April 6, 2018 Coats Museum News
The year was 1970-the year in which the Beatles broke up and the National Guard at Kent State killed four students. President Nixon had signed a bill creating the Council on Environmental Quality. Nixon promised to fight air and water pollution and to turn the 70’s into the decade in which America regained a “productive harmony between man and nature” (Dickson, Paul -From Elvis to Email, Springfield, Massachusetts: Federal Street Press, 1999, pp 170-185).
Dan Stewart, the 20 year-old son of Laverne and Audrey Stewart of Coats, was found on a Sunday morning in a wrecked automobile. His car had run off the road into a ditch and struck a tree before it came to a stop. He was unconscious and nearly frozen but was reported to be in fair condition at Betsy Johnson Hospital. It was also in this edition of the paper that Joseph Lee Turlington, a Coats High graduate, had pledged marriage vows recently (Daily Record Jan. 5, 1970). It is interesting to note that Dan’s accident had occurred on Ebenezer Church Road upon which many deadly accidents have happened over the years.
Another Coats man was also in an accident in Dunn. The paper indicated that L.C. Strickland was not seriously injured (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1970).
Ann Johnson O’Neal, a Barclaysville native, became a member of the Dunn Junior Woman’s Club. Clark Langdon, another former student from Coats, was engaged to Lynda Marie Mabry (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1970).
Marc Powell, a Coats High freshman, was the recipient of the Eagle Badge. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Graymon Powell. The ceremony was very impressive and was held at the Coats Baptist Church. Deaths continued to make the news. Mrs. E.J. Norris had died on January 18, 1970. She was a ninety-eight year old woman from Coats. Another Coats area resident had died on Friday. Clyde Sorrell, 59, was survived by his wife, Mrs. Ida Floyd Sorrell; two sons-Bobby and Edgar Sorrell and two daughters-Mrs. Jean Fulmer and Mrs. June Kretzsechmer (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1970).
Was Coats having a telephone issue in January of 1970? The news indicated that better telephone service was promised. Cable facilities were extended to Coats at the cost of $ 147,000 (Daily Record Jan. 26, 1970).
When you think of hog breeders, what names pop into your mind? Do the names Barber, McLamb, Stephenson, Turlington, Bowden, Denning, West, and Gregory sound familiar? Is there a difference between a Duroc, Yorkshire, Hampshire, Spotted Poland China and a Spot? Are they all the same color? I do know that Carson Gregory and Ray Blizzard had the 9th Annual Registered Spot Sale (Daily Record Jan. 30, 1970).
Who remembers the Byrd’s Lo Mark Grocery Store at the Erwin intersection of Hwy 55 and 421? Is that where the bowling alley is currently? The grocery store was the site of a picture of Mrs. C.R. (Naomi) Byrd where she was photographed at the new Byrd’s Lo Mark Store. Question - was she connected with the Byrd owners of that chain?
I do know the J.W. Sorrell family of Turlington Road. Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Sorrell, Sr. had celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The golden wedding party was held at their home on Route 3, Dunn on a Sunday afternoon. Young love was blooming a few miles away. Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Stewart announced the engagement of their daughter, Linda Sue Stewart, to William Baxton Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. William T. Allen. She was a licensed nurse and he was an electronics engineer (Daily Record Feb.5, 1970).
The winter of 1970 had its share of death notices. Mr. Alton T. Tart, a retired farmer of Route One, Coats had died on Wednesday with services at the Red Hill Church. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Alma Byrd Tart and two daughters and five sons. Who were these children (Daily Record Feb. 6, 1970)?
The next edition of the paper posted the death of W.E. Byrd, 78, of Route One, Benson and Shepherd Stephenson, 71, of Route One, Benson had died. Mr. Stephenson was a retired farmer (Daily Record Feb. 17, 1970).
Sadness blanketed several Coats families as it was shared that little Sarah Ellen Denning, the two-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Denning had died at her home. Mr. Denning was a pharmacist at McKnight’s Drug store. Sarah Ellen had a twin sister, Ann Elizabeth. Her maternal grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rigg of Roanoke, VA. and her maternal great grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Mounte and Mrs. M.L. Rigg (Daily Record Feb. 17, 1970). Mrs. Hortense Denning (Ennis) was Larry’s mother and Peggie Pope, Carolyn Barnes and Ralph Denning were Larry’s siblings.
Death hovered over Grove Township. Another death was announced in the Record. Mr. Bruce Gregory, a retired lumberman, died at the age 55. Burial was in the Godwin Cemetery. Two daughters, Mrs. R.J. Godwin and Mrs. Rock Lee, survived him. His mother was Mrs. O.C. Gregory and Mrs. Halford Adams, Mrs. Luther Miller, and Hubert Gregory were three of his siblings who lived in the Coats area (Daily Record Mar. 3, 1970).
Veteran legislator Carson Gregory announced that he would be a candidate for a N.C. House seat. He had served seven terns and was defeated by James Penny in a hotly contested race in 1968 (Daily Record Mar. 2, 1970).
Mr. and Mrs. Silas Faulkner’s baby had died at N.C. Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill. The baby girl had five siblings-Connie, Joan, Barbara, Keith and Ronnie Faulkner (Daily Record Mar. 4, 1970).
With the tremendous number of deaths in early 1970, you must think that this is an obituary column. Here is yet another death notice. Mrs. Myrtle W. Ferguson, 45, of Coats had died. Her funeral was at the Gift PB Church with the burial in the Coats City Cemetery. She was survived by her husband Jimmy Ferguson and many children and stepchildren: Mrs. Eddie Owens, Mrs. Ray Turner, Mrs. Peggy Lee, Janie Ferguson, Becky Ferguson, Juanita Ferguson, Annette Ferguson, W.A. Norris, Ricky Lee, James. E. Ferguson, Larry Ferguson, Danny Ferguson, Glenn Ferguson, Mrs. Pete Norris, and Mrs. Jesse Jackson (Daily Record Mar. 9, 1970). Did the paper get this right?
Mr. Pervis Moore, 63, a retired farmer of Coats, died. Reverends Lonnie West and G. Daniel officiated at the Overby Funeral Chapel. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Ollie Moore; daughters Mrs. Peggy Hair, Mrs. Brenda Hair and Mrs. Linda Blackman; one son-Donald J. Moore and one sister Mrs. Bessie Stone of Coats (Daily Record, Mar.11, 1970).`Was that funeral chapel in Coats in 1970?
No deaths from polio were recorded in 1970 which was the first year without a polio fatality since record keeping had begun in 1955. The free market price of gold dropped below the standard $35.00 an ounce in 1970. The cost of an average day of hospital care was $85.00 per patient. The population according to the 1970 census was 203,211, 926 (Dickson p. 182).
Another death occurred that touched Coats residents. Mrs. Jean Denton, 44, of Durham, but formerly of Coats, had died on Monday, April 6th, 1970. She was survived by her husband, James Young; one daughter-Kim Maynor; four sons-Dickie, David, Harry, and Glenn; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lester “D.B.” Williams of Coats. Helen Wade, Mrs. Edna Stephenson and Mrs. Faye Page were sisters and Bobby and Fred Williams were her brothers (Daily Record Apr. 7, 1970).
The museum volunteers love giving tours of the Cotton Museum and the Heritage Museum. Maybe you have a church or senior group, club or organization who would like to learn more about the Coats area. We gladly welcome you to schedule your group for a meeting in the Research Library and Theater Room. We have many amazing videos that can be viewed or a volunteer can present a program on the area. If you are expected to have food at the meeting, there is a kitchen with refrigerator and microwave oven. If you have not visited the Coats Museum since several new exhibits are on display, come by for a tour and purchase a copy of the Defenders of the Red, White and Blue military book. We have a few copies left of the last order.
Bennie Weaver was a Coats student of H.L. and mine and he was a generous supporter of the museum both financially and with in kind donations. We were saddened by his recent death. H.L. and I have honored his memory with a donation to the Coats Museum Endowment along with one for Stacy Blake Penny who married Idell Stephenson, a Cleveland High School classmate of H.L.’s. He was brother-in-law of Virginia Altman Penny who was on the Coats High School staff for many years.
Mrs. Hazel Pope Tart continues to be honored with memorials to the Coats Museum. Much gratitude from the museum volunteers and the Tart family goes to Lester Stancil and Associates, Dunn Area Committee of 100 Inc. and Nancy Blackman.
For those who wish to honor Mrs. Tart, memorials must be sent to Coats Museum @ P.O. Box 1294 -Coats, NC. The physical address of the museum does not have a mailbox on site.
The year was 1970-the year in which the Beatles broke up and the National Guard at Kent State killed four students. President Nixon had signed a bill creating the Council on Environmental Quality. Nixon promised to fight air and water pollution and to turn the 70’s into the decade in which America regained a “productive harmony between man and nature” (Dickson, Paul -From Elvis to Email, Springfield, Massachusetts: Federal Street Press, 1999, pp 170-185).
Dan Stewart, the 20 year-old son of Laverne and Audrey Stewart of Coats, was found on a Sunday morning in a wrecked automobile. His car had run off the road into a ditch and struck a tree before it came to a stop. He was unconscious and nearly frozen but was reported to be in fair condition at Betsy Johnson Hospital. It was also in this edition of the paper that Joseph Lee Turlington, a Coats High graduate, had pledged marriage vows recently (Daily Record Jan. 5, 1970). It is interesting to note that Dan’s accident had occurred on Ebenezer Church Road upon which many deadly accidents have happened over the years.
Another Coats man was also in an accident in Dunn. The paper indicated that L.C. Strickland was not seriously injured (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1970).
Ann Johnson O’Neal, a Barclaysville native, became a member of the Dunn Junior Woman’s Club. Clark Langdon, another former student from Coats, was engaged to Lynda Marie Mabry (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1970).
Marc Powell, a Coats High freshman, was the recipient of the Eagle Badge. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Graymon Powell. The ceremony was very impressive and was held at the Coats Baptist Church. Deaths continued to make the news. Mrs. E.J. Norris had died on January 18, 1970. She was a ninety-eight year old woman from Coats. Another Coats area resident had died on Friday. Clyde Sorrell, 59, was survived by his wife, Mrs. Ida Floyd Sorrell; two sons-Bobby and Edgar Sorrell and two daughters-Mrs. Jean Fulmer and Mrs. June Kretzsechmer (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1970).
Was Coats having a telephone issue in January of 1970? The news indicated that better telephone service was promised. Cable facilities were extended to Coats at the cost of $ 147,000 (Daily Record Jan. 26, 1970).
When you think of hog breeders, what names pop into your mind? Do the names Barber, McLamb, Stephenson, Turlington, Bowden, Denning, West, and Gregory sound familiar? Is there a difference between a Duroc, Yorkshire, Hampshire, Spotted Poland China and a Spot? Are they all the same color? I do know that Carson Gregory and Ray Blizzard had the 9th Annual Registered Spot Sale (Daily Record Jan. 30, 1970).
Who remembers the Byrd’s Lo Mark Grocery Store at the Erwin intersection of Hwy 55 and 421? Is that where the bowling alley is currently? The grocery store was the site of a picture of Mrs. C.R. (Naomi) Byrd where she was photographed at the new Byrd’s Lo Mark Store. Question - was she connected with the Byrd owners of that chain?
I do know the J.W. Sorrell family of Turlington Road. Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Sorrell, Sr. had celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The golden wedding party was held at their home on Route 3, Dunn on a Sunday afternoon. Young love was blooming a few miles away. Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Stewart announced the engagement of their daughter, Linda Sue Stewart, to William Baxton Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. William T. Allen. She was a licensed nurse and he was an electronics engineer (Daily Record Feb.5, 1970).
The winter of 1970 had its share of death notices. Mr. Alton T. Tart, a retired farmer of Route One, Coats had died on Wednesday with services at the Red Hill Church. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Alma Byrd Tart and two daughters and five sons. Who were these children (Daily Record Feb. 6, 1970)?
The next edition of the paper posted the death of W.E. Byrd, 78, of Route One, Benson and Shepherd Stephenson, 71, of Route One, Benson had died. Mr. Stephenson was a retired farmer (Daily Record Feb. 17, 1970).
Sadness blanketed several Coats families as it was shared that little Sarah Ellen Denning, the two-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Denning had died at her home. Mr. Denning was a pharmacist at McKnight’s Drug store. Sarah Ellen had a twin sister, Ann Elizabeth. Her maternal grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rigg of Roanoke, VA. and her maternal great grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Mounte and Mrs. M.L. Rigg (Daily Record Feb. 17, 1970). Mrs. Hortense Denning (Ennis) was Larry’s mother and Peggie Pope, Carolyn Barnes and Ralph Denning were Larry’s siblings.
Death hovered over Grove Township. Another death was announced in the Record. Mr. Bruce Gregory, a retired lumberman, died at the age 55. Burial was in the Godwin Cemetery. Two daughters, Mrs. R.J. Godwin and Mrs. Rock Lee, survived him. His mother was Mrs. O.C. Gregory and Mrs. Halford Adams, Mrs. Luther Miller, and Hubert Gregory were three of his siblings who lived in the Coats area (Daily Record Mar. 3, 1970).
Veteran legislator Carson Gregory announced that he would be a candidate for a N.C. House seat. He had served seven terns and was defeated by James Penny in a hotly contested race in 1968 (Daily Record Mar. 2, 1970).
Mr. and Mrs. Silas Faulkner’s baby had died at N.C. Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill. The baby girl had five siblings-Connie, Joan, Barbara, Keith and Ronnie Faulkner (Daily Record Mar. 4, 1970).
With the tremendous number of deaths in early 1970, you must think that this is an obituary column. Here is yet another death notice. Mrs. Myrtle W. Ferguson, 45, of Coats had died. Her funeral was at the Gift PB Church with the burial in the Coats City Cemetery. She was survived by her husband Jimmy Ferguson and many children and stepchildren: Mrs. Eddie Owens, Mrs. Ray Turner, Mrs. Peggy Lee, Janie Ferguson, Becky Ferguson, Juanita Ferguson, Annette Ferguson, W.A. Norris, Ricky Lee, James. E. Ferguson, Larry Ferguson, Danny Ferguson, Glenn Ferguson, Mrs. Pete Norris, and Mrs. Jesse Jackson (Daily Record Mar. 9, 1970). Did the paper get this right?
Mr. Pervis Moore, 63, a retired farmer of Coats, died. Reverends Lonnie West and G. Daniel officiated at the Overby Funeral Chapel. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Ollie Moore; daughters Mrs. Peggy Hair, Mrs. Brenda Hair and Mrs. Linda Blackman; one son-Donald J. Moore and one sister Mrs. Bessie Stone of Coats (Daily Record, Mar.11, 1970).`Was that funeral chapel in Coats in 1970?
No deaths from polio were recorded in 1970 which was the first year without a polio fatality since record keeping had begun in 1955. The free market price of gold dropped below the standard $35.00 an ounce in 1970. The cost of an average day of hospital care was $85.00 per patient. The population according to the 1970 census was 203,211, 926 (Dickson p. 182).
Another death occurred that touched Coats residents. Mrs. Jean Denton, 44, of Durham, but formerly of Coats, had died on Monday, April 6th, 1970. She was survived by her husband, James Young; one daughter-Kim Maynor; four sons-Dickie, David, Harry, and Glenn; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lester “D.B.” Williams of Coats. Helen Wade, Mrs. Edna Stephenson and Mrs. Faye Page were sisters and Bobby and Fred Williams were her brothers (Daily Record Apr. 7, 1970).
The museum volunteers love giving tours of the Cotton Museum and the Heritage Museum. Maybe you have a church or senior group, club or organization who would like to learn more about the Coats area. We gladly welcome you to schedule your group for a meeting in the Research Library and Theater Room. We have many amazing videos that can be viewed or a volunteer can present a program on the area. If you are expected to have food at the meeting, there is a kitchen with refrigerator and microwave oven. If you have not visited the Coats Museum since several new exhibits are on display, come by for a tour and purchase a copy of the Defenders of the Red, White and Blue military book. We have a few copies left of the last order.
Bennie Weaver was a Coats student of H.L. and mine and he was a generous supporter of the museum both financially and with in kind donations. We were saddened by his recent death. H.L. and I have honored his memory with a donation to the Coats Museum Endowment along with one for Stacy Blake Penny who married Idell Stephenson, a Cleveland High School classmate of H.L.’s. He was brother-in-law of Virginia Altman Penny who was on the Coats High School staff for many years.
Mrs. Hazel Pope Tart continues to be honored with memorials to the Coats Museum. Much gratitude from the museum volunteers and the Tart family goes to Lester Stancil and Associates, Dunn Area Committee of 100 Inc. and Nancy Blackman.
For those who wish to honor Mrs. Tart, memorials must be sent to Coats Museum @ P.O. Box 1294 -Coats, NC. The physical address of the museum does not have a mailbox on site.
