April 5, 2013 Coats Museum News
It is May and the Coats School term is coming to an end. The Advisory Committees for colored schools were named in Harnett County. At Mt. Pisgah, David Ryals, Jack Spears, and W.H. Holiday were selected. At Rowland School, W.H. Massey and Robert Rowland were named. William Stewart, Prentis McLean, and James D. Stewart served at Coats Colored School. Edgar McLean, Cornelius Massey and Felix McKay served at the Turlington Grove School (Harnett County News May 4, 1939). Do you recognize any of these gentlemen?
The Coats PTA closed the most successful season of its history by having the record number of paid members. The lunchroom, improvement to the school grounds, new gymnasium, and an intensive social work program were listed as accomplishments. Equipment had been added to the lunchroom and shrubs had improved the grounds (Harnett County News May 11, 1939). Where was this gymnasium that they mentioned? Where was the cafeteria?
Robert Anderson Stewart, a Harnett County farmer who lived near Dunn, died at Highsmith Hospital. He had died from the effects of a stroke. He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Lila Stewart. His three daughters were Mrs. Eldridge Ivy, Mrs. T.E. Dorman, and Mrs. Jack Warren. The three sons were given as being Hubert, J.H., and Melvin Stewart. L.E. (Bud), Henry V., and Willie Stewart were brothers and Mrs. Burnice Langdon of Coats was one of his four sisters. The fifty-seven year old man was interred in Wiggins Cemetery.
The same edition of the paper also printed that funeral services were held for Nadie E. Williams, a retired merchant and farmer of Coats. He had been ill for a year but blood poison was the cause of his death. His widow was Mrs. Texie Williams and one daughter was Josephine and son was Wayne Williams. His mother, Mrs. Kate Williams, and one sister, Mrs. Ozie Stewart, were among those who mourned him. Troy and Johnnie Williams were his brothers (Harnett County News May 18, 1939).
Another Williams family in Coats suffered a death. Isaiah Williams, 84, a widely known Harnett man died of a heart ailment. Services were held at the Coats Primitive Baptist Church. He was the son of Isaiah and Betty Jean Williams. Surviving him was a son, W. M. Williams. Kelly and Marion Williams were brothers. Mrs. Belle Byrd and Mrs. Winnie Wiggins were his sisters. While that family was mourning, likely the Felix Stewart family was delighted that their daughter, Betty Rachel, was engaged to marry James Ray Langdon, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Langdon of Coats.
Dean R.B. House of UNC Chapel Hill awarded 29 seniors their diplomas at the Coats High School graduation. The graduates were Wallace Giles, Vernon Godwin, Ralph Langdon, Banks Pollard, Charles Satterfield, Eugene Stewart, Elbert Tripp, Robert Turlington, Homer Williams, Kathleen Byrd, Winfred Byrd, Hazel Denning, Madeline Denning, Louise Franklin, Cletie Gregory, Mary Ella Gunter, Margie Grimes, Loraine Highfill, Zura Bright Hockaday, Chrystelle Johnson, Clara Belle King, Brookie Langdon, Doris McGee, Rachael Stewart, Vera Stewart, Audrey Thomas, Margie Weeks, Helen Williams, and Christine Ennis. Mary Ella Gunter was top student and CLetie Ann Gregory was salutatorian (Harnett County News May 18, 1939). How many of these graduates are alive in 2013?
These graduates had attended school for only 11 years. The WW II is only 2 years away. Wonder how many of these men and women would serve their country during that war. Did some lose their life?
How many hospitals were in Harnett County in 1939? When did Dr. Holt build the hospital in Erwin? I do know that in May of 1939, the Dunn Hospital was under construction and had received some federal funds (Harnett County News May 18, 1939).
The county had levied a ten-dollar tax on each pinball and game machine licensed by the state. John Langdon of Coats, a student at UNC at Chapel Hill, received an award for outstanding work with the Carolina Playmakers (Harnett County News June 8, 1939). Wow—do you wish we knew more about that event?
It was interesting to read that new tobacco barns were being erected at an average rate of one per mile on a stretch of road that ran from Harnett into Johnston County. Wouldn’t you like to know which road that was? What did they use to cure tobacco in 1939? I do know that cotton and peanut prices resulted in farmers planting more tobacco (Harnett County News June 15, 1939).
The May meeting of the Coats Woman’s Club met at the home of Mrs. Elsie Garton. It was reported that the public library had been established for the summer with funds assistance from the WPA aid. The club sponsored the library. Miss Elease Williams gave an interesting resume of her trip to the New York World’s Fair (Harnett County News Junr22, 1939).
The WPA economy ax was felt at Coats when the sewing room, one of the three in Harnett County, was discontinued. Nine women had been employed at the Coats sewing room. The articles made in the sewing room were distributed among families on relief rolls and saved the county of that cost (Harnett County News June 29, 1939).
The Coats Tar Heel Farmers met at their regular session of the summer in the chapter room. Howard Penny was the 1940 president and followed Elbert Tripp in that role (Harnett County News July 13, 1939).
Harnett’s unit of the national organization had as its goal, the restoration of King Cotton to his throne. Stuart Turlington of Coats served on the committee. W.E. Nichols of Coats purchased the Varina Brick Warehouse. He was in partnership with Luther T. and Joel Tilley (Harnett County News July 13, 1939). We actually have a bill of sales from that tobacco warehouse in the museum.
It is exciting that the museum is nearing completion and ready to reopen on April 13 from 10-12:00 noon. Jimmy Lee has delivered soil so the landscaping by Teresa Honeycutt and Trent Sorrell from Quality Landscaping can beautify the back of the addition. Tell these folks thank you for making Coats look great. We do hope that all of you who love history will come out to see what the volunteers and supporters have done on the Coats Heritage Square. We suggest that you simply walk through the museum on that Saturday and then plan to come back to really absorb all the history on display there.
The folks at the museum were saddened by the death of Lisa Freeman, daughter of Coats Museum Board of Directors member Peggy Robinson. Peggy is a hardworking genealogist and has added much to our museum. A big thank you goes to 1962 Coats graduate, Rev. Jim Lee, who gave a large contribution to the museum building expansion. Jim’s father was killed in WWII. Thanks is sent to the Class of 1959 for honoring the memory of classmate Jerry Poole .Thanks also is extended to those who gave to the museum endowment to honor the memory of Bob Warren and Lisa Freeman. These memorials help maintain the museum today and tomorrow.
It is May and the Coats School term is coming to an end. The Advisory Committees for colored schools were named in Harnett County. At Mt. Pisgah, David Ryals, Jack Spears, and W.H. Holiday were selected. At Rowland School, W.H. Massey and Robert Rowland were named. William Stewart, Prentis McLean, and James D. Stewart served at Coats Colored School. Edgar McLean, Cornelius Massey and Felix McKay served at the Turlington Grove School (Harnett County News May 4, 1939). Do you recognize any of these gentlemen?
The Coats PTA closed the most successful season of its history by having the record number of paid members. The lunchroom, improvement to the school grounds, new gymnasium, and an intensive social work program were listed as accomplishments. Equipment had been added to the lunchroom and shrubs had improved the grounds (Harnett County News May 11, 1939). Where was this gymnasium that they mentioned? Where was the cafeteria?
Robert Anderson Stewart, a Harnett County farmer who lived near Dunn, died at Highsmith Hospital. He had died from the effects of a stroke. He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Lila Stewart. His three daughters were Mrs. Eldridge Ivy, Mrs. T.E. Dorman, and Mrs. Jack Warren. The three sons were given as being Hubert, J.H., and Melvin Stewart. L.E. (Bud), Henry V., and Willie Stewart were brothers and Mrs. Burnice Langdon of Coats was one of his four sisters. The fifty-seven year old man was interred in Wiggins Cemetery.
The same edition of the paper also printed that funeral services were held for Nadie E. Williams, a retired merchant and farmer of Coats. He had been ill for a year but blood poison was the cause of his death. His widow was Mrs. Texie Williams and one daughter was Josephine and son was Wayne Williams. His mother, Mrs. Kate Williams, and one sister, Mrs. Ozie Stewart, were among those who mourned him. Troy and Johnnie Williams were his brothers (Harnett County News May 18, 1939).
Another Williams family in Coats suffered a death. Isaiah Williams, 84, a widely known Harnett man died of a heart ailment. Services were held at the Coats Primitive Baptist Church. He was the son of Isaiah and Betty Jean Williams. Surviving him was a son, W. M. Williams. Kelly and Marion Williams were brothers. Mrs. Belle Byrd and Mrs. Winnie Wiggins were his sisters. While that family was mourning, likely the Felix Stewart family was delighted that their daughter, Betty Rachel, was engaged to marry James Ray Langdon, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Langdon of Coats.
Dean R.B. House of UNC Chapel Hill awarded 29 seniors their diplomas at the Coats High School graduation. The graduates were Wallace Giles, Vernon Godwin, Ralph Langdon, Banks Pollard, Charles Satterfield, Eugene Stewart, Elbert Tripp, Robert Turlington, Homer Williams, Kathleen Byrd, Winfred Byrd, Hazel Denning, Madeline Denning, Louise Franklin, Cletie Gregory, Mary Ella Gunter, Margie Grimes, Loraine Highfill, Zura Bright Hockaday, Chrystelle Johnson, Clara Belle King, Brookie Langdon, Doris McGee, Rachael Stewart, Vera Stewart, Audrey Thomas, Margie Weeks, Helen Williams, and Christine Ennis. Mary Ella Gunter was top student and CLetie Ann Gregory was salutatorian (Harnett County News May 18, 1939). How many of these graduates are alive in 2013?
These graduates had attended school for only 11 years. The WW II is only 2 years away. Wonder how many of these men and women would serve their country during that war. Did some lose their life?
How many hospitals were in Harnett County in 1939? When did Dr. Holt build the hospital in Erwin? I do know that in May of 1939, the Dunn Hospital was under construction and had received some federal funds (Harnett County News May 18, 1939).
The county had levied a ten-dollar tax on each pinball and game machine licensed by the state. John Langdon of Coats, a student at UNC at Chapel Hill, received an award for outstanding work with the Carolina Playmakers (Harnett County News June 8, 1939). Wow—do you wish we knew more about that event?
It was interesting to read that new tobacco barns were being erected at an average rate of one per mile on a stretch of road that ran from Harnett into Johnston County. Wouldn’t you like to know which road that was? What did they use to cure tobacco in 1939? I do know that cotton and peanut prices resulted in farmers planting more tobacco (Harnett County News June 15, 1939).
The May meeting of the Coats Woman’s Club met at the home of Mrs. Elsie Garton. It was reported that the public library had been established for the summer with funds assistance from the WPA aid. The club sponsored the library. Miss Elease Williams gave an interesting resume of her trip to the New York World’s Fair (Harnett County News Junr22, 1939).
The WPA economy ax was felt at Coats when the sewing room, one of the three in Harnett County, was discontinued. Nine women had been employed at the Coats sewing room. The articles made in the sewing room were distributed among families on relief rolls and saved the county of that cost (Harnett County News June 29, 1939).
The Coats Tar Heel Farmers met at their regular session of the summer in the chapter room. Howard Penny was the 1940 president and followed Elbert Tripp in that role (Harnett County News July 13, 1939).
Harnett’s unit of the national organization had as its goal, the restoration of King Cotton to his throne. Stuart Turlington of Coats served on the committee. W.E. Nichols of Coats purchased the Varina Brick Warehouse. He was in partnership with Luther T. and Joel Tilley (Harnett County News July 13, 1939). We actually have a bill of sales from that tobacco warehouse in the museum.
It is exciting that the museum is nearing completion and ready to reopen on April 13 from 10-12:00 noon. Jimmy Lee has delivered soil so the landscaping by Teresa Honeycutt and Trent Sorrell from Quality Landscaping can beautify the back of the addition. Tell these folks thank you for making Coats look great. We do hope that all of you who love history will come out to see what the volunteers and supporters have done on the Coats Heritage Square. We suggest that you simply walk through the museum on that Saturday and then plan to come back to really absorb all the history on display there.
The folks at the museum were saddened by the death of Lisa Freeman, daughter of Coats Museum Board of Directors member Peggy Robinson. Peggy is a hardworking genealogist and has added much to our museum. A big thank you goes to 1962 Coats graduate, Rev. Jim Lee, who gave a large contribution to the museum building expansion. Jim’s father was killed in WWII. Thanks is sent to the Class of 1959 for honoring the memory of classmate Jerry Poole .Thanks also is extended to those who gave to the museum endowment to honor the memory of Bob Warren and Lisa Freeman. These memorials help maintain the museum today and tomorrow.