June 26, 2015 Coats
Museum News
Where is Highway 40? Most of you would say it is the interstate that runs from our coastline, through the Benson area, and all the way to California and you are right, but how many of you know that there was another Highway 40 in 1952? That was the name of the road that ran through Coats to Benson. We call the road Highway 27 in 2015.
I do know that children were writing letters to Santa Claus and sharing with him what they wanted delivered on Christmas Eve. One of those youngsters was James Byrd who asked Santa for a basketball, a pair of gloves and a small testament. Danny Ray Glover wanted a tractor even though his mother had told him that Santa Claus was dead. William Earl Spivey wanted 2 Roy Rogers guns and a Roy Rogers hat and boots. How awesome is that? Elsewhere in the area, M.C. Langdon and Silas Turlington were to get blue bream fingerlings and later get big mouth bass fingerlings. Does one eat the other (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 5, 1952)?
Since it was December of 1952, the letters continued to be sent up to the North Pole to be delivered to the big man in the red suit. Douglas Johnson was one of the young ones who wrote jolly old Saint Nick and told him that he very much wanted a desk and that his little sister Ann would like a doll and anything else that Santa would choose to bring her. Doug said that he was in the fourth grade and that he made good grades. That always touches Santa’s heart –right? Little Ann Parker Stewart wrote Santa a very long letter telling him exactly who she was so he would not confuse her with another little Ann Parker Stewart. That was smart thinking, Ann! Who knows in what kind of mischief the other little Ann had been. The first little Ann informed Santa that she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Stewart and that she wanted a tea set and a sweet baby doll and lots more stuff.
Miss Ruth Langdon had lots of surprises before Christmas. The former Coats teacher was on staff at McIver Elementary School in Sanford. She was given a tea and shower before Christmas. While the Langdons were experiencing some happy moments in life, the Lillie Stewart family was in mourning. Mrs. Stewart, 78, of Chapel Hill had died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Marvin Dean. Lillie was the daughter of the late John R. and Mary Wiggins. Her husband was Claude M. Stewart who had died in 1933. Two sons, Klyce of Durham and Fred M. Stewart of Coats, also survived her. One of her sisters, Mrs. Lula Coats, also lived in Coats (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 12, 1952).
Maggie C. Williams, 86, had died on Wednesday at her home in Coats. Funeral services were held at the old Williams home with burial in the family cemetery. Elder J.T. Lewis conducted the service. Surviving her were two sons, Thomas B. Williams and Ira Williams and two daughters, Mrs. R.F. Blackwelder and Mrs. E.L. Morgan of Coats.
Jeanine Ennis, one of the seven student soloists at ECC, appeared in the “Messiah” which was given by the 80-member college choir. If you were lucky enough to have heard Jeanine sing, you would understand why she was selected. In Fuquay Springs, Dr. W.S. Cozart, who was also the mayor, was shot and killed in his office. He was on staff in the Dunn Hospital.
Danny Glover was not convinced that Santa was dead so he had written a second letter to Santa and continued to want a “big” tractor and wanted Santa to bring his brother Jimmy a tricycle and his sister Linda a baby doll. He told Santa Claus that his daddy had died in June and to please not forget them. Did you think his mother was cruel to tell the children that Santa was dead? Now we know the rest of the story (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 15, 1952).
The Coats Glee Club had a Christmas Cantata directed by Mrs. Harry Dupree. Sue Ennis and Ann Pleasant were accompanists. Scenes were designed and constructed by Miss Hepsie Utley’s seventh grade pupils. Angels were Ann Beasley, Julia Whittington, Annette Johnson, Patricia Barnes, Mary Sue Page, and Joseph Tony Pope. Shepherds were Laverne Matthews, Billy Langdon and Wayne Gregory. Wise men were Joseph Fish, Robert Parnell, and Curtis Mason. Approximately 150 children participated before a full house.
Mrs. W. C. Norris and Mrs. Grace Harmon surprised Grace Norris with a party on her birthday. She had lots of friends invited to her special party. Lt. Com. W.E. Williams was hoping to be able to go home from the hospital to his new home in Norfolk, VA. Letters continued to flow in to Santa. Little Murry Phillips pleaded for a blackboard, steam shovel and two pistols. He asked Santa to remember his sister Carolyn Phillips (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 17, 1952).
The Coats gym was dedicated. The gym was classified as one of the finest in the state. The Coats girls defeated Angier by 41-38. Sue Johnson scored 23 points for the girls and Bobby Smith scored 15 but the Angier boys defeated the Coats boys by 54-53 (Dunn Dispatch Dec.22, 1952).
Sgt. Walter Johnson, son of Walter Johnson of Benson, arrived in Germany with the 28th Infantry. David Ennis would be able to spend Christmas with his family. A thief robbed the Fred Turlington Store at Turlington’s Crossroads. The thief left a trail of silver coins. Mrs. J.H. Langdon, Mrs. W.R. Langdon, and Mrs. James Langdon showered Miss Ruth Langdon.
Elsewhere in the area, Roy Brown Jackson, 23, of Coats Route One, was killed in a wreck on a Hodges Chapel Road curve. It was the second accident on that curve in two months. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Jackson; two brothers-Staff Sgt. Harold Jackson stationed in Korea and Henry Jackson of the home. His sisters were Mrs. Jake McLamb and Della Mae of the home. His paternal grandmother was Mrs. Josephine Jackson and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Moore. He had served three years in the U.S. Army.
Patsy Avery, Lynda Butler, Becky Adams and I really enjoyed giving a tour this past week of our Cotton Museum to a young group of 4-H members who were learning about cotton fibers. They were a very interested in learning all about cotton from the seed to the products made of cotton. They were having fun trying to remove the cotton seeds from the lint and Lynda explained to them that the invention of the cotton gin made a difference in cotton production.
Mack Reid and Juanita Hudson had had an old family cotton gin in their barn for years. When we were seeking a centennial project for the 2005 celebration, they suggested we build a Cotton Museum to house the history of cotton. With lots of strong financial supporters and individuals who were willing to share other farm implements used in cotton farming and others who were willing to use muscles and talents, we now have a museum that draws many visitors from throughout the country. This past week death took Mack Reid Hudson from us. He and Juanita were not only two of our most faithful contributors of display items for the museums, but also Mack was such a dear friend to many of us. We sometimes thought that he and H.L. were joined at the hip as they dug ditches for walls, walks and wiring. No job was too hot or too hard for them to conquer. Thank you H.L. for honoring Mack with a memorial to the Coats Museum Endowment to ensure that the museum will be kept in the excellent condition that many work to make it that way. I am blessed to have had Jonah C. Johnson as my dad because he taught me that I can do anything my heart desires if I am willing to work to make it happen. A memorial to the museum endowment was for you, Dad, on Father’s Day.
Where is Highway 40? Most of you would say it is the interstate that runs from our coastline, through the Benson area, and all the way to California and you are right, but how many of you know that there was another Highway 40 in 1952? That was the name of the road that ran through Coats to Benson. We call the road Highway 27 in 2015.
I do know that children were writing letters to Santa Claus and sharing with him what they wanted delivered on Christmas Eve. One of those youngsters was James Byrd who asked Santa for a basketball, a pair of gloves and a small testament. Danny Ray Glover wanted a tractor even though his mother had told him that Santa Claus was dead. William Earl Spivey wanted 2 Roy Rogers guns and a Roy Rogers hat and boots. How awesome is that? Elsewhere in the area, M.C. Langdon and Silas Turlington were to get blue bream fingerlings and later get big mouth bass fingerlings. Does one eat the other (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 5, 1952)?
Since it was December of 1952, the letters continued to be sent up to the North Pole to be delivered to the big man in the red suit. Douglas Johnson was one of the young ones who wrote jolly old Saint Nick and told him that he very much wanted a desk and that his little sister Ann would like a doll and anything else that Santa would choose to bring her. Doug said that he was in the fourth grade and that he made good grades. That always touches Santa’s heart –right? Little Ann Parker Stewart wrote Santa a very long letter telling him exactly who she was so he would not confuse her with another little Ann Parker Stewart. That was smart thinking, Ann! Who knows in what kind of mischief the other little Ann had been. The first little Ann informed Santa that she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Stewart and that she wanted a tea set and a sweet baby doll and lots more stuff.
Miss Ruth Langdon had lots of surprises before Christmas. The former Coats teacher was on staff at McIver Elementary School in Sanford. She was given a tea and shower before Christmas. While the Langdons were experiencing some happy moments in life, the Lillie Stewart family was in mourning. Mrs. Stewart, 78, of Chapel Hill had died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Marvin Dean. Lillie was the daughter of the late John R. and Mary Wiggins. Her husband was Claude M. Stewart who had died in 1933. Two sons, Klyce of Durham and Fred M. Stewart of Coats, also survived her. One of her sisters, Mrs. Lula Coats, also lived in Coats (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 12, 1952).
Maggie C. Williams, 86, had died on Wednesday at her home in Coats. Funeral services were held at the old Williams home with burial in the family cemetery. Elder J.T. Lewis conducted the service. Surviving her were two sons, Thomas B. Williams and Ira Williams and two daughters, Mrs. R.F. Blackwelder and Mrs. E.L. Morgan of Coats.
Jeanine Ennis, one of the seven student soloists at ECC, appeared in the “Messiah” which was given by the 80-member college choir. If you were lucky enough to have heard Jeanine sing, you would understand why she was selected. In Fuquay Springs, Dr. W.S. Cozart, who was also the mayor, was shot and killed in his office. He was on staff in the Dunn Hospital.
Danny Glover was not convinced that Santa was dead so he had written a second letter to Santa and continued to want a “big” tractor and wanted Santa to bring his brother Jimmy a tricycle and his sister Linda a baby doll. He told Santa Claus that his daddy had died in June and to please not forget them. Did you think his mother was cruel to tell the children that Santa was dead? Now we know the rest of the story (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 15, 1952).
The Coats Glee Club had a Christmas Cantata directed by Mrs. Harry Dupree. Sue Ennis and Ann Pleasant were accompanists. Scenes were designed and constructed by Miss Hepsie Utley’s seventh grade pupils. Angels were Ann Beasley, Julia Whittington, Annette Johnson, Patricia Barnes, Mary Sue Page, and Joseph Tony Pope. Shepherds were Laverne Matthews, Billy Langdon and Wayne Gregory. Wise men were Joseph Fish, Robert Parnell, and Curtis Mason. Approximately 150 children participated before a full house.
Mrs. W. C. Norris and Mrs. Grace Harmon surprised Grace Norris with a party on her birthday. She had lots of friends invited to her special party. Lt. Com. W.E. Williams was hoping to be able to go home from the hospital to his new home in Norfolk, VA. Letters continued to flow in to Santa. Little Murry Phillips pleaded for a blackboard, steam shovel and two pistols. He asked Santa to remember his sister Carolyn Phillips (Dunn Dispatch Dec. 17, 1952).
The Coats gym was dedicated. The gym was classified as one of the finest in the state. The Coats girls defeated Angier by 41-38. Sue Johnson scored 23 points for the girls and Bobby Smith scored 15 but the Angier boys defeated the Coats boys by 54-53 (Dunn Dispatch Dec.22, 1952).
Sgt. Walter Johnson, son of Walter Johnson of Benson, arrived in Germany with the 28th Infantry. David Ennis would be able to spend Christmas with his family. A thief robbed the Fred Turlington Store at Turlington’s Crossroads. The thief left a trail of silver coins. Mrs. J.H. Langdon, Mrs. W.R. Langdon, and Mrs. James Langdon showered Miss Ruth Langdon.
Elsewhere in the area, Roy Brown Jackson, 23, of Coats Route One, was killed in a wreck on a Hodges Chapel Road curve. It was the second accident on that curve in two months. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Jackson; two brothers-Staff Sgt. Harold Jackson stationed in Korea and Henry Jackson of the home. His sisters were Mrs. Jake McLamb and Della Mae of the home. His paternal grandmother was Mrs. Josephine Jackson and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Moore. He had served three years in the U.S. Army.
Patsy Avery, Lynda Butler, Becky Adams and I really enjoyed giving a tour this past week of our Cotton Museum to a young group of 4-H members who were learning about cotton fibers. They were a very interested in learning all about cotton from the seed to the products made of cotton. They were having fun trying to remove the cotton seeds from the lint and Lynda explained to them that the invention of the cotton gin made a difference in cotton production.
Mack Reid and Juanita Hudson had had an old family cotton gin in their barn for years. When we were seeking a centennial project for the 2005 celebration, they suggested we build a Cotton Museum to house the history of cotton. With lots of strong financial supporters and individuals who were willing to share other farm implements used in cotton farming and others who were willing to use muscles and talents, we now have a museum that draws many visitors from throughout the country. This past week death took Mack Reid Hudson from us. He and Juanita were not only two of our most faithful contributors of display items for the museums, but also Mack was such a dear friend to many of us. We sometimes thought that he and H.L. were joined at the hip as they dug ditches for walls, walks and wiring. No job was too hot or too hard for them to conquer. Thank you H.L. for honoring Mack with a memorial to the Coats Museum Endowment to ensure that the museum will be kept in the excellent condition that many work to make it that way. I am blessed to have had Jonah C. Johnson as my dad because he taught me that I can do anything my heart desires if I am willing to work to make it happen. A memorial to the museum endowment was for you, Dad, on Father’s Day.