December 14, 2018 Coats Museum News
Who knows what the Selective Service System is? Did you realize that it is an independent agency of the US government located in Arlington, VA and maintains information about those who are subject to serve in the US military? According to Wikipedia.org, the SSS was formed on May 18, 1917 (101 years ago). In our museum research library we have many records from the SSS in 1917. It is interesting to read the names of people you might recognize on those lists such as Paul Green.
Last week, you read about President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the many happenings that occurred while he was in the White House. Under him, on September 16, 1941 Congress passed the law with requirements for registration for the draft. Ancestry.com shares that after the US entered WWII, all men 18 to 45 years of age had to register for the draft and over 10 million American men were registered. Yahoo.com shared that the US Senate more recently passed a bill requiring women turning 18 on or after January 1, 2018 to register with the Selective Service System. What about all 18 year-old males?
The October 16, 1973 edition of the Daily Record printed that all 18 year-old males were required to register with SSS for the draft. Could these males vote? I do know that some of them might have been affected by a new law that started as a safety measure was going into effect dealt with motorcycles. It would be required that all motorcycles have headlights and taillights when on a road.
Last week I also ask if anyone could recall who was voted the Most Original among the seniors of 1974. According to the school’s Echoing Memories, the honors went to Pam Spears and Benny Blackman. Another Coats student would show up in the yearbook. The Daily Record Oct. 17, 1973 edition printed that Julia Norris was chosen as the FFA Sweetheart. Was Julia the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. David Norris?
Death had again shown its presence in the area. Jeff Stephenson, 74, of Coats had died on Friday. His services were at the Rose Funeral chapel with burial in the Devotional Gardens. Surviving him were four sisters: Mrs. R.B. Harmon, Mary Stephenson, Myrlie Stephenson and Mrs. J.A. Teague. George Stephenson was his brother from Route One, Coats (Daily Record Oct. 22, 1973).
A prominent farmer, seventy-eight year-old L. Waylon Bailey from the Bailey’s Crossroads area, was also taken by death. His services were held at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with burial in the church cemetery. He was the husband of Mrs. Belle Medlin Bailey and father of Ernestine Clodfelter, Joyce Fleming, Glenard Bailey and Donald Bailey. His brothers were Cleon Bailey, Roscoe Bailey, Lindell Bailey and Stewart Bailey (Daily Record Oct. 26, 1973).
Pleasant news came in the form of an engagement announcement. James Thomas West, son of Mrs. Brookie West and John E. West, was engaged to marry Elizabeth Mae Coats, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Lloyd Coats, Jr. (Daily Record Oct. 26, 1973).
Ronald Coats, popular executive of the town of Coats, was re-elected mayor and J.D. Norris and Nassie Dorman were also reelected. Dickie Wiggins was elected replace Roger Simmons. Hubert Rowland, the first black to seek a town office in Coats, was defeated with 125 votes (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1973).Did Mr. Rowland hold a position on the Coats School Board?
I do know that Coats lost one of its most popular citizens to death. Mr. Thomas Owen Beasley was a popular barber, town official and community leader. He was seventy-four years old. His services were held at the Coats Baptist Church with Rev. R.O. Byrd and Rev. Howard Beard officiating. His survivors were sons, former Coats Mayor Godfrey Beasley, former town commissioner Max Beasley and Levin Beasley. His sisters were Mrs. Bessie Stewart, Mrs. Alda Parrish, and Miss Edna Beasley (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1973).
Had he lost a son named Charles Beasley in a wreck? Charles was the first husband of Lib Guy and the father of Sybil and Ann Beasley as we know them. Max Beasley was the artist who painted the two murals for the town’s centennial. One mural is on the exterior wall of Joe Tart’s late father’s cabinet shop and the other one is on the interior wall of the Coats Cotton Museum. All four sons of Mr. T.O. served with distinction in the military and history has recorded the many good things that family did because of their love of Coats. Not surprisingly, Ann and Dovie, the widows of his sons, and his grandchildren continue to be supportive of the Coats Museum. I might add that one of their earliest ancestors, Rufus Beasley, played his fife for the Black River Tigers and is also credited with having one of the earliest schools in the Coats area.
Only a few lines back, you read about the death of Jeff Stephenson. Now you are reading about the death of his brother, George W. Stephenson, 79. He was buried in Erwin Chapel Cemetery after his funeral was conducted at the Benson Rose Funeral Chapel. Surviving family members were Mrs. Charles Ray Ennis, Hoyt and Cecil Stephenson. His sisters were Myrlie and Mary Stephenson and Mrs. George Teague (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1973). I bet you recognize some of those names.
Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson received a volunteer Extension Educational Program Award at the Harnett County Extension Achievement Dinner (Daily Record Nov. 14, 1973). Who remembers and misses Juanita?
Mrs. Betty Godwin of Coats announced the marriage of her daughter, Dorothy G. Godwin, to Aaron Lewis Pope. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pope of Coats. The couple exchanged vows on November 14 in Dillon, SC.
Do couples continue to go to Dillon, SC to get married? We recently had a gentleman come into the museum from Rock Hill, SC where he had moved after living in Dillon. We kidded him about everyone going there to get married. He said sometimes there were lines going around some of the wedding chapels. Was he teasing us? Did they have special chapels for couples to get married?
Town namesake James Thomas Coats came to Coats from the Pleasant Grove area of western Johnston County (a mile or so from Gregory Vineyards). Tom Coats was later joined in Coats by several of his half-siblings- one of them being Henry H. Penny. Henry‘s son Joe H. Penny and daughters Mrs. Roger (Mary Coats) and Mrs. Will H. (Lizzie) Turlington resided in the Coats area. A story that has passed down in my husband’s family (Joe H. Penny) is about Joe’s brother Jeff Penny who operated a huge corn sheller, hammer mill and sawmill. When a part was needed, he had to make a trip to Raleigh from the Pleasant Grove community. He was remembered for wearing brogans with improvised shoe strings of twine. His overalls were well worn, his hat was floppy and he really had the look of needing new work clothes. The story goes that he went into town to purchase expensive parts for his machines when a clerk in the store questioned in his mind if this tattered man could afford to purchase the expensive part needed. Two endings to that story are told. One is that when questioned on how he intended to pay for it, Uncle Jeff retorted that he planned to pay for it in cash. Another ending to the story was that the clerk went to a higher up in the business about this purchase and was told to let this man have anything he wanted because he could probably afford to buy the whole store. Question-who would was around to see this event and repeat this story?
I do know that many stories told about him are an insight into what a character he was and how he is remembered by his great nephews as being somewhat a loving teaser of them. Those children who lived in the neighborhood were allowed to eat grapes from Jeff’s many grapevines but only after asking and told exactly which vines to pick from. As older kids they remembered that there always seemed to be a wasp nest somewhere in the vines they were told to eat grapes. They also remember the big pecan tree that he told them to pick up all the pecans they wanted to eat and to fill up their pockets full of them. Only when they began to eat them did they realize how bitter they could taste. Newsprint will record him as being a talented musician and a member of the much sought after Penny Band.
Because he was an accommodating neighbor in his community and often did jobs for pay, he was thought to have much cash on hand and was robbed and badly beaten in his later years but survived the incident. It was in November of 1973 that Jeff H. Penny, 84, of Angier, Route One, had died on Monday afternoon. His services and burial were held at Johnson Memorial Church with Rev. Edward Johnson and Dr. Harvey English officiating. He was the son of the late Henry H. and Unity Coats Penny. Two siblings survived Jeff-Victor and Mrs. Mary Penny Coats (Daily Record November 14, 1974.)
The Coats Museum Board of Directors made up of Mayor Chris Coats, Tim L. Penny, Lynda Butler, Kevin Pope, Gayle Sorrell, Rhonda Stephenson, Brenda Rhiner and Kathy Weeks along with the executive board consisting of Chairman H.L. Sorrell, Vice Chair Andy Cole, Past President Ted Penny, Secretary Becky Adams and Treasurer Robie Butler enjoyed their last breakfast business meeting for 2018. The board was presented an overview of the museum’s financial status, lists of donors and recipients of the memorials and honorariums to the Coats Museum and the Coats Museum Endowment. The members received inserts sharing that over 1600 signed into the museum with visitors from 48 towns, 24 states and two international sites and a listing of all individuals with items they loaned or donated. Thank you comments went to the faithful financial supporters and recognition went to Paul Parker, Jack Johnson, Misty and Rubin Gil, Kathy Weeks, H.L. Sorrell, Lynda and Robie Butler for the hours they volunteered in maintaining the museum and grounds. Ideas for new exhibits were discussed and everyone is excited about board member Kevin Pope’s plans to have a Boy Scouts Exhibit and Open House in 2019.
Chairman Sorrell concluded the meeting by thanking all the weekly and Sunday volunteers-Becky Adams, Patsy and Stacy Avery, Linda Cobb, Andy Cole, Eric Fann, Sandy Howard, Ted Penny, Hilda Pope, Peggy Robinson, H.L and Gayle Sorrell and Kathy Weeks.
Who knows what the Selective Service System is? Did you realize that it is an independent agency of the US government located in Arlington, VA and maintains information about those who are subject to serve in the US military? According to Wikipedia.org, the SSS was formed on May 18, 1917 (101 years ago). In our museum research library we have many records from the SSS in 1917. It is interesting to read the names of people you might recognize on those lists such as Paul Green.
Last week, you read about President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the many happenings that occurred while he was in the White House. Under him, on September 16, 1941 Congress passed the law with requirements for registration for the draft. Ancestry.com shares that after the US entered WWII, all men 18 to 45 years of age had to register for the draft and over 10 million American men were registered. Yahoo.com shared that the US Senate more recently passed a bill requiring women turning 18 on or after January 1, 2018 to register with the Selective Service System. What about all 18 year-old males?
The October 16, 1973 edition of the Daily Record printed that all 18 year-old males were required to register with SSS for the draft. Could these males vote? I do know that some of them might have been affected by a new law that started as a safety measure was going into effect dealt with motorcycles. It would be required that all motorcycles have headlights and taillights when on a road.
Last week I also ask if anyone could recall who was voted the Most Original among the seniors of 1974. According to the school’s Echoing Memories, the honors went to Pam Spears and Benny Blackman. Another Coats student would show up in the yearbook. The Daily Record Oct. 17, 1973 edition printed that Julia Norris was chosen as the FFA Sweetheart. Was Julia the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. David Norris?
Death had again shown its presence in the area. Jeff Stephenson, 74, of Coats had died on Friday. His services were at the Rose Funeral chapel with burial in the Devotional Gardens. Surviving him were four sisters: Mrs. R.B. Harmon, Mary Stephenson, Myrlie Stephenson and Mrs. J.A. Teague. George Stephenson was his brother from Route One, Coats (Daily Record Oct. 22, 1973).
A prominent farmer, seventy-eight year-old L. Waylon Bailey from the Bailey’s Crossroads area, was also taken by death. His services were held at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with burial in the church cemetery. He was the husband of Mrs. Belle Medlin Bailey and father of Ernestine Clodfelter, Joyce Fleming, Glenard Bailey and Donald Bailey. His brothers were Cleon Bailey, Roscoe Bailey, Lindell Bailey and Stewart Bailey (Daily Record Oct. 26, 1973).
Pleasant news came in the form of an engagement announcement. James Thomas West, son of Mrs. Brookie West and John E. West, was engaged to marry Elizabeth Mae Coats, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Lloyd Coats, Jr. (Daily Record Oct. 26, 1973).
Ronald Coats, popular executive of the town of Coats, was re-elected mayor and J.D. Norris and Nassie Dorman were also reelected. Dickie Wiggins was elected replace Roger Simmons. Hubert Rowland, the first black to seek a town office in Coats, was defeated with 125 votes (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1973).Did Mr. Rowland hold a position on the Coats School Board?
I do know that Coats lost one of its most popular citizens to death. Mr. Thomas Owen Beasley was a popular barber, town official and community leader. He was seventy-four years old. His services were held at the Coats Baptist Church with Rev. R.O. Byrd and Rev. Howard Beard officiating. His survivors were sons, former Coats Mayor Godfrey Beasley, former town commissioner Max Beasley and Levin Beasley. His sisters were Mrs. Bessie Stewart, Mrs. Alda Parrish, and Miss Edna Beasley (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1973).
Had he lost a son named Charles Beasley in a wreck? Charles was the first husband of Lib Guy and the father of Sybil and Ann Beasley as we know them. Max Beasley was the artist who painted the two murals for the town’s centennial. One mural is on the exterior wall of Joe Tart’s late father’s cabinet shop and the other one is on the interior wall of the Coats Cotton Museum. All four sons of Mr. T.O. served with distinction in the military and history has recorded the many good things that family did because of their love of Coats. Not surprisingly, Ann and Dovie, the widows of his sons, and his grandchildren continue to be supportive of the Coats Museum. I might add that one of their earliest ancestors, Rufus Beasley, played his fife for the Black River Tigers and is also credited with having one of the earliest schools in the Coats area.
Only a few lines back, you read about the death of Jeff Stephenson. Now you are reading about the death of his brother, George W. Stephenson, 79. He was buried in Erwin Chapel Cemetery after his funeral was conducted at the Benson Rose Funeral Chapel. Surviving family members were Mrs. Charles Ray Ennis, Hoyt and Cecil Stephenson. His sisters were Myrlie and Mary Stephenson and Mrs. George Teague (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1973). I bet you recognize some of those names.
Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson received a volunteer Extension Educational Program Award at the Harnett County Extension Achievement Dinner (Daily Record Nov. 14, 1973). Who remembers and misses Juanita?
Mrs. Betty Godwin of Coats announced the marriage of her daughter, Dorothy G. Godwin, to Aaron Lewis Pope. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pope of Coats. The couple exchanged vows on November 14 in Dillon, SC.
Do couples continue to go to Dillon, SC to get married? We recently had a gentleman come into the museum from Rock Hill, SC where he had moved after living in Dillon. We kidded him about everyone going there to get married. He said sometimes there were lines going around some of the wedding chapels. Was he teasing us? Did they have special chapels for couples to get married?
Town namesake James Thomas Coats came to Coats from the Pleasant Grove area of western Johnston County (a mile or so from Gregory Vineyards). Tom Coats was later joined in Coats by several of his half-siblings- one of them being Henry H. Penny. Henry‘s son Joe H. Penny and daughters Mrs. Roger (Mary Coats) and Mrs. Will H. (Lizzie) Turlington resided in the Coats area. A story that has passed down in my husband’s family (Joe H. Penny) is about Joe’s brother Jeff Penny who operated a huge corn sheller, hammer mill and sawmill. When a part was needed, he had to make a trip to Raleigh from the Pleasant Grove community. He was remembered for wearing brogans with improvised shoe strings of twine. His overalls were well worn, his hat was floppy and he really had the look of needing new work clothes. The story goes that he went into town to purchase expensive parts for his machines when a clerk in the store questioned in his mind if this tattered man could afford to purchase the expensive part needed. Two endings to that story are told. One is that when questioned on how he intended to pay for it, Uncle Jeff retorted that he planned to pay for it in cash. Another ending to the story was that the clerk went to a higher up in the business about this purchase and was told to let this man have anything he wanted because he could probably afford to buy the whole store. Question-who would was around to see this event and repeat this story?
I do know that many stories told about him are an insight into what a character he was and how he is remembered by his great nephews as being somewhat a loving teaser of them. Those children who lived in the neighborhood were allowed to eat grapes from Jeff’s many grapevines but only after asking and told exactly which vines to pick from. As older kids they remembered that there always seemed to be a wasp nest somewhere in the vines they were told to eat grapes. They also remember the big pecan tree that he told them to pick up all the pecans they wanted to eat and to fill up their pockets full of them. Only when they began to eat them did they realize how bitter they could taste. Newsprint will record him as being a talented musician and a member of the much sought after Penny Band.
Because he was an accommodating neighbor in his community and often did jobs for pay, he was thought to have much cash on hand and was robbed and badly beaten in his later years but survived the incident. It was in November of 1973 that Jeff H. Penny, 84, of Angier, Route One, had died on Monday afternoon. His services and burial were held at Johnson Memorial Church with Rev. Edward Johnson and Dr. Harvey English officiating. He was the son of the late Henry H. and Unity Coats Penny. Two siblings survived Jeff-Victor and Mrs. Mary Penny Coats (Daily Record November 14, 1974.)
The Coats Museum Board of Directors made up of Mayor Chris Coats, Tim L. Penny, Lynda Butler, Kevin Pope, Gayle Sorrell, Rhonda Stephenson, Brenda Rhiner and Kathy Weeks along with the executive board consisting of Chairman H.L. Sorrell, Vice Chair Andy Cole, Past President Ted Penny, Secretary Becky Adams and Treasurer Robie Butler enjoyed their last breakfast business meeting for 2018. The board was presented an overview of the museum’s financial status, lists of donors and recipients of the memorials and honorariums to the Coats Museum and the Coats Museum Endowment. The members received inserts sharing that over 1600 signed into the museum with visitors from 48 towns, 24 states and two international sites and a listing of all individuals with items they loaned or donated. Thank you comments went to the faithful financial supporters and recognition went to Paul Parker, Jack Johnson, Misty and Rubin Gil, Kathy Weeks, H.L. Sorrell, Lynda and Robie Butler for the hours they volunteered in maintaining the museum and grounds. Ideas for new exhibits were discussed and everyone is excited about board member Kevin Pope’s plans to have a Boy Scouts Exhibit and Open House in 2019.
Chairman Sorrell concluded the meeting by thanking all the weekly and Sunday volunteers-Becky Adams, Patsy and Stacy Avery, Linda Cobb, Andy Cole, Eric Fann, Sandy Howard, Ted Penny, Hilda Pope, Peggy Robinson, H.L and Gayle Sorrell and Kathy Weeks.