April 13, 2018 Coats Museum News
The date on the Daily Record was April 6, 1970. Within that edition of the paper it was printed that Dr. Benjamin Bruce Langdon, 57, prominent Fayetteville urologist, had died Saturday morning after a brief illness. Services were held at the Highland Presbyterian Church with burial in Lafayette Memorial Park. Dr. Langdon was born in Coats on July 25, 1912, was a graduate of Coats High School, UNC in 1934 and the Jefferson Medical School, in Philadelphia in 1938.
Dr. Langdon had received a Bronze Star and other decorations for action in WWII. He was captured on Bataan in 1942 and remained a prisoner in Japan for the duration of the war at Camp Cabanatuan and Bilibid. He was one of 350 prisoners of the 1619 who survived the sinking of three different prison ships when removed from Manila to Japan in December 1944. The Russians rescued him in Mukden Prison Camp in Manchuria after the Japanese surrendered in 1945.
His wife- Helen Bennett Langdon, two sons-Bruce David and Andrew Lloyd Langdon; two sisters-Mrs. John Jeffries and Mrs. Alton Schultz of San Juan, Puerto Rica, and his stepmother Mrs. B.L. Langdon survived him.
Several years ago when a few of us museum volunteers were putting together an open house to recognize and preserve information on individuals from our area who had pursued a career in the medical field, someone shared that they thought that Dr. Langdon had died from an illness like those he had treated in his practice. It is also interesting that we have had two Dr. Langdon’s from Coats and both of them died relatively young.
Back in Coats, Miss Janie Ferguson was making wedding arrangements to marry Bobby Matthews, son of Mr. and Mrs. Halford Matthews of Fuquay. Janie was the daughter of Mr. Jimmy Ferguson and the late Mrs. Ferguson.
Janie is a remarkable family historian. Every year she takes her grandchildren to visit the family cemeteries to share stories about their ancestors. Recently she dropped by the Coats Museum seeking a picture of the old Stewart Hotel. She was collecting pictures of all the houses that she and her siblings had lived in to preserve that part of the family story. Lucky for her that we have a copy of Charles Malone’s a story with a picture of the old Stewart Hotel that he wrote when he was editor of the Harnett County News. A museum volunteer took the last picture of the old hotel as it was being razed in October of 1999.
Another Coats High School graduate was serving his country in the military. Airman Larry E. Horton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Horton of rural Coats, N.C., had received his first U.S. Air Force duty assignment after completing basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. He was assigned to the unit of the Strategic Air Command in Minot, AFB in ND for training and duty in the administrative field (Daily Record Apr. 6, 1970).
The death angel came to Coats and took many of the area’s oldest residents. Miss Cara Coats, 87, died in Good Hope Hospital. She was the daughter of the late Elder J.T. and Nancy Isabella Turlington Coats. Arrangements were made by Skinner-Drew Funeral Home of Dunn (Daily Record Apr. 9, 1970). Had Overby Funeral Home left Coats in 1970?
Seventy-two year old Mamie Joyce Rambeau had died on Saturday. Her husband, Kirby S. Rambeau, survived her. She had five daughters-Flora Stone, Eunice Mize, Inez Reaves, Mary Nordan, and Agnes Griffin. Her two sons were George A and Tom Rambeau. Mrs. Myrtle Parris was a sister (Daily Record Apr. 9, 1970.
Bennie Holland, 33, of Coats had died of injuries he had received in an automobile accident. His wife- Mrs. Evelyn Campbell Holland and son -Bennie W. Holland survived him. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Holland and his brothers were Connie and Boyd Holland (Daily Record Apr. 15, 1970).
Miss Carolyn Sue Barbour and Mr. Phillip Owen Langdon were married on April 11th. Jimmy and Ann O’Neal and Linda and Tommy Turlington were attendants in the wedding. Samuel Ray Faircloth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilton Faircloth, was serving in Vietnam as a member of the 5th Infantry Division. He was a 1967 graduate of Coats High School (Daily Record Apr. 17, 1970). Folks, is he the father of Allen Faircloth of the Cornerstone businesses in Coats and Benson?
This I do know. Mr. A.B. Matthews, 86, of Coats, had died. He was a retired merchant. Survivors were Mrs. Lillie Hall Matthews; three daughters-Mrs. Owen Bennett, Mrs. Fred Blackman, and Mrs. Garland Huff; four sons-Hubert, Grover, Edward and Elsie (?) Matthews. His brothers were Baston K, Coy and Jimmy Matthews (Daily Record Apr. 23, 1970). Could this be Bright Matthews who operated a store on NC 55 near the Daniel Tree Farm?
Funeral services were held for Ellen Jane Stewart Pleasant, 40, of Coats. Survivors were Teeny Pleasant, her husband; her daughter- Truelah Pleasant and two sons- Steve and Danny Pleasant. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Felix Stewart. Rachel Langdon, Leroy Stewart, Ray Vaughn Stewart and Gene Stewart were his siblings.
Another outstanding family lost a member to death. Haywood Roberts, 54, a prominent businessman and member of the Harnett County Board of Education for 16 years, passed away at 12:45 at his home after being ill since November of 1969. Mr. Roberts was the husband of Coats postmistress Ophelia Roberts and brother-in-law to Chairman of the Harnett County Board of Commissioners Jack Brock. He was a native and lifelong resident of Coats and was the son of Mrs. Edna T. Butler and the late Dr. Harry C. Roberts. He attended the Coats public schools.
The Grand Reaper made his way over to the Oakdale community and took Mrs. Roena Ennis, 87, of Route One, Benson on Wednesday night at her home following a lingering illness. She was the wife of R.D. Ennis and daughter of Hinton and Mary Neighbors Ennis. Mrs. Ennis was a former member of the Oakdale Home Demonstration Club and a member of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church. Funeral services were conducted at the home by Elder T. Allen Johnson, T. Floyd Adams and Rev. Spurgeon Bailey. The burial was in the Ennis Cemetery. She was survived by four sons- Preston, Howard, David and Hubert Ennis. Mrs. Vernie Creech, Mrs. Carol Wood, Mrs. Lunette Coats, and Mrs. Lena Coats were her daughters. She had 32 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren (Daily Record Apr. 23, 1970).
Death was touching so many families in the Coats area but it was not the only thing touching the hearts of the area. The spirit of generosity was also evident in the township. The small town of Coats really made a record for itself in raising money for the 1970 Cancer Crusade. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Johnson reported that the workers had raised $825 of the $1,000 goal. The Coats workers were Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hawley, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coats, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Guy, Mrs. Mary Dennis, Mr. and Mrs. R.O. Byrd and Mr. and Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson (Daily Record Apr. 30, 1970).
Glenda Pope Denning of Dunn has honored the memories of her cousins, Willa Dean Pope Powell and Hazel Pope Tart, with donations to the Coats Museum. Linda B. Lunney, Walter and Rhonda Edwards, Roy and Marsha Johnson have also remembered Mrs. Hazel Pope Tart. Linda Lunney also gave a memorial for Ed and Grace Penny and Ralph Denning remembered Dr. James Valsame. Thanks to all these generous folks whose donations continue to help meet the operational needs of the Coats Museum.
A recurring word that shows up over and over in the “Coats Museum News” is the word “volunteer”. Leron Parrish from Johnston County visited us recently to purchase a copy of the Defenders of the Red, White and Blue. He said to me-“You all don’t get paid to work up here, do you?” No, we don’t get paid any money but we do get paid attention for having a good small museum in Coats. We had three visitors from Garner visit us last week wanting us to share the story of how we have such a museum. Garner is working to have a museum there. The respect and compliments from that group was all the pay we volunteers needed.
So how many volunteer hours were recorded at the museum for 2017? At the March 17th Coats Museum Board meeting, it was reported that a total of 4288 hours were performed for the museum. We had 32 adults turn in volunteer hours. We had students from Triton, Coats Elementary, and Fuquay High School record 112 hours. What would be the dollar value if these volunteers were paid staff?
Many visitors come through our museum doors who do not sign in; however, we did have 1603 people sign the visitors’ register from 43 NC towns and 24 states and one foreign country to view the artifacts donated or loaned by the folks in the Coats area. What do we do when not giving tours? The volunteers at the Coats Museum research family genealogies, record, label, display or store new artifacts. The volunteers also scan old pictures, deeds, documents and other items that share the story of Coats. Volunteers also clip current news items from the Daily Record relevant to Coats. Other volunteers keep the grounds and maintain the buildings with their electrical, carpentry and technical skills. When groups come for off hour tours by appointment, volunteers step up to give tours and share the story of our area. In 2017, hundreds of hours went into the publication of the military book Defenders of the Red, White and Blue, changing exhibits and preparing for the open house. Thanks to the wonderful folks who support the Coats Museum.
The date on the Daily Record was April 6, 1970. Within that edition of the paper it was printed that Dr. Benjamin Bruce Langdon, 57, prominent Fayetteville urologist, had died Saturday morning after a brief illness. Services were held at the Highland Presbyterian Church with burial in Lafayette Memorial Park. Dr. Langdon was born in Coats on July 25, 1912, was a graduate of Coats High School, UNC in 1934 and the Jefferson Medical School, in Philadelphia in 1938.
Dr. Langdon had received a Bronze Star and other decorations for action in WWII. He was captured on Bataan in 1942 and remained a prisoner in Japan for the duration of the war at Camp Cabanatuan and Bilibid. He was one of 350 prisoners of the 1619 who survived the sinking of three different prison ships when removed from Manila to Japan in December 1944. The Russians rescued him in Mukden Prison Camp in Manchuria after the Japanese surrendered in 1945.
His wife- Helen Bennett Langdon, two sons-Bruce David and Andrew Lloyd Langdon; two sisters-Mrs. John Jeffries and Mrs. Alton Schultz of San Juan, Puerto Rica, and his stepmother Mrs. B.L. Langdon survived him.
Several years ago when a few of us museum volunteers were putting together an open house to recognize and preserve information on individuals from our area who had pursued a career in the medical field, someone shared that they thought that Dr. Langdon had died from an illness like those he had treated in his practice. It is also interesting that we have had two Dr. Langdon’s from Coats and both of them died relatively young.
Back in Coats, Miss Janie Ferguson was making wedding arrangements to marry Bobby Matthews, son of Mr. and Mrs. Halford Matthews of Fuquay. Janie was the daughter of Mr. Jimmy Ferguson and the late Mrs. Ferguson.
Janie is a remarkable family historian. Every year she takes her grandchildren to visit the family cemeteries to share stories about their ancestors. Recently she dropped by the Coats Museum seeking a picture of the old Stewart Hotel. She was collecting pictures of all the houses that she and her siblings had lived in to preserve that part of the family story. Lucky for her that we have a copy of Charles Malone’s a story with a picture of the old Stewart Hotel that he wrote when he was editor of the Harnett County News. A museum volunteer took the last picture of the old hotel as it was being razed in October of 1999.
Another Coats High School graduate was serving his country in the military. Airman Larry E. Horton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Horton of rural Coats, N.C., had received his first U.S. Air Force duty assignment after completing basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. He was assigned to the unit of the Strategic Air Command in Minot, AFB in ND for training and duty in the administrative field (Daily Record Apr. 6, 1970).
The death angel came to Coats and took many of the area’s oldest residents. Miss Cara Coats, 87, died in Good Hope Hospital. She was the daughter of the late Elder J.T. and Nancy Isabella Turlington Coats. Arrangements were made by Skinner-Drew Funeral Home of Dunn (Daily Record Apr. 9, 1970). Had Overby Funeral Home left Coats in 1970?
Seventy-two year old Mamie Joyce Rambeau had died on Saturday. Her husband, Kirby S. Rambeau, survived her. She had five daughters-Flora Stone, Eunice Mize, Inez Reaves, Mary Nordan, and Agnes Griffin. Her two sons were George A and Tom Rambeau. Mrs. Myrtle Parris was a sister (Daily Record Apr. 9, 1970.
Bennie Holland, 33, of Coats had died of injuries he had received in an automobile accident. His wife- Mrs. Evelyn Campbell Holland and son -Bennie W. Holland survived him. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Holland and his brothers were Connie and Boyd Holland (Daily Record Apr. 15, 1970).
Miss Carolyn Sue Barbour and Mr. Phillip Owen Langdon were married on April 11th. Jimmy and Ann O’Neal and Linda and Tommy Turlington were attendants in the wedding. Samuel Ray Faircloth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilton Faircloth, was serving in Vietnam as a member of the 5th Infantry Division. He was a 1967 graduate of Coats High School (Daily Record Apr. 17, 1970). Folks, is he the father of Allen Faircloth of the Cornerstone businesses in Coats and Benson?
This I do know. Mr. A.B. Matthews, 86, of Coats, had died. He was a retired merchant. Survivors were Mrs. Lillie Hall Matthews; three daughters-Mrs. Owen Bennett, Mrs. Fred Blackman, and Mrs. Garland Huff; four sons-Hubert, Grover, Edward and Elsie (?) Matthews. His brothers were Baston K, Coy and Jimmy Matthews (Daily Record Apr. 23, 1970). Could this be Bright Matthews who operated a store on NC 55 near the Daniel Tree Farm?
Funeral services were held for Ellen Jane Stewart Pleasant, 40, of Coats. Survivors were Teeny Pleasant, her husband; her daughter- Truelah Pleasant and two sons- Steve and Danny Pleasant. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Felix Stewart. Rachel Langdon, Leroy Stewart, Ray Vaughn Stewart and Gene Stewart were his siblings.
Another outstanding family lost a member to death. Haywood Roberts, 54, a prominent businessman and member of the Harnett County Board of Education for 16 years, passed away at 12:45 at his home after being ill since November of 1969. Mr. Roberts was the husband of Coats postmistress Ophelia Roberts and brother-in-law to Chairman of the Harnett County Board of Commissioners Jack Brock. He was a native and lifelong resident of Coats and was the son of Mrs. Edna T. Butler and the late Dr. Harry C. Roberts. He attended the Coats public schools.
The Grand Reaper made his way over to the Oakdale community and took Mrs. Roena Ennis, 87, of Route One, Benson on Wednesday night at her home following a lingering illness. She was the wife of R.D. Ennis and daughter of Hinton and Mary Neighbors Ennis. Mrs. Ennis was a former member of the Oakdale Home Demonstration Club and a member of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church. Funeral services were conducted at the home by Elder T. Allen Johnson, T. Floyd Adams and Rev. Spurgeon Bailey. The burial was in the Ennis Cemetery. She was survived by four sons- Preston, Howard, David and Hubert Ennis. Mrs. Vernie Creech, Mrs. Carol Wood, Mrs. Lunette Coats, and Mrs. Lena Coats were her daughters. She had 32 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren (Daily Record Apr. 23, 1970).
Death was touching so many families in the Coats area but it was not the only thing touching the hearts of the area. The spirit of generosity was also evident in the township. The small town of Coats really made a record for itself in raising money for the 1970 Cancer Crusade. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Johnson reported that the workers had raised $825 of the $1,000 goal. The Coats workers were Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hawley, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coats, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Guy, Mrs. Mary Dennis, Mr. and Mrs. R.O. Byrd and Mr. and Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson (Daily Record Apr. 30, 1970).
Glenda Pope Denning of Dunn has honored the memories of her cousins, Willa Dean Pope Powell and Hazel Pope Tart, with donations to the Coats Museum. Linda B. Lunney, Walter and Rhonda Edwards, Roy and Marsha Johnson have also remembered Mrs. Hazel Pope Tart. Linda Lunney also gave a memorial for Ed and Grace Penny and Ralph Denning remembered Dr. James Valsame. Thanks to all these generous folks whose donations continue to help meet the operational needs of the Coats Museum.
A recurring word that shows up over and over in the “Coats Museum News” is the word “volunteer”. Leron Parrish from Johnston County visited us recently to purchase a copy of the Defenders of the Red, White and Blue. He said to me-“You all don’t get paid to work up here, do you?” No, we don’t get paid any money but we do get paid attention for having a good small museum in Coats. We had three visitors from Garner visit us last week wanting us to share the story of how we have such a museum. Garner is working to have a museum there. The respect and compliments from that group was all the pay we volunteers needed.
So how many volunteer hours were recorded at the museum for 2017? At the March 17th Coats Museum Board meeting, it was reported that a total of 4288 hours were performed for the museum. We had 32 adults turn in volunteer hours. We had students from Triton, Coats Elementary, and Fuquay High School record 112 hours. What would be the dollar value if these volunteers were paid staff?
Many visitors come through our museum doors who do not sign in; however, we did have 1603 people sign the visitors’ register from 43 NC towns and 24 states and one foreign country to view the artifacts donated or loaned by the folks in the Coats area. What do we do when not giving tours? The volunteers at the Coats Museum research family genealogies, record, label, display or store new artifacts. The volunteers also scan old pictures, deeds, documents and other items that share the story of Coats. Volunteers also clip current news items from the Daily Record relevant to Coats. Other volunteers keep the grounds and maintain the buildings with their electrical, carpentry and technical skills. When groups come for off hour tours by appointment, volunteers step up to give tours and share the story of our area. In 2017, hundreds of hours went into the publication of the military book Defenders of the Red, White and Blue, changing exhibits and preparing for the open house. Thanks to the wonderful folks who support the Coats Museum.