NCBERTIE-L Archives

From: Crilley <>
Subject: [NCBERTIE] Rev Bryant Lee - Lewiston
Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 09:44:24 -0500

I would like to put more on-line about the African-American leaders who
contributed so much to Bertie County's history.
Please, help me out..... I'm just putting together anything I can locate!

If you have some "famous" relatives....or have newspaper clippings....
please share with all of us.

I'd love to know more about Rev. Lee's family....and also about the
Cemetery where he is buried. Is it called Mt. Olive Baptist Cemetery?

Telephone Directory Address is: 102 Mt. Olive Rd Windsor PO 214 Lewiston
Can anyone give us directions off one of the main highways?
348-2644

REV. BRYANT LEE

The Rev. Bryant Lee was born a slave, and attended the Connaritsa Baptist
Church. After the War, he and about 60 other African-American members, who
had attended Connaritsa and Republican Baptist Churches, formed the new
worshipping community meeting in a Bush Arbor near Lewiston. It was later
called Mt. Olive Baptist Church. The first church building was built on
land purchased around 1886, near the Bush Arbor.

The church celebrates Founder's Day on the first Sunday in November, and
the gravesite of Rev. Lee is visited at that time.

Rev. Lee's work in finding jobs for the congregation in his cotton gin as
well as providing homes for orphaned children,
helped the Lewiston black community in those early days of freedom.
St. Luke Guide to African American History in Bertie County - (Benj.
Speller and Le Rae Umfleet. page 6,7 )

There were three Lee families in the 1862 Census:
I.B. Lee with 33 slaves
Jos W Lee (no slaves indicated)
Wm. C. Lee (no slaves indicated)

Wake Forest Collection does have material on the Connaritsa Church. If
anyone is able to obtain those early membership rolls, that would give some
more clues to African-American names.

"In 1851 the membership had
increased to 257; 62 white male members; 140 white female members, 19
colored male members, and 36 colored female
members. "

Thanks for anyone's help!!!

Virginia

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• [NCBERTIE] Rev Bryant Lee - Lewiston by Crilley <>