World War II

The Greatest Generation: M. Elmer Carter Jr.

Milford Elmer Carter Jr. recently celebrated his 95th birthday. Born in Wilson in 1923 to Wayne County natives Milford E. and Beulah Aldridge Carter, he and his family boarded briefly in Cora Miller Washington‘s home at 701 East Green Street, around the corner from the Elba Street home of Milford Carter Sr’s uncle, Jesse A. Jacobs Jr. and, per the 1922 city directory, lived at 905 East Vance Street. The family soon migrated to Pennsylvania, then New York City. M. Elmer Carter Jr. is a veteran of World War II.

Photos courtesy of Carla Carter Jacobs.

Where did they go?: California World War II draft registrations.

These men, who registered for the World War II draft across California, reported that they were born in Wilson, North Carolina.

  • Lenard Barnes

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  • Oscar DeBell

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In the 1940 census of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California: at 300 East 51st Street, renting an apartment for $30/month, Wyman H. Burney, 43, born in Kansas, bartender at steam railroad bar, and Oscar DeBell, 37, born in North Carolina, janitor at a motion picture studio. DeBell reported that he had lived in New York City five years before.

  • Samuel Clinton Dupree

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  • Robert Haskins

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  • Lee Morgan

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In the 1940 census of Oakland, Alameda County, California: Lee Morgan, 51, waiter for shipping company, born in North Carolina. He reported that he had lived in Seattle, Washington, five years prior.

  • Oscar Williams

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Where did they go?: Arkansas World War II draft registrations.

In the 1880s and ’90s, thousands of African-Americans left North Carolina for Arkansas, seeking better fortune. Many settled in Lonoke, Jefferson and Pulaski Counties in the east-central part of the state, including the families of these World War II draft registrants.

  • Jethro Aycock

In the 1880 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Samuel Acock, 36; wife Jane, 35; and children Sam, 15, Fannie, 13, Harrett, 12, Amos, 10, Emma, 8, Mattie, 6, Hannah L., 4, Maggie, 2, and Jeathroe, 1.

  • Peter Aycox

In the 1900 census of Barraque township, Jefferson County, Arkansas: farmer Green Aycock, 52; wife Janie, 48; and children Robert, 30, Lary, 18, and Peter, 13; plus mother Faine Aycock, 81.

  • Jim Baker

In the 1910 census of Lafayette township, Lonoke County: on England Road, farmer James Baker, 26, wife Mae E., 23, and children Bertha, 3, and Annie, 7 months.

  • Clayton Barnes

In the 1910 census of Lafayette township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: farmer Clayton Barnes, 24; wife Jennie, 25; step-daughters Lizzie Phillips, 12, and Carrie Phillips, 8; plus sister-in-law Lucelia Jones, 18. The adults were born in North Carolina; the children in Arkansas.

  • Richard Barnes

In the 1930 census of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas: at 1515 Bishop Street, owned and valued at $3000, Richard B. Barnes, 40, an office building porter, and wife Hazel Barnes, 30.

  • James Columbus Bynum

In the 1880 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: laborer Larence Bynum, 24; wife Edney, 19; children James, 1, and Mary J., 1 month; mother-in-law Liddie Bynum, 55; brother Isac Bynum, 22; and sister-in-law Anna Bynum, 17.

In the 1930 census of Well township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: farmer J.C. Bynum, 51; wife Florence, 50; daughter Odessa, 12, and adopted son Columbus Webb, 5. J.C. and Florence were born in North Carolina; the children in Arkansas.

  • Charley Augusta Bynum

In the 1880 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County, see James C. Bynum above.

In the 1900 census of Richwoods, Lonoke County, Arkansas: Laurance Bynum, 55; wife Edna, 39; children Mary, 19, Charlie, 17, Hattie, 16, Rachel, 9, Lewis, 6, Cora, 3, and Laurance, 11 months; grandsons Mack and Romie Notsie, both 1 week; and son-in-law Ed Notsie, 25. The Children after Rachel were born in Arkansas.

  • Josh Griffin

In the 1910 census of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas: at East 11th Street, Josh Griffin, 28, public works laborer; wife Lizzie, 30; and stepson Willie Sanders, 6.

  • Tom Hooks

In the 1920 census of Barraque township, Jefferson County, Arkansas: on Little Rock Road, farmer Thomas Hooks, 43; wife Lula, 44; and children Thomas, 16, Nathan, 14, Carolina, 14, Corena, 10, Nora B., 7, Wilber, 6, Vandie, 4, and Fredona, 1. All the children were born in Arkansas.

  • Andrew Jackson Jones

  • George Daniel Jones

In the 1900 census of Williams township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: Virginia-born farmer Peter Jones, 50; wife Ellen, 44; and son George, 20, both born in North Carolina.

  • Robert Daniel Parker

Perhaps, in the 1900 census of Lafayette township, Lonoke County, Arkansas: farmer Ceaza Parker, 39; wife Cinda, 42; and children Mattie, 16, Willis, 14, Daniel, 12, Luvenia, 8, Huburt, 7, Piety, 4, and Mary A., 1.

Studio shots, no. 69: Dempsey L. Henderson.

A veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, Dempsey Lee Henderson received a three-star Pacific Theater Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon, Victory Medal, Purple Heart, and one-star Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

——

Dempsey L. Henderson was born on or about 31 December 1927 in Wilson to Lena B. McNair and Jesse “Jack” Henderson.

In the 1940 census of Washington, District of Columbia: at 335 Elm Street, Lena Henderson, maid, 30; son Dempsey Henderson, 12; mother Mary McNary, 53; and lodger John Pendleton, 29, transfer merchant truck driver.

In 1943, Henderson registered for the World War II draft in Washington, D.C.

This 1944 muster roll shows that Henderson was aboard the U.S.S. Abner Read, a Fletcher-class destroyer, in September of that year.

Dempsey L. Henderson died 2003, and was buried at Quantico National Cemetery.

Photo of Dempsey Henderson in collection of Lisa Y. Henderson; Draft Registration Cards for District of Columbia, 1940-1947, digitized at www.fold3.com; Muster rolls of U.S. Navy ships, stations, and other naval activities, 1939-1949, digitized at www.fold3.com.

Where did they go?: Out-of-state World War II draft registrations, no. 1.

 

Elton Henry Thomas was the son of Charles Thomas and Sarah Best Thomas. He returned to North Carolina; he died in Goldsboro in 1970.

  • Clarence Charles Dawson

Clarence Charles Dawson was the son of Clarence C. Dawson (see below) and Elizabeth Thomas Dawson.

  • Clarence Connor Dawson

Clarence Connor Dawson was the son of Alexander D. Dawson and Lucy Hill Dawson.

  • Leroy Armstrong

  • Walter Armstrong

  • Van Armstrong

Van Armstrong was the son of Guston and Drucilla Armstrong of Toisnot township, Wilson County. He first appears in the federal census of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1930.

Charles S. Alston was the son of James H. and Martha Dew Alston of Wilson township, Wilson County. On 3 November 1920, Charles S. Alston, 24, married Lessie Barbrey, 22, daughter of Hulis and Lola Barbrey, in Elm City. A.M.E. Zion minister B.P. Coward performed the ceremony in the presence of James O. Bunn, William H. Woods and Charles S. Thomas, all of Wilson.

  • David Alston

David Daniel Alston was the son of Henry and Mary Taylor Alston. He died 8 November 1974 in Norfolk, Virginia.

  • James Henry Adams

  • Edward Adams

U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com.

The greatest generation, pt. 3.

Each year the Wilson Daily Times publishes an advertising supplement that honors local veterans on Veterans Day. The insert features photographs submitted to the paper by its readership. This post is the third highlighting African-American soldiers and sailors included in the supplement.

  • Nathaniel Jones, Army, World War II

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  • Roma Jones, S.Sgt., Army, World War II

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  • Eddie L. Joyner, Army, World War I

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  • James Calvin Lewis, Army, 1944-46

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  • James Reid, Army, 1942-46

  • Aaron Swinson, Army, 1943

  • William R. White, Sgt., Army, 1941-45

  • Arthur Winstead, Army, World War II

  • Jacelle Winstead, Corp., Army, World War II

U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com.

The greatest generation, pt. 2.

Each year the Wilson Daily Times publishes an advertising supplement that honors local veterans on Veterans Day. The insert features photographs submitted to the paper by its readership. This post is the second highlighting African-American soldiers and sailors included in the supplement.

  • Lossie Batts, Corp., Army, 1945-46

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  • Colonious Junius Best, Army, World War II

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  • Roosevelt W. Best, Army, 1941-44

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  • Charles W. Christian, Sgt., Navy, 1940-44

Charles Wesley Christian’s wife Ada Odelle Harris Christian (1913-1992) was a Wilson native.

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  • Louis Hall Sr., Army Air Corps, 1945-47

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  • Joseph Harris, PFC, Army, 1946

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  • William H. Harris, FPC, Army, 1943-46

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  • Damp Haskins Jr., Army, 1945-47

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1200 Wainright Street, Coca-Cola plant laborer Damp Haskins, 24; wife Susie B., 21; son Damp Jr., 2, and daughter Hellen, 6 months; mother Hester, 72; brother Joseph, 18; Martha Pitt, 52; and nephew Jim Haskins, 10.

  • Willis Edward Hyman, Navy, World War II

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  • Johnnie A. Lucas, T-5, Army, World War II

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  • Reuben O’Neal Sr., Steward Mate, Navy, 1944-46

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U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, database on-line, http://www.ancestry.com.

The greatest generation, pt. 1.

Each year the Wilson Daily Times publishes an advertising supplement that honors local veterans on Veterans Day. The insert features photographs submitted to the paper by its readership. This post is the first of several highlighting African-American soldiers and sailors included in the supplement.

  • Paul Garfield Arrington, Army, World War II

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  • George E. Atkinson, PFC, Army, 1941-1945

  • Willie M. Atkinson, PFC, Army, 1945-46

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  • Curley Bagley, Army, 1942-46

In the 1910 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: Lenora Bagley, 55; daughter Etta, 27; and her children Earnest, 16, Perry, 11, Presley, 6, Ida V., 3, and Curley, 1.

In the 1920 census of Old Fields township, Wilson County: Etta Bagley, 35, and children Ida W., 13, Curlie, 11, William H., 9, Cornelia, 6, and James R., 3.

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  • Earnest Barnes, PFC, Army, 1942-45

At least three men named Earnest or Ernest Barnes registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County.

  • Matthew Lee Barnes, S.Sgt., Army, 1942-46

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  • Robert Barnes, T4, Army, 1946-47

Several men named Robert Barnes registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County.

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, database on-line, http://www.ancestry.com.

On this Veteran’s Day…

Family lore has it that Lucian Jacob Henderson attempted to join the Army at 15 or 16 as World War II was in full rage.  He was finally able to enlist on 28 October 1944, his 18th birthday. Though his home address was 1109 Queen Street, Wilson, he was working as a deckhand for the Norfolk & Washington Steamboat Company at the time and signed up at a draft office in Washington, D.C.

The following year, Henderson qualified as an infantry rifleman after spending four months in basic and advanced training at the Infantry Replacement Training Center in Fort McClellan, Alabama.

Lucian J. Henderson, probably 1945-46. His shoulder patch bears the insignia of the Sixth United States Army, with whom he served occupation duty in Japan at the end of 1945.

Lucian J. Henderson, at left.

U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com; photographs from the collection of Hattie Henderson Ricks.

Cadet Nurse Cannady.

Lunia Mae Cannady was admitted to the United States Cadet Nurse Corps on 18 September 1945. She received her nursing training at the nursing school affiliated with Kate Bitting Reynolds Memorial Hospital, a facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, serving African-Americans.

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In the 1940 census of Sand Hill, Moore County, North Carolina: Albert Cannady, 35, public labor; wife Sylvan, 30; and children Lunia, 12, Harold, 9, Albert Jr., 6; Graddick, 4, and Betty Jean, 3 months. The family reported having lived in Morris County, New Jersey, in 1935; Graddick was born in New Jersey.  [The Cannadys moved to Wilson between 1940 and 1945, when Lunia graduated from C.H. Darden High School.]

On 12 March 1949, Freeman Farmer, 22, son of Tom and Anne Bynum Farmer, married Lunia Cannady, 21, daughter of Albert and Sylvan Andrews Cannady, on Lepton [Lipscomb] Road in Wilson. Original Free Will Baptist minister George W. Little performed the ceremony in the presence of Jeraline Edwards, E.N.C. San. C.D.; Hattie Henderson, 1109 Queen Street; and Bessie Simmons, 211 Stantonsburg Street. [Each of these women worked at Eastern North Carolina Sanatorium and, presumably, so did Lunia Cannady Farmer.]

Lunia Cannady Amy died 26 May 1992 in Wilson.