- Born: September 21, 1924, Johnston, NC
- Died: December 14, 1979, Middlesex, NC
- Buried: Bailey Family Cemetery, Johnston, NC
- Married: Pauline Crocker on March 23, 1946, in Johnston, NC
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| Archie's children with Pauline Crocker Bailey |
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| Claire Bailey July 10, 1946 Johnston, NC-July 24, 2008 Smithfield, Johnston, NC; Buried in Bailey Family Cemetery, Johnston, NC |
| Eloise Bailey Edwards |
| Mavis Jeanette Bailey |
| Archie Wayne Bailey March 3, 1957 Wilson, NC-Jan. 24, 2019 Middlesex, NC |
Archie Radford Bailey, the eighth child of Radford and Delia Hill Bailey, was born on September 21, 1924, in Johnston County, North Carolina. Dr. Powell of Middlesex delivered Archie. He completed only the third grade and never joined a church.
Life on the farm became more demanding after his father, Radford, suffered a stroke in the mid-1930s. Though Radford could still direct the farming operations, the older children—Rector, Sudie, Archie, and Bill—had to work even harder to keep things going.
Archie continued to live at home, farming for his mother, Delia, until he married Pauline Crocker on March 23, 1946. It's believed they were married in Smithfield, Johnston County, at the courthouse by a magistrate. Pauline, born on September 25, 1925, in Kenly, Johnston, NC, was the daughter of Joseph Robert Crocker and Delia Whitley Crocker.
Archie and Pauline had three daughters: Claire (born July 10, 1946, in Johnston; died July 24, 2008, Johnston, NC; buried in Bailey Family Cemetery), Eloise (born July 18, 1948), and Jeanette (born May 21, 1952). They also had one son, Archie Wayne (born March 3, 1957, Wilson, NC; died January 24, 2019, Middlesex, NC).
After their marriage, Archie and Pauline moved into Delia's tenant house. Archie continued to farm for his mother. Both the tenant house and Delia’s main home had front porches, where they would often sit in the evenings and visit. The Bailey family graveyard was directly behind the tenant house, and Archie frequently told Eloise that he wished to be buried there, a wish that was indeed fulfilled.
In addition to Archie's farming, Pauline contributed by raising chickens and maintaining a large garden. Tobacco was their primary cash crop, supplemented by corn. Archie once injured tendons in one hand during a tobacco transplanter accident, which left him unable to fully close his hand.
Archie also raised hogs. When he decided they needed a milk cow, he purchased a calf that his daughter, Eloise, hand-raised with a nipple attached to a bucket. After the cow had its own calf, Archie initially milked her with one hand until Eloise took over the task. Each year, the calf was raised for beef and processed.
Archie Radford Bailey passed away on December 14, 1979, in Middlesex, NC, and was laid to rest in the Bailey Family Cemetery in Johnston, NC, as he had wished.
After Archie’s death, Pauline married Junior Bass. Pauline herself passed away on May 25, 2006, and is also buried in the Bailey Family Cemetery.