Wake County NC

Slave Narrative of Adeline Crump

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Adeline Crump Location: 526 Cannon Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 73 My name is Adeline Crump, and I am 73 years old. My husband’s name wus James Crump. My mother’s wus Marie Cotton and my father’s name wus Cotton. My mother belonged to the Faucetts; Rich Faucett wus her marster. Father belonged to the Cottons; Wright Cotton wus his marster. My maiden name wus Cotton. Mother and father said they were treated all right and that they loved their white folks. They gave them patches, clothed them tolerably well, and seed that they got … Read more

H. L. Naylor

Sergt., Med. Corps, Base Hospital No. 51; of Wake County; son of O. L. and Mrs. Katherine Naylor. Husband of Mrs. Sidneth (Earl) Naylor. Entered service July 25, 1917, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Ft. Monroe, Va. Transferred to Camp Wheeler, Ga., then to Camp Upton. Sailed for France Aug. 8, 1918. Promoted to rank of Sergt. Feb. 4, 1918. Returned to USA Sept. 28, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Dix, N. J., Oct. 2, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Hannah Crasson

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Hannah Crasson Location: North Carolina Location of Birth: Wake County NC Age: 84 My name is Hannah Crasson. I wuz born on John William Walton’s plantation 4 miles from Garner and 13 miles from Raleigh, N. C. in the County of Wake. I am 84 years ole the 2nd day uv dis las’ gone March. I belonged to Mr. John William Walton in slavery time. My missus wuz named Miss Martha. My father wuz named Frank Walton. My mother wuz named Flora Walton. Grandma wuz 104 years when she died. She died down at … Read more

Truman G. Williams

Private 1st Class, Med. Corps, Co. Base Hospital No. 65; of Wake County; son of L. D. and Mrs. Alice Williams. Entered service March 1, 1918, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Ft. McPherson. Sailed for France Sept. 15, 1918. Returned to USA May 29, 1919, at New York. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June 21, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Margaret E. Dickens

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Margaret E. Dickens Location: Raleigh, North Carolina (1115 E. Lenoir St.) Date of Birth: June 5th, 1861 My name is Margaret E. Dickens and I was born on the 5th of June 1861. My mother wuz free born; her name wuz Mary Ann Hews, but my mother wuz colored. I don’t remember anything about Marster and Missus. My father was named Henry Byrd. Here is some of father’s writing. My mother’s father was dark. He had no protection. If he did any work for a white man and the white man didn’t like it, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Viney Baker

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Viney Baker Location: S. Harrington Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 78 An interview with Viney Baker 78 of S. Harrington Street, Raleigh. My mammy wuz Hannah Murry an’ so fur as I know I ain’t got no father, do’ I reckon dat he wuz de plantation stock nigger. I wuz borned in Virginia as yo’ mought say ter my marster Mr. S. L. Allen. We moved when I wuz little ter Durham County whar we fared bad. We ain’t had nothin’ much ter eat an’ ter w’ar. He had a hundert slaves an’ I … Read more

Earl O. Hodge

Seaman, 1st Class, U. S. N.; from the County of Wake, N.C.; the son of J. W. and Margaret Hodge. Entered the service at Raleigh, N.C., June 9, 1918. Sent to Norfolk, Va. Transferred to U. S. S. “Powhatan,” a transport ship and then to receiving ship at Hampton Roads, Va. Made 10 trips across on transport duty. Mustered out of the service at Hampton Roads, Va., Sept. 10, 1919.

Curtis W. Stephenson

Wagoner, 120th Inf., Supply Co., 30th Div. Born in Wake County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Stephenson. Entered the service June 19, 1916, at Durham, N.C. Was sent to Camp Bickett and from there to Camp Sevier, S. C. Transferred to Camp Merritt, N. J., and sailed for France May 12, 1918. Fought at Ypres, Hindenburg Line, Bellicourt, Nauroy, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 1918, Premont. Returned to the USA April 11, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Jackson, S. C., April 18, 1919. Served on the Mexican border for six months. Additional battles in which he fought … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charlie H. Hunter

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Charlie H. Hunter Location: 2213 Barker Street, West Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: May, 1857 Place of Birth: Wake County NC Age: 80 My full name is Charlie H. Hunter. I wus borned an’ reared in Wake County, N. C., born May, 1857. My mother wus Rosa Hunter an’ my father wus named Jones. I never saw my father. We belonged to a family named Jones first, an’ then we wus sold to a slave owner seven miles Northwest by the name Joe Hayes an’ a terrible man he wus. He would get … Read more

R. T. Thompson

Seaman, U. S. Navy; of Wake County; born Aug. 13, 1896; son of T. L. and Mrs. Margaret R. Thompson. Entered service June 1, 1918, at Wake Forest, N.C. Sent to St. Helena, Va., then to U. S. S. Kiowa, seven months; on U. S. S. Kroonland five months. Was in Army at Ft. Oglethorpe three months. Enlisted in Army May 3, 1917. Made seven trips across Atlantic. Mustered out at Newport News, Va., July 1, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Bill Crump

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Bill Crump Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 82 I reckon dat I wus borned in Davidson County on de plantation of Mr. Whitman Smith, my mammy’s marster. My daddy wus named Tom an’ he ‘longed ter Mr. Ben Murry fust an’ later ter Mr. Jimmy Crump. Daddy wus named atter his young marster. Dey lived in Randolph, de county next ter Davidson whar me mammy an’ de rest of de chilluns, Alt, George, Harriet, Sarah, Mary an’ de baby libed. Both of de marsters wus good ter us, an’ dar wus plenty ter eat … Read more

Ellis A. Scarboro

Corpl., Co. C, 30th Div., 115th M. G.; of Wake County; son of G. A. and Mrs. G. A. Scarboro. Entered service April 9, 1917, at Wendell, N.C. Sent to Camp Sevier, transferred to Camp Merritt. Sailed for France May 8, 1918. Fought in all engagements with 115th M. G. Returned to USA April 2, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Jackson April 9, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Emma Blalock

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Emma Blalock Location: 529 Bannon Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 88 I shore do ‘member de Yankees wid dere blue uniforms wid brass buttons on ’em. I wus too small to work any but I played in de yard wid my oldes’ sister, Katie. She is dead long ago. My mother belonged to ole man John Griffith an’ I belonged to him. His plantation wus down here at Auburn in Wake County. My father wus named Edmund Rand. He belonged to Mr. Nat Rand. He lived in Auburn. De plantations wus not fur apart. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Willis Cozart

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Willis Cozart Date of Interview: May 12, 1937 Location: Zebulon, North Carolina Place of Birth: Pearson County NC Date of Birth: June 11, 1845 Age: 92 An Interview by Mary A. Hicks with Willis Cozart of Zebulon, (Wake Co. N. C.) Age 92. May 12, 1937. No mam, Mistress, I doan want ter ride in no automobile, thank you, I’se done walked these three miles frum Zebulon an’ walkin’ is what has kept me goin’ all dese years. Yes’m I’se a bachelor an’ I wuz borned on June 11, 1845 in Person County. My … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Barbour

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Mary Barbour Location: 801 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Place of Birth: McDowell County NC Age: 81 Ex-Slave Story An interview with Mary Barbour 81 of 801 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, N. C. I reckon dat I wuz borned in McDowell County, case dat’s whar my mammy, Edith, lived. She ‘longed ter Mr. Jefferson Mitchel dar, an’ my pappy ‘longed ter er Mr. Jordan in Avery County, so he said. ‘Fore de war, I doan know nothin’ much ‘cept dat we lived on a big plantation an’ dat my mammy wucked hard, but … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alonzo Haywood

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Alonzo Haywood Location: 1217 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 67 Occupation: Blacksmith The Blacksmith An interview with Alonzo Haywood, 67 years old of 1217 Oberlin Road. On East Cabarrus Street is a blacksmith shop which is a survival of horse and buggy days, and the smiling blacksmith, a Negro, although he has hazel eyes, recounts the story of his father’s life and his own. My father was Willis Haywood and in slavery days he belonged to Mr. William R. Pool. Mr. Pool liked father because he was quick and obedient so he determined … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Anderson

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Mary Anderson Location: 17 Poole Road, R.F.D. #2, Raleigh, North Carolina Place of Birth: Wake County NC Date of Birth: May 10, 1851 Age: 86 My name is Mary Anderson. I was born on a plantation near Franklinton, Wake County, N. C. May 10, 1851. I was a slave belonging to Sam Brodie, who owned the plantation at this place. My missus’ name was Evaline. My father was Alfred Brodie and my mother was Bertha Brodie. We had good food, plenty of warm homemade clothes and comfortable houses. The slave houses were called the … Read more

Frank H. Kaylor

Private, Motor Transport, S. A. T. C. Born in Wake County June 30, 1897; the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Kaylor. Entered the service Sept., 1918, at Raleigh, N.C. Was sent to Charlottesville, Va., and mustered out from there Dec. 18, 1918.

Slave Narrative of Charles W. Dickens

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Charles W. Dickens Location: Raleigh, North Carolina (1115 East Lenoir Street) My name is Charles W. Dickens. I lives at 1115 East Lenoir Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, Wake County. I wuz born August 16, 1861, de year de war started. My mother wuz named Ferebee Dickens. My father wuz named John Dickens. I had nine sisters and brothers. My brothers were named Allen, Douglas, my name [HW: question mark above “my name”], Jake, Johnnie and Jonas. The girls Katie, Matilda Francis, and Emily Dickens. My grandmother wuz named Charity Dickens. My grandfather wuz Dudley … Read more

Frederick Cain Manning

2nd Lt. Trench Mortar, 4th Battln. Born in Wake County Oct. 19, 1894; son of James S. and Mrs. Lula Cain Manning. Entered service April, 1917, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Fortress Monroe, January, 1918. Transferred to Camp Eustus, July, 1918; from there to Camp Newport News, Oct. 7, 1918. Sailed for France and landed Oct. 20, 1918. Sent to Naval Base Hospital No. 1, Oct. 20, 1918. Died in hospital October 24th, from influenza-pneumonia. Buried at Lembecelle Cemetery. Later remains removed and buried at Raleigh, July 25, 1920.