary L., 8, and Rupert, 17.

Watson charged with hog theft.

Wilson Times, 30 September 1910.

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  • Hayes Watson — in the 1920 census of Rocky Mount township, Edgecombe County, North Carolina: Hayes Watson, 49, ditcher; wife Lena, 32, laundress; and daughter Viola, 17, nurse.
  • Effie Battle — in the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: drayman Turner Battle, 55; wife Effie, 46, “restaurant;” and children Cora, 21, cook, John, 11, Ernest, 9, Horace, 14, tobacco stemmer, and Mamie, 5.
  • Coot Robbins — on 18 March 1912, Coot Robbins, 29, married Hennie Harris, 27, in Wilson.
  • Ed. Holden — in the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Holden Edward (c) bricklyr  h 305 e Jones
  • Angelina Turner — in the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Jones Street, widow Angeline Turner, 35, cook; daughter Mary, 19; and grandchildren Leonard L., 6, and Annie, 3.
  • M.C. Daniel — probably, in the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Mac Daniel, 45; laborer at wholesale grocery; wife Fanny, 36; and children Thomas, 5, Annie, 4, Willie, 3, Jane, 2, and Beatrice, 5 months.
  • Frank Barnes
  • J.G. Coppedge — James G. Coppedge.
  • Cherry White