Resources and Records
Newspapers (1918):
Durham Morning Herald, November 16, 1918: Original / Transcription
Durham Morning Herald, November 8, 1918: Original / Transcription
Greensboro Daily, November 9, 1918: Original / Transcription
News & Observer, November 7, 1918: Original / Transcription
News & Observer, November 10, 1918: Original / Transcription
News & Observer, November 22, 1918: Original / Transcription
"Our Past, History of Greater Rolesville Area" Eloise Averette Freeman February 1976 (Page 77 - 1913 Rolesville Fire, WWI Veterans return after Armistice November 11, 1918, and influenza seized many in Rolesville 1917-1918 with widespread suffering. Then Women's Suffrage 1920 page 78. No mention of George Taylor.)
ARTICLES TO BE TRANSCRIBED Link
Records:
December 15, 1906 Marriage License George Taylor and Georgeannia Royster from Rolesville, in the Wake Forest Township. Witnesses Debnam's of Wake Forest and the "Justic of the Peace" is Dr. Young.
December 13-15, 1906 Wake County Marriage Register - Colored Males - George and Georgeanna Taylor
December 13-15, 1906 Wake County Marriage Register - Colored Females - George and Georgeanna Taylor
1910 Census indicates that George and Georgiana have two children Lillia R. (2 years) and Chester (11/12 months).
1917 Draft Card George Taylor's Youngsville, NC (ancestory.com)
1917 Draft Card George Taylor Westfield, NC (Stokes County) Page 1, Page 2 (ancestory.com)
May 4, 1918 Taylor Township, Wilson, NC - George Taylor (George Taylor was stopped by police for stealing a chicken. He begged for leniency, and when he tried to escape he was shot and later died from wounds. Scroll to the bottom of the record)
August 1918 Roger's Property Map
October-November 1918 Description of Ruby Rogers attacker. Written on Executive Mansion envelope which seems like it might have been written by Solicitor Norris after the lynching. Enlarged, Pic 2 (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
October 30, 1918 Wake County Commissioners - $200 Reward for the arrest and conviction for person making the assault on Mrs. L. S. Rogers.
October 1918 - No death certificate for George Taylor in Wake County in 1918. Link
November 17, 1918 Governor's letter for troops for Winston Salem. Transportation at expense of the State. LINK (Two weeks after George Taylor was lynched the governor sent a letter to the commanding officer of Camp Polk, Raleigh to send troops to Winston Salem to prevent "mob violence.") (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
November 18, 1918 (10 am) Telegram to Commander Camp Greene, Charlotte requesting troops be sent to Winston Salem. (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
November 18, 1918 (12:20 pm) Telegram to Gov. Bickett - from the National Advancement of Colored People commends the governor's handling of Winston Salem. (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
November 19, 1918 Governor letter to Hon. Robt. N. Gorrell, Mayor Winston Salem to congratulate the "law was upheld" .... "It is to be earnestly hoped that all the people of the State will learn from this tragedy that safety for the innocent can only be observed by the strict observance of the law."(NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
November 19, 1918 Governor T W Bickett sends Western Telegram to Commander Camp Green, Charlotte expressing appreciation for sending troops to Winston Salem. (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
November 22, 1918 Governor commissions Judge B. F. Long (Statesville, NC) to hold a special term of court in Surry County to try the persons participating in the mob and recent rioting. "It will not require more than a week, if that long, I take it, to dispose of these cases." (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
November 23, 1918 Governor responds to Mr. H. E. Lindsay, Columbia, SC representing citizens protesting the mob violence in Winston Salem. The Governor's Private Secretary responds that governor "deplores" mob (in Winston Salem) and "scores" involved are in prison. Page 1, Page 2 (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
December 2, 1918 - Western Telegram from African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Bishop Clinton sends to the Governor commending prompt and courageous action to quell mob violence and possible lynching in Winston Salem. "OLD NORTHS STATE ...SPLENDID EXAMPLE TO SISTER STATES...EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO THE RECENT APPEAL OF PRESIDENT WILSON AGAINST MOB VIOLENCE." (NC Archives - Gov. Collection)
April 3, 1963 Leonidas S. Rogers Death Certificate (copy of original) About Leonidas Samuel Rogers (book page)
May 11, 1965 Ruby Rogers Death Certificate - Cause of death is cerebral thrombosis - possible connection to psychotic episodes. (copy of original)
Oral Histories:
Interview with Mary Perry (recording winter 2018)
Interview with Rev Walker, ....... (January 21, 2020)
Other Sources:
DuBois, W.E.B., "Returning Soldiers," May 1919 Doc
The Red Record (website)
Lynching in America (website)
Strange Fruit and Spanish Moss (website)
Lynching of George Taylor (Wikipedia by Raleigh Charter)
Taylor Family in Wilson, NC (Is there a connection?)
Publications of Research
The Wake Forest Weekly, The Rolesville Weekly, The Franklin Weekly, July 19, 2018 (newspaper article)
Truth and Reconciliation Committee, September 6th Notes (google doc)
Truth and Reconciliation Committee, October 2018 Notes (google doc)
October 16, Wake County School Board Presentation - Hannah Wilson (Exploris), Yancey Greer (Middle Creek), and Abby Rogers (Middle Creek)
Exploris 8th Grader, Minnah Gaballah, "Remembers Wake's Only Documented Lynching," News & Observer, October 26, 2018
January 29, 2019 N&O "How many African Americans were lynched in NC?"
Feb. 1. 2019: The Guilfordian "Truth, reconciliation through engagement."
Dec. 10, 2019, NC Catholics "Feel, imagine, do and share: Four steps propel local students to the Vatican"
June 9, 2021, Wake County Community Remembrance - Presentation Recording and Slideshow.
Special Thanks:
Terry Marcellin-Little, an amazing historian at the Little House Museum & Gallery - Rolesville, NC.
Earl Ijames - NC History Museum - African American Collection Curator Email
Also we give great credit to Mr. Joseph Holt, Jr. one of Raleigh's civil rights pioneers. He has given us important guidance as we try to understand the context of lynchings in the south. We cannot thank him enough for his kind patience with our ignorance.