February 21, 2014 Coats Museum News
Making up snow days is nothing new. In March of 1948, the students in Harnett County were to make up three to seven days on Saturdays. However in Buies Creek, plans were being launched for a $200,000 modern gym at Campbell College. The March 29 jurors for Civil Court were P.B. Jones, Howard Penny, and James Carroll. For the April 5 session, James W. Sorrell and Keith Wayne Stewart’s names were drawn from the jury box. The members of the Coats Woman’s Club in 1948 were Delia Johnson, Mattie Highfill, Mrs. Reggie Parrish, Mrs. Lucy Kelly, Mrs. Ophelia Roberts, Mrs. O.K. Keene, Mrs. J.R. Roberts, Mrs. Gladys Phillips, Mrs. Percy Parrish, Mrs. Manley Willis, Mrs. M.O. Phillips, Miss Mattie Bain, Mrs. Dwight Odum, and Mrs. F.D. Cade. The Coats PTA observed Founder’s Day with 140 members. The group went on record with a letter to Governor Cherry to use surplus money on schools and roads. They discussed preparing a first aid room and free lunches for needy students (Dunn Dispatch March 5, 1948).
The Coats Seniors presented a three-act play, “Mammy’s Lil’s Rose” by Lillian Mortimer, in the school auditorium on March 12. Alice Stewart and O Max Langdon played the starring roles. Jenny Grimes, Haywood Penny, Marian Ennis, Marie Byrd, Hayes Beasley, Jane Stewart, Charles Ennis, Elizabeth Peacock, Clelton Parrish, and Margeline Pope were supporting players (Dunn Dispatch March 8, 1948).
Sue Lou Young, 26 year-old daughter of Elder and Mrs. Oscar Young, was killed in a DC-4 Delta Airlines crash near Chicago. She was one of the twelve people who died in the plane. The plane exploded and she died trying to save the life of a child on the plane. Sue Lou was a graduate of East Carolina Teachers College in Greenville, N.C. and lived in Miami, Florida (Dunn Dispatch March 12, 1948). Was she a flight attendant for Delta?
Herbert Tallie Dupree was nominated by the Harnett County GOP to run for Register o f Deeds and Clayton Stewart was nominated to run for constable. W.W. Wood and E.F. Parker were on the GOP Executive Committee. Lillington got its second stoplight at “J” Street. Kerr Scott was Democratic candidate for governor. He proposed 100 million dollars for rural roads (Dunn Dispatch March 12, 1948).
The Coats Womanless Wedding was presented again. This year Mr. A.R. Byrd played the groom and Mayton Upchurch was the bride. Guy Stewart played the jilted lover, and Owen Odum played the ringbearer. Gene Stewart and Rev. J.M. Long sang. A cakewalk, a pie eating contest and musical selections preceded the wedding (Dunn Dispatch March 17, 1948).
Howard Parker, business manager of the textile industry, announced as a candidate for senate. He was the husband of Netral Pollard of Coats, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Callie Pollard of Coats (Dunn Dispatch March 18, 1948). Was that Erwin Mills?
Anthony Quinn was playing in “Beach Gold” at Yarley’s Theater in Coats. The Bridge Club met with Mrs. Percy Parrish. Mrs. Leon Talton was visiting her mother, Mrs. T.D. Stewart. Lt. (j.g.) and Mrs. Rolac Turlington spent two weeks with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Turlington. Mr. and Mrs. B.L. Langdon from Fayetteville were visitors in Coats and the Jr. Woman’s Club met at the home of Mrs. J.D. Lamm and Miss Zenobia Surles (Dunn Dispatch March 22, 1948).
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Turlington of Route 3, Dunn announced the birth of a son on March 16 at Dunn Hospital. The mother was the former Rebecca Mabry (Dunn Dispatch March 24, 1948). Was the son named Frank?
For those of you who have followed the Coats Museum News, you have revisited over two hundred years of history of Coats and surrounding areas. As we continue to travel forward, more and more readers share that they can now see the faces of those about whom I am writing. One face would be that of Clay Williams, formerly of Coats, Route One, who had been named the Farm Director of radio station WNAO, Raleigh, the new 5,000-watt outlet of ABC owned by the News and Observer. Clay was the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Williams (Dunn Dispatch March 29, 1948).
Three sets of twins were born within three days at Dunn Hospital. One set of those twins was John Ed and Charles Ted West, sons of Mr. and Mrs. John E. West. The mother was the former Brookie Sorrell. Elsewhere, funeral services were held for Jimmy Addison Horton 57, of Coats, Route One, at Fairhaven Church near Benson. The Page Book Club had been organized at the home of Mrs. C.G. Fuquay fifteen years ago. The lilac had been chosen as the flower. To honor the memory of Mrs. Fuquay, who had been killed in a car accident a few months earlier, a tribute entitled “A Tribute to a Fallen Comrade” was written by Mrs. Stuart Turlington. “There is No Death”, a poem, was given by Mrs. T.O Beasley, and a piano solo was rendered by Mrs. Lucy Kelly. The ladies carried lilacs and placed them on Mrs. Fuquay’s grave.
Mrs. Haywood Roberts was named as the new president of the Coats Woman’s Club. Mrs. Gladys Phillips and Mrs. Percy Parrish were also elected as officers. Mr. and Mrs. John Lloyd Sorrell announced the engagement of their daughter Mary Sorrell to Dr. Gordon Townsend (Dunn Dispatch April 2, 1948).
Carson Gregory of Coats, Route 2, Angier, prominent farmer and dairyman, announced for the county board of commissioners in District 2, which was composed of Duke and Grove Townships. He had been engaged in the dairy business for 16 years and ran Carson’s Dairy (Dunn Dispatch April 5, 1948).
Recall that Lillington had a second stoplight and Dunn had forty city blocks paved and now 105 had signed up for paving ( Dunn Dispatch April 7, 1948). What is going on in Coats?
Mrs. Johnnie Stewart, R. Arthur Pleasant, and Willard Wood were on the juror’s list (Note that a woman is now serving as a juror!))The Harnett County Soil Conservation Public Speaking Contest was held in Lillington and Coats FFA student Earl Regan won second place and a $15.00 prize.
A road petition was approved by the HCBOC to hard surface or to be made an all weather road in Coats and leading out of Coats in a northeasterly direction to the Johnston County line and known as the Coats-Bethel Road- a distance of 4 miles (Dunn Dispatch April 7, 1948). Today is it known as the Abattoir Road?
W.E. Nichols, a prominent Coats business and civic leader, announced that he would seek re-election to the HCBOE. His district was composed of Grove and Duke Townships. This seat was made available after the death of Dr. C.G. Fuquay (Dunn Dispatch April 12, 1948). Nichols filled that seat with strong endorsement from the Coats Fellowship Club.
A big thank you goes to Carolyn and William Edward Stone from Durham for giving a donation to the Coats Museum. The volunteers enjoyed having David and Megan Turlington visit us from Raleigh bringing a copy of a Bible dated 1875 that belonged to his family. David is the grandson of the late Charles Turlington of Benson. Charles’s father was Charles Jefferson Turlington (Ida) who was mayor of Coats for many terms. Ida was daughter of Preacher James Thomas Coats making David the great-great grandson of the town founder.
Making up snow days is nothing new. In March of 1948, the students in Harnett County were to make up three to seven days on Saturdays. However in Buies Creek, plans were being launched for a $200,000 modern gym at Campbell College. The March 29 jurors for Civil Court were P.B. Jones, Howard Penny, and James Carroll. For the April 5 session, James W. Sorrell and Keith Wayne Stewart’s names were drawn from the jury box. The members of the Coats Woman’s Club in 1948 were Delia Johnson, Mattie Highfill, Mrs. Reggie Parrish, Mrs. Lucy Kelly, Mrs. Ophelia Roberts, Mrs. O.K. Keene, Mrs. J.R. Roberts, Mrs. Gladys Phillips, Mrs. Percy Parrish, Mrs. Manley Willis, Mrs. M.O. Phillips, Miss Mattie Bain, Mrs. Dwight Odum, and Mrs. F.D. Cade. The Coats PTA observed Founder’s Day with 140 members. The group went on record with a letter to Governor Cherry to use surplus money on schools and roads. They discussed preparing a first aid room and free lunches for needy students (Dunn Dispatch March 5, 1948).
The Coats Seniors presented a three-act play, “Mammy’s Lil’s Rose” by Lillian Mortimer, in the school auditorium on March 12. Alice Stewart and O Max Langdon played the starring roles. Jenny Grimes, Haywood Penny, Marian Ennis, Marie Byrd, Hayes Beasley, Jane Stewart, Charles Ennis, Elizabeth Peacock, Clelton Parrish, and Margeline Pope were supporting players (Dunn Dispatch March 8, 1948).
Sue Lou Young, 26 year-old daughter of Elder and Mrs. Oscar Young, was killed in a DC-4 Delta Airlines crash near Chicago. She was one of the twelve people who died in the plane. The plane exploded and she died trying to save the life of a child on the plane. Sue Lou was a graduate of East Carolina Teachers College in Greenville, N.C. and lived in Miami, Florida (Dunn Dispatch March 12, 1948). Was she a flight attendant for Delta?
Herbert Tallie Dupree was nominated by the Harnett County GOP to run for Register o f Deeds and Clayton Stewart was nominated to run for constable. W.W. Wood and E.F. Parker were on the GOP Executive Committee. Lillington got its second stoplight at “J” Street. Kerr Scott was Democratic candidate for governor. He proposed 100 million dollars for rural roads (Dunn Dispatch March 12, 1948).
The Coats Womanless Wedding was presented again. This year Mr. A.R. Byrd played the groom and Mayton Upchurch was the bride. Guy Stewart played the jilted lover, and Owen Odum played the ringbearer. Gene Stewart and Rev. J.M. Long sang. A cakewalk, a pie eating contest and musical selections preceded the wedding (Dunn Dispatch March 17, 1948).
Howard Parker, business manager of the textile industry, announced as a candidate for senate. He was the husband of Netral Pollard of Coats, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Callie Pollard of Coats (Dunn Dispatch March 18, 1948). Was that Erwin Mills?
Anthony Quinn was playing in “Beach Gold” at Yarley’s Theater in Coats. The Bridge Club met with Mrs. Percy Parrish. Mrs. Leon Talton was visiting her mother, Mrs. T.D. Stewart. Lt. (j.g.) and Mrs. Rolac Turlington spent two weeks with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Turlington. Mr. and Mrs. B.L. Langdon from Fayetteville were visitors in Coats and the Jr. Woman’s Club met at the home of Mrs. J.D. Lamm and Miss Zenobia Surles (Dunn Dispatch March 22, 1948).
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Turlington of Route 3, Dunn announced the birth of a son on March 16 at Dunn Hospital. The mother was the former Rebecca Mabry (Dunn Dispatch March 24, 1948). Was the son named Frank?
For those of you who have followed the Coats Museum News, you have revisited over two hundred years of history of Coats and surrounding areas. As we continue to travel forward, more and more readers share that they can now see the faces of those about whom I am writing. One face would be that of Clay Williams, formerly of Coats, Route One, who had been named the Farm Director of radio station WNAO, Raleigh, the new 5,000-watt outlet of ABC owned by the News and Observer. Clay was the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Williams (Dunn Dispatch March 29, 1948).
Three sets of twins were born within three days at Dunn Hospital. One set of those twins was John Ed and Charles Ted West, sons of Mr. and Mrs. John E. West. The mother was the former Brookie Sorrell. Elsewhere, funeral services were held for Jimmy Addison Horton 57, of Coats, Route One, at Fairhaven Church near Benson. The Page Book Club had been organized at the home of Mrs. C.G. Fuquay fifteen years ago. The lilac had been chosen as the flower. To honor the memory of Mrs. Fuquay, who had been killed in a car accident a few months earlier, a tribute entitled “A Tribute to a Fallen Comrade” was written by Mrs. Stuart Turlington. “There is No Death”, a poem, was given by Mrs. T.O Beasley, and a piano solo was rendered by Mrs. Lucy Kelly. The ladies carried lilacs and placed them on Mrs. Fuquay’s grave.
Mrs. Haywood Roberts was named as the new president of the Coats Woman’s Club. Mrs. Gladys Phillips and Mrs. Percy Parrish were also elected as officers. Mr. and Mrs. John Lloyd Sorrell announced the engagement of their daughter Mary Sorrell to Dr. Gordon Townsend (Dunn Dispatch April 2, 1948).
Carson Gregory of Coats, Route 2, Angier, prominent farmer and dairyman, announced for the county board of commissioners in District 2, which was composed of Duke and Grove Townships. He had been engaged in the dairy business for 16 years and ran Carson’s Dairy (Dunn Dispatch April 5, 1948).
Recall that Lillington had a second stoplight and Dunn had forty city blocks paved and now 105 had signed up for paving ( Dunn Dispatch April 7, 1948). What is going on in Coats?
Mrs. Johnnie Stewart, R. Arthur Pleasant, and Willard Wood were on the juror’s list (Note that a woman is now serving as a juror!))The Harnett County Soil Conservation Public Speaking Contest was held in Lillington and Coats FFA student Earl Regan won second place and a $15.00 prize.
A road petition was approved by the HCBOC to hard surface or to be made an all weather road in Coats and leading out of Coats in a northeasterly direction to the Johnston County line and known as the Coats-Bethel Road- a distance of 4 miles (Dunn Dispatch April 7, 1948). Today is it known as the Abattoir Road?
W.E. Nichols, a prominent Coats business and civic leader, announced that he would seek re-election to the HCBOE. His district was composed of Grove and Duke Townships. This seat was made available after the death of Dr. C.G. Fuquay (Dunn Dispatch April 12, 1948). Nichols filled that seat with strong endorsement from the Coats Fellowship Club.
A big thank you goes to Carolyn and William Edward Stone from Durham for giving a donation to the Coats Museum. The volunteers enjoyed having David and Megan Turlington visit us from Raleigh bringing a copy of a Bible dated 1875 that belonged to his family. David is the grandson of the late Charles Turlington of Benson. Charles’s father was Charles Jefferson Turlington (Ida) who was mayor of Coats for many terms. Ida was daughter of Preacher James Thomas Coats making David the great-great grandson of the town founder.