I wrote here of Vicey Artis, a free woman of color, and Solomon Williams, an enslaved man, whose marriage in Greene (or perhaps Wayne) County, North Carolina, produced eleven children. Though only one — the busy Primitive Baptist elder Jonah Williams — actually lived in Wilson, descendants of several others are in Wilson County even today. We’ve met my great-great-great-grandfather Adam T. Artis here and here. Now, his elder sister Zilpha Artis Wilson.
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Zilpha Artis Wilson was born about 1828, the first known child of Vicey Artis and Solomon Williams. About 1855, she married John “Jack” Wilson, a free man of color of completely unknown origins. That year, Jack Wilson bought 55 acres in northern Wayne County, North Carolina, from Zilpha’s brother Adam T. Artis and settled his family close by. [N.B.: another Zilpha Artis lived in northeast Wayne County during the same period. She was the daughter of Celia Artis and died in 1882.]
Zilpha and Jack Wilson’s children were William Wilson (1856-bef. 1893), Louisa Wilson Locus (1858-bef. 1893), Elizabeth Wilson Reid (1864-1947), John Adam Wilson (1865-1916), and Vicey Wilson Edmundson (1869).
In 1893, Zilpha Artis Wilson made out her will:
State of North Carolina, Wayne County } I, Zilphy Wilson, of the County and State, aforesaid begin of sound mind and memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence to make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say: — That my Executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial, suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends, and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts out of the first money that may come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate.
Item 1. I give and bequeath to my daughter Bettie Reid 7 acres of land to be cut off the North East corner of the tract of land on which I now reside for and during her natural life, and after her death to be equally divided between all of her children that she may have now, or may have living at the time of her death, the said Bettie Reid not to have possession of said Land until the debts against my estate are paid.
Item 2. I give devise and bequeath to my son Adam Wilson and my daughter Vicey Wilson, share and share alike all of the tract of Land on which I now live, with the exception of the seven acres given away in Item first of this will, with all the priviledges and appertances thereunto belonging for and during their natural like, should they both have heirs, then they to have their mother & Father part, and should Adam or Vicey only one of them leave heirs, then and in that case I give said land to the surviving heirs of that one to them and their heirs in the fee simple forever.
Item 3. I give and devise unto my son Adam Wilson and Vicy Wilson, share and share alike, all of my Household and Kichen furniture of every description Farming implements of every description, Tools of Mechanics &c &c, Stocks of all kinds, and all the poultry of kind to them and their heirs in fee simple forever.
Item 4. It is my will and I so direct, that my son Adam Wilson to retain possession of the whole of my land at yearly rental of seven hundred lbs. of lint cotton which is to be applied to the payment of the debts against my estate, as soon as said debts are paid, I direct that Bettie Reid be put in possession of the seven acres of land given to her in a former Item of this Will. I also desire that my daughter Bettie Reed become an equal heir in my household and kitchen furniture with my son Adam and daughter Vicey.
[Changes made in Zilphia Wilson’s Will Oct. 4, 1893]
Item 5. I give and devise unto William and Jonah Wilson children of William Wilson Sixty dollars to be paid to them when they arrive at lawful age.
Item 6. I give and devise unto Johney Loumary Lovy Lorenzo Locus, Children Louisa Locus Sixty dollars to be paid to them as they arrive at lawful age.
Item 7. It is my will and so direct that the Legasies mentioned in Items 5 & 6 of this Will be assessed by my son Adam and my Daughter Vicy Wilson, and I direct that they pay to each one of the above mentioned heirs, as they arrive of lawful age their proportionable part of said Legacies with interest on the same from the time the debts of the estate are settled.
Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my brother Jonah Williams and my son Adam Wilson Executors to this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all the Wills heretofore made by me. Zilphy X Wilson
Signed and sealed in the presence of Fred I. Becton and Thomas Artis, who witnessed the same at her request. /s/ Richard H. Battle, Fred I. Becton
Zilpha Wilson’s will was proved 17 December 1902 and recorded at page 421 of Will Book 2, Wayne County Superior Court.
We have already met the children of Zilpha Artis Wilson that lived in Wilson County — Elizabeth “Bettie” Wilson Reid and John Adam Wilson. Though her son William Wilson is not known to have lived in Wilson, his son Jonah Wilson did.
On 8 April 1907, Jonah Wilson, 25, of Wilson, son of William Wilson and Kittie Thompson, married Jannie Shadding, 25, of Wilson, daughter of P. Smith and Annie Smith. E.L. Reid was a witness to the ceremony.
In 1918, Jonah Wilson registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 24 July 1881; lived at 208 Vick Street; was a carpenter for E.L. Wynn, Academy Street, Wilson; and his nearest relative was Jannie Wilson.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 208 Vick Street, Jonah Wilson, 38, carpenter; wife Jannie, 38; and roomer Minnie Moore, 37, tobacco factory laborer.
In the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Wilson Jonah (c) carp h 205 S Vick
In 1942, Jonah Wilson registered for the World War II draft in Montclair, New Jersey. Per his registration card, he was born 24 July 1881 in Wayne County, N.C.; lived at 71 Elm Street, Montclair; his contact was Carrie Powell, same address; and he worked for Bob Middleton, Newark, New Jersey.
The Montclair Times, 24 May 1962.
