Author Archives: Lisa Y. Henderson

Births Deaths Marriages, Newspaper Articles, North Carolina, Paternal Kin, Photographs

Taylor-Stokes wedding engagement.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 30 April 1949.


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In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 610 East Green Street, rented for $20/month, barber Roderick Taylor, 45; wife Mary, 39; and children Edna G., 8, Mary J., 4, and Roderick Jr., 1.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 607 East Green Street, barber Roderick Taylor, 58; wife Mary J., 50; and children Edna G., 18, Mary J., 14, and Roderick Jr., 12.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1208 Atlantic, barber James Stokes, 45; wife Viola, 35; and children Frank, 18, tobacco factory laborer, Dorothy, 14, Thomas, 12, Annie M., 9, Jannie L., 7, Donnie, 5, and Carlton, 4.

In 1942, Frankin Roosevelt Stokes registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 21 November 1921 in Troupland [Treutlen] County, Georgia; resided at 1208 Atlanta [sic] Street; his mailing address was Carter Hall, Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte; and his nearest relative was James Stokes, 1208 Atlanta Street.

On 9 June 1949, Frank Stokes, 26, of Wilson, son of James Stokes and Viola Reese Stokes, married Mary Joyce Taylor, 23, daughter of Roderick Taylor and Mary John Taylor, in Wilson. Presbyterian minister O.J. Hawkins performed the ceremony in the presence of Johnnie K. Boatwright, Sue Faucette, and Frances E. Williams.

In the 1950 census of Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado: at the University of Colorado,  Franklin R. Stokes, 28, lodger.

In the 1955 Boulder, Colorado, city directory: Stokes Franklin R (Joyce M) lab Maaco Puget Sound h 1906 Pearl

Mary Joyce Taylor Stokes Crisp died 26 September 2006 in Mount Clemens, Michigan.

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Education, Enslaved People, Maternal Kin, North Carolina, Other Documents, Uncategorized

Henry W. McNeely, teacher.

I knew from oral history and the 1870 census that my great-great-great-grandfather Henry W. McNeely was a teacher during Reconstruction. Born in 1841 to John W. McNeely, a white slaveowner, and Lucinda McNeely, the woman he enslaved, Henry presumably learned to read and write during slavery.

The document above is extracted from “List of School Teachers & School-buildings North Carolina” compiled by a Freedmen’s Bureau official. Miranda was a community on present-day Millbridge Road in Rowan County, southwest of Salisbury and just a few miles northwest of China Grove. Henry’s home was closer to Mount Ulla, a few miles northwest of Miranda. Another document in this dataset notes that H.W. McNeely taught 138 students in one building under the patronage of the Friends Freedmen’s Association.

Roll 028, Monthly and Other School Reports North Carolina July 1868-Dec 1870, Records of the Education Division, Headquarters Records, U.S. Freedmen’s Bureau Records 1865-1878, http://www.ancestry.com.

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Uncategorized

Some light on Nancy Henderson Dove Mills.

I’ve written before about Nancy Henderson Dove, who I believe was the sister of my great-great-great-great-grandmother Patsey Henderson. Last night, I happened upon another reference to Nancy in the February 1871 will of her last husband, London Mills.

In the first item, Mills devises to his “beloved wife, Nancy Mills (formerly Nancy Henderson and then Nancy Dove)” a life estate in most of his property. If only everyone had been so precise in identifying their legatees.

Mills’ estate file yields a 6 March 1872 account statement from C.G. Cox for medical services throughout 1871, including, on 15 May 1871 “One visit to wife & adjusting thigh fracture,” a brutal injury for anyone then or now, but especially a woman who was perhaps 70 years old at the time. Cox treated Nancy twice more in the next six weeks, then provided medical attention to someone named Eliza, and finally to London himself for a fever near the end of July. Nancy survived her injury, as she appears in the account of the sale of London’s property on 24 February 1872, purchasing two sheep and some geese.

In the 1870 census of Richlands township, Onslow County: Lunen Mills, 80, farmer; wife Nancy, 65; and Eliza Mills, 13; Jesse White, 21; Wiley Dove, 18; Lucy Bowen, 84; and Gatsey Dove, 44. Next door: farm laborer Lewis Mills, 36; wife Minerva, 45; and children Caroline, 8, William, 6, and Henry, 4.

Eliza Mills was the Eliza named in the medical bill, as well as the “Eliza White (daughter of Manerva Mills)” named in London Mills’ will. Manerva Mills and Jesse White, son of Manerva Mills are also legatees.

Minerva was Minerva Dove, daughter of Nancy Henderson and [presumed] Simon Dove. Lewis Mills was her second husband. Her daughter Caroline lived long enough to be memorialized in a death certificate: Caroline Manervie Canady died — June 1942 in Richland, Onslow County. Per her death certificate, she was born 26 December 1861 in Onslow County to Louis Mills and Manervie Dove and was the widow of Louis H. Canady.

In the 1880 census of Richlands township, Onslow County, Nancy Henderson Dove Mills’ descendants lived in a cluster around her. In household #375, eldest son Durant Dove, 75; wife Rosanna, 35; and children Phillis, 19, Elizabeth, 17, Jonas, 3, James W., 1, and George R.H., 1 month. In #376, Nancy Henderson, 90, knitting, and daughter Gatsey Dove, 60. In #377, Lewis Mills, 47; wife Mernervia, 55; [her] daughter Elisa Henderson, 21; their children Caroline, 18, Edward F., 17, Lucy, 15, and Hastenquickly, 14; plus Eliza’s son David J. Henderson, 3. In #378, Durant Dove’s son Lewis Dove, 46; wife Polly A., 35; and son George Savage, 9.

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Births Deaths Marriages, North Carolina, Paternal Kin

Taylor applies for Battle-Cannon marriage license.

I happened upon the 10 September 1938 marriage license for Arthur Lee Battle, 21, and Dorothy Cannon, 18, in Wilson. My grandfather Roderick “Mike” Taylor applied for the license. What was his relationship to the couple? Was Arthur Battle, whose parents were William and Nora Battle, related to Taylor, whose maternal grandmother was Cherry Battle Barnes?

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