1607 Fayetteville Street – Otelia J. Spaulding Duplex

04.08.12

From the Stokesdale National Historic District Nomination:

This one-story, side-gabled duplex is four bays wide and four-pile with a full-width gabled rear ell. The building has a continuous brick foundation and veneer with a brick soldier-course watertable. It has timbering and stucco in the gables with vinyl trim. Six-over-six, double-hung wood sash windows on the side and rear elevations and eight-light casement windows on the façade all have concrete sills. Two entrances, one on each end of the façade, have stone surrounds, original wood fanlights, and steep gables with timbering and stucco; one door is the original six-light-over-two-panel door. Centered on the façade is a prominent brick chimney with stone detailing. The earliest known occupant is John A. Cain, Jr. in 1935; County tax records confirm a 1935 construction date and the building appears as a duplex on the 1937 Sanborn map.

From Preservation Durham Historic Plaque Application: 

Robert Gilmore had the home at 1607 Fayetteville Street built in 1933. The home was built as a duplex, indicating it was likely meant to be a rental home from the beginning. Otelia J. Spaulding Stewart owned the property throughout its construction and up until she passed away in 1991. Otelia never lived in the home, and likely owned it as an additional source of income. Otelia was the daughter of Alonzo and Janie Spaulding, two notable Durhamites who were important contributors to the Hayti community, notably Alonzo with the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company and Janie with the Harriet Tubman YWCA. 

Otelia was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, and was very involved in community life. She attended Durham City public schools in her youth and then North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) for her higher education. She worked as an administrative assistant at North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance before eventually becoming a stay-at-home mom. Otelia was a dedicated member of White Rock Baptist Church, where she played as a special pianist for over 40 years. She was also a member of many clubs and organizations, including the Daughters of Dorcas, the National Council of Negro Women, the Clearview Housing Project, and the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Central University Foundation.

The first two occupants lived in the home for only a short time. The third occupants, the Schooler Family, along with the fourth occupants, the Alston Family, lived in the home for a significant period, overlapping with one another. 

The Schooler Family was made up of James M. Schooler and his wife, Frances W. Schooler. Together, they had five children: James M. Schooler Jr., William R. Schooler, Sheryl E. Schooler, Doris E. Schooler, and Kyle E. Schooler. Of the five children, four were born while the Schooler family lived at 1607 Fayetteville Street. The Schoolers’ kids were raised in the home, spending most of their childhoods there. 

James and Frances were both educators. They both taught at Hillside High School for numerous years. James would eventually become assistant principal of Hillside High School and principal of Whitted Junior High School, Lyon Park Elementary School, and Shepard Junior High School.

Both James and Frances were incredibly involved in the Durham community. The Schoolers were devoted members of White Rock Baptist Church. For their dedicated service to the church and Durham community, White Rock Baptist honored the Schoolers on numerous occasions, including in 1974 when they awarded James as ‘Father of the Year’ and Frances as ‘Mother of the Year.’ James was dedicated to ensuring equality in the school system, with his work connecting school efforts to the local NAACP chapter and in the role of director of public information for the Durham City schools as they phased out segregation.

Furthermore, James and Frances were active in numerous local clubs and organizations. They were major proponents of Troop 55 of the Scouts of America. Troop 55 was the first scout group for African Americans in Durham. James and Frances were troop leaders of the Boy and Girl Scouts of Troop 55, respectively. Their oldest son, James Jr., was also a member of the troop. Frances was a part of many other clubs and organizations, including the Durham Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Harriet Tubman YWCA, and the Book Lovers Club. 

Their children all went on to have success in their lives. James Jr. was an exceptional student throughout his youth and college years, which prepared him well to become a professor of Chemistry. He eventually settled in Durham after taking teaching positions at Duke University and North Carolina Central University. He then became the head of the Chemistry department at North Carolina Central University. The Schoolers’ second son, William Ronald Schooler, attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He became a missionary, teaching in the Congo from 1960-1963 and then 1965-1969 before returning to Durham and eventually getting his MA from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in French. Sheryl relocated to Ohio to live with her husband in 1963. She sadly passed away in 1967 at the young age of 27. Doris worked for International Business Machines (IBM) with her husband in New York. Lastly, Kyle Schooler went on to serve in the United States Army.

The Alstons, made up of Charles Sr., Marion Williams, and Charles Jr., also lived in the home during this period. Charles Sr. was a laborer working at Liggett & Meyers Tobacco Factory and as a janitor for Duke University. Similar to the Schoolers, Marion worked in the city school system her whole career, teaching for 39 years of her 41-year career at Durham schools. 

The couple attended White Rock Baptist Church, another commonality with the Schoolers. Marion was active in the community through other organizations as well, as a member of Community Chest Workers, the North Carolina Teachers Association, and the Durham Chapter of the Shaw University Alumni Association. She was also treasurer for her family group, the Williams Family Circle, which would sometimes meet at their home at 1607 Fayetteville Street.

The Alstons’ son, Charles Jr., was born before they lived at 1607 Fayetteville, but was raised for a significant part of his childhood at the home. Charles was known for his musical abilities. He attended North Carolina College for his Bachelor's in Music. He would lead multiple church choirs and also taught music at South Carolina State University and Coppin State University.

A few years after the Schooler and Alston families moved out of the home, the home's longest resident, Ruth H. Gillum, lived in the home. Ruth was a music instructor at North Carolina College. She was instrumental in her role as organist, pianist, accompanist, and more in numerous musical performances at North Carolina College. She lived in the home for 20 years and passed away in 1991.

As of 2026, the home at 1407 Fayetteville Street is in stable condition and occupied.

Sources: 

Carolina Times

 “Dr. James Morse Schooler Jr. (Jerry),” Fisher Memorial Funeral Parlor, last accessed July 1, 2026, https://www.fishermemorialfuneralparlor.com/obituary/DrJames-SchoolerJrJerry. 

Durham Sun