George Henry Harrison, brick mason

Community

August 23, 2010

C. Rudolph Knight Historian Columnist The Daily Southerner Mon Aug 23, 2010, 12:30 PM EDT

TARBORO — Tarboro’s rich architectural heritage, displayed in the Historic District and elsewhere in town, reflects more than a century and a half of work by skilled craftsmen who lived in the community.

Many, perhaps a majority, of these craftsmen were black carpenters, house carpenters and brick masons.Without the work of these men, many of Tarboro’s impressive structures would not be here.

The best known was George Matthewson who built and lived in his house at 421 Church St. But Matthewson was not alone. Some of the other craftsmen who worked with him and carried on his legacy also deserve recognition.

Several black and mulatto men were listed as builders in the 1870 census. They were William Mitchell (age 40), Joseph Price (52) Buck Boyd (33), Locust Wright (65) Watson Hagans (34), Thomas Richardson (27), Robert Western (45) Henry C. Cherry (34) John C. Dancy (44), Farrer Prince (24), Anderson Dancy (45), David Jefferson (53), Noah Lloyd (37), all house carpenters or carpenters. At least some of these men were trained and worked as slaves before the Civil War.

Joseph Price, or another man with the same name, was listed as a free mulatto carpenter (age 50) in the 1860 census. Also listed as free black or mulatto brick masons in the 1860 census were David Harris (37), John Harrison (65) and George Matthewson (30).

Several of the descendents of these builders carried on the family trade into the 20th century and the Matthewson family produced black artisans in the county and town. George Harrison, a grandson and a direct descendant of Mariah Matthewson, sister to the five Matthewson sons of John H. Matthewson and Rachel Pender.

Each of the sons was taught masonry and carpentry by local artisans on the Norfleet Plantation, about two and one-half miles southwest of Tarboro, on what is now West Wilson Street. The daughter was trained as a seamstress.

Mariah, the only female sibling of the five Matthewson brothers had nine children: John, George, William, Julia, Allenia, Reva, Louise, Hayward and Mack. er grandson, George Henry Harrison (born Dec. 15, 1887), continued the family legacy in the building trades in the Tarboro area. He was taught brick masonry and carpentry by his uncles and great uncles, providing him with life and occupational skills.

George Henry Harrison mostly worked along side his great uncle George Matthewson and, also, worked for D. H. Harris, one of the builders noted above. Their major works included Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church, the old Town Hall, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul AME Zion Church and many residential structures throughout the Town of Tarboro, and, today, many of the houses in the 45-block historic district are evidence of their skills.

George Henry Harrison was first married to Mary Bradley (Sept. 11, 1889 - June 18, 1916), and to this union Mary Geneva was born. He later married Vernal Love, daughter of John Calvin Love and Mittie Kennebrew Love, both graduates of Clark University in Atlanta and later teachers at the Joseph Keasbey Brick Agricultural, Industrial and Normal School near Enfield. Their sons were George Leroy Harrison, Henry Milton Harrison, Alfred Wilbert Harrison, Albert Hubert Harrison, all of whom worked in the buildings trades from 1900 until their deaths in the late 1990s. George and Vernal’s daughters were Naomi, Vernon Dorthula, Irma, and Ruth. George Henry Harrison died in April 15, 1964.

C. Rudolph Knight is a Tarboro native, a retired community college educator and a research historian. Look for his monthly reports on Edgecombe County’s black history on the Community page.

Text Only

Community

Carver throws pep rally to inspire students for EOG testing
The multi-purpose room at G.W. Carver Elementary School was transformed into a rock concert for students last Friday as teachers and guests inspired the students to “Rock the EOGS”.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Tarboro’s Stewart graduates from The Citadel
Justin Lee Stewart of Tarboro, NC, graduated May 5, 2012, from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.
Stewart earned a bachelor's degree in history.

May 23, 2012
Missing beagle
Are you missing, or do you know someone who has a missing beagle?
If so, they may be under the watchful eye of Advocated for Edgecombe County Animals, an affiliate of the SPCA of North Carolina after his time ran out at the Edgecombe County Animal Shelter.

May 23, 2012
Students enjoy field trip to Washington, DC
Fifth grade students at G.W. Carver Elementary School enjoyed a field trip to Washington, D.C. April 5, made possible through a Target Field Trip Grant.
Forty-five students, along with eight parents and six staff members, left early that morning to enjoy an educational trip as they learned about various memorials and historical sites in the nation’s capitol. The group visited the Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, U.S. Capital building and the Pentagon.

May 23, 2012
G. W. Bulluck continues trike-a-thon tradition
Preschool students at G.W. Bulluck Elementary School enjoyed the annual Trike-A-Thon event Friday, April 27 and raised $3,227.04 for Relay for Life of Edgecombe County to be used for cancer research with the American Cancer Society.

May 23, 2012
Mayor proclaimins May as Mental Health Month
Tarboro Mayor Donald Morris signs a Proclamation proclaiming May as Mental Health Month. Standing beside him is Deborah Morton, program director at Vidant Behavioral Health Center.

May 23, 2012
JROTC Cadet Maj. Cierra Franklin wins DAR National Defense Committee ROTC medal
On May 18, the North Edgecombe High School awards assembly was held and Cadet Maj. Cierra Franklin was awarded the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) National Defense Committee ROTC Medal.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Edgecombe-Nash Retired School Personnel honor Bernice Britt
The Edgecombe-Nash Retired School Personnel met at the Double Tree Hotel in the Magnolia Room for the End-of-Year Banquet on May 10, 2012 at 11 AM.
President Laurette Lewis welcomed everyone. Kaithlyn Flythe, the guest soloist of Tarboro High School, entertained the members and guests with several musical selections: “Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” “Don’t You Want to Go?” and “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man.” Later, she sang “Redeemer,” “Like My Mother Does,” and “Testify.”

May 21, 2012 1 Photo
A thief at large
To the Editor:
A glorious day was marred by a pickpocket, stealing from an eldery lady enjoying the day at the Happening on the Common on Saturday.

May 21, 2012
Tar River Children’s Choir celebrates 20 years tonight
Who would believe a children's choir from our Rocky Mount area would give concerts in such places as the Washington DC’s National Cathedral, NYC's Riverside Church, Phildelphia's Church of the Holy Trinity, Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and Williamburg's Bruton Parish and that they would sing with symphony orchestras and symphonic band?

May 18, 2012
More Community Headlines

Community

Search Results

George Henry Harrison, brick mason

Site Map