January 26, 2018 Coats Museum News
When did Harnett become a North Carolina county? It was 1855 and the same year that the Jacob Stewart murder happened on February 28th just outside of what is now known as Coats and it caused a controversy between three counties. Does anyone know why a Harnett County murderer was hanged in Sampson County and not in Harnett or Cumberland? I do know that the murder was said to have occurred in a wooded area being cleared and grubbed for new ground on the land of Daniel Stone. The land is located on NC 27 across from the house once belonging to Ed and Inez Barnes Parker (Edwina, Linda Jo and Frank Parker’s parents). The large white house across the current road was once the home of Elbert Barnes and later was occupied by Claude and Vickie Abate. Wonder if the Barnes or Abate children ever saw the ghost of Jacob Johnson and Jacob Stewart roaming that field below their house where the bloody murder occurred. When I travel from Coats to Campbell University, my eyes always go to that field and I think about that murderous confrontation between a young man and his uncle.
Wonder if that was the first murder in Harnett County. Jim Johnson was Harnett‘s sheriff. Could he have been kin to Jacob Johnson? You will really enjoy reading Mark Valsame’s story of the “Murder of Jacob Stewart” in our Heritage of Coats, North Carolina found on page 558 in Volume 1.
The point of the above information is I do know the Mar. 8, 1968 edition of the Daily Record printed that Mrs. Lela Barnes Wilson, 76, of Route One, Coats, had died in Good Hope Hospital. She was the mother of J.D. Barnes of Dunn and Ines Barnes Parker of Coats. Haywood Barnes of Ohio was the other son. The funeral was a service of Overby Funeral Home in Coats. Was her husband the Elbert Barnes mentioned above?
Likely very few, if any, of the thirty-three Extension Homemakers knew about the murder of Jacob Stewart but they definitely knew about Home Demonstration Clubs in Harnett County. Fourteen of the county’s HD Clubs were present for the County Council Meeting. Mrs. Cleo T. Wilson was Council President and Mrs. Mack R. Hudson was District First Vice-President (Daily Record Mar. 11, 1968).
Who knows how many bank robberies have occurred at banks in which you had money? We might not remember, but I bet the people who were working in such banks will never forget that day. Do you remember when a lone bandit held up the Coats First Citizens Bank? The robber had brandished a small pistol, walked quietly into the bank, jumped over the counter, scooped up as much money as he could, and then fled the scene without a word. There were two customers, Mrs. Jarvis Alphin and Mrs. Louise Morton, in the bank. Mrs. Mack Ray Stewart and Mrs. Gerry Honeycutt were working the windows. Mrs. Tom Jackson was in the back office. The robber was identified as Curtis Harris, 23, a former Harnett resident. He was wanted for two other bank robberies. He ditched a car and hailed a cab from Eli Capps who had no knowledge of the robbery. A deputy had heard about the robbery and happened to see the taxi with the suspect in the back. He followed the cab and eventually pulled it over when a shootout led to the death of the bank robber (Daily Record Mar. 14, 1968).
It was party time for Edward Cooper who was honored on his tenth birthday at the Coats Community Building. Thirty guests attended the party hosted by Edward’s mother, Clara Smith (Daily Record Mar. 14, 1968).
The Coats Yellow Jackets handed the Dunn Greenwaves their first baseball loss of the year. Don Ennis had pitched for Coats (Daily Record Mar. 21, 1968). Bennie Harmon, Billy Parrish, Thurman Tart, Johnny Jackson, Bill House, Bruce Barefoot, Clyde Ennis, Don Ennis, Hank Barnes, Mike Hudson, Tim Langdon, Barry Butts, Jimmy Ennis, Tim McKinnie and Danny Roberts were members of the 1968 baseball team and were ably coached by Mike Smith.
In the Bailey’s Crossroads area, John Albert Nordan, Sr., 79, of Benson had died on Saturday. His services were conducted on Monday at the Rose Funeral Home by Rev. W.A. Martin and Rev. C.W. Kimbrough. He was buried in the Nordan Family Cemetery. He was survived by three sons-Charlie, John A. and Tom Nordan. Mrs. Festus Ennis was his sister and Frank and A.C. Nordan were brothers (Daily Record Apr. 5, 1968).
The Coats Flower Shop, a branch of one in Fuquay-Varina, had opened a business in Coats in the building formerly occupied by Pleasants’ TV Repair Shop (Daily Record Apr. 8, 1968).
Mr. and Mrs. Thurman Sorrell announced the engagement of their daughter, Brenda Faye Sorrell, to James Jones (Daily Record Apr. 11, 1968).
Another engagement was printed and this one was for Laura Sue Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carmel B. Johnson, who was to marry Glenn Parrish Lee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vic Lee. The wedding was planned for the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Linwood Denning of Coats announced the birth of a son on April 10th. The mother was the former Kathy Barbour (Daily Record April 12, 1968).
The Coats Methodist Church was the setting of the marriage of Miss Miriam Carol Ennis of Coats to Donald Gerald Byrd of Raleigh. Miriam was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Earl Ennis and Donald Gerald was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Byrd also of Raleigh. Rev. Sam McMillan officiated. Miss Charlotte Earle Ennis was maid of honor for her sister (Daily Record Apr. 19, 1968). Another Coats graduate had her engagement announced to the public. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Norris, Jr. of Route One, Benson shared that their daughter, Glenda Lee Norris, was to marry C.B. Nordan, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie B. Nordan, Sr. of Route One, Benson (Daily Record Apr. 19, 1968).
Who remembers when the Terre Hill manufacturing plant was located in Coats? If so, surely they will recall that in 1968 there was an announcement about an expansion program that would cost $100,000 and add 200 workers to the payroll, bringing the number to 400. The disclosure was made by Grady Matthews, head of the Coats Development Corporation. The local corporation had to raise $30,000 as their part of the expansion. Joe Taylor was manager of the plant (Daily Record Apr. 24, 1968).
Did the corporation come up with the $30,000? I do know that spring was also time for track at Coats. Kenny Holmes, Andy Parrish, Tony Turlington, Gary Penny, Randy Rambeau, Tom Jackson, Gary Powell, HaL Penny, Larry Horton, Kemp Stewart, Jeff Turlington, Greg Beard, Tim Langdon, Robin Carroll, and Ken Stewart were under the guidance of Coach Ronald Avery (Coats Echoing Memories 1968).
The Coats Library Club observed National Library Week. To observe the week, the students held a story hour for the primary and elementary students. A group of the girls entertained the patients at Adams-Kinton Rest Home. Taking part on the program were Jennifer Flowers, Patsy Matthews, Debbie Lee, Cavanna Ennis, Kay Fish, and their high school sponsor, Mrs. Marie Salmon. They were accompanied by Deborah Ennis.
Thanks Ralph Denning for sharing information on James Bronnie Page who had married one of Daniel Shaw Bayles’s daughters, Ava. The Bayles family lived and owned the big two story house above Phillip and Carolyn Barnes’s house on NC 27 E between Coats and Buies Creek. Daniel’s wife was Jo (Joe) Emma Denning Bayles who was sister to Ralph and Carolyn’s granddaddy James K. Denning.
After researching the history of the Coats area since 1985, nothing should surprise some of us who have been on board since then. Despite the fact that we have touched the lives of just about everyone who went to Coats School or one of the other six Grove schools, we continue to be awed from some occurrences. For example, when we began to research to identify the local or Coats connected men and women who have served in the military from the very beginning of our nation in order to publish their information in the Coats Museum’s military tribute book, The Defenders of the Red, White and Blue, we discovered hundreds of new names. For example, we had found pictures in a scrapbook of some Weeks brothers and cousins in uniforms who had served in WWII. We can’t explain what recently happened in relation to one of the Weeks veterans. We were double checking the pictures and information on a Moses Weeks and his cousin Wilson Weeks who was serving at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. The next day while proofreading the entire 400 pages of the book that we received a call from Edna Andrews Mangum that she had a check from the Bill Weeks Charitable Foundation in Georgia that wanted to put a plaque on our Wall of Honor to honor the memory of George W. and Monnie G. Weeks and their children. Not until we received additional information for the plaque did we realize the children were Leola Weeks Andrews, Ruby Weeks Creech, Ralph Weeks, Vernon Weeks, Moses “Bill” Weeks, Weldon “Tiny” Weeks, and Vera Lee Weeks Langdon. You did read Moses was later known as “Bill”. It was an amazing experience to have this to occur without our having any contact with any of that family. Thank you goes to the Bill Weeks Charitable Foundation in Georgia. We are so excited to have Moses “Bill” Weeks’ write-up in our military book and to have a memorial plaque on the Heritage Square because of him.
When did Harnett become a North Carolina county? It was 1855 and the same year that the Jacob Stewart murder happened on February 28th just outside of what is now known as Coats and it caused a controversy between three counties. Does anyone know why a Harnett County murderer was hanged in Sampson County and not in Harnett or Cumberland? I do know that the murder was said to have occurred in a wooded area being cleared and grubbed for new ground on the land of Daniel Stone. The land is located on NC 27 across from the house once belonging to Ed and Inez Barnes Parker (Edwina, Linda Jo and Frank Parker’s parents). The large white house across the current road was once the home of Elbert Barnes and later was occupied by Claude and Vickie Abate. Wonder if the Barnes or Abate children ever saw the ghost of Jacob Johnson and Jacob Stewart roaming that field below their house where the bloody murder occurred. When I travel from Coats to Campbell University, my eyes always go to that field and I think about that murderous confrontation between a young man and his uncle.
Wonder if that was the first murder in Harnett County. Jim Johnson was Harnett‘s sheriff. Could he have been kin to Jacob Johnson? You will really enjoy reading Mark Valsame’s story of the “Murder of Jacob Stewart” in our Heritage of Coats, North Carolina found on page 558 in Volume 1.
The point of the above information is I do know the Mar. 8, 1968 edition of the Daily Record printed that Mrs. Lela Barnes Wilson, 76, of Route One, Coats, had died in Good Hope Hospital. She was the mother of J.D. Barnes of Dunn and Ines Barnes Parker of Coats. Haywood Barnes of Ohio was the other son. The funeral was a service of Overby Funeral Home in Coats. Was her husband the Elbert Barnes mentioned above?
Likely very few, if any, of the thirty-three Extension Homemakers knew about the murder of Jacob Stewart but they definitely knew about Home Demonstration Clubs in Harnett County. Fourteen of the county’s HD Clubs were present for the County Council Meeting. Mrs. Cleo T. Wilson was Council President and Mrs. Mack R. Hudson was District First Vice-President (Daily Record Mar. 11, 1968).
Who knows how many bank robberies have occurred at banks in which you had money? We might not remember, but I bet the people who were working in such banks will never forget that day. Do you remember when a lone bandit held up the Coats First Citizens Bank? The robber had brandished a small pistol, walked quietly into the bank, jumped over the counter, scooped up as much money as he could, and then fled the scene without a word. There were two customers, Mrs. Jarvis Alphin and Mrs. Louise Morton, in the bank. Mrs. Mack Ray Stewart and Mrs. Gerry Honeycutt were working the windows. Mrs. Tom Jackson was in the back office. The robber was identified as Curtis Harris, 23, a former Harnett resident. He was wanted for two other bank robberies. He ditched a car and hailed a cab from Eli Capps who had no knowledge of the robbery. A deputy had heard about the robbery and happened to see the taxi with the suspect in the back. He followed the cab and eventually pulled it over when a shootout led to the death of the bank robber (Daily Record Mar. 14, 1968).
It was party time for Edward Cooper who was honored on his tenth birthday at the Coats Community Building. Thirty guests attended the party hosted by Edward’s mother, Clara Smith (Daily Record Mar. 14, 1968).
The Coats Yellow Jackets handed the Dunn Greenwaves their first baseball loss of the year. Don Ennis had pitched for Coats (Daily Record Mar. 21, 1968). Bennie Harmon, Billy Parrish, Thurman Tart, Johnny Jackson, Bill House, Bruce Barefoot, Clyde Ennis, Don Ennis, Hank Barnes, Mike Hudson, Tim Langdon, Barry Butts, Jimmy Ennis, Tim McKinnie and Danny Roberts were members of the 1968 baseball team and were ably coached by Mike Smith.
In the Bailey’s Crossroads area, John Albert Nordan, Sr., 79, of Benson had died on Saturday. His services were conducted on Monday at the Rose Funeral Home by Rev. W.A. Martin and Rev. C.W. Kimbrough. He was buried in the Nordan Family Cemetery. He was survived by three sons-Charlie, John A. and Tom Nordan. Mrs. Festus Ennis was his sister and Frank and A.C. Nordan were brothers (Daily Record Apr. 5, 1968).
The Coats Flower Shop, a branch of one in Fuquay-Varina, had opened a business in Coats in the building formerly occupied by Pleasants’ TV Repair Shop (Daily Record Apr. 8, 1968).
Mr. and Mrs. Thurman Sorrell announced the engagement of their daughter, Brenda Faye Sorrell, to James Jones (Daily Record Apr. 11, 1968).
Another engagement was printed and this one was for Laura Sue Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carmel B. Johnson, who was to marry Glenn Parrish Lee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vic Lee. The wedding was planned for the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Linwood Denning of Coats announced the birth of a son on April 10th. The mother was the former Kathy Barbour (Daily Record April 12, 1968).
The Coats Methodist Church was the setting of the marriage of Miss Miriam Carol Ennis of Coats to Donald Gerald Byrd of Raleigh. Miriam was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Earl Ennis and Donald Gerald was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Byrd also of Raleigh. Rev. Sam McMillan officiated. Miss Charlotte Earle Ennis was maid of honor for her sister (Daily Record Apr. 19, 1968). Another Coats graduate had her engagement announced to the public. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Norris, Jr. of Route One, Benson shared that their daughter, Glenda Lee Norris, was to marry C.B. Nordan, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie B. Nordan, Sr. of Route One, Benson (Daily Record Apr. 19, 1968).
Who remembers when the Terre Hill manufacturing plant was located in Coats? If so, surely they will recall that in 1968 there was an announcement about an expansion program that would cost $100,000 and add 200 workers to the payroll, bringing the number to 400. The disclosure was made by Grady Matthews, head of the Coats Development Corporation. The local corporation had to raise $30,000 as their part of the expansion. Joe Taylor was manager of the plant (Daily Record Apr. 24, 1968).
Did the corporation come up with the $30,000? I do know that spring was also time for track at Coats. Kenny Holmes, Andy Parrish, Tony Turlington, Gary Penny, Randy Rambeau, Tom Jackson, Gary Powell, HaL Penny, Larry Horton, Kemp Stewart, Jeff Turlington, Greg Beard, Tim Langdon, Robin Carroll, and Ken Stewart were under the guidance of Coach Ronald Avery (Coats Echoing Memories 1968).
The Coats Library Club observed National Library Week. To observe the week, the students held a story hour for the primary and elementary students. A group of the girls entertained the patients at Adams-Kinton Rest Home. Taking part on the program were Jennifer Flowers, Patsy Matthews, Debbie Lee, Cavanna Ennis, Kay Fish, and their high school sponsor, Mrs. Marie Salmon. They were accompanied by Deborah Ennis.
Thanks Ralph Denning for sharing information on James Bronnie Page who had married one of Daniel Shaw Bayles’s daughters, Ava. The Bayles family lived and owned the big two story house above Phillip and Carolyn Barnes’s house on NC 27 E between Coats and Buies Creek. Daniel’s wife was Jo (Joe) Emma Denning Bayles who was sister to Ralph and Carolyn’s granddaddy James K. Denning.
After researching the history of the Coats area since 1985, nothing should surprise some of us who have been on board since then. Despite the fact that we have touched the lives of just about everyone who went to Coats School or one of the other six Grove schools, we continue to be awed from some occurrences. For example, when we began to research to identify the local or Coats connected men and women who have served in the military from the very beginning of our nation in order to publish their information in the Coats Museum’s military tribute book, The Defenders of the Red, White and Blue, we discovered hundreds of new names. For example, we had found pictures in a scrapbook of some Weeks brothers and cousins in uniforms who had served in WWII. We can’t explain what recently happened in relation to one of the Weeks veterans. We were double checking the pictures and information on a Moses Weeks and his cousin Wilson Weeks who was serving at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. The next day while proofreading the entire 400 pages of the book that we received a call from Edna Andrews Mangum that she had a check from the Bill Weeks Charitable Foundation in Georgia that wanted to put a plaque on our Wall of Honor to honor the memory of George W. and Monnie G. Weeks and their children. Not until we received additional information for the plaque did we realize the children were Leola Weeks Andrews, Ruby Weeks Creech, Ralph Weeks, Vernon Weeks, Moses “Bill” Weeks, Weldon “Tiny” Weeks, and Vera Lee Weeks Langdon. You did read Moses was later known as “Bill”. It was an amazing experience to have this to occur without our having any contact with any of that family. Thank you goes to the Bill Weeks Charitable Foundation in Georgia. We are so excited to have Moses “Bill” Weeks’ write-up in our military book and to have a memorial plaque on the Heritage Square because of him.