Geer Cemetery-Fendell (Fendal) Banks

Photograph and narrative sourced from: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC

Fendell (Fendal) Banks was born on April 29, 1856. His entire family was enslaved on the Stagville Plantation in Orange County, NC. A place where over 900 enslaved people once lived.

Fortunately for him and his extended Banks family members they were never separated. Detailed records from Stagville show family units and from them we can put Fendell with his parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

He was also fortunate that his entire life wasn’t defined by enslavement. He would have been around nine-years old when emancipation came for all enslaved people.

His family remained in the area and located in Durham Township which was in Orange County until 1881 when Durham County was formed.

In 1870, the then thirteen-year-old lived with his parents, Abner, Emily, and grandmother Sylvia. He had already entered the workforce working in a factory. His father was a carpenter.

The family owned their home , valued at $250 - a mere four years post emancipation! The family’s neighbors were Luke and Silva Cameron and their children. Silva was Abner’s sister.

By 1880, Abner and Emily were empty nesters. Fendell didn’t have siblings and the one that his mother bore had died. It is unknown when his sibling was born and died.

Fendell married Della Ray on November 27, 1882. They moved west to Winston-Salem, where Fendell was a grocer. The grocery and their home was located on 727 Linden Street.

In 1892, F B Banks was the grantee for a real estate transaction where Stephen and Lucinda Jeffries the grantors conveyed two lots: Linden St and 19 Southern Liberty.

Four years later F B and Della Banks were the grantors of the Linden St lot to Abner Banks. (M D canceled). Between 1892 and 1907, there were several real estate transactions where Fendell and Della were the grantors, all for lots on Linden Street.

It appears that Fendell and Della didn’t have any children. The 1910 census has no information about children born to Della.

They have been married nineteen years, owned their home, mortgage free. Fendell is listed as a merchant and Della as housekeeper. It is probable that Della died in 1907 and because NC didn’t require that death certificates be submitted a state record of her death doesn’t exist.

The 1908 city directory shows F Benjamin Banks, grocer living at 727 Linden St living alone. The 1910 directory showing the same address and his wife is listed as Ellen J. Ellen was a teacher at the Woodland Ave school.
And later worked as an agent for the Afro American Mutual Insurance Company.

Their marriage would be short lived as Fendell died in 1914. He died in Lincoln Hospital (Durham) on July 24, 1914. His parents, who were in their late eighties, handled the final arrangements for their only living child.

They secured the services of Scarborough and Hargett.. Fendell was buried in Geer Cemetery next to his grandmother, Sylvia. On his headstone, the words “Son of Abner and Emily Banks” was inscribed.

In 1918, his father was buried on his other side and in 1922, his mother joined them. Their small family as they were in life together are resting in eternity together.