February 5, 2016 Coats Museum News
In 1900, a man’s average life expectancy was 48.6 years; in 1950 the expectancy increased to 54.4 (Daily Record October 3, 1956). So when Mrs. Catherine Peoples of Coats had died in Good Hope Hospital on Thursday at the age of 87 years, she had long outlived the expectancy. Her husband was Dr. Bob Peoples. She was the daughter of Jim and Catherine Lee. Surviving her were three sons-Monroe Lee, Carson and Leamon of Coats. Her funeral was at the Pleasant Grove Church (Daily Record Oct. 1, 1956).
Dr. James Valsame was a teacher and coach at the Coats High School in the 1950’s where he met Dorothy Barnes, daughter of Howard and Iris Barnes, in Coats. According to the Oct. 8, 1956 edition of the Daily Record, a marriage license was issued for James Valsame and Dorothy Jean Barnes. From that union came Mark Valsame, one of the area’s most known researchers of family history.
The Coats girls in FHA had their initiation on Sept. 25th. New members had to wear toe-sack fashions. Ann Beasley won the most original costume. The members later went to the Coats Theater, saw the movie “Rock Around The Clock”, and then had a wiener roast (Daily Record Nov. 9, 1956).
Does anyone remember where that hot dog roast was held? I do know that John Wayne Godwin, fireman apprentice, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Layton A. Godwin of Coats, NC was serving aboard the battleship USS Iowa that had returned to Norfolk, VA (Daily Record Oct. 10, 1956).
Another marriage license was issued to a young Coats couple- Dorsey Wade Daniel, 19, and Annie Elizabeth Critcher, 20 (Daily Record Oct. 16, 1956).
For a night of hilarious fun that was had, let’s revisit it as parents loaded the kids in the car and headed to the Coats School gym for a night of thrills and excitement. A crystal ball, horror house, bobbing for apples, fishing for trout and mermaids, a monkey booth, ring tossing, and black cats waited for the Halloween crowd. A country store with mouth watering goodies, Bingo, cakewalks, costume parades and the crowning of Mr. and Miss America of Coats waited for those who attended that Halloween event. Who knows! Some of those who attended may have danced while wearing blue suede shoes (Daily Record Oct.19, 1956).
Do any of you remember those days? Maybe some of the relatives of Dorsey Daniel and Ann Critcher remember attending the wedding of the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Critcher and Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Daniel were at the Coats Baptist Church in Coats for the ceremony on Oct. 17, 1956. The bride wore a princess dress of candlelight brocade. Mrs. Raymond Thomas Critcher was matron of honor and Raymond Critcher and Richard Daniel were ushers (Daily Record Oct. 22, 1956).
You will likely read the following twice in disbelief. Quinton Parker, who resided near Turlington’s Crossroads, owned a bantam hen that had earned a spot in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. The little bantam hen climbed up a tree and found an abandoned nest and laid three eggs and, as a result, the little biddies flopped out of the nest in the tree and followed the bantam around the Parker farm (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1956).
T.J. Barnes, Larry Barnes and Bobby Smith had received the American Farmers Degree. It is the highest degree awarded by the National Chapter of FFA. Each recipient received a plaque and $100 (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1956).
The Coats Junior Class had a party at the community building in town. A scavenger hunt started off the party which followed with a dance and refreshments. The party was to close out the sale of Christmas cards by the juniors to raise money for the Jr. and Sr. prom. Jo Carol Penny, class reporter, also shared with the paper that Sue McLean had moved to Angier and Wayne Bishop to Lillington. Elsewhere in the area, Miss Florence Ennis was honored at a party. Mrs. Edward Ennis, Mrs. Corrina Whittington and Mrs. J.D. Richardson were among those who attended (Daily Record Nov. 2, 1956).
Do any of you recall when there was no road or paved road in front of your house? A petition was submitted to build a dirt road in Grove Township which ran from the Andrew Cooper farm to the road connecting at Tinker Howard Store and Bailey’s Crossroads at W. Kirk Ennis farm-known as the Connecting Farm Road-a distance of one mile. Who knows what that road is called today? Is it the Chic Ennis Road?
The Coats Teenage Club met at the Coats gym for the purpose of appointing a committee to select candidates for officers in the club. Mr. Wendell Capps was advisor. Remember him? The Senior Class of 1957 had begun practice on their play, “Who Killed Aunt Caroline?” T.T. Knight, the play director, announced the cast. The cast was Gwen Dixon, Becky Pope, Lea Joy Johnson, Sue Page, Pat Stewart, Helen Turlington, Jean Strickland, Margie Ennis, Curtis Mason, Billy Langdon, James Weaver, and Boyd Clayton.
The Glee Club had begun practice on their Christmas program, a musical type play where a narrator told a story of Christmas and actors portrayed it. Meanwhile in Dunn, Belks had a grand opening ceremony celebrating the enlargement of the store (Daily Record Nov. 6, 1956).
Death visited the family of Charlie S. Denton, 52, of Angier on Tuesday night. A.H. Denton of Coats and Mrs. O.G. Lamb (?) were siblings. Some better news was that a marriage license was issued to Virginia Norris and Paul Joseph Capps (Daily Record Nov. 8, 1956).
Some good news came to Coats—Dr. Donald Moore was named “Physician of the Year” in Harnett County (Daily Record Dec. 5, 1956). Dr. Moore’s son-in-law, Fred Robinson, served our country with honor, but did Dr. Moore serve also?
I do know the volunteers at the museum are so excited that our veterans are coming forth to be videoed and to share their stories. Lonnie Dorman and Thomas Brown went before Lynda Butler’s museum camera. Paul moved to Pikesville, NC after living in California for years. Paul has local roots and attends Mt. Pisgah near Erwin.
What a delight it was to see Joe Byrd from Plain View walk into the museum to share his story as a veteran of the UASF in Vietnam and as a National Guard veteran in Iraq. Joe, a multi-talented individual, is remembered by his classmates as a musician but he is making a name for himself as a master of acrylic and oil on the canvas. To make the visit even more exciting, he shared memories from Bill Dad Williams who was a boy during the Civil War. No, Joe is not that old; it is just that Bill Dad lived to be over 100 years old. He added years to the average life expectancy in 1950, would you agree? Billy Coats who served in three branches of service will also have his video on our website in the future. Your participation makes our work so rewarding.
Many former Coats students are coming forth with donations to the Coats Museum Endowment or the Coats Museum. Board member, Ralph Denning, challenged his classmates to give to the endowment insure the future of the museum and they did. He has done over and over what he has asked them to do-“Give to the Endowment”.
Thank you goes to Diana Lischen from the Coats Pharmacy for her memorial donation for Lottie Lamm and to H. L. Sorrell for remembering Miss Eloise Rowland, Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, W.C. Humphrey, Jr. and Connie Mack Johnson with memorials to the endowment. Add a thank you to Conrey and Sarah Flowers for her Class of 1962 exhibit hall plaque.
Some people think that members of organizations are so silly to work their hearts out just to give the money away. The Coats Lions Club and Kiwanis Club of Coats are hard working folks and both are so supportive of their town museum. Thank you Lions Club treasurer, Tommy Ennis, for bringing your club’s donation for 2016.
Everyone knows the Rupert Honeycutt family of Coats. Most of you can likely name all of his children and their spouses and even the grandchildren. It was a delightful visit to have Gerry Honeycutt drop by the museum where she was one of the original volunteers a few years ago. The family honored Rupert with a generous memorial to the Museum Endowment. We cannot wait for you to see the vintage Honeycutt family item that will go on display after February.
In 1900, a man’s average life expectancy was 48.6 years; in 1950 the expectancy increased to 54.4 (Daily Record October 3, 1956). So when Mrs. Catherine Peoples of Coats had died in Good Hope Hospital on Thursday at the age of 87 years, she had long outlived the expectancy. Her husband was Dr. Bob Peoples. She was the daughter of Jim and Catherine Lee. Surviving her were three sons-Monroe Lee, Carson and Leamon of Coats. Her funeral was at the Pleasant Grove Church (Daily Record Oct. 1, 1956).
Dr. James Valsame was a teacher and coach at the Coats High School in the 1950’s where he met Dorothy Barnes, daughter of Howard and Iris Barnes, in Coats. According to the Oct. 8, 1956 edition of the Daily Record, a marriage license was issued for James Valsame and Dorothy Jean Barnes. From that union came Mark Valsame, one of the area’s most known researchers of family history.
The Coats girls in FHA had their initiation on Sept. 25th. New members had to wear toe-sack fashions. Ann Beasley won the most original costume. The members later went to the Coats Theater, saw the movie “Rock Around The Clock”, and then had a wiener roast (Daily Record Nov. 9, 1956).
Does anyone remember where that hot dog roast was held? I do know that John Wayne Godwin, fireman apprentice, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Layton A. Godwin of Coats, NC was serving aboard the battleship USS Iowa that had returned to Norfolk, VA (Daily Record Oct. 10, 1956).
Another marriage license was issued to a young Coats couple- Dorsey Wade Daniel, 19, and Annie Elizabeth Critcher, 20 (Daily Record Oct. 16, 1956).
For a night of hilarious fun that was had, let’s revisit it as parents loaded the kids in the car and headed to the Coats School gym for a night of thrills and excitement. A crystal ball, horror house, bobbing for apples, fishing for trout and mermaids, a monkey booth, ring tossing, and black cats waited for the Halloween crowd. A country store with mouth watering goodies, Bingo, cakewalks, costume parades and the crowning of Mr. and Miss America of Coats waited for those who attended that Halloween event. Who knows! Some of those who attended may have danced while wearing blue suede shoes (Daily Record Oct.19, 1956).
Do any of you remember those days? Maybe some of the relatives of Dorsey Daniel and Ann Critcher remember attending the wedding of the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Critcher and Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Daniel were at the Coats Baptist Church in Coats for the ceremony on Oct. 17, 1956. The bride wore a princess dress of candlelight brocade. Mrs. Raymond Thomas Critcher was matron of honor and Raymond Critcher and Richard Daniel were ushers (Daily Record Oct. 22, 1956).
You will likely read the following twice in disbelief. Quinton Parker, who resided near Turlington’s Crossroads, owned a bantam hen that had earned a spot in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. The little bantam hen climbed up a tree and found an abandoned nest and laid three eggs and, as a result, the little biddies flopped out of the nest in the tree and followed the bantam around the Parker farm (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1956).
T.J. Barnes, Larry Barnes and Bobby Smith had received the American Farmers Degree. It is the highest degree awarded by the National Chapter of FFA. Each recipient received a plaque and $100 (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1956).
The Coats Junior Class had a party at the community building in town. A scavenger hunt started off the party which followed with a dance and refreshments. The party was to close out the sale of Christmas cards by the juniors to raise money for the Jr. and Sr. prom. Jo Carol Penny, class reporter, also shared with the paper that Sue McLean had moved to Angier and Wayne Bishop to Lillington. Elsewhere in the area, Miss Florence Ennis was honored at a party. Mrs. Edward Ennis, Mrs. Corrina Whittington and Mrs. J.D. Richardson were among those who attended (Daily Record Nov. 2, 1956).
Do any of you recall when there was no road or paved road in front of your house? A petition was submitted to build a dirt road in Grove Township which ran from the Andrew Cooper farm to the road connecting at Tinker Howard Store and Bailey’s Crossroads at W. Kirk Ennis farm-known as the Connecting Farm Road-a distance of one mile. Who knows what that road is called today? Is it the Chic Ennis Road?
The Coats Teenage Club met at the Coats gym for the purpose of appointing a committee to select candidates for officers in the club. Mr. Wendell Capps was advisor. Remember him? The Senior Class of 1957 had begun practice on their play, “Who Killed Aunt Caroline?” T.T. Knight, the play director, announced the cast. The cast was Gwen Dixon, Becky Pope, Lea Joy Johnson, Sue Page, Pat Stewart, Helen Turlington, Jean Strickland, Margie Ennis, Curtis Mason, Billy Langdon, James Weaver, and Boyd Clayton.
The Glee Club had begun practice on their Christmas program, a musical type play where a narrator told a story of Christmas and actors portrayed it. Meanwhile in Dunn, Belks had a grand opening ceremony celebrating the enlargement of the store (Daily Record Nov. 6, 1956).
Death visited the family of Charlie S. Denton, 52, of Angier on Tuesday night. A.H. Denton of Coats and Mrs. O.G. Lamb (?) were siblings. Some better news was that a marriage license was issued to Virginia Norris and Paul Joseph Capps (Daily Record Nov. 8, 1956).
Some good news came to Coats—Dr. Donald Moore was named “Physician of the Year” in Harnett County (Daily Record Dec. 5, 1956). Dr. Moore’s son-in-law, Fred Robinson, served our country with honor, but did Dr. Moore serve also?
I do know the volunteers at the museum are so excited that our veterans are coming forth to be videoed and to share their stories. Lonnie Dorman and Thomas Brown went before Lynda Butler’s museum camera. Paul moved to Pikesville, NC after living in California for years. Paul has local roots and attends Mt. Pisgah near Erwin.
What a delight it was to see Joe Byrd from Plain View walk into the museum to share his story as a veteran of the UASF in Vietnam and as a National Guard veteran in Iraq. Joe, a multi-talented individual, is remembered by his classmates as a musician but he is making a name for himself as a master of acrylic and oil on the canvas. To make the visit even more exciting, he shared memories from Bill Dad Williams who was a boy during the Civil War. No, Joe is not that old; it is just that Bill Dad lived to be over 100 years old. He added years to the average life expectancy in 1950, would you agree? Billy Coats who served in three branches of service will also have his video on our website in the future. Your participation makes our work so rewarding.
Many former Coats students are coming forth with donations to the Coats Museum Endowment or the Coats Museum. Board member, Ralph Denning, challenged his classmates to give to the endowment insure the future of the museum and they did. He has done over and over what he has asked them to do-“Give to the Endowment”.
Thank you goes to Diana Lischen from the Coats Pharmacy for her memorial donation for Lottie Lamm and to H. L. Sorrell for remembering Miss Eloise Rowland, Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, W.C. Humphrey, Jr. and Connie Mack Johnson with memorials to the endowment. Add a thank you to Conrey and Sarah Flowers for her Class of 1962 exhibit hall plaque.
Some people think that members of organizations are so silly to work their hearts out just to give the money away. The Coats Lions Club and Kiwanis Club of Coats are hard working folks and both are so supportive of their town museum. Thank you Lions Club treasurer, Tommy Ennis, for bringing your club’s donation for 2016.
Everyone knows the Rupert Honeycutt family of Coats. Most of you can likely name all of his children and their spouses and even the grandchildren. It was a delightful visit to have Gerry Honeycutt drop by the museum where she was one of the original volunteers a few years ago. The family honored Rupert with a generous memorial to the Museum Endowment. We cannot wait for you to see the vintage Honeycutt family item that will go on display after February.