W. Payton Tourist Home
W. Payton Tourist Home was listed in the Green Book from 1940-1941 and in 1947 as “W. Payton—” under the “Tourist Homes” section in Windsor. No street address was provided.1
W. Payton Tourist home was located in Windsor, North Carolina. The only person with this name in Windsor (and the only person with the last name Payton in Bertie County) in the 1940 United States Federal Census was Warha Payton (also spelled Aria Peyton and Warha Peton). Payton worked as a waitress at a cafe but was enumerated as earning income from other sources. Those sources were not named.2
Payton was born in Halifax County, North Carolina around 1902. At the time of the 1940 census she was divorced. She may have been married to P.R. Rice; the couple had one child, P. D. Rice, who died at the age of 1.3
Essay by Brandie K. Ragghianti, 2022
Notes
1. Victor Green, 1940 Green Book, 36; Green, 1941 Green Book, 36; Green, 1947 Green Book, 65.
2. 1940 United States Federal Census, Windsor, Bertie County, North Carolina, digital image s.v. “Aria Peyton,” accessed from www.ancestry.com; Pemms Dacie Rice, August 7, 1933, Littleton, Halifax County, North Carolina, U.S. Death Certificates, 1909-1976, accessed from www.ancestry.com. Frances Smith, who lives next door to Payton, is also divorced; she works as a maid and has income from other sources.
3. 1940 United States Federal Census, Windsor, Bertie County, North Carolina, digital image s.v. “Aria Peyton,” accessed from www.ancestry.com; Pemms Dacie Rice, August 7, 1933, Littleton, Halifax County, North Carolina, U.S. Death Certificates, 1909-1976, accessed from www.ancestry.com. Child’s name may have been Primus rather than Pemms. If you have additional information about this business please contact the NC African American Heritage commission.