Whitfield

Frank Artis regains consciousness, points finger at Ed Whitfield.

Wilson Daily Times, 13 November 1936.

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  • Frank Artis

In the 1910 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Lee Artis, 40; wife Lilie, 38; and children Frank, 13, Bertie, 8, Fletcher, 6, Nathaniel, 5, Rematha, 2, and Alvin, 11 months.

In the 1920 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: tenant farmer Frank Artis, 23, and wife Lissie, 18.

In the 1930 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farm laborer Frank Artis, 32; wife Lizzie, 25; and children Frank Jr., 8, Florence, 7, Wiley, 6, and Sylva G., 3.

In the 1940 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Frank Artis, 43; wife Lizzie, 35; children Frank Jr., 19, Wiley, 17, Selby J., 14; and mother-in-law Mary S. Barnes, 50.

Frank Artis died 9 May 1964 in Stantonsburg, Saratoga township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 26 December 1898 in Wilson County to Lee Artis and Sylvia Reid; was married; and worked in farming. Jack Artis was informant.

  • Ed Whitfield

In the 1900 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farmer Isaac Braswell, 58; wife Margaret, 45; Alice, 23, Guilford, 18, John, 16, Haywood, 12, and Eddie Whitfield, 9; and Cathrine Braswell, 6.

In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Isic Hagans, 68; wife Margaret, 54; children George, 9, and Catherine Hagans, 16, Bennie Glas(?), 14, and Eddie Whitfield, 18.

On 17 December 1915, Ed Whitfield, 22, of Stantonsburg, son of Margarett Whitfield, married Blanche Barnes, 21, of Stantonsburg, daughter of Thomas and Mary Barnes, in Wilson County. 

In 1917, Eddie Whitfield registered for the World War I draft in Stantonsburg precinct, Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born November 1894 in Wilson County; lived at Route 6, Wilson; was a farmer for Joe Davis; and was married.

In the 1920 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Margaret Hagins, 65, and sons George Hagins, 19, and Eddie Whitfield, 28.

In the 1930 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Ed Whitfield, 30, farm laborer; wife Caroline, 32; and lodgers Willie, 28, and Etta Clayborn, 20.

In the 1940 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Edward Whitfield, 45, receptionist at Imperial Tobacco factory; lodger Carry Haskins, 44, stemmer at Watson Tobacco factory; and her grandson Leroy Haskins, 7.

In 1942, Eddie Whitfield registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 25 October 1897 in Wilson; lived at 1120 East Nash Street; his contact was Fanny Guest, same address; and he worked for Southern Cotton & Oil Company.

On 20 July 1944, Essie Mae Whitfield, 24, of Portsmouth, Virginia, born in Wilson County, N.C., daughter of Edward Field [sic] and Blanche Barnes, married William Hooks, 26, stevedore, of Portsmouth, born in Greene County, N.C., son of Charlie Hooks and Alice Rogers.

Cellus Whitfield died 23 May 1961 at the Veterans Administration hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Per his registration card, he was born 15 January 1918 in Wilson County to Ed Whitfield and Blanch Barnes; worked as a baker; was a World War II vet; and was married to Catherine Whitfield.

The obituary of Lizzie McNeal Whitfield.

Baltimore Afro-American, 15 December 1951.

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On 3 July 1911, Jim Whitfield, 21, of Wilson, married Lizzie McNeil, 18, of Wilson, in Wilson.

“Child of James and Lizzie Whitfield” died 27 September 1916 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 25 September 1916 to James A. Whitfield and Lizzie McNeal in Wilson County and was buried in Wilson [probably, Vick or Odd Fellows Cemetery.]

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 715 Stantonsburg Street, house painter James Whitfield, 27; wife Lizzie, 25, hotel cook; children James Jr., 8, Lillian, 5, and Helen I., 5 months; and father Andrew Whitfield, 69.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, valued at $3000, building painter James Whitfield, 34; wife Lizzie, 31, laundress; children James Jr., 18, Lillian, 15, and Hellen, 12; and father Alleck Whitfield, 81.

James A. Whitfield Jr. died 17 December 1936 of “auto collision on U.S. 301 killing him instantly.” Per his death certificate, he was born 24 July 1912 in Wilson to James Whitfield of Wilson and Elizabeth McNeal of Fayetteville. He worked as a school teacher. Informant was James Whitfield.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, valued at $3500, house painter James Whitfield, 37; wife Elizabeth, 45; and daughters Lillian, 27, and Helen, 22.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, James Whitfield, 58, house painting contractor; wife Lizzie E., 45; and daughter Helen A., 31, Washington County home economics teacher.

1004 Washington Street, revisited.

The James and Lizzie Whitfield house at 1004 Washington Street is in a bad way and apparently is set to be demolished using American Rescue Plan Act funds. Eligible uses of such funds for vacant or abandoned properties include rehab costs, acquisition and marketing costs, environmental remediation costs, demolition, and converting such properties to affordable housing. 

Guidelines for the funds warn that demolition is not to be undertaken where it would create a “net reduction in occupiable housing units for low- and moderate-income individuals” in areas in which the need for such housing exceeds available supply. (It’s hard to imagine that demolition of this house won’t have just such a result, but it is also clear from a peak through that gap by the porch pillar that it is in deplorable condition.) Nor should low-income housing be converted to housing units “unaffordable to current residents in the community.” (Such as the $250,000 renovation two blocks away on Atlantic Street.)

There’s some irony here. James A. Whitfield was the first African-American member, and later chair, of the Wilson Housing Authority. The Whitfield Homes housing project is named for him.

Wilson Daily Times, 24 November 1960.

Photos by Lisa Y. Henderson, September 2022.

Studio shots, no. 117: Lillian Whitfield Stokes.

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Lillian Whitfield Stokes (1914-2003).

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 715 Stantonsburg Street, house painter James Whitfield, 27; wife Lizzie, 25, hotel cook; children James Jr., 8, Lillian, 5, and Helen I., 5 months; and father Andrew Whitfield, 69.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, valued at $3000, building painter James Whitfield, 34; wife Lizzie, 31, laundress; children James Jr., 18, Lillian, 15, and Hellen, 12; and father Alleck Whitfield, 81.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, valued at $3500, house painter James Whitfield, 37; wife Elizabeth, 45; and daughters Lillian, 27, and Helen, 22.

On 8 March 1943, Donald C. Stokes, 34, of Wilson, son of Sidney and Sallie Stokes, married Lillian E. Whitfield, 28, of Wilson, daughter of James and Elizabeth Whitfield in Wilson. A.M.E. Zion minister William A. Hilliard performed the ceremony in the presence of Charles James, James Whitfield and Edra M. Hilliard.

Donald Collins Stokes, Jr., was a native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Lillian Whitfield Stokes died 7 July 2003 in Parkville, Maryland.

Photos courtesy of Ancestry.com user Doniellestokes.

1004 Washington Street.

The forty-fourth 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: “circa 1930; 1 1/2 stories; James Whitfield house; bungalow with gable roof and shed dormer; aluminum sided; Whitfield was a house painter.”

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James Whitfield registered for the World War I draft in Wilson. Per his registration card, he was born 26 March 1892 in Nash County; resided at 717 Stantonsburg; was a self-employed painter; had a wife and two children; and had sandy hair and brown eyes.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 715 Stantonsburg Street, house painter James Whitfield, 27; wife Lizzie, 25, hotel cook; children James Jr., 8, Lillian, 5, and Helen I., 5 months; and father Andrew Whitfield, 69.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, valued at $3000, building painter James Whitfield, 34; wife Lizzie, 31, laundress; children James Jr., 18, Lillian, 15, and Hellen, 12; and father Alleck Whitfield, 81.

James A. Whitfield Jr. died 17 December 1936 of “auto collision on U.S. 301 killing him instantly.” Per his death certificate, he was born 24 July 1912 in Wilson to James Whitfield of Wilson and Elizabeth McNeal of Fayetteville. He worked as a school teacher. Informant was James Whitfield.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1004 Washington Street, valued at $3500, house painter James Whitfield, 37; wife Elizabeth, 45; and daughters Lillian, 27, and Helen, 22.

James A. Whitfield, 61, of 1004 Washington Street, son of A.W. and Sallie Whitfield, married Elizabeth Jenkins, 44, of 612 East Green Street, daughter of Mary Sanders, on 13 February 1955 in Sims. Baptist minister George S. Stokes performed the ceremony in the presence of Howard M. Fitts Sr., Ruth J. Hines, Mrs. W.P. Brown and Mrs A.W. Stokes.

James Ashley Whitfield died 23 November 1960 at Duke Hospital, Durham, North Carolina. Per his death certificate, he was born in 20 March 1892 in Wilson County to W.A. Whitfield and Sally (last name unknown); resided at 1004 Washington Street; was a self-employed contract painter; informant was Elizabeth S. Whitfield.

Photograph by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2017.

She remembers being sold for $40.

NY_Age_7_22_1933_Mrs_Mafuta_dies

New York Age, 22 July 1933.

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The sailor she married: on 27 May 1874 in Salem, Massachusetts, Laura Whitfield, 30, of North Carolina, married Augustus Mafuta, 40, of “Africa.” It was a first marriage for both.

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1880 census, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.

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Worcester, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1898.

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Worcester, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1909.

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1920 census, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts.