Annie Bailey Narron Annie Bailey Narron was born June 4, 1912, and died on July 18, 1951. She married Willard Narron on May 12, 1932.

Annie's children with Willard Narron

Bruce Narron April 14, 1933 Johnston, NC-Sept. 7, 2024 Goldsboro, NC

Rexall Narron April 22, 1935-May 2, 2002

Gladys Narron Alford Nov. 19, 1936 Johnston County, NC-Oct. 6, 2008 Rocky Mount, NC

Ella Narron Everett -

Wallace Narron July 26, 1940 Johnston County, NC-Jan. 27, 1997 Middlesex, NC

Evonne Narron Sept. 11, 1944 Johnston County, NC-Sept. 11, 1944 Stancil's Chapel, NC

William Willis Narron June 29, 1950 Johnston County, NC-Oct. 6, 2008 Rocky Mount, NC

Annie was the oldest daughter of Delia and Radford. She was delivered by a midwife.

Annie was slender and about 5'6" tall. She had black hair and brown eyes. Annie completed fourth grade. Annie never did learn to drive a car. Annie plowed with "ole Bessie," a black horse with a white star. Annie also plowed with a black mule, Maude when breaking up new land. Delia dressed them in overalls and long sleeve shirts along with hats. She walked to the one-room Oak Grove School.

Annie was very close to her mother and helped her all she could.

Marriage and Family

Annie married Willard Narron on March 12, 1932. Willard had sandy hair with red tints. They lived in the same neighborhood where he was raised.

Annie and Willard had seven children: Bruce Narron born on April 14, 1933, Rexall Narron was born on April 22, 1935, Gladys was born on Nov. 19, 1936, Ella was born on Oct. 17, 1938, Wallace was born on July 26, 1940, Evonne was born Sept. 11, 1944, and died the same day. William Willis was born on June 29, 1950. They were all born at home with a midwife assisting.

Her sons were handsome with black hair. Gladys and Ella had blond hair. Annie usually kept her hair short. She got her hair permed at the Dixie Cross Roads Beauty Shop.

Community and Daily Life

Annie took the children to Stancil's Chapel Freewill Baptist Church every Sunday. Willard did not attend Church with the family.

Annie grew a large garden, canned fruits and vegetables. She kept Rhode Island Red and Dominique chickens. Annie and Willard had hog killings and filled their smokehouse with meat for the winter.

Annie was an excellent cook. Her specialties included Pineapple Cake and Coconut Custard pie. She made quilts for her large family and sewed too.

Tragic Day

July 18, 1951, was a hot summer day. Annie and Willard had almost finished barning tobacco. Older sister Gladys was in the house with Willis. Willis was only a year old. Before Annie left the house, she told Gladys to stay with Willis, who was napping, until he woke up, and then to bring him to the barn.

Annie's parting words were, "I want you to always look out for him."

Ella walked with her mother, towards the tobacco barn behind the house. On the way, they passed the chicken yard. Annie stopped, looked and said, "Wait a minute. I want to stop and look at my chickens. It may be the last time I see them."

Ella wondered about this remark.

The tobacco racks held the tobacco that was strung onto sticks. Annie was handing the sticks of tobacco to Ella, Rexall and Wallace. They carried them to their father who stood in the barn, handing them to the boys hanging them on the tiers so they could be cured by hot air.

Dark ominous clouds suddenly appeared.

As the sky darkened, Gladys was alarmed. She scooped up Willis and carried him to the barn. It started raining. Annie was standing at the tobacco racks still handing sticks of tobacco to the children. They continued to carry them to their dad. 18 years old Bruce was standing under a tree, about 30 feet from Annie, talking to a Negro boy. Suddenly bolts of lightning began hitting the ground, one struck Annie, killing her, balls of fire continued to bounce around on the ground. Gladys was knocked down and her legs turned bright red. Annie's gold wedding ring turned black. The bolt knocked Bruce 10 feet up in the air, burned the skin off his legs, across his heart and left arm. The Negro boy's shoes were knocked off, as he was hurled to the ground.

Immediately Willard’s older brother Rex, who lived next door, came and took charge. The children had witnessed the death of their mother. This image would stay with them forever.

Bruce suffered from paralysis for a time. It took months to recover. For years afterwards, every time there was a thunderstorm, his skin would burn. Gladys’ legs also burned for years whenever there was a thunderstorm. The black boy never fully recovered and his early death, two years later, was thought to be a result of the lightning strike.

Aftermath

Annie’s body was taken to the funeral home and prepared for burial. Her body was returned home for the traditional Wake. Family and friends gathered at the home and sat up all night with her body.

Annie’s funeral was at Stancil’s Chapel Freewill Baptist Church. Rev. Renfrow preached her funeral. The choir sang "Precious Moments" and "I’ll Fly Away." Annie was buried in the church cemetery.

Life was difficult without Annie. Gladys 14 and Ella only 12 were suddenly expected to cook, can, wash clothes, clean and look after the younger children, still worked in the fields. Tobacco and cotton were money crops. Often school was sacrificed as they carried on without their mother. Delia did what she could to help out. She kept the children on many weekends.

Finally Willard forced Gladys to drop out of school and keep house. She was only 14 years old. Annie’s sisters Sudie, Esker and Lois helped when they could.

Willard was lonely and soon began to date. He married Mazell Hinton in 1953. She was 20 years younger than him. The children had hoped to get some relief. This didn’t happen. They just had another person to wait on.

The workload increased. Mazell had two babies quickly. She did not become the mother figure Willis yearned for. Mazell openly favored her children, often hiding cookies so Willis would get none. Willis was barely 5 years old. Gladys continued to keep house and Ella took over the sewing responsibilities.

The children rode the bus to Corinth-Holders Elementary School and High School. Ella completed the 11th grade before dropping out.

Willard farmed with mules. He had four sons, Willis, Bruce, Rexall and Wallace able to follow a plow and four mules. Bruce's favorite was the smallest, he named him, David.

Willard Narron died June 2, 1990. Family archives