July 15, 2022 Coats Museum News
Have you ever wondered why people in the same family spell their names differently? Take for example the name Coats is often spelled Coates by members with the same father. There are those in the Stewart family who preferred to change the spelling to Stuart and there are Johnston’s who decided, or the census taker decided, to drop the “t”.
In the Harnett County Heritage book of 1993, the Whittington-Whittenton family shared the possibility of why their ancestors changed the spelling of their name. It is an interesting family genealogy to read. Does the different spelling of that name show up in the Coats area? I do know a Whittington family had reason to be thankful in June of 1990. Lloyd Whittington, a sophomore at the University of NC at Chapel Hill, had been awarded the Scripps Howard Foundation Scholarship for journalism students. Lloyd was the son of Hartwell and Cheryl Dorman Whittington.
Question-was Lloyd Whittington a descendant of Willis Turlington who had purchased twenty-three hundred acres of land from the Dushee Shaw heirs around 1839? Is Lloyd a great-grandson of L.L. Turlington who has countless descendents in Coats and all across the country? The most popular one might be Christy Turlington, the Maybelline model who lives in CA. No, I didn’t make a mistake-Lloyd was a Whittington and he is also a descendant of L.L. Turlington.
While the news was good for Hartwell and Cheryl, there was news for some folks in Coats that was less exciting. The Coats Town Board more than doubled the garbage fee from $3.00 per month to $6.50 (Daily Record June 5, 1990).
Who remembers Peggy Brown? Peggy was the Director of the Coats Senior Center and she entertained the Mothers and Fathers who attended the center regularly with a combination Mothers Day-Fathers Day program and social. It was a surprise for the parents when some children came from as far away as Canada to perform in two skits to entertain their parents (Daily Record June 7, 1990).
Other student recognitions were announced in the June 11, 1990 edition of the Daily Record. Cheri Elizabeth Grimes graduated as one of the 41 graduates in the nursing program at WTCC. Angela Hedgepeth of Coats was awarded a $1,000 scholarship by the N.C. Association of Insured Agents. She was the daughter of the late James Hedgepeth and Elllen Hedgepeth of Coats.
The June 12, 1990 edition of that same paper printed that Wade and Brenda Weaver had honored their daughter with a pig picking to commemorate her graduation from Campbell University.
The Coats Area Chamber of Commerce had selected as its Business Focus of the Week a relatively newcomer to the town-Whittington and Associates, Business and Health Care Consultants. Don Whittington, a Coats High graduate was the owner.
Angela Hedgepeth was awarded several other scholarships. Campbell University presented her the Presidential Award and the Salutatorian Scholarship. At Campbell she would enter as a pre-pharmacy student (Daily Record June 14, 1990).
Do you recognize that she did become a pharmacist and she indeed made her mom Ellen and brothers Danny and Randy very proud of their young sibling.
Stonewall Turlington and Lina Turlington were residents of Pine Crest Nursing Home near Lillington; Cora Ragan was home after having a hip replacement at Rex and Rev. D.H. McCallough of Pleasant Memory was recuperating after a stay at Duke ( Daily Record June 14, 1990).
Dan C. Honeycutt was to become principal of Erwin Middle School in July. The school had approximately 400 students in grades 4-8. Dan was a 1968 graduate of Coats, 1972 graduate of NC State University. He had received his advanced degree from Campbell in 1988 (Daily Record June 21, 1990).
Wonder I f Dan knew that one day he would be capable of serving as the Superintendent of the Harnett County Schools? I do know when his name is mentioned at the museum, he is remembered with much respect.
A plan to move a nearly century old school building to a new location and convert it into a Coats Museum had materialized. A group of town leaders formed five committees. Godfrey Beasley headed the authorization; James Grimes and Gail Pope chaired the Construction Committee; Christine Akerman headed the History Committee and M.O. Phillips provided community outreach through the Publicity Committee. The fundraising was a community effort to rid the town of one of its unwanted eyesores on NC Highway 27 (Daily Record June 21, 1990).
We don’t read anything about a swimming team in Coats in 2022 but in 1990, the Coats Swimming and Diving teams defeated Westhaven by 310-305 margin in the Cape Fear Swimming and Diving league season (Daily Record June 25, 1990).
Nicole Turlington, daughter of Jeff and Wanda Turlington, participated in the Morgan Arabian Classsic. She took First Place Showmanship Saddle Seat, First Place in Equitation and First Place Championship Saddle Seat and Half Arabian High Point trophy (Daily Record June 28, 1990).
Death had made its way back to Coats and had taken the life of Leddie Etta Byrd Holmes, 74. She had died on Thursday. She was mother of Jackie L. Holmes of Coats. Her services were held at the Coats Methodist Church and Devotional Gardens with Rev. Jack Page officiating (Daily Record June 29, 1990).
All her children were not listed in the obituary in the paper, but some may recall that she did have a few other sons-Fred, Stacy, Devon and Bennie come to my mind. Are there others that some of you knew?
We had lots of fun reconnecting and sharing memories with the Hazel and Johnnie Barnes family last Saturday when many of their descendants traveled from Virginia, Texas and Tennessee to gather for their family reunion.
A very special museum volunteer had a birthday this week and H.L. and I are delighted to honor Robie Butler on his birthday with an honorarium.
Have you ever wondered why people in the same family spell their names differently? Take for example the name Coats is often spelled Coates by members with the same father. There are those in the Stewart family who preferred to change the spelling to Stuart and there are Johnston’s who decided, or the census taker decided, to drop the “t”.
In the Harnett County Heritage book of 1993, the Whittington-Whittenton family shared the possibility of why their ancestors changed the spelling of their name. It is an interesting family genealogy to read. Does the different spelling of that name show up in the Coats area? I do know a Whittington family had reason to be thankful in June of 1990. Lloyd Whittington, a sophomore at the University of NC at Chapel Hill, had been awarded the Scripps Howard Foundation Scholarship for journalism students. Lloyd was the son of Hartwell and Cheryl Dorman Whittington.
Question-was Lloyd Whittington a descendant of Willis Turlington who had purchased twenty-three hundred acres of land from the Dushee Shaw heirs around 1839? Is Lloyd a great-grandson of L.L. Turlington who has countless descendents in Coats and all across the country? The most popular one might be Christy Turlington, the Maybelline model who lives in CA. No, I didn’t make a mistake-Lloyd was a Whittington and he is also a descendant of L.L. Turlington.
While the news was good for Hartwell and Cheryl, there was news for some folks in Coats that was less exciting. The Coats Town Board more than doubled the garbage fee from $3.00 per month to $6.50 (Daily Record June 5, 1990).
Who remembers Peggy Brown? Peggy was the Director of the Coats Senior Center and she entertained the Mothers and Fathers who attended the center regularly with a combination Mothers Day-Fathers Day program and social. It was a surprise for the parents when some children came from as far away as Canada to perform in two skits to entertain their parents (Daily Record June 7, 1990).
Other student recognitions were announced in the June 11, 1990 edition of the Daily Record. Cheri Elizabeth Grimes graduated as one of the 41 graduates in the nursing program at WTCC. Angela Hedgepeth of Coats was awarded a $1,000 scholarship by the N.C. Association of Insured Agents. She was the daughter of the late James Hedgepeth and Elllen Hedgepeth of Coats.
The June 12, 1990 edition of that same paper printed that Wade and Brenda Weaver had honored their daughter with a pig picking to commemorate her graduation from Campbell University.
The Coats Area Chamber of Commerce had selected as its Business Focus of the Week a relatively newcomer to the town-Whittington and Associates, Business and Health Care Consultants. Don Whittington, a Coats High graduate was the owner.
Angela Hedgepeth was awarded several other scholarships. Campbell University presented her the Presidential Award and the Salutatorian Scholarship. At Campbell she would enter as a pre-pharmacy student (Daily Record June 14, 1990).
Do you recognize that she did become a pharmacist and she indeed made her mom Ellen and brothers Danny and Randy very proud of their young sibling.
Stonewall Turlington and Lina Turlington were residents of Pine Crest Nursing Home near Lillington; Cora Ragan was home after having a hip replacement at Rex and Rev. D.H. McCallough of Pleasant Memory was recuperating after a stay at Duke ( Daily Record June 14, 1990).
Dan C. Honeycutt was to become principal of Erwin Middle School in July. The school had approximately 400 students in grades 4-8. Dan was a 1968 graduate of Coats, 1972 graduate of NC State University. He had received his advanced degree from Campbell in 1988 (Daily Record June 21, 1990).
Wonder I f Dan knew that one day he would be capable of serving as the Superintendent of the Harnett County Schools? I do know when his name is mentioned at the museum, he is remembered with much respect.
A plan to move a nearly century old school building to a new location and convert it into a Coats Museum had materialized. A group of town leaders formed five committees. Godfrey Beasley headed the authorization; James Grimes and Gail Pope chaired the Construction Committee; Christine Akerman headed the History Committee and M.O. Phillips provided community outreach through the Publicity Committee. The fundraising was a community effort to rid the town of one of its unwanted eyesores on NC Highway 27 (Daily Record June 21, 1990).
We don’t read anything about a swimming team in Coats in 2022 but in 1990, the Coats Swimming and Diving teams defeated Westhaven by 310-305 margin in the Cape Fear Swimming and Diving league season (Daily Record June 25, 1990).
Nicole Turlington, daughter of Jeff and Wanda Turlington, participated in the Morgan Arabian Classsic. She took First Place Showmanship Saddle Seat, First Place in Equitation and First Place Championship Saddle Seat and Half Arabian High Point trophy (Daily Record June 28, 1990).
Death had made its way back to Coats and had taken the life of Leddie Etta Byrd Holmes, 74. She had died on Thursday. She was mother of Jackie L. Holmes of Coats. Her services were held at the Coats Methodist Church and Devotional Gardens with Rev. Jack Page officiating (Daily Record June 29, 1990).
All her children were not listed in the obituary in the paper, but some may recall that she did have a few other sons-Fred, Stacy, Devon and Bennie come to my mind. Are there others that some of you knew?
We had lots of fun reconnecting and sharing memories with the Hazel and Johnnie Barnes family last Saturday when many of their descendants traveled from Virginia, Texas and Tennessee to gather for their family reunion.
A very special museum volunteer had a birthday this week and H.L. and I are delighted to honor Robie Butler on his birthday with an honorarium.