The Freeman, 6 October 1900.
Shortly after moving to Indianapolis, Mittie Vaughn reverted to her maiden name, Ward, though she retained the title “Mrs.” She and her younger daughter Minerva Vaughn actually had lived briefly in Washington, D.C., after leaving Wilson.
In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Sarah Darden, 57, son-in-law Algia Vaughn, 23, daughter Mittie, 22, and grandchildren Joseph, 8, Sarah, 6, and Macinda Vaughn, 5 months. [Joseph “Vaughn” was actually Joseph Ward, listed with his stepfather’s surname. “Macinda” appears to be Minerva Vaughn.]
In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Pettigrew Street, Virginia-born Fannie Moody, 35, “keeping house” with sons William, 11, and John, 8.
On 18 February 1892, William Moody, 23, of Wilson, son of Fanny Moody (who lived in Washington, D.C.) married Sarah Ward, 18, daughter of Mittie Ward, in Wilson. Missionary Baptist minister Fred M. Davis performed the ceremony at Sam Williams‘ residence in the presence S.W. Williams and J.W. Jeffreys, both of Wilson, and W.T. Williams of Halifax, N.C.
Sarah Ward Moody, her husband William M. Moody, their children Augustus and Christina Moody, and William’s mother Fannie Moody Harris migrated to Washington, D.C., between 1896 and 1898.
In the 1899 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody William M, waiter, 1617 V nw
In the 1901 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody William, waiter, 2531 15th nw
In the 1900 census of Washington, D.C: waiter William Moody, 27, wife Sarah S., 24, dressmaker, and children Augustus, 5, and Crist Moody, 4, plus sister-in-law Minerva Vaughn, 10, mother-in-law Mittie Vaughn, 46, cook, and mother Fannie Harris, 55, cook, all born in North Carolina.
In the 1910 and 1912 Washington, D.C., city directories: Moody William, waiter, 1443 Pierce pl nw
In the 1913 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody Wm M, waiter, 1443 Swann nw
In the 1915 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody Wm, waiter, h Whittingham pl ne
In the 1919 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody Wm M, waiter, h 1032 Whittingham pl ne
In the 1920 census of Washington, District of Columbia: at 1032 Whittingham Place, paper hanger William Moody, 48; wife Sarah, 44; son Augustus, 26, hotel waiter; widowed daughter Christiana, 24; her children Lorine, 5, Robert W., 3, and Earl, 18 months; William’s mother Fanny Harris, 75; and lodger Hattie Carter, 12.
Fannie Moody Harris died 24 April 1920 in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Times, 28 April 1920.
In the 1921, 1922, and 1923 Washington, D.C., city directories: Moody Wm M, paperhngr, h 1032 Whittingham pl ne
In the 1922 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody Sarah, laundress, h 1032 Whittingham pl ne
Christine Moody Briggs Payne died 22 July 1928 at the family home at 1032 Whittingham Place, N.E., in D.C.’s Deanwood neighborhood.
The Washington Times, 23 July 1928.
In the 1933 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody Wm M (Sarah), paperhngr, h 1032 Whittingham pl ne h[ome] d[itto]
In the 1936 Washington, D.C., city directory: Moody Wm M, h 1032 Whittingham pl ne
William M. Moody died 11 May 1936 on Whittingham Place.
The Washington Times, 13 May 1936.
Five months later, on 16 October 1936, Sarah Helen Ward Moody died.
The Washington Times, 5 August 1936.
The Freeman (Indianapolis, Ind.), 12 June 1915.
Whaaatttt? In 1915, Dr. Joseph H. Ward was planning to leave Indianapolis to come home to Wilson to practice medicine??? He went so far as to resign his leadership position with the Y.M.C.A. — what changed his mind?
Wilson Daily Times, 6 November 1997.
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In the 1900 census of Cokey township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: Jessee Baker, 25; wife Luvenia, 25; daughter Mary J., 8 months; and mother-in-law Charlet Lancaster, 50.
In the 1910 census of Cokey township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: Jessie Baker, 35; wife Venus, 34; and children Mary Jane, 10, Alice, 8, Maggie, 6, Addison, 4, and Authur L., 1.
On 23 November 1921, Hubert Ward, 25, of Wilson County, son of Jim and Lucinda Ward, married Mary Jane Baker, 22, of Edgecombe County, daughter of Jesse and Venus Baker, in Edgecombe County.
Lucinda Ward died 30 June 1923 in Stantonsburg township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 25 November 1922 to Hubert Ward and Mary J. Baker.
In the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County, N.C.: farmer Hubert Ward, 34; wife Mary J., 30; and children Lacy A., 5, Katherine, 3, and Louvenia, 1.
In the 1940 census of Nahunta township, Wayne County, N.C.: Hubert Ward, 43; wife Mary Jane, 40; and children Lacy, 15, Catherine, 12, Luvinia, 10, Suvada, 6, and Mary Lee, 4.
In the 1950 census of Bull Head township, Greene County, N.C.: Hubert Ward, 53; wife Mary, 49; and daughters Lacey, 24, and Mary Lee, 19.
The one hundred eighty-ninth 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. 1930; 1 story; saddlebag house with rear shed extension and hip-roofed porch; late example of the type.” The house was recently renovated.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 112 East, rented at $12/month, widow Addie Ward, 37, and children Alfonso, 22, Edgear, 17, Otheara, 16, Jasper, 14, and Thelma, 10.
In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Ward Addie (c) h 112 N East; also, Ward Alfonso (c) hlpr 112 N East
In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Dunn Annie (c) cook h 112 N East
Lillie B. Dunn died 10 April 1941 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 36 years old; was born in Kinston, N.C., to Richard Dunn of Snow Hill, N.C., and Annie Gardner of Kinston, N.C.; lived on Spruce Street; was the widow of Raymond Ried; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery [probably Vick]. Annie Dunn, 112 East Street, was informant.
In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Dunn Annie (c) h 112 N East
Annie Dunn died 27 May 1948 at her home at 112 North East Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 25 June 1884 in Lenoir County, N.C., to Quincey Gardner and Mariah Bryant; was the widow of Richard Dunn; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery. Quincey Gardner, 708 Suggs Street, was informant.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2023.
Another fantastic photograph of young Leon Ward (1924-2007), perhaps taken at Baker’s Studio on East Nash Street.
My thanks to Anthony E. Reid Sr. for sharing this photo of his father.
This past September, the Department of Veterans Affairs posthumously awarded an Exceptional Service Award to Wilson native Dr. Joseph H. Ward for his leadership of the V.A.’s first all-Black hospital “during an era of severe discrimination and racial hostility.”
To learn more about Dr. Ward and Tuskegee Veterans Administration Hospital, see this recent NPR piece, A Century Ago, Black WWI Vets Demanded Better Care. They Got Their Own Hospital, and this National Archives blogpost, The Trials and Triumphs of Dr. Joseph H. Ward.
Dr. Joseph H. Ward stands at center in the first row in the photograph taken of the V.A. Hospital’s ground-breaking all-Black medical staff.
News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), 21 July 1931.
I found this odd article while searching for a digital version of the article re Rev. J.P. Stanley’s funeral. It purports to highlight Col. Joseph H. Ward, but mangles the facts of his life — starting with his name, which was not John D.
As a reminder, Joseph H. Ward’s mother, Mittie R. Ward, was the daughter of Dr. David G.W. Ward and Sarah Ward, an enslaved woman. So, Mittie was born enslaved, but her son Joseph, who was not born until 1872, decidedly was not. And he didn’t “take” his own surname, it was given to him by his mother at birth. Misinformation aside, what caught my eye here was Dr. Ward’s visit to his half-uncle, Judge David L. Ward — who was an unvarnished white supremacist in the mold of Josephus Daniels, Charles B. Aycock, and Furnifold M. Simmons.
