January 10, 2011
Coats Museum News
As we continue our journey into the early 1900’s through the small town of Coats and its surrounding areas, we learn from Daniel Stewart’s autobiography, “Thank You Lord for a Good Life”, that he remembered that a Miss Bivens, Miss Ida Coats and Professor Owen Odum were three of his teachers at Grove #3 Coats School. He recalled the rigid discipline that was expected of students from teachers and parents. Students sat on benches and were called to move from one bench to the next as lessons were taught or recitations were finished. Spelling Bees were popular.
Stewart described graduation that always came in the spring. A wooden shed was built in front of the school in the open ground. Stakes were driven into the ground and boards were laid across them so people could watch the exercises at the commencement. Musical programs, recitations, debates, declarations, plays and other events were used to display the skills of the students. An engraved gold medal was awarded in some parts of the program. (Wonder if any of those gold medals are in the hands of some of the descendents of those recipients.)
Recall that William Taft was in the White House in 1910. The population of Harnett County had grown to 22,174 people. The real estate property value of the county was $2,281,936.00. The personal property value was at $2,157,245.00. Property listed by Negroes was $191,957.00 and by white was $4,245,245.00 and by Indians was $1,630.00
The tax rate for county purposes was 61 2/3 cents on $100.00; bridges 2 cents; special 20 cents , and schools and paupers 3 ½ cents. Bonded debt of the county was $76,000.00. There were 945 miles of public roads. (Were there any paved roads and what kind of vehicles traveled those roads?) Two townships paid to have the roads worked while the other townships required the owners of the property on the roads to do the upkeep. (This was called the “old system.”)
Were there other ways to get to places other than by public roads in Harnett County? The county had 20.02 miles of Atlantic Coast Railroad Line. Durham and Southern Railroad had 20.62 miles with the assessed value of $169,422.41. This is the railroad line that came through Coats. Western Union Telegraph had the assessed value of $3,366.88; whereas, Carolina Power and Light had assessed value of $21,277.39. The assessed value of Carolina Telephone was $11,303.00 and Benson Telephone had the assessed value of $1,305.00.
In 1910, Floyd H. Taylor was Clerk of Court; James B. Lanier was Harnett County Sheriff, and Allen M. Shaw was Register of Deeds. (Was Allen Shaw a relative of the Shaws of Turlington, Troyville, or Barclaysville?) A.W. Gregory of Barclalysville served on the Harnett County Board of Commissioners. The Justices of Peace in Grove Township were A.F. Grimes, W.H. Johnson, D.A. Holland, Y.W. Wellington, J.A. Stewart, and John A. Turlington.
According to the “1911 NC Business Directory (Harnett) “, there were at least forty-two cotton gins in Harnett County. Many of them were located in Grove Township: Ennis and Norris (Benson address), Benjamin F. Johnson, D.S. Bayles, D. Turlington, S.C. Neighbors, William Richard Sorrell, B.F. “Barty “ Parrish , L.L. Turlington, and Sandy Adams. Cotton was king in the area at that time.
Read the Coats Museum News next week to discover the names of others who lived in the Coats and surrounding area. What was written about Coats in the newspapers in 1913?
Please be mindful that this Coats Museum News appeared in the January 10, 2011 issue of the Daily Record.
As we continue our journey into the early 1900’s through the small town of Coats and its surrounding areas, we learn from Daniel Stewart’s autobiography, “Thank You Lord for a Good Life”, that he remembered that a Miss Bivens, Miss Ida Coats and Professor Owen Odum were three of his teachers at Grove #3 Coats School. He recalled the rigid discipline that was expected of students from teachers and parents. Students sat on benches and were called to move from one bench to the next as lessons were taught or recitations were finished. Spelling Bees were popular.
Stewart described graduation that always came in the spring. A wooden shed was built in front of the school in the open ground. Stakes were driven into the ground and boards were laid across them so people could watch the exercises at the commencement. Musical programs, recitations, debates, declarations, plays and other events were used to display the skills of the students. An engraved gold medal was awarded in some parts of the program. (Wonder if any of those gold medals are in the hands of some of the descendents of those recipients.)
Recall that William Taft was in the White House in 1910. The population of Harnett County had grown to 22,174 people. The real estate property value of the county was $2,281,936.00. The personal property value was at $2,157,245.00. Property listed by Negroes was $191,957.00 and by white was $4,245,245.00 and by Indians was $1,630.00
The tax rate for county purposes was 61 2/3 cents on $100.00; bridges 2 cents; special 20 cents , and schools and paupers 3 ½ cents. Bonded debt of the county was $76,000.00. There were 945 miles of public roads. (Were there any paved roads and what kind of vehicles traveled those roads?) Two townships paid to have the roads worked while the other townships required the owners of the property on the roads to do the upkeep. (This was called the “old system.”)
Were there other ways to get to places other than by public roads in Harnett County? The county had 20.02 miles of Atlantic Coast Railroad Line. Durham and Southern Railroad had 20.62 miles with the assessed value of $169,422.41. This is the railroad line that came through Coats. Western Union Telegraph had the assessed value of $3,366.88; whereas, Carolina Power and Light had assessed value of $21,277.39. The assessed value of Carolina Telephone was $11,303.00 and Benson Telephone had the assessed value of $1,305.00.
In 1910, Floyd H. Taylor was Clerk of Court; James B. Lanier was Harnett County Sheriff, and Allen M. Shaw was Register of Deeds. (Was Allen Shaw a relative of the Shaws of Turlington, Troyville, or Barclaysville?) A.W. Gregory of Barclalysville served on the Harnett County Board of Commissioners. The Justices of Peace in Grove Township were A.F. Grimes, W.H. Johnson, D.A. Holland, Y.W. Wellington, J.A. Stewart, and John A. Turlington.
According to the “1911 NC Business Directory (Harnett) “, there were at least forty-two cotton gins in Harnett County. Many of them were located in Grove Township: Ennis and Norris (Benson address), Benjamin F. Johnson, D.S. Bayles, D. Turlington, S.C. Neighbors, William Richard Sorrell, B.F. “Barty “ Parrish , L.L. Turlington, and Sandy Adams. Cotton was king in the area at that time.
Read the Coats Museum News next week to discover the names of others who lived in the Coats and surrounding area. What was written about Coats in the newspapers in 1913?
Please be mindful that this Coats Museum News appeared in the January 10, 2011 issue of the Daily Record.