Johnston County NC

Slave Narrative of Frank Freeman

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Frank Freeman Location: 216 Tuppers Lane, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: December 14, 1857 Place of Birth: Wake County NC Age: 76 I was born near Rolesville in Wake County Christmas Eve, 24 of December 1857. I am 76 years old. My name is Frank Freeman and my wife’s name is Mary Freeman. She is 78 years old. We live at 216 Tuppers Lane, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. I belonged to ole man Jim Wiggins jus’ this side o’ Roseville, fourteen miles from Raleigh. The great house is standin’ there now, and … Read more

Paul Underhill

1st Class Foreman (Navy;) of Johnston County; son of J. A. and Mrs. Annie Underhill. Husband of Mrs. Victoria Underhill. Entered service Oct. 25, 1917, at Norfolk, Va. Was sent immediately on board U. S. S. Kaguema. Made one trip across on U. S. S. Palmer, then came back, laid submarine cable from coast of Maine to Key West, Fla. Released from ship and sent to Naval Opr. Base. Mustered out at Hampton Roads, Va., March 8, 1919.

Leon C. Raper

Private 1st Class, Q. M. C., 13th Inf. Born in Johnston County; son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Raper; husband of Mrs. Ida Raper. Entered service Aug. 19, 1914, at Kenly, N.C. Sent to Columbus, Ohio, from there to Paris Island, S. C., from there to Presidio, Cal. Mustered out at Presidio, Cal., March 9, 1919. Was in the Philippines for 33 months.

Harvey C. Stanley

Sergt. 1st Class, Inf., Co. C, 30th Div., 119th Regt. Born in Johnston County; son of O. J. and Mrs. Betty Stanley. Entered service May 22, 1917, at Four Oaks, N.C. Sent to Camp Royster, N.C. Transferred to Camp Wadsworth and from there to Camp Sevier. Promoted to rank of Corpl. July, 1917. Promoted to rank of 1st Sergt. 1918. Mustered out at Camp Sevier, S. C., March 14, 1919.

Joseph B. Turley

Q. M. C., 3rd Class, Navy. Born in Johnston County Sept. 13, 1896; son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Turley. Husband of Mrs. Duba Ellis Turley. Entered the service at Clayton, N.C., Jan. 9, 1918, and sent to Norfolk, Va. Promoted to rank of Q. M. C., 3rd Class, 1918. Served on U. S. S. Raleigh. Mustered out of the service at Key West, Fla., Jan. 14, 1919.

George Ross Pou

Yeoman 2nd Class (Naval), Co. K. Born in Johnston County Dec. 19, 1894; son of Edward W. and Carrie I. Pou; husband of Lillian Sanders Pou. Entered service Sept. 3, 1917, at Washington, D. C. Transferred to Hoboken. Sailed for France Oct. 3, 1917. Returned to USA March 18, 1918. Attached to Air Service as Expert Rifleman. Mustered out at Hampton Roads, Va., Dec. 10, 1918.

Kader C. Woodard

Private, F. A., Replacement Co. Born in Johnston County; son of E. and Mrs. Nellie Woodard. Entered service at Selma, N.C., June 26, 1918. Was sent to Camp Jackson. Mustered out at Camp Jackson Dec. 16, 1918.

Edgar T. Beddingfield

Sergt. 1st Class, Med. Corps, Base Hosp. No. 65. Son of A. T. and Bettie S. Beddingfield of Johnston County. Entered service April 23, 1918, at Clayton, N.C. Sent to Ft. McPherson, Ga. Transferred to Camp Upton, N. Y. Sailed for France Aug. 15, 1918. Promoted to Sergt. 1st Class Sept. 1, 1918. Returned to USA July 13, 1919. Mustered out July 23, 1919, at Mitchell Field.

C. L. Dickerson

Sergt., Inf., Co. C, 30th Div., 119th Inf. Regt.; of Johnston County; son of O. P. and Mrs. Charlotte Dickerson. Entered service June 19, 1916, at Selma, N.C. Mustered in Federal service July 25, 1917. Sent to Camp Glenn, N.C. Transferred to Camp Stewart, Texas, then to Camp Mills, N. Y. Guard duty at Goldsboro, N.C. Sailed for France May 24, 1918. Fought at Hindenburg drive Sept. 29, 1918, to Oct. 18, 1918. Gassed near Ribberville, France Oct. 17, 1918. Sent to Base Hospital No. 2, Ames Rovere, France. Landed in USA June 14, 1919, at Newport News, Va. Mustered … Read more

L. D. Creech

Seaman, 2nd Class, U. S. N. R. F.; son of W. P. and Selina V. Creech; of Johnston County. Entered service June 1, 1918, at Richmond, Va. Sent to Camp St. Helena, Va., transferred to Opr. Base, Va., then to U. S. S. “Virginia.” Patrol the coast from Norfolk, Va., to Boston, Mass.

Preston Woodard

Private, Co. D, 119th Inf., 30th Div. Born in Johnston County; son of E. and Mrs. Nellie Woodard. Entered service Oct. 6, 1917, at Pine Level, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson, from there to Camp Sevier, transferred to Camp Merritt. Went to France May 20, 1918. Fought in all engagements until killed Oct. 10, 1918, with 119th Inf. Buried in France.

Ernest S. Pierce

Corpl., 9th Btry, A. A. C. Born in Johnston County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Pierce. Entered the service July 23, 1917, at Raleigh, N.C. Was sent to Ft. Caswell, N.C., and sailed for France July 14, 1918. Fought at Toul Sector, St. Mihiel. Returned to USA March 7, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., March 24, 1919.

Paul Johnson

Wagoner, Co. B, 5th Div., 7th Engineers. Born in Johnston County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Johnson. Husband of Mrs. Pearl Johnson. Entered the service May 25, 1917, at Benson, N.C. Was sent to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, from there to Camp Merritt. Sailed for France Jan., 1918. Fought at St. Mihiel, Argonne and St. Die. Was in the Army of Occupation from Nov., 1918, to July 9, 1919. Returned to USA July 29, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., Aug. 5, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Barbara Haywood

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Barbara Haywood Location: 1111 Mark Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 85 Aunt Barbara’s Love Story An interview with Barbara Haywood, 85 years old. Address 1111 Mark Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. Anything dat I tells you will near ’bout all be ’bout Frank Haywood, my husban’. I wus borned on de John Walton place seben miles southeast of Raleigh. My father, Handy Sturdivant, belonged to somebody in Johnston County but mother an’ her chilluns ‘longed ter Marse John Walton. Marse John had a corn shuckin’ onct an’ at dat corn shuckin’ I fust saw Frank. … Read more

Robert M. O’Neal

Private 1st Class, Inf., Co. A, 4th Div., 47th Regt. Born in Johnston County; son of J. W. and Mrs. Mary Louzetta O’Neal. Entered service April 2, 1918, at Selma. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Mills, N. Y. Left for France May 17, 1918. Fought at St. Mihiel, Argonne, Metz, Verdun offensive, Chateau Thierry. Returned to USA, Newport News., Va., March, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Jackson, S. C., May 1, 1919.

Norwood D. Barbour

Mess Sergt., Co. K, Inf., 30th Div., 119th Reg.; son of Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Barbour of Johnston County. Husband of Mrs. Florence (Batts) Barbour. Entered service June 21, 1916, at Clayton, N.C. sent to Camp Greene, N.C. Transferred to Camp Royster, N.C.; then to Camp Sevier, S. C. Sailed for France May 12, 1918. Promoted to Corpl, 1916; 1st Sergt. Oct., 1916; Mess Sergt. Dec., 1916. Fought in all engagements 119th Inf. On Mexican border 8 months. Railroad guard duty at Weldon, N.C., 3 months. Was at Camp Greene, N.C., 1 month. Returned to USA April 3, 1919. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Cornelia Andrews

Interviewer: Mary A. HicksPerson Interviewed: Cornelia AndrewsDate of Interview: May 21, 1937Location: Smithfield, North CarolinaAge: 87 An interview on May 21, 1937, with Cornelia Andrews of Smithfield, Johnston County, who is 87 years old. De fust marster dat I ‘members wuz Mr. Cute Williams an’ he wuz a good marster, but me an’ my mammy an’ some of de rest of ’em wuz sold to Doctor McKay Vaden who wuz not good ter us. Doctor Vaden owned a good-sized plantation, but he had just eight slaves. We had plank houses, but we ain’t had much food an’ clothes. We wored … Read more

Slave Narrative of George W. Harris

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: George W. Harris Location: 604 E Cabarrus Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: November 25, 1855 Age: 82 Hey, don’t go ‘roun’ dat post gitting it ‘tween you and me, it’s bad luck. Don’t you know it’s bad luck? Don’t want no more bad luck den what I’se already got. My name is George Harris. I wuz born November 25, 82 years ago. I have been living in the City of Raleigh onto 52 years. I belonged to John Andrews. He died about de time I wuz born. His wife Betsy wuz my … Read more

James A. Johnson

Private, Inf., Co. C, 30th Div., 119th Regt.; of Johnston County; son of P. P. and Betty Johnson. Entered service June 26, 1916, at Selma. Sent to Camp Sevier. Transferred to Camp Merritt. Sailed for France May 11, 1918. Fought at Ypres, Meuse-Argonne, St. Quentin, Cambrai. Arrived in USA April 2, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Jackson, April 9, 1919.

Alfred J. Parker

U. S. Naval Aviator, Naval Aviation Reserve. Born in Johnston County; son of Dr. G. E. Parker and Mrs. Alice Parker. Entered service June 28, 1917, at Richmond, Va. Sent to Camp Pensacola, Aviation School. Transferred to Camp Hoboken. Sailed for France October, 1917. Fought at Brest and Ile Tudy. Did observation and patrol work, also at Hdqrs. in Paris. Returred to USA Nov. 20, 1918. Mustered out at Hampton Roads June 24, 1919.