Edgecombe County NC

Bert R. Blythe

Line Corpl., 321st Inf., Co. M, 81st Div.; of Edgecombe County; son of Frank and Mrs. Locklie Blythe. Entered service at Torboro, N.C., 1918. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Sevier, then to Camp Upton. Sailed for France. Fought at Vosges Front, Switzerland Border, Verdun Sector, Meuse-Argonne Drive. Gassed at Meuse-Argonne. Arrived in USA June, 1919, Newport News, Va. Glad to serve his country in time of need. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., July, 1919.

The Case of the State Vs. Will

One of the most remarkable cases ever tried in the North Carolina courts was the case of The State vs. Will. It was the most important case on the subject of slavery and fixed a slave’s right to defend himself against the cruel and unjust punishment of a master. It was decided at the December term, 1834, of the Supreme Court (State vs. Will, 1 Devereux and Battle, 121-172). The facts of the case are as follows: Will was the slave of Mr. James S. Battle, of Edgecombe County, and was placed under the direction of an overseer named Richard … Read more

Gaston L. Stallings

3rd Class Musician, 323rd Inf., Hdqrs. Co., 81st Div. Born in Edgecombe County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Stallings. Entered the service May 28, 1918, at Tarboro, N.C. Was sent to Camp Jackson, S. C., and from there to Camp Sevier, S. C. Sailed for France Aug. 16, 1918. Fought at Alsace-Lorraine, Meuse-Argonne defensives Nov. 3, 1918. Arrived in the USA June 14, 1919; landed at Newport News, Va. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June 26, 1919.

O. L. Gay

Sergt., Artly., Batry. D, 9th Regt.; of Edgecombe County; son of Fenner and Mrs. Laney Gay. Husband of Mrs. Debora Gay. Entered service Aug. 26, 1918, at Rocky Mt. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Hill, Va. Mustered out at Camp Hill, Va., Feb. 1, 1919.

Callie B. Braswell

Private, 1st class, Inf., Co. I, 81st Div., 321st Reg.; of Edgecombe County; son of J. L. and Margaret Braswell. Entered service May 29, 1918, at Rocky Mount, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Sevier, S. C., then to Camp Upton, N. Y. Sailed from Philadelphia, Pa., July 31, 1918. Landed in France. Promoted to 1st class Private Sept. 19, 1918. Fought at Meuse-Argonne and St. Die. Wounded at Meuse-Argonne Nov. 11, 1918, by shrapnel and machine gun. Sent to Base Hospital No. 114 at Bordeaux, France. Arrived in USA From St. Nazairre, France. Mustered out … Read more

Powell Joseph Bunn

1st Sergt., Machine Gun Co., 30th Div., 119th Reg.; of Edgecombe County; son of H. S. and Mrs. Luela Powell Bunn. Entered service May 7, 1917, at Camp Royster, Goldsboro, N.C. Transferred to Camp Sevier. Sailed for France May 11, 1918. Fought at Voormizelle, Ypres Salient, Bellicourt, Premont, Busigny, Montbrehein, St. Souplet, Mazinghein. Mustered out at Camp Jackson, April 7, 1919.

L. V. Hart

Sergt., Base Hospital No. 65; from Edgecombe County, N.C.; son of L. V. and Annie C. Hart. Husband of Lillian Laurratta Hart. Entered the service at Atlanta, Ga., March 3, 1918, and sent to Ft. McPherson, Ga., and then transferred to Camp Upton. Sailed for France Aug. 30, 1918. Returned to the USA Aug. 14, 1919, and mustered out of the service at Camp Lee, Va., Aug. 18, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Essex Henry

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Essex Henry Location: 713 S. East Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 83 Ex-Slave Story An interview with Essex Henry 83 of 713 S. East Street, Raleigh, N. C. I wus borned five miles north of Raleigh on de Wendell Road, 83 years ago. My mammy wus Nancy an’ my pappy wus Louis. I had one sister, Mary, an’ one bruder, Louis. We ‘longed ter Mr. Jake Mordecai, an’ we lived on his six hundert acres plantation ’bout a mile from Millbrook. Right atter de war he sold dis lan’ ter Doctor Miller an’ bought … Read more

William H. Campbell, Jr.

1st Class Private, Marines, Co. No. 67, 2nd Div., 5th Reg. Born in Edgecombe County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Campbell. Entered the service April 10, 1917, at Boston, Mass. Was sent to Paris Island, S. C. Sailed for France June 12, 1917. Fought at Verdun, Chateau Thierry, Mt. Blanc, St. Mihiel. Received shrapnel wound at Chateau Thierry June 6, 1918. Sent to Evac. Hosp. No. 27, at Coblenz, Germany. Was taken prisoner at Chateau Thierry, but escaped. Returned to USA Aug. 8, 1919. Seven months with Army of Occupation. Attacked by submarine going over on the … Read more

Eddie Ellis

Private, Engineers, Co. C, 30th Div., 105th Regt.; of Edgecombe County; son of Exom and Mrs. Mattie Ellis. Husband of Mrs. Bessie (Goff) Ellis. Entered service March 23, 1918, at Rocky Mount, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Sevier, S. C. Sailed for Calais, France, June 6, 1918. Was in all engagements of 105th Engineers. Arrived in USA from St. Nazaire, France April 14, 1919, at Charleston, S. C. Mustered out at Camp Jackson, S. C., April 22, 1919.

H. V. Modlin

Sergt. 1st Class, Q. M. C.; of Edgecombe County; son of D. E. and Mrs. Rosa A. Modlin. Husband of Mrs. Luna N. Modlin. Enlisted March 27, 1918, at Tarboro. Sent to Camp Lee. Served as Sergt. 1st Class in Q. M. C. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., March 20, 1919.

George L. Harell

Private, 1st Class, Artly., Btry. F, 317th F. Artly., 81st Div.; from Edgecombe County, N.C.; son of G. W. and Nannie Hick Harell. Entered the service at Tarboro, N.C., May 6, 1918. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C., and then to Hoboken, N. J. Sailed for France, Aug. 9, 1918. Returned to the USA June 8, 1919. Mustered out of the service at Camp Lee, Va., June 20, 1919.

George F. Tucker

Sergt., Med. Corps, 317th Amb. Co., 80th Div. Born in Edgecombe County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Tucker. Entered the service Aug. 6, 1917, at Whitakers, N.C. Was sent to Camp Lee, Va., Sept. 17, 1917. Sailed for France May 25, 1918. Fought at St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and in all other engagements of the 80th Div. Arrived in the USA May 30, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June 12, 1919.

F. J. Thomas

1st Class Electrician, U. S. N. Born in Edgecombe County Aug. 27, 1896; son of R. W. and Annie Thomas. Entered the service at Richmond, Va., May 7, 1917. Promoted to the rank of 1st Electrician in 1919. On the U. S. S. Bulgaria three months, then transferred to U. S. S. Antigone, transport service. Made 13 trips to France and was with U. S. S. President Lincoln when it was sunk. Mustered out of the service at Newport News, Va., April 30, 1919.

William J. Taylor

Corpl., 318th Inf., 80th Div., Co. A. Born in Edgecombe County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Taylor. Entered the service at Hopewell, Va., Oct. 8, 1917. Was sent to Camp Lee, Va. Sailed for Brest, France, June 29, 1918. Fought at Artois Sector, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne. Arrived in the USA May 27, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June 3, 1919.

B. G. Jackson

1st Class Private, 305th F. Artly., Hdqrs. Co., 77th Div. Born in Edgecombe County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Jackson. Entered the service May 29th, at Tarboro, N.C. Was sent to Camp Jackson and from there to Hoboken, N. J. Sailed for France July 21, 1918. Fought at Chateau-Thierry, Argonne Forest, Hindenburg Line, Meuse Sector. Was in all battles with his Company. Returned to USA April 29, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., May 8, 1919.

M. D. Bryant

C. M. 2nd class, Naval Aviation; of Edgecombe County; son of B. B. and Mrs. Susan Bryant. Entered service Dec. 15, 1917, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 20, 1917. Transferred to Philadelphia, Pa. Sailed to Pauillac, France, April 2, 1918. Did duty west coast in France eleven months. Arrived in USA March 6, 1919. Hoboken, N. J. Mustered out Air Service Station, Hampton Roads, Va., Aug. 11, 1919.