March 26, 2021 Coats Museum News
The date on the Daily Record displayed January 16, 1987. The news shared from Coats- James Earl and Mona Adkins Goodwin were parents of a daughter, Alicia Dawn Goodwin. In the town hall, Mayor Tim McKinnie and the commissioners-J.D. Norris, Margaret House, T. Godfrey Beasley, Frances G. Avery, and Cecil Fuquay - were present at the board meeting where town residents questioned what Coats had to offer them. The concern was voiced that so many industries were locating in other towns and that downtown Coats had “died.”
More news reported in the “Coats Social Notes “by Wanda Pollard shared that area residents were saddened at the death of a prominent Harnett citizen, Paul Drew. Mr. Drew was with the funeral home and a Coroner for many years.
Tidbits about local folks reported that Mr. and Mrs. David Stevens had guests from Ellerbe; N.C. Mr. Jesse Byrd was home from Rex Hospital. Peggy Barnes had received special birthday wishes from her brother, Cortelle Horton from Virginia when he had visited Wallace and Peggy Barnes.
Pope’s Distributing Co., located on South Street, was undergoing a facelift with a new awning, new paint and a paved front parking area. After a busy holiday season, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Pope, of Pope’s Barn, had spent time relaxing at Isle of Palms, S.C. Mary (Maggie) Lee began taking it easy by going from a long time full time employment with Pope’s Variety Store to part time employment.
Mary Penny Coats, the oldest known resident of Coats, had been sick. Her daughter, Mrs. Louise Coats Jackson, expressed appreciation for the support of their friends and neighbors. Blondell Barnes was pleased to report that she had finally learned to buckle her little granddaughter into her infant seat (Daily Record Jan. 16, 1987).
Mrs. Ila Frances Williams, 83, widow of Isaiah Williams, of Route 3, Dunn, had died. She was the daughter of the late John Henry Sorrell and Ella Truelove Sorrell. A daughter, Mrs. Nina W. Shayne, and a son, Charles Williams, survived her.
Mark E. Langdon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Daywood Kent Langdon, was inducted into the NCSU chapter of Gamma Beta Phi Society, a national honor service organization. Membership was based on sophomores and juniors who ranked in the top 15 percent of their class (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1987).
The fund-raising committee for the new Senior Center was pleased to receive $500.00 from Linda Massengill on behalf of the Woman’s Club and $1,000.00 from Coats IGA. M.T. Strickland was the committee chairman and was actively working to raise funds with his committee members-Dottie Bowden, Earl Jones, Larry Kittrell, Frances Avery, Ann Thornton, Randy Rambeau , and Norfleet Gardner (Daily Record Jan. 20, 1987).
News featured in the ‘Coats Social Notes” began with sympathy to the family of Mrs. Virginia Holmes at the loss of her mother. The children and spouses of Mr. and Mrs. Lester B. Williams honored them on their 68th wedding anniversary. Those helping were Fred and Grace Williams, Devon and Faye Williams Page, and Donahue and Edna Williams Stephenson.
The “Coats Social Notes” reported that Mrs. Doris Johnson Samuels of Kentucky had visited her brother Herbert Johnson and sister Mary Jo Mann in Coats. The family enjoyed a meal and the company of each other at the Dutch Inn in Benson. (Some may recall reading that Doris was a star basketball player at the old Coats High where she had the record for the most points scored in a single game. Doris was also one of the first band majorettes when Mr. Coon established a band at the school. Doris was and continues to be a beautiful woman. In high school she was awarded several beauty titles. Doris and husband John Nolan moved back to the area a few years ago and bought a house in Keith Hills. The couple decided to attend Ebenezer Presbyterian Church where Doris attended through her youth. Doris and John have been very supportive of Ebenezer, Harnett County Community Fund and the Coats Museum where one of her vintage dresses with accessories was on display when we had our Clothes through the Years exhibit. Doris is the model of a very successful business woman who never forgot where she grew up.)
Marla Langdon, daughter of Kent and Edna Langdon, was on the President’s List at Wake Technical School. Some will remember that Edna worked at the Coats Baptist Church as secretary of the church. Another Coats girl was a student of post high school education. Karen Faircloth, daughter of Henry and Sylvia Faircloth, was a student in the Dental Hygiene program at Fayetteville Technical Institute (Daily Record Jan. 22, 1987).
Wade Stephenson, representing the Coats Chamber of Commerce, participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new business in Coats. The business was the Stewart’s Mini Mart and owned by Roy, Sue and Marilene Stewart. Also in the news was that Dr. Anne Moore was preparing for another concert at Campbell University (Daily Record Jan. 27, 1987).
Paul J. (Doc) Byrd, 60, of Coats had died. He was survived by his wife, Hazel Wise Byrd; son, Mark; daughters-Mrs. Paulette Ivey, Mrs. Vickie Pope, Mrs. Diane Byrd and Mrs. Rhonda Dunn. His mother, three brothers and two sisters also survived him (Daily Record Jan. 27, 1987). Do you wish that the names of these survivors would have been listed?
Mrs. Estelle Stewart was honored posthumously at the monthly luncheon of the Swinging Elders. Mrs. Stewart’s son, Eugene Stewart, was on hand to receive the plaque from Marvin Johnson, Ruth Parrish, Belle Williams, Hilda Pope, and Virginia Pollard. Mrs. Estelle was a long time member of the Swinging Elders and the widow of Guy Stewart, founder of the Coats Motor Company (Daily Record Jan. 28, 1987).
Only Hilda Pope from the above group is living today. What a difference in Coats those folks made. Another individual who had a tremendous impact on Coats history was Nelson Currin. He was not even born when the Elder Tom Coats donated land for a right-of –way and depot on May 23, 1903. Nor was he around when Carrie Coats, Robert Metzer and Tom and Nancy Isabella Coats granted 6 and 13/100 acres to the Cape Fear and Northern Railroad, but he was around when the Durham and Southern made its last run on July 5, 1979 and when the rail was removed between Feb. 11 and 17th, 1982. Nelson bought much of the railroad property in the town limits.
Where am I going with this? Lynda Butler and I were preparing for our April reopening of the museum when Derek Currin and Luke West dropped in with two large signs from one of those RR properties. One is a black porcelain sign stating “Railway Express Agency” while the other is a white wooden one with the name “Coats” painted upon it. The signs were donated in memory of local artist and town leader Max Beasley who is thought to have painted the words “Coats.” Thanks, Derek and Luke, for a delightful visit. We surely hope some of our visitors will remember seeing the signs on the railroad building.
Drop in to see us. We will be resuming our regular Thursday (9-3) and Sunday (2-5) schedules on April 1st. Be safe in your visits.
The date on the Daily Record displayed January 16, 1987. The news shared from Coats- James Earl and Mona Adkins Goodwin were parents of a daughter, Alicia Dawn Goodwin. In the town hall, Mayor Tim McKinnie and the commissioners-J.D. Norris, Margaret House, T. Godfrey Beasley, Frances G. Avery, and Cecil Fuquay - were present at the board meeting where town residents questioned what Coats had to offer them. The concern was voiced that so many industries were locating in other towns and that downtown Coats had “died.”
More news reported in the “Coats Social Notes “by Wanda Pollard shared that area residents were saddened at the death of a prominent Harnett citizen, Paul Drew. Mr. Drew was with the funeral home and a Coroner for many years.
Tidbits about local folks reported that Mr. and Mrs. David Stevens had guests from Ellerbe; N.C. Mr. Jesse Byrd was home from Rex Hospital. Peggy Barnes had received special birthday wishes from her brother, Cortelle Horton from Virginia when he had visited Wallace and Peggy Barnes.
Pope’s Distributing Co., located on South Street, was undergoing a facelift with a new awning, new paint and a paved front parking area. After a busy holiday season, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Pope, of Pope’s Barn, had spent time relaxing at Isle of Palms, S.C. Mary (Maggie) Lee began taking it easy by going from a long time full time employment with Pope’s Variety Store to part time employment.
Mary Penny Coats, the oldest known resident of Coats, had been sick. Her daughter, Mrs. Louise Coats Jackson, expressed appreciation for the support of their friends and neighbors. Blondell Barnes was pleased to report that she had finally learned to buckle her little granddaughter into her infant seat (Daily Record Jan. 16, 1987).
Mrs. Ila Frances Williams, 83, widow of Isaiah Williams, of Route 3, Dunn, had died. She was the daughter of the late John Henry Sorrell and Ella Truelove Sorrell. A daughter, Mrs. Nina W. Shayne, and a son, Charles Williams, survived her.
Mark E. Langdon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Daywood Kent Langdon, was inducted into the NCSU chapter of Gamma Beta Phi Society, a national honor service organization. Membership was based on sophomores and juniors who ranked in the top 15 percent of their class (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1987).
The fund-raising committee for the new Senior Center was pleased to receive $500.00 from Linda Massengill on behalf of the Woman’s Club and $1,000.00 from Coats IGA. M.T. Strickland was the committee chairman and was actively working to raise funds with his committee members-Dottie Bowden, Earl Jones, Larry Kittrell, Frances Avery, Ann Thornton, Randy Rambeau , and Norfleet Gardner (Daily Record Jan. 20, 1987).
News featured in the ‘Coats Social Notes” began with sympathy to the family of Mrs. Virginia Holmes at the loss of her mother. The children and spouses of Mr. and Mrs. Lester B. Williams honored them on their 68th wedding anniversary. Those helping were Fred and Grace Williams, Devon and Faye Williams Page, and Donahue and Edna Williams Stephenson.
The “Coats Social Notes” reported that Mrs. Doris Johnson Samuels of Kentucky had visited her brother Herbert Johnson and sister Mary Jo Mann in Coats. The family enjoyed a meal and the company of each other at the Dutch Inn in Benson. (Some may recall reading that Doris was a star basketball player at the old Coats High where she had the record for the most points scored in a single game. Doris was also one of the first band majorettes when Mr. Coon established a band at the school. Doris was and continues to be a beautiful woman. In high school she was awarded several beauty titles. Doris and husband John Nolan moved back to the area a few years ago and bought a house in Keith Hills. The couple decided to attend Ebenezer Presbyterian Church where Doris attended through her youth. Doris and John have been very supportive of Ebenezer, Harnett County Community Fund and the Coats Museum where one of her vintage dresses with accessories was on display when we had our Clothes through the Years exhibit. Doris is the model of a very successful business woman who never forgot where she grew up.)
Marla Langdon, daughter of Kent and Edna Langdon, was on the President’s List at Wake Technical School. Some will remember that Edna worked at the Coats Baptist Church as secretary of the church. Another Coats girl was a student of post high school education. Karen Faircloth, daughter of Henry and Sylvia Faircloth, was a student in the Dental Hygiene program at Fayetteville Technical Institute (Daily Record Jan. 22, 1987).
Wade Stephenson, representing the Coats Chamber of Commerce, participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new business in Coats. The business was the Stewart’s Mini Mart and owned by Roy, Sue and Marilene Stewart. Also in the news was that Dr. Anne Moore was preparing for another concert at Campbell University (Daily Record Jan. 27, 1987).
Paul J. (Doc) Byrd, 60, of Coats had died. He was survived by his wife, Hazel Wise Byrd; son, Mark; daughters-Mrs. Paulette Ivey, Mrs. Vickie Pope, Mrs. Diane Byrd and Mrs. Rhonda Dunn. His mother, three brothers and two sisters also survived him (Daily Record Jan. 27, 1987). Do you wish that the names of these survivors would have been listed?
Mrs. Estelle Stewart was honored posthumously at the monthly luncheon of the Swinging Elders. Mrs. Stewart’s son, Eugene Stewart, was on hand to receive the plaque from Marvin Johnson, Ruth Parrish, Belle Williams, Hilda Pope, and Virginia Pollard. Mrs. Estelle was a long time member of the Swinging Elders and the widow of Guy Stewart, founder of the Coats Motor Company (Daily Record Jan. 28, 1987).
Only Hilda Pope from the above group is living today. What a difference in Coats those folks made. Another individual who had a tremendous impact on Coats history was Nelson Currin. He was not even born when the Elder Tom Coats donated land for a right-of –way and depot on May 23, 1903. Nor was he around when Carrie Coats, Robert Metzer and Tom and Nancy Isabella Coats granted 6 and 13/100 acres to the Cape Fear and Northern Railroad, but he was around when the Durham and Southern made its last run on July 5, 1979 and when the rail was removed between Feb. 11 and 17th, 1982. Nelson bought much of the railroad property in the town limits.
Where am I going with this? Lynda Butler and I were preparing for our April reopening of the museum when Derek Currin and Luke West dropped in with two large signs from one of those RR properties. One is a black porcelain sign stating “Railway Express Agency” while the other is a white wooden one with the name “Coats” painted upon it. The signs were donated in memory of local artist and town leader Max Beasley who is thought to have painted the words “Coats.” Thanks, Derek and Luke, for a delightful visit. We surely hope some of our visitors will remember seeing the signs on the railroad building.
Drop in to see us. We will be resuming our regular Thursday (9-3) and Sunday (2-5) schedules on April 1st. Be safe in your visits.