June 9, 2017 Coats Museum News
It was November of 1962 and the Soviet Union had launched an unmanned probe to Mars. All known missile bases in Cuba had been dismantled and were on their way back to the USSR. The US had ended its blockade of Cuba after the Soviet Union had promised to have all of its jet planes off the island by December 20th. U Thant of Burma was elected to the post of secretary-general of the United Nations and it brought to an end the Soviet Union’s bid to install a three-member board rather than a secretary-general.
Back in Harnett County, Dr. W.P. Holt had died in Erwin (Daily Record Nov. 1962). Do you know what connection he had with the original hospital in Erwin?
Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, Mrs. Merchant Langdon and Mrs. Rupert Parrish from the Goodwill HD Club had toured the Tryon Palace along with 33 other ladies from Harnett County. Mrs. W.R. Langdon attended from the Turlington Club. In Coats, Mrs. Gwen Stewart and daughter Lynn had visited Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Dixon. Mrs. Margaret House had been hospitalized for two weeks with pneumonia. The Willing Hands Class of the Junior Girls of the Coats Baptist Church had a program “Facing Temptations at School.” Reggie Jackson and Kay Stewart were in charge of the program (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1962).
For those of you who grew up in the country and had your mail delivered to your house, how many of your mail carriers can you remember? Some of our older readers might remember Harry Lee. Mr. Lee of Coats had died on Wednesday (Daily Record Nov.15, 1962). Was Mr. Lee a mail carrier? According to the Nov. 16, 1962 edition of the Daily Record, Mr. Lee was a rural mail carrier for 30 years before he retired in 1957. He was survived by his wife; two daughters, Mrs. G.R. Pope and Mrs. Orvin Johnson, and three sons, Thurman Lee, Vic Lee, and James Harry Lee.
The Coats Home Economics Department had taught adult classes in smocking pillows. Larry Barefoot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Barefoot, had celebrated his 11th birthday. There were 44 friends who enjoyed dancing, bingo, and games (Daily Record Nov. 19, 1962).
Just wondering if any of our readers remember Leon and Ruth Langdon Barefoot? Did not Mrs. Barefoot decorate some of the most beautiful cakes imaginable and Mr. Leon, did he not construct some of the finest houses in Wake, Johnston and Harnett County?
Do any of you have any idea what it cost to educate each pupil in Harnett County in 1962? According to the “State School Facts” the cost was $221.32. Wonder what it would be in 2017? Many of the young parents who have school age children might say it cost me about half that much or more to buy school supplies when school opens.
I do know that Stedman Ray, the Coats Police Chief, was hospitalized from injuries he received when struck by a car early Sunday morning as he was talking to a driver of another vehicle that he had stopped (Daily Record Nov. 20, 1962).
The Hodges Chapel Ladies Auxiliary had met with hostesses Mrs. Brookie West and Mrs. Leray Ennis. The topic of the program was “Migrate Workers” with a focus on what was being done in our own country by missionaries for our own people. The women of the Coats Woman’s Club had as co-hostesses, Mrs. H.C. Connell and Mrs. Exie Smith. Mrs. Mary Jo Mann gave the program on her trip to Denver, Colorado.
Several classes at the Coats Baptist Church had met. The Gleaners assembled at the home of Mrs. McRay Stewart who was assisted by Mrs. Carson Gregory and Mrs. John Allen Smith. Mrs. Joe Penny, Jr. gave the program. The Ruth Eller Class had met with Mrs. Jimmy Benner. Mrs. Gerald Langdon had the program. The Willing Workers had met at the home of Mrs. Howard Smith and cleaned her yards of leaves. Mrs. Smith had been ill for a long time. Mrs. Nelson Currin was the class teacher (Daily Record Nov. 21, 1962).
Wonder if the young people who cleaned Mrs. Smith’s yard knew that her death was just a breath away. Shortly thereafter, she died on Thursday at the age of forty-five. Her sons were Eddie Smith of Portsmouth, VA. and Lewis Smith of Durham. Her mother, Mrs. Matilla (?) Johnson, and her Coats brother, J.W. Johnson, survived her (Daily Record Nov. 23, 1962).
The death angel touched other Coats families. Mrs. Eliza Asque Johnson of Route One Angier had died on Wednesday. She was the sister of Mr. Grover Cleveland Langdon (Daily Record Nov. 29, 1962). Mr. A.L. (Lonnie) Turner, a seventy-four year-old man had died on Friday. His wife, Mrs. Sarah Williams Turner, survived Mr. Turner. Miss Janice Turner and Mrs. James Harris were two of his eight daughters. He had one son and three sisters. Mrs. Betty Williams lived in the Coats area. The Gift Primitive Church was the site of his services and was officiated by Elders J.T. Lewis and Henry Byrd. He was interred at the Coats Cemetery (Daily Record Dec. 3, 1962).
Ronald Coats was honored on his 4th birthday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Landis Coats. He had twenty-five people at his party (Daily Record Dec. 4, 1962).
H.A. Turlington, Sr. had been selected for a third term as Director of the United Swine Registry at Peoria, Illinois. He was in his second term. Imogene Stephenson Pleasant was the mother of a son on Dec. 9th. On Dec. 11th a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Barbour. Mrs. Barbour was the former Ann Tart (Daily Record Dec.12, 1962).
How quickly a year had passed and once again letters to Santa were being printed in the Daily Record. Little Martie Byrd from Coats had written to Santa and requested a fire truck, a baby doll and a stove. Martie was only 3 1/2 years old (Daily Record Dec. 14, 1962).
The Women of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church had their annual Christmas meeting at Porter’s Restaurant in Dunn. Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson, Mrs. Clyde Denning, Mrs. Lee Bailey, and Rev. C.W. Kimbrough were on the program. Several Coats couples actually received bundles of joy. Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Hugh Gregory had a daughter arrive on Dec. 18th. The mother was the former Carol Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Lester R. Holmes were parents of a son on Dec. 19th. The mother was the former Betty Tart.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams had entertained the Coats postal employees and their families with a chicken stew dinner (Daily Record Dec. 20, 1962).
Question-how many post office buildings are still standing in Coats? How many has Coats had? I do know that Mrs. Ophelia Roberts was the new postmaster. She had replaced Mrs. Lucy Kelly who had begun as acting postmaster on Dec. 15, 1934 and then served as postmaster from July 30, 1935 until July 30, 1961. Mrs. Ophelia Roberts assumed the acting role on July 31, 1961 and became postmaster on July 1962 (Post Offices and Postmasters of NC VII).
Dana Coats, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wade Coats of Route One, Coats, celebrated her 12th birthday with a party of eleven friends (Daily Record Dec. 20, 1962).
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penny entertained several friends at their home. Those who attended Mr. and Mrs. Carlie Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Norfleet Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ennis, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Benner, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Ennis, and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lee.
Santa Claus had visited the Curtis Barbour family a few days early when they received an early gift of a daughter at Good Hope on Dec. 20th. The mother was the former Verlene Holmes (Daily Record Dec. 21, 1962).
Sybil Jean Beasley, daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Guy, was selected to be one of the twenty-two students who were included in the 1962 Who’s Who Among College Students in the American College and Universities. Sybil was also elected into Tassels, an honor society for Women.
Mrs. Alice Bishop, mother of Mrs. Carra Martin of Coats, had passed away on Sunday. The deceased was ninety-four years-old and one of the oldest resident of Coats (Daily Record Dec. 28, 1962).
Many years ago a young, lovely brunette from the Coats area was the school secretary at Coats High School. Mrs. Annie “Polly” Smith Parrish was buried on June 2nd and H.L. and I were lucky enough to know this remarkable woman and her husband Leron for years and we are honored to remember Polly with a memorial to the Coats Museum Endowment. Another person died recently who had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many children. Tommy Williford was relentless in chartering the Kiwanis Club of Coats. Tommy was the first president of the club and he was instrumental in the Toys for Tots drive and in the annual golf tournament which raised funds to help support so many youth programs and projects in our local schools. With much appreciation for Tommy’s life, H.L. and I have also given a memorial to the endowment in Tommy’s honor.
It was November of 1962 and the Soviet Union had launched an unmanned probe to Mars. All known missile bases in Cuba had been dismantled and were on their way back to the USSR. The US had ended its blockade of Cuba after the Soviet Union had promised to have all of its jet planes off the island by December 20th. U Thant of Burma was elected to the post of secretary-general of the United Nations and it brought to an end the Soviet Union’s bid to install a three-member board rather than a secretary-general.
Back in Harnett County, Dr. W.P. Holt had died in Erwin (Daily Record Nov. 1962). Do you know what connection he had with the original hospital in Erwin?
Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, Mrs. Merchant Langdon and Mrs. Rupert Parrish from the Goodwill HD Club had toured the Tryon Palace along with 33 other ladies from Harnett County. Mrs. W.R. Langdon attended from the Turlington Club. In Coats, Mrs. Gwen Stewart and daughter Lynn had visited Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Dixon. Mrs. Margaret House had been hospitalized for two weeks with pneumonia. The Willing Hands Class of the Junior Girls of the Coats Baptist Church had a program “Facing Temptations at School.” Reggie Jackson and Kay Stewart were in charge of the program (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1962).
For those of you who grew up in the country and had your mail delivered to your house, how many of your mail carriers can you remember? Some of our older readers might remember Harry Lee. Mr. Lee of Coats had died on Wednesday (Daily Record Nov.15, 1962). Was Mr. Lee a mail carrier? According to the Nov. 16, 1962 edition of the Daily Record, Mr. Lee was a rural mail carrier for 30 years before he retired in 1957. He was survived by his wife; two daughters, Mrs. G.R. Pope and Mrs. Orvin Johnson, and three sons, Thurman Lee, Vic Lee, and James Harry Lee.
The Coats Home Economics Department had taught adult classes in smocking pillows. Larry Barefoot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Barefoot, had celebrated his 11th birthday. There were 44 friends who enjoyed dancing, bingo, and games (Daily Record Nov. 19, 1962).
Just wondering if any of our readers remember Leon and Ruth Langdon Barefoot? Did not Mrs. Barefoot decorate some of the most beautiful cakes imaginable and Mr. Leon, did he not construct some of the finest houses in Wake, Johnston and Harnett County?
Do any of you have any idea what it cost to educate each pupil in Harnett County in 1962? According to the “State School Facts” the cost was $221.32. Wonder what it would be in 2017? Many of the young parents who have school age children might say it cost me about half that much or more to buy school supplies when school opens.
I do know that Stedman Ray, the Coats Police Chief, was hospitalized from injuries he received when struck by a car early Sunday morning as he was talking to a driver of another vehicle that he had stopped (Daily Record Nov. 20, 1962).
The Hodges Chapel Ladies Auxiliary had met with hostesses Mrs. Brookie West and Mrs. Leray Ennis. The topic of the program was “Migrate Workers” with a focus on what was being done in our own country by missionaries for our own people. The women of the Coats Woman’s Club had as co-hostesses, Mrs. H.C. Connell and Mrs. Exie Smith. Mrs. Mary Jo Mann gave the program on her trip to Denver, Colorado.
Several classes at the Coats Baptist Church had met. The Gleaners assembled at the home of Mrs. McRay Stewart who was assisted by Mrs. Carson Gregory and Mrs. John Allen Smith. Mrs. Joe Penny, Jr. gave the program. The Ruth Eller Class had met with Mrs. Jimmy Benner. Mrs. Gerald Langdon had the program. The Willing Workers had met at the home of Mrs. Howard Smith and cleaned her yards of leaves. Mrs. Smith had been ill for a long time. Mrs. Nelson Currin was the class teacher (Daily Record Nov. 21, 1962).
Wonder if the young people who cleaned Mrs. Smith’s yard knew that her death was just a breath away. Shortly thereafter, she died on Thursday at the age of forty-five. Her sons were Eddie Smith of Portsmouth, VA. and Lewis Smith of Durham. Her mother, Mrs. Matilla (?) Johnson, and her Coats brother, J.W. Johnson, survived her (Daily Record Nov. 23, 1962).
The death angel touched other Coats families. Mrs. Eliza Asque Johnson of Route One Angier had died on Wednesday. She was the sister of Mr. Grover Cleveland Langdon (Daily Record Nov. 29, 1962). Mr. A.L. (Lonnie) Turner, a seventy-four year-old man had died on Friday. His wife, Mrs. Sarah Williams Turner, survived Mr. Turner. Miss Janice Turner and Mrs. James Harris were two of his eight daughters. He had one son and three sisters. Mrs. Betty Williams lived in the Coats area. The Gift Primitive Church was the site of his services and was officiated by Elders J.T. Lewis and Henry Byrd. He was interred at the Coats Cemetery (Daily Record Dec. 3, 1962).
Ronald Coats was honored on his 4th birthday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Landis Coats. He had twenty-five people at his party (Daily Record Dec. 4, 1962).
H.A. Turlington, Sr. had been selected for a third term as Director of the United Swine Registry at Peoria, Illinois. He was in his second term. Imogene Stephenson Pleasant was the mother of a son on Dec. 9th. On Dec. 11th a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Barbour. Mrs. Barbour was the former Ann Tart (Daily Record Dec.12, 1962).
How quickly a year had passed and once again letters to Santa were being printed in the Daily Record. Little Martie Byrd from Coats had written to Santa and requested a fire truck, a baby doll and a stove. Martie was only 3 1/2 years old (Daily Record Dec. 14, 1962).
The Women of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church had their annual Christmas meeting at Porter’s Restaurant in Dunn. Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson, Mrs. Clyde Denning, Mrs. Lee Bailey, and Rev. C.W. Kimbrough were on the program. Several Coats couples actually received bundles of joy. Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Hugh Gregory had a daughter arrive on Dec. 18th. The mother was the former Carol Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Lester R. Holmes were parents of a son on Dec. 19th. The mother was the former Betty Tart.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams had entertained the Coats postal employees and their families with a chicken stew dinner (Daily Record Dec. 20, 1962).
Question-how many post office buildings are still standing in Coats? How many has Coats had? I do know that Mrs. Ophelia Roberts was the new postmaster. She had replaced Mrs. Lucy Kelly who had begun as acting postmaster on Dec. 15, 1934 and then served as postmaster from July 30, 1935 until July 30, 1961. Mrs. Ophelia Roberts assumed the acting role on July 31, 1961 and became postmaster on July 1962 (Post Offices and Postmasters of NC VII).
Dana Coats, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wade Coats of Route One, Coats, celebrated her 12th birthday with a party of eleven friends (Daily Record Dec. 20, 1962).
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penny entertained several friends at their home. Those who attended Mr. and Mrs. Carlie Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Norfleet Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ennis, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Benner, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Ennis, and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lee.
Santa Claus had visited the Curtis Barbour family a few days early when they received an early gift of a daughter at Good Hope on Dec. 20th. The mother was the former Verlene Holmes (Daily Record Dec. 21, 1962).
Sybil Jean Beasley, daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Guy, was selected to be one of the twenty-two students who were included in the 1962 Who’s Who Among College Students in the American College and Universities. Sybil was also elected into Tassels, an honor society for Women.
Mrs. Alice Bishop, mother of Mrs. Carra Martin of Coats, had passed away on Sunday. The deceased was ninety-four years-old and one of the oldest resident of Coats (Daily Record Dec. 28, 1962).
Many years ago a young, lovely brunette from the Coats area was the school secretary at Coats High School. Mrs. Annie “Polly” Smith Parrish was buried on June 2nd and H.L. and I were lucky enough to know this remarkable woman and her husband Leron for years and we are honored to remember Polly with a memorial to the Coats Museum Endowment. Another person died recently who had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many children. Tommy Williford was relentless in chartering the Kiwanis Club of Coats. Tommy was the first president of the club and he was instrumental in the Toys for Tots drive and in the annual golf tournament which raised funds to help support so many youth programs and projects in our local schools. With much appreciation for Tommy’s life, H.L. and I have also given a memorial to the endowment in Tommy’s honor.