Wake County, NC - James Henderson Claude Council ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ James Henderson Claude Council born 18 May 1858 in Apex, Chatham County North Carolina, first born son of Matthew Addison Council and Lousetta Upchurch. He is referred to mostly as J.H. Council. I found his death certificate and his name was listed as James Henderson Claude Council. His parents married in the Mt Pisgah Baptist Church, 28 Aug 1855 . The Rev Johnson was the minister who married them, a joyous day. Matthew was but 20 years old. The marriage was a good one, Lousetta’s father Simms Upchurch was an elder in the Church. Matthew’s brother Albert Carberry Council married Lousetta’s younger sister in 1856. This was a really close family. Matthew was doing well on his farm, he raised horses and had some crops. He had a total of 168 acres and dreamed of adding more land. So this was the family that James Henderson Claude Council was brought into. In 1860 Lousetta had another son Fenner Council. But these were not good times with the War coming. James did not really get to know his father. He was but four years old when his father marched off into war. Who could say what he remembered of him. His brother Fenner more than likely died as an infant as there was never any other mention of him. During the War people were frightened, they were poor and families were ripped apart. This had to have some sort of influence on him. He learned from his mother that his father was dead. Matthew died of wounds and disease December 14, 1862. he was a POW of the Union Army. His whole world turned upside down. What were they to do. His mother takes up with another confederate soldier, George Sanford Williams in 1864 becomes pregnant and is excommunicated from the Church. Lots of stress and no one to talk to as he was the only child. When you are excommunicated from a church, no one talks to you. Simms Upchurch, Lousetta’s father and an elder in the church managed her land, but I can only imagine how disappointed and embarrassed he was. Well after the war ended George Sanford Williams married Lousetta Upchurch Council 2 Jan 1865. He than became James Henderson’s step father. I am not sure how well that went, but upon being in contact will the Williams Family decedents, I am told that James left home at about 17 and never returned and never again spoke to his mother or attended any family events. So that sounds like there was some hard feelings. Part of the hard feelings could be the property that was held in trust for James, a legacy left from his father. After the war there was no money and everyone was in debt. George Sanford Williams was not exception. Creditors were petitioning the court for suit against those that owed them money. George borrowed heavily on Matthew’s property. It went to Court and 2/3 of the property was sold to pay debts. James was named in the suit (even though he was a minor) because the property was left to him as a legacy. George Sanford acted in his behalf because he was his stepfather. James was 14 or 15 and he I am sure felt that the property was taken from him unfairly. James married Lecy Ann Mills 14 December 1876 at the home of Lecy Ann’s father John Addison Mills and her mother Diza “Holloman” Mills in White Oak Township, Wake County North Carolina. Lecy Ann was born 13 Feb 1857. James and lecy made their first home in White Oak Township. They had a total of 10 children. James was a farmer and farmed mostly tobacco. He also did some carpentry work. He stayed in Wake County, moving only to Neuse Township over by the river later in life. Neuse kind of grew into Raleigh. Their children were; Lessie Council born 1878 in White Oak Township. Lessie died sometime between 1880 1881 as she disappeared from all census. When I did locate her in the actual 1880 census it reported her as dead. Viola Council born 27 October 1879. Viola married at 15 to a William P. Carroll and had about 13 kids. She died in Walden Grove 15 Oct 1967 and is buried in Raleigh, North Carolina. William P. Carroll was 28 years old when he married Viola and Viola being 15 needed her father’s permission which she received on her marriage license. They were married 27 October 1894 in Wake County, Neuse Township. They moved to Wake Forest and all in the family worked at a Cotton Mill, eventually William P. Carroll became foreman of the Cotton Mill where they worked. Viola was present in Nov 1930 at her father’s funeral as living in Wake Forest. I found William P. Carroll’s parents and him in a census in 1870 (William was born in 1867) they were in Buckhorn Township, Wake County, North Carolina. William’s father was a farmer, Willie J. Carroll born in 1840. In 1880 I find William at 14 living in Swift Creek very near James Henderson Council and family, Viola was only one year old and William was 14. Makes you wonder did James Henderson and Lecy Council know the Carroll family? It was such a small world than. Arthur Joseph Council was born 14 March 1883 in White Oak Township. Arthur was injured as a boy and became deaf. He attended a school for deaf, blind and mentally handicapped in Raleigh, but than transferred to Morganton School for the Deaf in Burke County. There he met my grandmother Ella May Cooke, who was born deaf. They were married Aug 1909. Arthur died 28 Sept 1974 in Washington DC. He worked on the farm helping his father and from time to time attended school. I do not think he enjoyed farming much, perhaps that is why he moved to Washington DC. He was not born deaf, but rather became so. He remembered words and my sister Joy actually remembers him singing “Rock A By Baby”. She wrote him a note and asked how can you sing “Rock A By Baby”? He responded by saying he remembered his mother singing it to him. He could speak that if you listened carefully you could understand him. Audrey E. Council was born Oct 1885 in White Oak Township and married a William H. Baucom, he was born 1896 in North Carolina. They moved to Washington DC sometime after 1910. Their first two children were born in North Carolina, William R. Baucom and Mary Bausom. William Sr. was a carpenter and he too worked for Kennedy Brothers as our Grandfather and Hugh did. Looks like we come from a family of carpenters. The last two children James Baucom and Audrey E. Baucom were born in Washington DC. I lost track of Audrey and her family after 1930. They were married about 1902 in North Carolina. Miriam May Council was born 28 December 1888 in White Oak Township. She married a William Hickman Allen. She died 5 July 1961. She and Lucy “Council” Allen were very close most of the time living next door to one another. William Hickman Allen, better known as “Hickman” was born 4 June 1881 and died 1 March 1957 and both he and Miriam May are buried at the Mt. Olive Cemetery in North Carolina, as with several of their children, William Hickman Jr, born 25 Oct. 1911 and died Aug 1985 and Joseph Edward Allen born 15 March 1905 and died 22 Oct. 1989. Jessie E. Allen, a daughter born in 1918 and became Jessie Pope is there as well. A little more about Miriam and her family. Hickman was a farmer and a mail carrier in Neuse township. They were married in 1904. Hickman was 22 and Miriam was 16. Miriam worked too, she was a stenographer in the 1920 census. They had Florance and Edward in 1906 and I believe they were twins. They had Lucy Mae in 1916 and Jessie E., a daughter born in 1918, who I think married a (surname) Pope and is buried at the Olde Mount Vernon Church Cemetery North Carolina, it is off the Falls of the Neuse Road. It is a small white frame church that was out in the country when it was founded, but now surrounded by subdivisions. The Church is still active but not the original Mt. Vernon Church. The original Mt Vernon Church has moved to a new building on Falls of the Neuse Road but they have retained control of the cemetery and it is well cared for. Hugh Council was born Aug 1889. He served in World War One. I have a copy of his draft card. He married a Suzie ? I believe she was English. He and our Grandfather Arthur Council worked for Kennedy Brothers Carpentry Service. Hugh was a carpenter. Hugh died in California in the 1950’s. I think 1958, Sonoma County. Now that I know where to look I found Hugh in 1910 at Fort McPearson in Fulton, Georgia, he was 20 years old and in the infantry. Ralph N. Council was born 15 March 1887. It took a while but I did learn some things about Ralph. Before 1910 he joined the United States Army as I find him in 1910 at William McKinley Military Base in the Philippines, he is a private there and 23 years old. Than in 1920 at 32 years old, I find him at Camp Funston in Riley, Kansas. In 1930 he is in North Carolina, he is mentioned as being present at his father’s funeral as being from Washington DC. He died in March 1966 and is buried at Olde Mount Vernon Church Cemetery in North Carolina. He is buried next to his brother Swannie Noah Council, on Ralph’s headstone it says he was a First Sgt. In WW1. Lucy Ann Council was born July 6, 1895. She was pretty much the caretaker of James and Lecy Ann, her parents. She married Elvis Mortimer Allen, brother to William Hickman Allen. Lucy died Feb 1985 in Garner, North Carolina. Lucy Ann, her sister Miriam May and brothers Elvis Mortimer and William Hickman lived very close together in the census. The last census I was able to find them was 1930. Elvis Mortimer Allen died in 1972. Elvis Mortimer was a night watchman, I could not make out for who. Lucy was 14 when they married in 1906. They had Elvis M. Jr. in 1907 and Ralph in 1909 and Marie in 1913. In the 1920 census they were living next door to Hickman and Mariam. Swannie Noah Council was born 26 October 1892. Swannie married Iola Bell Thompson. They were divorced after a tragic accident. One of their children was sleeping in a cradle that was to close to the fire. The cradle caught on fire and killed the baby. Swannie could not save the baby and he lived with it guilt ridden until he went insane. Iola took the children and moved to Virginia. She never came back to North Carolina and Swannie died in a mental hospital 2 Jan 1974. I have recently made contact with a great granddaughter of Swannie’s. She has just moved back to Raleigh North Carolina. Swannie is buried at the Olde Mount Vernon Church Cemetery in North Carolina. I also found the son of Swannie and Iola Council, Swannie Noah Council Jr, he was born 3 Nov. 1915 and died 30 May 1991 in Chesapeake City, Va. In the census it says that two children died of Lecy Ann. I believe one to be Lessie and the other a miscarriage or a name I cannot find. I learned recently that James did own land in Wake County and have sent away for the Grant Deeds so that I may learn more about him. I will add that once I get the information. I do know he was a farmer all his life. They moved to Neuse Township and lived by the Indian Reservation. James died of a Heart Attack at 72, Nov. 12, 1930. Lecy Ann died two years later. They are buried at the Green Level Baptist Church very close to where I stayed in Morristown Township, North Carolina. It is really all part of Raleigh. Raleigh, North Carolina is huge. ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Theresa "Council" Longley - WPMOM2000@aol.com ______________________________________________________________________