January 10, 2020 Coats Museum News
How many of you have been to the Harnett County Jetport? Does anyone know when the first airport was established there? I do know in 1981, C.E. (Bud) Roberts, 24, was made manager of the Harnett County Airport. He took the position of the facility that was dedicated under his watch. “Bud”, the son of Dr. Clarence Roberts of Dunn, was the grandson of Dr. Harry Roberts who lost his life as a result of a plane crash. The Coats doctor was a native of Danville, VA. Dr. Harry Roberts came to Harnett County to attend Campbell Academy. He then went to a two-year program UNC Chapel Hill. From there he went to Louisiana to attend Tulane University. He returned to work at Rex Hospital where he met Edna Thomas of Statesville, NC (Daily Record Nov. 19, 1981).
Just for your interest, Dr. Roberts’s purchase of the two different lots prior to 1914 is associated with his arrival in Coats. He purchased the two lots –one in Dec. 1912 and the other in Mar. 1913 (GIRE Harnett Co. “J.T. Coats”). During WWI, he became involved with aviation. Undoubtedly, the senior Roberts’s love of aviation passed on to his son, Dr. Clarence Roberts who also became a pilot. The youngest Roberts, “Bud”, had flown since the age of eleven and had received his private pilot’s license at the minimum age of 16. Hence, when the airport was dedicated on November 21, 1981, many in the crowd met a young man of 24 who had been recommended by the county airport committee and then was approved by the county commissioners to be manager. The young manager was owner of Roberts Aviation, Inc., a former manager of the Erwin Airport, and the grandson of a pioneer aviator in Coats, Harnett and the state (Daily Record Nov. 19, 1981).
Some might be interested to know that Dr. and Mrs. Roberts lived across the street from the Coats Museum and Community Center. The lovely white house was constructed as a Sears Roebuck house and had cost the doctor less than $3,000. It later became the home of his son, Haywood and Ophelia Brock Roberts. Since then it has been the site of an antique shop and currently is privately owned. The story is told that Dr. Roberts had a medical facility in the basement but that has been disputed. It has also been shared that he stayed in the old Stewart Hotel prior to the assembling of the Sears Roebuck house. It is verifiable that he was a driving force in the successes of the growth in early Coats where he served on the town commission and owned the Roberts Electric Co. which supplied electricity for several hours a day for about 15 locations until it was destroyed in 1919 by the fire that destroyed the Coats Hosiery which was located on McKinley Street in the general area of the Domino’s Pizza. The Coats Town Meeting Minutes of January 18, 1917 stated that the issuance of a franchise on Jan. 17, 1917 to Dr. H.C. Roberts for him to furnish lights to the town of Coats which had under 600 population.
Let’s return to 1981 when America celebrated the 12th anniversary of the Apollo 11’s landing a man on the moon. The Daily Record Dec. 4, 1981 edition printed the obituary of Mrs. Mary Godwin Coats, 71, of Coats had died at Good Hope Hospital. She was the daughter of the late George and Lula Black Godwin. She was survived by her children-Rufus A., William E., Daniel, and Sherrill Coats and Mrs. Kathryn Coats Johnson. Her burial was in the Coats Family Cemetery. Where is this family cemetery?
Karen Fuquay had received the Valedictorian and Presidential Scholarships at Campbell University. Karen had been the Vice President of the Beta Club and Junior Class, recipient of the Mathematics, French, and Americanism Awards (Daily Record Dec. 4, 1981).
Another death had occurred in the Coats area. Mrs. Gertrude Mae Williams, 73, had died on Sunday from injuries received in an automobile accident. She was the daughter of the late Lonnie Avery and Alice Fowler Avery. Surviving her were daughters-Mrs. Ed Haponski , Mrs. Madrid Casey, Mrs. Judy Strickland, and Mrs. Joseph Lee Nash; two sons-Hugh and Barney Williams. Lester and Johnny Avery were brothers.
Lisa Pleasant, senior at Coats High School, won the Miss Coats High title. The proud parents were Mr. and Mrs. Larry Pleasant. Her attendants were Debbie Upchurch, Debbie Royster, Beth Pope, Helen Dennis, Dena Young, Estelle Surles, Donna Ennis and Pam Greene. Miss Congeniality was Cynthia Dailey. Robbie Lane and Gwen Bass were emcees for the pageant (Daily Record Dec. 7, 1981).
The Coats town Board had an organizational meeting. The newly elected members were sworn in. Commissioners Tim McKinnie, Cecil Fuquay, J.D. Norris, Curtis Guy, Frances Avery and Mayor Godfrey Beasley were the group who had to bring the town back together. They agree to approve cable vision (Daily Record Dec. 11, 1981).
I have a question since I never have lived in the town of Coats, what had happened in the town commission for the “cleaning of the board members” in 1981? It seemed from the news that many good things had happened in the town-new park and prospects for sewer and better water system.
I do know that a new baby had added to the population of Coats. Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Alston announced the birth of a daughter. The mother was the former Brenda McKoy (Daily Record Dec. 11, 1981).
Rickey Tart was named the Coats Rescue Member of the Year (Daily Record Dec. 21, 1981).
Mr. Earl Stewart was surprised with a birthday party at Roses in Dunn where he enjoyed coffee at the Country Porch each morning. Another question—was the Country Porch in the Roses Store?
Little Jonathan Tart celebrated his first birthday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Connie Mack Tart. The Christmas holidays at the Larry Tysinger home in Coats lost the normal cheer because their young daughter was suffering from injuries to the jaw and leg that occurred when she was struck by a pickup truck (Daily Record Dec. 24, 1981).
It was a New Year - 1982-the year in which a battle was fought for the Falkland Islands and comedian John Belushi had died from drugs. President Reagan’s budget included a projected deficit of $91.5 billion. The trillion –dollar deficient was within view. Ground was broken to build a memorial to honor the 58, 022 Americans killed in Vietnam. Michael Jackson’s Thriller became the greatest selling album of all times. Jane Fonda turned the physical workout into a cash crop. Exxon was shown to be the largest U.S. Corporation, with sales of $97,172,523,000. A according to the Federal Reserve, the nation’s factories were operating at 67.8 percent of capacity, the lowest since figures were first collected in 1948. The world’s first transplant of an artificial heart into a human was successfully completed at the University of Utah Medical Center. The recipient, Barney Clark, lived 112 days (Dickson, Paul. From Elvis to E-Mail . Massachusetts: Federal Street Press 1999, pp 258-263).
In Coats, a family had five generations. Great-great grandmother Mrs. Letha Poole, great-grandmother Mrs. Evelyn Avery, grandmother Maxine Dorman, mother Teresa Jackson and baby Christopher Jackson were in attended at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Coats (Daily Record Jan. 1, 1982).
The first William C. Langdon, MD Award was given to Dr. Mark Eggleston. Family and friends established the award in memory of Dr. William C. Langdon, who was an alumnus of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medial College of Virginia. Dr. Langdon was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow R. Langdon of Coats (Daily Record Jan. 5, 1982). William C. (Billy) graduated with the Class of 1957 at Coats High when only 16 units were required to graduate.)
Herbert L. Johnson had his first birthday party and cake on Christmas day. He celebrated his 65th birthday with all his children, grandchildren, siblings and nieces and nephews (Daily Record Jan. 8, 1982). There has to be a story behind “ He had his first birthday party and cake”. Herbert attended Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Bailey’s Crossroads where he was a cornerstone. Everyone in the congregation knew that he was born on Christmas Day and much joy was shared as he reminded the congregation annually of that fact.
Debbie Matthews of rural Coats and an X-Ray technician at Southern Wake Hospital in Fuquay-Varina, was named the Employee of the Year. Mrs. Matthews was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edsel Johnson of the Four Oaks area and daughter-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Matthews. Mrs. Harry Matthews joined the hospital’s staff in 1976. The hospital administrator and departmental supervisors selected the recipients who had to have been on staff for five years (Daily Record Jan. 12. 1982).
The New Year had begun on a grim note for the Thomas Carl Parrish family. Mr. Parrish had died on Monday at GHH. Surviving him were four sons-Leon, Graham, James, and William. His one daughter was Mrs. Flossie Parrish. James, Milbert (?), J.D., and Owen Parrish were brothers. Mrs. Lucille Norris, Mrs. Delphia Norris and Mrs. Dixie Lee Hansley were sisters (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1982).
Joe Giles has been a friend for years. H.L. and Joe served as officers and board members on the Harnett County Foundation for many years. He had faithfully served on the HCRSP Scholarship Committee and his accounting firm has audited the Town of Coats books in years past. His sister Debbie Grieder owned and operated Colonial Corners across the street in the Dr. Harry Roberts house for several years. His death was met with sadness in our household. We are better for having known him and we chose to remember the good years with a donation in his honor to the Coats Museum Endowment.
Thank you also goes to Becky Adams and Lynda and Robie Butler for their gifts to the museum to honor friends at Christmas, birthdays and for the many volunteers who faithfully show up to help out at the Coats Museum.
How many of you have been to the Harnett County Jetport? Does anyone know when the first airport was established there? I do know in 1981, C.E. (Bud) Roberts, 24, was made manager of the Harnett County Airport. He took the position of the facility that was dedicated under his watch. “Bud”, the son of Dr. Clarence Roberts of Dunn, was the grandson of Dr. Harry Roberts who lost his life as a result of a plane crash. The Coats doctor was a native of Danville, VA. Dr. Harry Roberts came to Harnett County to attend Campbell Academy. He then went to a two-year program UNC Chapel Hill. From there he went to Louisiana to attend Tulane University. He returned to work at Rex Hospital where he met Edna Thomas of Statesville, NC (Daily Record Nov. 19, 1981).
Just for your interest, Dr. Roberts’s purchase of the two different lots prior to 1914 is associated with his arrival in Coats. He purchased the two lots –one in Dec. 1912 and the other in Mar. 1913 (GIRE Harnett Co. “J.T. Coats”). During WWI, he became involved with aviation. Undoubtedly, the senior Roberts’s love of aviation passed on to his son, Dr. Clarence Roberts who also became a pilot. The youngest Roberts, “Bud”, had flown since the age of eleven and had received his private pilot’s license at the minimum age of 16. Hence, when the airport was dedicated on November 21, 1981, many in the crowd met a young man of 24 who had been recommended by the county airport committee and then was approved by the county commissioners to be manager. The young manager was owner of Roberts Aviation, Inc., a former manager of the Erwin Airport, and the grandson of a pioneer aviator in Coats, Harnett and the state (Daily Record Nov. 19, 1981).
Some might be interested to know that Dr. and Mrs. Roberts lived across the street from the Coats Museum and Community Center. The lovely white house was constructed as a Sears Roebuck house and had cost the doctor less than $3,000. It later became the home of his son, Haywood and Ophelia Brock Roberts. Since then it has been the site of an antique shop and currently is privately owned. The story is told that Dr. Roberts had a medical facility in the basement but that has been disputed. It has also been shared that he stayed in the old Stewart Hotel prior to the assembling of the Sears Roebuck house. It is verifiable that he was a driving force in the successes of the growth in early Coats where he served on the town commission and owned the Roberts Electric Co. which supplied electricity for several hours a day for about 15 locations until it was destroyed in 1919 by the fire that destroyed the Coats Hosiery which was located on McKinley Street in the general area of the Domino’s Pizza. The Coats Town Meeting Minutes of January 18, 1917 stated that the issuance of a franchise on Jan. 17, 1917 to Dr. H.C. Roberts for him to furnish lights to the town of Coats which had under 600 population.
Let’s return to 1981 when America celebrated the 12th anniversary of the Apollo 11’s landing a man on the moon. The Daily Record Dec. 4, 1981 edition printed the obituary of Mrs. Mary Godwin Coats, 71, of Coats had died at Good Hope Hospital. She was the daughter of the late George and Lula Black Godwin. She was survived by her children-Rufus A., William E., Daniel, and Sherrill Coats and Mrs. Kathryn Coats Johnson. Her burial was in the Coats Family Cemetery. Where is this family cemetery?
Karen Fuquay had received the Valedictorian and Presidential Scholarships at Campbell University. Karen had been the Vice President of the Beta Club and Junior Class, recipient of the Mathematics, French, and Americanism Awards (Daily Record Dec. 4, 1981).
Another death had occurred in the Coats area. Mrs. Gertrude Mae Williams, 73, had died on Sunday from injuries received in an automobile accident. She was the daughter of the late Lonnie Avery and Alice Fowler Avery. Surviving her were daughters-Mrs. Ed Haponski , Mrs. Madrid Casey, Mrs. Judy Strickland, and Mrs. Joseph Lee Nash; two sons-Hugh and Barney Williams. Lester and Johnny Avery were brothers.
Lisa Pleasant, senior at Coats High School, won the Miss Coats High title. The proud parents were Mr. and Mrs. Larry Pleasant. Her attendants were Debbie Upchurch, Debbie Royster, Beth Pope, Helen Dennis, Dena Young, Estelle Surles, Donna Ennis and Pam Greene. Miss Congeniality was Cynthia Dailey. Robbie Lane and Gwen Bass were emcees for the pageant (Daily Record Dec. 7, 1981).
The Coats town Board had an organizational meeting. The newly elected members were sworn in. Commissioners Tim McKinnie, Cecil Fuquay, J.D. Norris, Curtis Guy, Frances Avery and Mayor Godfrey Beasley were the group who had to bring the town back together. They agree to approve cable vision (Daily Record Dec. 11, 1981).
I have a question since I never have lived in the town of Coats, what had happened in the town commission for the “cleaning of the board members” in 1981? It seemed from the news that many good things had happened in the town-new park and prospects for sewer and better water system.
I do know that a new baby had added to the population of Coats. Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Alston announced the birth of a daughter. The mother was the former Brenda McKoy (Daily Record Dec. 11, 1981).
Rickey Tart was named the Coats Rescue Member of the Year (Daily Record Dec. 21, 1981).
Mr. Earl Stewart was surprised with a birthday party at Roses in Dunn where he enjoyed coffee at the Country Porch each morning. Another question—was the Country Porch in the Roses Store?
Little Jonathan Tart celebrated his first birthday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Connie Mack Tart. The Christmas holidays at the Larry Tysinger home in Coats lost the normal cheer because their young daughter was suffering from injuries to the jaw and leg that occurred when she was struck by a pickup truck (Daily Record Dec. 24, 1981).
It was a New Year - 1982-the year in which a battle was fought for the Falkland Islands and comedian John Belushi had died from drugs. President Reagan’s budget included a projected deficit of $91.5 billion. The trillion –dollar deficient was within view. Ground was broken to build a memorial to honor the 58, 022 Americans killed in Vietnam. Michael Jackson’s Thriller became the greatest selling album of all times. Jane Fonda turned the physical workout into a cash crop. Exxon was shown to be the largest U.S. Corporation, with sales of $97,172,523,000. A according to the Federal Reserve, the nation’s factories were operating at 67.8 percent of capacity, the lowest since figures were first collected in 1948. The world’s first transplant of an artificial heart into a human was successfully completed at the University of Utah Medical Center. The recipient, Barney Clark, lived 112 days (Dickson, Paul. From Elvis to E-Mail . Massachusetts: Federal Street Press 1999, pp 258-263).
In Coats, a family had five generations. Great-great grandmother Mrs. Letha Poole, great-grandmother Mrs. Evelyn Avery, grandmother Maxine Dorman, mother Teresa Jackson and baby Christopher Jackson were in attended at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Coats (Daily Record Jan. 1, 1982).
The first William C. Langdon, MD Award was given to Dr. Mark Eggleston. Family and friends established the award in memory of Dr. William C. Langdon, who was an alumnus of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medial College of Virginia. Dr. Langdon was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow R. Langdon of Coats (Daily Record Jan. 5, 1982). William C. (Billy) graduated with the Class of 1957 at Coats High when only 16 units were required to graduate.)
Herbert L. Johnson had his first birthday party and cake on Christmas day. He celebrated his 65th birthday with all his children, grandchildren, siblings and nieces and nephews (Daily Record Jan. 8, 1982). There has to be a story behind “ He had his first birthday party and cake”. Herbert attended Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Bailey’s Crossroads where he was a cornerstone. Everyone in the congregation knew that he was born on Christmas Day and much joy was shared as he reminded the congregation annually of that fact.
Debbie Matthews of rural Coats and an X-Ray technician at Southern Wake Hospital in Fuquay-Varina, was named the Employee of the Year. Mrs. Matthews was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edsel Johnson of the Four Oaks area and daughter-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Matthews. Mrs. Harry Matthews joined the hospital’s staff in 1976. The hospital administrator and departmental supervisors selected the recipients who had to have been on staff for five years (Daily Record Jan. 12. 1982).
The New Year had begun on a grim note for the Thomas Carl Parrish family. Mr. Parrish had died on Monday at GHH. Surviving him were four sons-Leon, Graham, James, and William. His one daughter was Mrs. Flossie Parrish. James, Milbert (?), J.D., and Owen Parrish were brothers. Mrs. Lucille Norris, Mrs. Delphia Norris and Mrs. Dixie Lee Hansley were sisters (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1982).
Joe Giles has been a friend for years. H.L. and Joe served as officers and board members on the Harnett County Foundation for many years. He had faithfully served on the HCRSP Scholarship Committee and his accounting firm has audited the Town of Coats books in years past. His sister Debbie Grieder owned and operated Colonial Corners across the street in the Dr. Harry Roberts house for several years. His death was met with sadness in our household. We are better for having known him and we chose to remember the good years with a donation in his honor to the Coats Museum Endowment.
Thank you also goes to Becky Adams and Lynda and Robie Butler for their gifts to the museum to honor friends at Christmas, birthdays and for the many volunteers who faithfully show up to help out at the Coats Museum.