History
Our documented history begins in the late 1700's at a point in time when we can confirm our ancestors were enslaved by the Hartsfield Family (white) who owned one of the areas most profitable plantations.
Jonesville has a unique and quite impressive history that is unlike any other in the area. The timeline below illustrates just how impactful the community has been.
1700's
| 17xx | - | David Hartsfield and Mary Sheffield Armstrong are married |
| 1797 | - | William Jeffreys(white) sells Andrew Hartsfield(white) 252.25 acres of land that would grow to 1,700 acres and become known as Hartsville. This property would later become Mitchell Mill Nature Preserve and listed on the National Historic Registry. |
1800's
| 1800 | - | North Carolina census documented 3,906 slaves in Wake County - just under half the number of whites (8,544). |
| 1800 | - | Andrew Hartsfield(white) uses slave labor (community ancestors) to build a mill pond dam and the area's first grist mill, present day Mitchell Mill Nature Preserve. |
| 1814 | - | David Davy Hartsfield is born (into slavery) |
| 1815 | - | Mary Hartsfield is born (into slavery) |
| 1819 | - | Andrew Hartfield(white) owns in excess of 1,700 acres of property and is one of the most profitable plantations in Wake and Franklin Counties wuth over 40 slaves. |
| 1829 | - | David and Mary, along with three other slaves are gifted to Wesley Hartsfield(white - 19 yrs old)(Footnote 4) |
| 1829 | - | David Davy Hartsfield and Mary Hartsfield | Married(Footnote 1 & 2) |
| 1838 | - | Wesley Hartsfield(white) takes over plantation operations - by mid-century had around 40 slaves |
| 1843 | - | Levi Booth, the only black member of Rolesville Baptist Church, was expelled from the church for being accused of delivering a slave a free paper for the purpose of leaving his owner. |
| 1851 | - | Dr. Wesley Hartfield(white) uses slave labor (community ancestors) to build a saw mill off the dam. |
| 1852 | - | Dr. Wesley Hartfield(white) uses slave labor (community ancestors) to build a new grist mill. |
| 1859 | - | Dr. Wesley Hartfield(white) "donates" the slave labor (community ancestors) and timber to construct Rolesville Methodist Church first building. |
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| 1863 | - | Emancipation Proclamation |
| -------------------------------------- | ||
| 1867 | - | Isaac Jeffreys, Peter Lee, George Lee, Arthur Alston, Boiling Dunn, Roday Watkins, Mary Watkins, Mary Jones, and several others establish the Second Baptist Church of Rolesville, later renamed New Bethal Baptist Church, the first black church serving the Rolesville Area. |
| 1867 | - | J.C. Jeffreys with K. P. Young and Peter Lee named the first deacons for New Bethal Baptist |
| 1868 | - | Moses Hartsfield and Sally Sallies Sarah Jones | Married |
| 1873 | - | Mattie Walker is born |
| 1874 | - | John Henry Hartsfield is born |
| 1882 | - | ?? acquire land from James Fowler Sr. |
| 1896 | - | John Hartsfield and Mattie Walker first of 18 children are born (5 boys, 13 girls) |
| 1895 | - | John Henry Hartsfield and Mattie Walker | April 6 | Married |
| 1896 | - | Residents hold a festival to celebrate the anniversary of the State Legislature's adjournment in honor of Frederick Douglass |
1900's
| 1918 | - | John H. Hartsfield Sr. was registered for the draft. |
| 1918 | - | George Taylor was accused of assaulting a white woman and was lynched 2 miles east of Jonesville - the only documented lynching in Wake County |
| 1940 | - | John H. Hartsfield Jr. was registered for the draft. |
| 1948 | - | Area residents (black) gathered to start a farm and home improvment program. A total of 78 men and women defined goals for the men and women. Men would increase corn yields, grow more hay, produce more purebread farm flocks while women would attempt to replace all broken window panes, fill their home canning budgets, and clean their home surroundings. |
| 1954 | - | SR 2226 - Wake County originally added in 1954 and soil surfaced in 1955 - 1.3 mile section of the northern part of Jonesville Rd. |
| 1961 | - | SR 2226 - Residents petition to extend the road over Powell Creek (now known as Harris Creek) connecting it to Mitchell Mill Road. The extension, named Privette Road, provided better Fire and School Bus service to the community - 0.7 mile section of the southern part of Jonesville Rd. |
| 196x | - | County names SR 2226 Jonesville Road between Rolesville's Main Street(US-401 BUS) and Mitchel Mill Road(SR 2224) |
| 1965 | - | Hartsfield Drive (Hartsville Subdivision) developed |
| 1965 | - | Long Green Drive developed |
| 1968 | - | Mrs. Mattie Hartsfield turns 92 years old - 431 living relative |
| 1970 | - | Barbara Jones writes the Jonesville News column in Wake Weekly |
| 1971 | - | Jonesville Community Action Group begins to meetn regularly on Saturday eveings. |
| 1976 | - | Lawn Artist Drive developed by Billie Fowler |
| 1977 | - | Mistletoe Drive developed by Raymond Jones |
| 1981 | - | Herman Jones builds first sub-divided development in Jonesville |
| 1982 | - | Upchurch Lane developed by Watkins Land |
| 1982 | - | C and L Avenue developed by Herbert Jones |
| 1983 | - | Lasheral Road developed by Claude Sanders |
| 1984 | - | Hartsfiled Drive extended by Jacob Pullen |
| 1986 | - | Malor Estates developed by Kenneth Watkins |
| 1989 | - | State Route 2226 named Jonesville Road |
| 1989 | - | Jones Lane renamed Cousins Lane |
| 1989 | - | Powell Creek renamed Harris Creek |
| 1990 | - | Lizzie Creek Court developed by Herman Jones |
| 1993 | - | Running Deer Drive developed by David Jeffreys |
2000's
| 2003 | - | The bridge over Powell Creek (now known as Harris Creek) was replaced with the one in place today. |
| 2007 | - | 49 properties in the northern section added to Rolesville's ETJ |
| 2011 | - | Tornado rips through northern Jonesville destroying several homes |
| 2015 | - | Hwy 401 Bypass opens to traffic - a physical divide augmenting the historical racial divide in the region. |
| 2021 | - | In response to Rolesville's growth, the City of Raleigh improves utilities along Harris Creek |
| 2022 | - | Town of Rolesville development project, the Preserve at Mitchell Mill, is approved |
| 2023 | - | Town of Rolesville development project, Hills at Harris Creek, is DENIED |
| 2023 | - | Town of Rolesville development project, Harris Creek Farm, is DENIED by the Planning Board but is still pending review by Rolesville Town Board |
District Representatives: Guy Jones & Lori Moss
1) https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/2022240429/1968-02-08/ed-1/seq-7/
2) NC General Statutes - Chapter 51 § 51-5. Marriages between slaves validated
3) https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/wake-county-cohabitation-records/5595793?item=5595802
4) https://dlas.uncg.edu/deeds/deed/NC.WAK.9.176.1/