Wilson Carey
Wilson Carey | |
|---|---|
.png) Wilson Carey (Circa 1889) | |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives | |
| In office 1868–1870 | |
| In office 1874–1880 | |
| In office 1889–1889 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1830s Amelia County, Virginia |
| Political party | Republican |
Wilson Carey (b. 1830s) was a farmer and Reconstruction era politician in North Carolina serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives.[1]
Biography[edit]
Carey was born in the 1830s (with different sources giving 1830, August 1, 1831 or 1834/5) in Amelia County, Virginia and was educated in Richmond before moving to North Carolina in 1855.[2][1] He married Frances Kimbrough in 1857 and together they had 15 children, but only 8 survived to adulthood.[2]
He was a representative for Caswell County in both the 1868 and 1875 constitutional conventions.[1] In the first of these he spoke against the proposal to increase white immigration saying: "The Negro planted this wilderness, built up the State to where it was; therefore, if anything was to be given, the Negro was entitled to it".[3]
He was originally a farmer, served as a magistrate and county commissioner.[4][1] In 1869 he was North Carolinas first black postmaster, but served for just three months resigning probably to avoid issues with being a representative and postmaster at the same time.[2]
Carey was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1868 serving until 1870.[1]
It was claimed governor William Woods Holden that after the murder of John W. Stephens that Carey was driven from the county, however the following day Carey had written to Holden with no mention of such an event.[5] He was also elected in 1870 to serve in the North Carolina Senate for the 24th district in the next session,[6] but did not take his seat.[1] New elections were called at the start or 1971 due to the "military occupation by Kirk's thieves", in reference to George Washington Kirk and the Kirk–Holden war, and the seat went to Livingston Brown.[7][8]
He served again in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1874 until 1880 winning re-election in 1876 and 1878, and finally was elected for a final term in 1889.[2][1]
Carey moved to Washington, D.C. sometime before 1900 with his family where he lived at least until 1905.[2]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g Foner, Eric (1 August 1996). Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction. LSU Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-8071-2082-8. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
- ^ a b c d e Justesen, Benjamin R. "Wilson Carey (1831-1905?)". North Carolina History Project. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Constitutional Convention, 1868: "Black Caucus" | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ Logan, Frenise A. (1984). "Black and Republican: Vicissitudes of a Minority Twice Over in the North Carolina House of Representatives, 1876-1877". The North Carolina Historical Review. 61 (3): 344. ISSN 0029-2494. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Holden on Stephens". The Daily Journal. 3 June 1870. p. 1. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "N. C. Legislature - Senate - Members Elect". The Eagle. 8 September 1870. p. 3. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Paylor - Elected to the House of Representatives". The Southern Home. 3 January 1871. p. 3. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "More Burning". The Weekly Sentinel. 10 January 1871. p. 4. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
