Wilson Daily Times, 25 April 1944.
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A 14 May 2014 Wilson Daily Times article, “Education’s still a priority: Williamson-Springfield alumni holding gospel festival Saturday,” included this history of Williamson High School:
“In 1939, James Boykin spoke with Luther Wilder about the need for a high school for black children in the western part of the county.
“Students had to attend school in surrounding areas, including Johnson County or Darden High School in Wilson, both of which long distances for students to travel.
“A meeting was eventually held at Rocky Branch Church in Kenly, where then Wilson County Schools Superintendent K.R. Curtis attended. Parents were concerned about the future of their children’s education.
“In July 1940, the Wilson County Board of Education met and discussed the idea about purchasing property for the high school. A six-acre plot was purchased for $600 from Jennie Whitley, was the sister of Paul Williamson, who owned the land.
“A group of 40 young people, both black and white, helped with the construction of the building, which would become Williamson High School. Construction was completed in March 1941. Until then, Rocky Branch Church held classes there until the school was completed. During the 1941 school year, classes were held on Saturdays at the church and school in order to get credit. Opened in 1942, the Williamson School was a six-room high school that offered grades 9-12. Williamson School merged with Springfield in the fall of 1951. While the first graduating class was in 1952, the first full class, who spent all 12 years at the school, was in 1964.”
Wilson Daily Times, 7 July 1994.
Will book 8, page 551.
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In the 1880 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer Elic Williamson, 44; wife Gracy, 29; and children John, 14, Lugen, 11, Joseph, 9, Jennie, 7, Mary, 6, Clem, 4, Sarah J., 2, and Pall, 1.
In the 1900 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer Alex Williamson, 63; wife Gracy, 50; children Genny Whitley, 26, and Sarah, 22, Paul, 21, Daniel, 19, Henietta, 15, Edna, 15, and Katie Williamson, 12; and grandchildren Nancy, 8, Della, 5, and Pearle Whitley, 4.
In the 1910 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: on Wilson and Smithfield Branch Road, farmer Alexander Williamson, 72; wife Gracy, 62; widowed daughter Jennie Williamson, 38; daughters Sarah, 20, and Henrietta, 26; and grandchildren Nancy, 18, Della, 17, Hattie, 15, and Pearle Whitley, 14.
In the 1920 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: on Old Clayton and Wilson Road, farmer Alexandria Williamson, 83; divorced daughter Janie W. Williamson, 37; granddaughter Dezell Bailey, 4; and stepson [son-in-law?] McKinley Bailey, 28, house carpenter.
In the 1930 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: Ginnie Whitley, 57, laundress, and granddaughter Pearl Hinnant, 14.
Jennie Whitley died 3 April 1948 in Springhill township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born in 1878 in Wilson County to Alex Williamson and Gracie Shaw; was the widow of John Whitley; and was buried in Rocky Branch Cemetery.
Will of Jennie Whitley (1948), North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998, http://www.ancestry.com.
Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.,), 23 June 1934.
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This piece offers a rare look at the social life of Stantonsburg’s African American community.
Wilson Daily Times, 8 October 1912.
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In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer George Braswell, 52; wife Adeline, 47; children Mollie, 22, Mattie, 18, Caroline, 16, Victoria, 13, Melvina, 12, Cora, 10, and Ernest, 9; and grandchildren James, 3, and Frederick, 3 months.
On 24 October 1912, Ernest Braswell, 20, of Wilson, son of W. and Adeline Braswell, married Teenie Sims, 17, of Gardners township, daughter of Caesar and Adeline Sims, at Caesar Sims’ in Gardner’s.
In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Ernest Braswell, 27; wife Tinie, 22; daughter Lillian, 7; and brother Willie, 21.
On 8 September 1898, Rufus Whitley, 26, of Stantonsburg, son of John and Isabella Whitley, married Mattie Pree, 23, of Wilson, daughter of Ben and Bettie Pree, in Gardners township.
In the 1900 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farm laborer Rufus Whitley, 25; wife Mattie, 25; daughters Caroline, 7, and Isabella, 3 months; and brother-in-law Wiley Dupree, 19.
In the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Rufus Whitley, 37; wife Mattie, 30; and children Mattie, 8, Wiley, 3, and Rufus B., 3 months.
In the 1920 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Rufus Whitley, 49; wife Mattie, 45; and children Wiley, 13, Benjamin, 12, Bettie, 7, and Lizzie, 11 months.
In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Rufus Whitley, 59; wife Mattie, 52; and children Ben, 20, Bettie A., 18, Lizzie J., 11, and Matta B., 6; and lodger Jesse King, 22.
In the 1880 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farm laborer Shandy King, 24; wife Nancy, 23; and sons Zadock, 3, and Jackson, 1.
In the 1900 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: farmer Shandy King, 51; wife Nancy, 49; and children Marcellus, 19, Shandy, 16, Mahala, 14, Columbus, 12, Sylvester, 10, Otto, 7, and Harriett, 6.
In 1917, Sylvester King registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born in March 1891 in Wilson County, N.C.; farmed for W.F. Woodard; and was single.
In 1917, Columbus King registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 13 July 1890 in Wilson County; lived in Stantonsburg; was single; and was a farm laborer for W.T. Harrison. He was short and stout, with brown eyes and black hair.
In 1918, Otto King registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born in 22 March 1891 in Wilson County, N.C.; farmed for Charley Walston; and was single.
On 2 February 1922, Sylvester King, 28, of Wilson, son of Shandy and Nancy King, married Etta Mitchell, 23, of Wilson, daughter of Jim and Martha Fields, in Wilson. Disciples minister J.W. Pitt performed the ceremony in the presence of Wesley Bullock, Walter Bullock, and Tom Jones.
Sylvester King died 26 June 1930 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born in 1890 in Wilson County to Shandie King and Nancy Anderson; was single; and worked as a tenant farmer for Chester Jordan. He was buried in Wilson. Informant was York King.
Wilson Daily Times, 15 August 1932.
Nineteen year-old Johnny Ward succumbed to his injuries three days after this article was published.
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In the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Rufus Whitley, 49; wife Mattie, 45; and children Mattie, 8, Wiley, 3, and Rufus B., newborn.
In the 1920 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Rufus Whitley, 49; wife Mattie, 45; and children Wiley, 13, Benjamin, 12, Bettie, 7, and Lizzie, 11 months.
In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Rufus Whitley, 59; wife Mattie, 52; and children Ben, 20, Bettie A., 18, Lizzie J., 11, and Matta B., 6; and lodger Jesse King, 22.
On 9 December 1933, Benjamin Whitley, 24, of Wilson County, son of Rufus and Mattie Whitley, married Cillie Barnes, 20, of Wilson County, daughter of Ed and Dora Barnes, at the courthouse in Greenville, Pitt County, N.C.
Benjamin R. Whitley died 4 November 1971 in Lumberton, Robeson County, North Carolina. Per his death certificate, he was born 29 November 1909 to Rufus Whitley and Mattie Dupree; was a widower; resided in Middlesex, Nash County, N.C.; and worked as a farmer.
Johnie Ward died 18 August 1932 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 19 years old; was born in Greene County, North Carolina, to David Ward and Nancy Barnes; was single; and worked as a common laborer.
This house is not within the bounds of East Wilson Historic District. However, the blocks of Mercer Street southwest of the Norfolk & Southern Railroad lines have been an African-American residential area since the early twentieth century.
The house was likely built 1900-1920 and appears on the 1922 Sanborn fire insurance map.
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Holloway Henry (c; Millie) lab h 908 Mercer. Also: Holloway Narcissus (c) dish washer h 908 Mercer. Also: Holloway Elizabeth (c) maid h 908 Mercer
In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory, 908 Mercer is listed as vacant.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: renting for $4/month, Priscilla Little, 47, laundress; daughter Margaret, 21, “hang or shake tobacco” at redrying plant; and granddaughters Leigh Virginia, 2, and Romaine, 7 months.
In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Bynum Paul (c; Dollena; 3) lab h 908 Mercer. Also: Bynum Mollie (c) h 908 Mercer
Delores Bynum died 9 November 1941 at her home at 908 Mercer Street. Per her death certificate, she was born 4 June 1941 in Wilson to Paul Bynum and Dorlena Anderson and was buried in Rountree Cemetery.
Mollie Bynum died 25 October 1947 at her home at 908 Mercer Street. Per her death certificate, she was born 22 November 1879 to Louis Haggans and was a widower. She was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Paul Bynum, 2306 Marshall Avenue, Newport News, Virginia, was informant.
Wilson Daily Times, 27 October 1947.
In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Whitley James (c; Hazel) carp h 908 Mercer
This house is not within the bounds of East Wilson Historic District. However, the blocks of Mercer Street southwest of the Norfolk & Southern Railroad lines have been an African-American residential area since the early twentieth century.
906 Mercer appears in the 1922 Sanborn fire insurance maps of Wilson.
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Outlaw Arthur (c; Mary) fishermn h 906 Mercer
In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Oates Henry (c; Minnie) driver Clark Hdw Co Inc h 906 Mercer
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 906 Mercer, rented for $21/month, Henry Oates, 34, hardware store truck driver; wife Minnie L., 26; and children Willie, 9, Albert L., 8, Fredie, 6, and Bubbie, 2.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 906 Mercer, Lettie Smith, 48, widow, works at stemming machine at redrying plant; her children Harvey, 28, gas station attendant, Mary, 15, Herbert, 13, and Elijah and Elisha, 11; and grandson Donald Ray, 8.
The house is listed as vacant in the 1941 city directory, but in the 1947 directory was occupied by tobacco worker Lena Whitley. (Whitley died in 1965 at her home at 918 Mercer. The informant on her death certificate was Eula King, 906 Mercer.)
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, April 2021.
The forty-first 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 East Wilson Historic District: “ca. 1940; 2 stories; popular hip-roofed cubic house with bungalow type porch posts; probably built as tenement, which is currently is.”
In the 1930 Wilson, N.C., city directory Ida Whitley, a domestic, and Vernona Whitley, a tobacco worker, are listed at 118 Pender.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 118 Pender Street, widow Ida Whitley, 46, laundress; her children Virginia, 18, and John E. Whitley, 9; and Roland Thompson, 30, a meat market laborer, and wife Mildred, 29.
In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C. city directory, Frank Woodard is listed at 118 Pender Street.
Photograph taken by Lisa Y. Henderson, May 2017.
Wilson Daily Times, 2 April 1949.
In the 1910 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: Counsel Whitley, 27; wife Annis, 24; and children Alice Ida, 4, Matha J., 2, and Rosa Ella, 6 months.
In the 1920 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: tenant farmer Concil Whitley, 42; wife Annis, 37; and children Ida, 14, Jane M., 12, Rosetta, 10, Isaca, 8, Dortha, 6, Council Jr., 4, and Mina, 2, plus widower brother William Haskins, 34.
In the 1930 census of Stantonsburg township, Wilson County: tenant farmer Council Whitley, 50; wife Annis, 44; and children Ida, 24, Jane, 23, Rosetta, 20, Hezekiah, 18, Dorothy, 16, Council Jr., 14, Mimy, 13, Mandy L., 9, Mary M., 6, and Ruth L., 3, plus widowed mother Mimy Whitley, 70, and lodger John H. Dean, 20.
Rosetta Ellis died 29 March 1949 in Spring Hill township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was born 6 October 1910 in Wilson to Council Whitley and Anis Batts; was married; and worked in farming. She was buried in Bethel cemetery. Informant was Eddie Ellis.