United States Navy

Steward’s Mate Second Class Maurice B. Hayes, stationed in Washington.

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In the 1930 census of Taylor township, Wilson County: farm laborer James Hays, 23; wife Lula M., 21, a schoolteacher; and sons Maris, 5, and Royland, 3.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 112 South Fourth Street, fish peddler James Hayes, 40; wife Lula, 39; sons Morris, 14, and Roland, 13.

Maurice Branch Hayes and Roland Esmon Hayes registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County as they reached their 18th birthdays. Both identified their mother Lula M. Hayes of 903 Viola Street as their contact person. Maurice worked as a busboy at Cherry Hotel and Roland at O’Brien Factory during tobacco season.

In the 1950 census of Cedar Creek township, Cumberland County, N.C.: Marice Hayes, 24, elementary school principal, lodger in household of Joe and Maud McMillan.

On 19 August 1951, Maurice B. Hayes, 26, of Wilson, son of James and Lula Hayes, married Hazel McDonald, 20, of Fayetteville, N.C., daughter of Hector and Callie McDonald.

Centennial Bronco yearbook, Fayetteville State University, 1977.

Per Rev. Dr. Hayes’ obituary:

“The Rev. Hayes was born May 12, 1925, in Wilson to the late James Hayes and Lula Mae Hayes. He was the former pastor of Baptist Union Missionary Baptist Church and was also a former principal in Hoke County and a professor at Fayetteville State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Fayetteville State Teachers College, a master’s degree from New York University and a doctorate degree from North Carolina State University. He was also a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and served in the Navy, where he received an honorable discharge in August 1945.”

Image courtesy of Veterans of World War II Wilson County, spiral-bound volume, Wilson County Public Library.

Simms men serve.

Wilson Daily Times, 28 July 1944.

There seems to be a bit of confusion in this account of father and sons serving in World War II. The father was Sargent Ashley Simms, often called Ashley Simms. His sons were Sargent Simms Jr. and Solomon Simms.

U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, http://www.ancestry.com.

Sailor Johnson killed when destroyer escort torpedoed.

New York Age, 15 November 1941.

Mess Attendant, First Class, Joseph Johnson was among the 100 sailors killed when a German submarine torpedoed the USS Reuben James off the coast of Iceland shortly before the United States entered World War II.

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In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farmer Sollie Johnson, 38; wife Annie, 37; son Joseph, 14, and daughter Jasper, 9.

Navy man King comes home on furlough.

Wilson Daily Times, 18 February 1944.

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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 620 Viola Street, public works laborer Peter King, 50; wife Trecy, 35; sons David, 7, and Thomas, 3; and stepdaughter Emma Davis, 13.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 611 Viola Street, Peter King, 80; wife Trecy, 42; daughter Emma Davis, 20; sons David, 17, and Thomas King, 12; and adopted son Robert Smith, 10.

On 17 June 1936, David King, 21, son of Peter King and Treay [sic; no maiden name given], married Adlena Parker, 23, daughter of Silas and Mahala Parker. Charles T. Jones, Missionary Baptist minister performed the ceremony at James Alston on Green Street, Wilson, in the presence of Alston, Mag Parker, and Mary Whitley.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 205 East Street, David King, 27, tobacco factory laborer; wife Addena, 27; and daughter Julia M., 2.

In 1940, William David King registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 4 May 1913 in Wilson; lived at 205 North East Street; was married to Adleana Pearl King; and worked for R.P. Watson Tobacco Company, Wilson.

William D. King died 2 February 1985 in Durham, North Carolina. He was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery.

Navy vet Moore enlists in the Army.

Wilson Daily Times, 20 May 1948.

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In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 646 Nash Street, Leon A. [Lee Andrew] Moore, 57, insurance agent; wife Virginia, 29; stepchildren Westry, 11, Wall C., 10, and Lula Darden, 9; and children Walter L., 5, Ruth, 3, and Xzimena Moore, 1.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 106 Pender Street, insurance agent Lee A. Moore, 59; wife Virginia, 37; and children Walter, 14, Ruth, 13, Simenia, 9, Bernard, 6, and Corteze, 4. The house was valued at $5000.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 106 Pender Street, insurance agent L.A. Moore, 70, retired insurance man; wife Virginia, 46, day laborer at tobacco factory; children Xizmenna, 19, E.R., 23, cafe waiter, Bernard, 17, drugstore delivery boy, and Cortez, 13.

In 1944, Webb C. Moore registered for the World War I draft in Akron, Summitt County, Ohio. Per the registration card, he was born 17 February 1926 in Wilson, N.C.; lived at 854 Douglas Street, Akron; his contact was Annie Darden, 12 Carver Road, Washington, D.C.; and he worked for Star Shoe Shine.

On 5 September 1948, Webb Cortez Moore married Dorothy Lorraine Palmer in Washington, D.C.

On 23 October 1971, Cortez Webb Moore married Linda Rose Pretlow in Bronx, New York. 

Webb Cortez Moore died 16 September 2015 in Bronx, New York.

News of Seaman Christian.

Wilson Daily Times, 20 August 1945.

Seaman 1st Class Charles Christian was stationed in the Southwest Pacific in 1945.

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In the 1930 census of South Union township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania: on Leith Road, Geraldine Christian, 28, born in Virginia, housework; son Charles, 13, born in West Virginia; sister-in-law Carrie, 21, born in West Virginia; and parents Alan Sowers, 43, coal miner, born in West Virginia, and Helen Sowers, 42, born in Virginia.

Charles Christian, 24, married Ada Odell Harris, 26, on 6 March 1940 in Wilson.

In October 1940, Charles Wesley Christian registered for the World War II draft in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina. Per his registration card, he was born 15 July 1915 in Grant Town, West Virginia; lived at 816 East 4th Street, Winston-Salem; his contact was wife Ada Odelle Christian; and he worked for R.J. Reynolds.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 304 Reid Street, city school janitor Charles Christian, 34; wife Ada O., 36; and children Jacqueline A., 5, Vernon W., 3, and Charles H., 2.