January 11, 2013 Coats Museum News
Families in Harnett County worked hard during those depression years of the 1930’s. However, they also enjoyed the simple things in life together like going to the boxing matches that were staged in Barclaysville. Mr. Dexter Langdon’s country store was the last of the many small businesses left in Barclaysville, N.C. in the late 1930’s. In its heyday, Barclaysville was a well-designed small town with streets and small land plots ready to become one of North Carolina’s farm-supported towns. Recall that in the 1800’s, it was labeled on maps as “Mrs. Barclay’s and later referred to as “Barclay’s Inn”. Being located on the Raleigh-Fayetteville Stagecoach Road, the inn was an “overnight stop-over” point with all the facilities required for overnight sleeping and eating. It was the home base for several stagecoach drivers. By the mid 1930’s, farmers were traveling to Coats and Angier to purchase fertilizer, seeds, and home needs. Automobiles were in use by almost all homeowners, and the short trip to these towns provided them a chance to get away for a while. The young men working on the farms were looking for things to do for fun other than spend time with the beautiful, young ladies. Mr. Dexter Langdon came up with the idea of building a boxing ring where these young men could show off their well-built bodies from hours of labor on the farms. Boxing was becoming popular on the new box called “radio”. The boxing ring was located back of the store in the yard where there was plenty of room for onlookers. Would-be boxers came from miles around to either take part or see others “get beat up”. The boxing was held one night each week during the farm season. Many young men learned that boxing was not for them. Some lost teeth and some just lost some of their ego. Others turned out to be top dog until real boxers from Fort Bragg and other places taught them that there is always a better fighter. All carried memories of the happy fights for the rest of their lives. The country store is gone, but a little bit of history was achieved there (Recollections of Carsie Denning, Sr. in 2004).
Much history had been made outside of Grove Township in the mid-1930’s. George V had died and Edward VIII had succeeded him. Rudyard Kipling, famed for his tales of India, had also died. The German Volkswagon had made its debut. Jesse Owens was the star of the Olympics. F.D. R. was elected for a second term.
In N.C., the income showed big gains. There was a 24 percent higher receipt of income taxes over the year before for the same time period (Harnett County News January 7, 1937).
Henry Turlington had killed hogs. He had a “pork party” on Monday when he converted 75 of his “pigs” into 4,000 pounds of pork. Some of the hams weighed 137 pounds. I agree with you that does not sound like a pig. Unlike the hog killing that I wrote about earlier, Mr. Henry did not use gallows but the big oak tree on the farm. When the dressing was finished, he had a tree full of porkers (Harnett County News January 7, 1937).
Question—wonder if the Turlingtons made souse meat? “Souse meat?” you ask. A dear lady in my church, Mrs. Cornelia Johnson, stated after reading the articles on hog killings that I did not mention souse meat. What is souse meat? Is that what Neese advertises on TV? It seems that farmers were known for saving everything on the hog except the squeal according to Mack Reid Hudson. The head of the hog was not left out of the process. Most farmers removed the brains and tongues for special eating and some even removed some of the lean meat on the head but the bulk of the cooked head, jowls and ears were added to the cooked feet which were all chopped and mixed together with the gelatin in the feet congealing the souse meat together. Were hunks of the cold souse meet cut off and flavored with a small amount of vinegar before being eaten?
I do know that five hundred and fifty-three listened and watched as detailed reports and charts to show how much business had been transacted by the Dunn Production Credit Association were explained. Walter Jones and R.D. Ennis were elected new board members. The company grew from $9,000,000 in 1934 to $16,000,000 in 1936 (Hartnett County News January 16, 1937). Where was there a place that could hold that volume of people?
Mrs. Zellah Stephenson Keene, 77, had died in Coats on a Thursday night. She had been ill for five months. Elder J.T. Lewis conducted the services at the Gift Primitive Baptist Church. Mrs. Keene was the daughter of Elder Moore and Zellah Stephenson. She was survived by her husband, J.G. Keene; three daughters, Mrs. H.M. Beasley, Mrs. J.M. Morgan, and Mrs. T.J. Harper; two sons, W.M. Keene and Oker Keene (Harnett County News February 4, 1937).
The Coats Woman’s Club had held its January meeting at the home of Mrs. W.E. Nichols. Mrs. J.B. Williams was joint hostess. Mrs. J.R. Butler presided (Harnett County News February 11, 1937). How many of you were in Mrs. Nan Williams’s class? She was the Mrs. J.B. Williams.
Mrs. Festus O. Byrd was hostess of the Page Book Club. The house was decorated with spring flowers in a color scheme of yellow and white. Daffodils? “Lives of Great Poets” was the topic of the program. Mesdames Guy Stewart, Irbin Smith, W.E. Nichols, Stuart Turlington, C.G. Fuquay, W.M. Keene, and Johnny Parrish attended (Harnett County News February 18, 1937).
Folks in Coats could continue to enjoy eating at the Coats Café and Smith’s Quick Café’ in 1937. Maybe some ate there after the funeral services of Alma Morgan Smith, 35, which were held at the Presbyterian Church. She was sister of Mrs. Hosea Godwin (Harnett County News February 18, 1937).Is that the Presbyterian Church that Dr. Moore remodeled into his home that would also become the residence of Godfrey Beasley?
A special thank you goes to Ed and Mary Ellen Lauder for their donations to the Coats Museum to honor the memories of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Johnson, Joe Lee, M.T. Strickland and Mabel R. Hayes. A big thank you is sent to Doris Johnson Nolan for her very generous donation toward a “Wall of Honor” plaque and the Coats Museum Building Fund. She is honoring her parents-Joseph (Joe) and Mamie Weeks Johnson. Because of their generosity and that of others, Coats will have a very impressive museum to be open to the public in a couple of months. The glass exhibit is now complete and ready to showcase many of the museum military uniforms and artifacts. Mark and Mars McCallister of Benson Glass did an outstanding job.
Please be mindful that article was written and published in 2013.
Families in Harnett County worked hard during those depression years of the 1930’s. However, they also enjoyed the simple things in life together like going to the boxing matches that were staged in Barclaysville. Mr. Dexter Langdon’s country store was the last of the many small businesses left in Barclaysville, N.C. in the late 1930’s. In its heyday, Barclaysville was a well-designed small town with streets and small land plots ready to become one of North Carolina’s farm-supported towns. Recall that in the 1800’s, it was labeled on maps as “Mrs. Barclay’s and later referred to as “Barclay’s Inn”. Being located on the Raleigh-Fayetteville Stagecoach Road, the inn was an “overnight stop-over” point with all the facilities required for overnight sleeping and eating. It was the home base for several stagecoach drivers. By the mid 1930’s, farmers were traveling to Coats and Angier to purchase fertilizer, seeds, and home needs. Automobiles were in use by almost all homeowners, and the short trip to these towns provided them a chance to get away for a while. The young men working on the farms were looking for things to do for fun other than spend time with the beautiful, young ladies. Mr. Dexter Langdon came up with the idea of building a boxing ring where these young men could show off their well-built bodies from hours of labor on the farms. Boxing was becoming popular on the new box called “radio”. The boxing ring was located back of the store in the yard where there was plenty of room for onlookers. Would-be boxers came from miles around to either take part or see others “get beat up”. The boxing was held one night each week during the farm season. Many young men learned that boxing was not for them. Some lost teeth and some just lost some of their ego. Others turned out to be top dog until real boxers from Fort Bragg and other places taught them that there is always a better fighter. All carried memories of the happy fights for the rest of their lives. The country store is gone, but a little bit of history was achieved there (Recollections of Carsie Denning, Sr. in 2004).
Much history had been made outside of Grove Township in the mid-1930’s. George V had died and Edward VIII had succeeded him. Rudyard Kipling, famed for his tales of India, had also died. The German Volkswagon had made its debut. Jesse Owens was the star of the Olympics. F.D. R. was elected for a second term.
In N.C., the income showed big gains. There was a 24 percent higher receipt of income taxes over the year before for the same time period (Harnett County News January 7, 1937).
Henry Turlington had killed hogs. He had a “pork party” on Monday when he converted 75 of his “pigs” into 4,000 pounds of pork. Some of the hams weighed 137 pounds. I agree with you that does not sound like a pig. Unlike the hog killing that I wrote about earlier, Mr. Henry did not use gallows but the big oak tree on the farm. When the dressing was finished, he had a tree full of porkers (Harnett County News January 7, 1937).
Question—wonder if the Turlingtons made souse meat? “Souse meat?” you ask. A dear lady in my church, Mrs. Cornelia Johnson, stated after reading the articles on hog killings that I did not mention souse meat. What is souse meat? Is that what Neese advertises on TV? It seems that farmers were known for saving everything on the hog except the squeal according to Mack Reid Hudson. The head of the hog was not left out of the process. Most farmers removed the brains and tongues for special eating and some even removed some of the lean meat on the head but the bulk of the cooked head, jowls and ears were added to the cooked feet which were all chopped and mixed together with the gelatin in the feet congealing the souse meat together. Were hunks of the cold souse meet cut off and flavored with a small amount of vinegar before being eaten?
I do know that five hundred and fifty-three listened and watched as detailed reports and charts to show how much business had been transacted by the Dunn Production Credit Association were explained. Walter Jones and R.D. Ennis were elected new board members. The company grew from $9,000,000 in 1934 to $16,000,000 in 1936 (Hartnett County News January 16, 1937). Where was there a place that could hold that volume of people?
Mrs. Zellah Stephenson Keene, 77, had died in Coats on a Thursday night. She had been ill for five months. Elder J.T. Lewis conducted the services at the Gift Primitive Baptist Church. Mrs. Keene was the daughter of Elder Moore and Zellah Stephenson. She was survived by her husband, J.G. Keene; three daughters, Mrs. H.M. Beasley, Mrs. J.M. Morgan, and Mrs. T.J. Harper; two sons, W.M. Keene and Oker Keene (Harnett County News February 4, 1937).
The Coats Woman’s Club had held its January meeting at the home of Mrs. W.E. Nichols. Mrs. J.B. Williams was joint hostess. Mrs. J.R. Butler presided (Harnett County News February 11, 1937). How many of you were in Mrs. Nan Williams’s class? She was the Mrs. J.B. Williams.
Mrs. Festus O. Byrd was hostess of the Page Book Club. The house was decorated with spring flowers in a color scheme of yellow and white. Daffodils? “Lives of Great Poets” was the topic of the program. Mesdames Guy Stewart, Irbin Smith, W.E. Nichols, Stuart Turlington, C.G. Fuquay, W.M. Keene, and Johnny Parrish attended (Harnett County News February 18, 1937).
Folks in Coats could continue to enjoy eating at the Coats Café and Smith’s Quick Café’ in 1937. Maybe some ate there after the funeral services of Alma Morgan Smith, 35, which were held at the Presbyterian Church. She was sister of Mrs. Hosea Godwin (Harnett County News February 18, 1937).Is that the Presbyterian Church that Dr. Moore remodeled into his home that would also become the residence of Godfrey Beasley?
A special thank you goes to Ed and Mary Ellen Lauder for their donations to the Coats Museum to honor the memories of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Johnson, Joe Lee, M.T. Strickland and Mabel R. Hayes. A big thank you is sent to Doris Johnson Nolan for her very generous donation toward a “Wall of Honor” plaque and the Coats Museum Building Fund. She is honoring her parents-Joseph (Joe) and Mamie Weeks Johnson. Because of their generosity and that of others, Coats will have a very impressive museum to be open to the public in a couple of months. The glass exhibit is now complete and ready to showcase many of the museum military uniforms and artifacts. Mark and Mars McCallister of Benson Glass did an outstanding job.
Please be mindful that article was written and published in 2013.