May 16, 2014 Coats Museum News
World War II was over and the Korean War was yet to come, and America continued to have young men training in the military. Rudolph Stewart, seaman apprentice, USN, son of Sanford Stewart, was serving aboard the light cruiser, USS Portsmouth with the Atlantic Fleet. He had entered service on October 4, 1946, and received his recruit training at the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Maryland. Stewart had attended Coats High School (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 7, 1949).
The saga of the Coats Community Building continued. A BBQ supper was held in the new community center. The Fellowship Club had sponsored the event and the proceeds of about $123.00 went to help complete the building (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 9, 1949).
As you read about petitions for roads in the Coats area, keep in mind in 1949 most of the roads were muddy or sandy ruts. The current NC Highway 55 was hard surfaced but to my knowledge the streets in Coats were not. A Grove petition to the HCBOC petitioned that the road from the W.H. Coats house to the old Smithfield Road be made an all weather road. It was pointed out that the road was a school bus route (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 9. 1949). Do you know the difference between a dirt road and an all weather road? Can you locate the road being petitioned?
Mrs. James Robertson was president of the Turlington HD Club. Mrs. Herbert Johnson, Mrs. W.R. Langdon and Mrs. M.E. Ennis were members (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 11, 1949).
The Coats girls’ basketball team defeated Buies Creek 37 to 9. Lois Smith had 12 points; Doris Johnson and Dot Pope both scored 9 and Doris Messer hit 8. The guards were Eloise Pope, Wilma Barnes and Joyce Turlington. Substitutes were Fannie Sue Langdon, Josephine Johnson and Van Stewart. The Coats boys lost 45-15. Max Avery was high scorer and Darwin Whittington played well. “Secret Service” and Chapter 5 of “Congo Bill” were showing at the Coats Theater. Mrs. McRay Stewart hosted the Goodwill HD Club (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 14, 1949).
The Coats American Legion conducted the burial rites for Staff Sergeant Edward D. Stancil who had been killed at Okinawa on April 1, 1945. American Legion Post 242 accorded the deceased full military honors. He was the son of Moses Stancil and Addie L. Parrish. His sisters were Mrs. Edward Byrd, Mrs. Thomas Williams, Mrs. Lee Parrish, and Mrs. Burris M. Riggs. Harvey and William Stancil were half brothers. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tripp and Mr. and Mrs. J. Walt Sorrell had spent a week in Florida where they had visited relatives (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 16, 1949).
Another Coats soldier made the local news. Pvt. Albert Johnson, son of Alonzo L. Johnson of Coats, was serving with headquarters 24th Base Post Office in Frankfurt, Germany. Commanding officer Harmon P. Geiger wrote that Johnson was an outstanding young man and a good soldier whom he found to be a pleasure to have in his command (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 18, 1948).
Some good news came in regard to road funds. Harnett County was to receive $2, 540.000.00 for new roads (Dunn Dispatch Feb.21, 1949).
Several families in Coats were affected by the deaths of loved ones. Mrs. Fred Hawley lost her brother, Young Register of Faison. Mr. E.V. Page, 74, of Angier, Route 2, had died in a hospital on Friday morning at 8:30. Funeral services were held at the home of his son, Percy Page, near Bethel. Page was interred at the Gregory Cemetery. His two sons were Percy and Vellie Page. His two brothers were Earlie and Theo Page. Six sisters were Mrs. Bob Adams, Mrs. Jerry Pleasant, Mrs. Hester Howard, Mrs. Della Wood, Mrs. Ellie Searcy and and Mrs. Delia Howard. Overby Funeral Home in Coats handled the service (Dunn Dispatch Feb.21, 1949).
Funeral services were held for another WWII war hero- Paul R. Stalling, 23, whose body had arrived at Overby Funeral Home on Wednesday. Services were held at the Gift PBC in Coats and interment was in with full military honors by the American Legion Post 242. Stalling was killed in action in Italy on October 7, 1944 while serving with Co. 1, 36 2nd Infantry Division. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Judson Parrish and two daughters, Joy and Donna Stalling (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 23, 1949).
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. H. Benton Harmon of Coats took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Neill McArtan Holder of Broadway, N.C. Mrs. Harmon was a teacher of Grade 5 at Coats. She had graduated from Flora McDonald with the Class of 1946 and for 2 years had worked with the N.C. State College extension division (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 21, 1949). Did you recognize those names? Who are their children?
Some of you may remember J. Lloyd Holland (63) of Angier, who had died at his home after a 2-week illness. A.F. Holland of Coats was his bother (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 23, 1949).
L.L. Levinson had filed for Benson mayor in 1949 but he had a history in Coats beginning in 1916. He was a former Coats mayor and left Coats to reside in Benson. He had moved to Coats in 1916 and was seeking to maintain his appointed position as Solicitor of Recorder’s Court. The HCBOC had appointed him to Col. Dan Hugh (D.H.) McLean‘s position after McLean’s death in 1920. Levinson had attended Wake Forest College and was licensed to practice law in 1915. He wrote in 1920 that he had served as mayor of Coats for 2 terms. It must have been 1917- 1921 because J.L. Johnson was given as the mayor of Coats according to the N.C. Business Directory (1916). Wonder why Levinson left Coats? He did make a big difference in preserving the town’s news via his writing and promoting Coats in the Harnett County News while he lived there.
Carson Gregory won the $50.00 in the county corn contest with 140.7 bushels per acre and Neal Barnes came in second and won $30.00 for raising 113 bushels per acre. Elsewhere in Grove Township, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Denning had celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary ((Dunn Dispatch Feb. 25, 1949).
The museum volunteers continue to seek items from the Korean to the Afghanistan Wars for displaying in our locked glassed encased exhibits. Robert Stewart, Norman Coe, Billy and Malcolm Smith, Mike Weaver, Jerry Tart, Baxter Ennis, J.P. Cole and Teddy Byrd have loaned their military uniforms from those wars for display in the military tunnel. Donald Page is loaning his collection of models of soldiers, aircraft, submarines, and other military weaponry. One veteran is sharing his collection of Vietnam items. We really prefer items rather than documents for educating the school children and general public about these wars. The museum continues to be opened on Monday and Wednesday from 9-3 and on Sunday from 2-5. That would be a good time to stop by the museum and share a list of what you would like to have displayed. The museum will stay open these three days of the week until we have an Open House to honor all those who have served in our armed forces and especially those of the more recent wars. Since we have finished notebooking and digitalizing most of our local history, after the open house, the volunteers will only open the museum two days a week (Thursday and Sunday) but will welcome visits by appointment.
A special thank you goes to the following for helping the museum with labor or financial support-Carl Byrd, Dan Honeycutt family, the Coats ECA (Mary Langdon Memorial), Mack and Juanita Hudson (Mary Langdon Memorial), H.L. Sorrell (Honorarians for Judy and Stacy Williams, Becky Adams, and Gayle Sorrell; Memorials for Alice Johnson, Jerry Johnson, Mary Langdon, Becky Norris Carroll, and Johnnie W. Coats).
World War II was over and the Korean War was yet to come, and America continued to have young men training in the military. Rudolph Stewart, seaman apprentice, USN, son of Sanford Stewart, was serving aboard the light cruiser, USS Portsmouth with the Atlantic Fleet. He had entered service on October 4, 1946, and received his recruit training at the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Maryland. Stewart had attended Coats High School (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 7, 1949).
The saga of the Coats Community Building continued. A BBQ supper was held in the new community center. The Fellowship Club had sponsored the event and the proceeds of about $123.00 went to help complete the building (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 9, 1949).
As you read about petitions for roads in the Coats area, keep in mind in 1949 most of the roads were muddy or sandy ruts. The current NC Highway 55 was hard surfaced but to my knowledge the streets in Coats were not. A Grove petition to the HCBOC petitioned that the road from the W.H. Coats house to the old Smithfield Road be made an all weather road. It was pointed out that the road was a school bus route (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 9. 1949). Do you know the difference between a dirt road and an all weather road? Can you locate the road being petitioned?
Mrs. James Robertson was president of the Turlington HD Club. Mrs. Herbert Johnson, Mrs. W.R. Langdon and Mrs. M.E. Ennis were members (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 11, 1949).
The Coats girls’ basketball team defeated Buies Creek 37 to 9. Lois Smith had 12 points; Doris Johnson and Dot Pope both scored 9 and Doris Messer hit 8. The guards were Eloise Pope, Wilma Barnes and Joyce Turlington. Substitutes were Fannie Sue Langdon, Josephine Johnson and Van Stewart. The Coats boys lost 45-15. Max Avery was high scorer and Darwin Whittington played well. “Secret Service” and Chapter 5 of “Congo Bill” were showing at the Coats Theater. Mrs. McRay Stewart hosted the Goodwill HD Club (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 14, 1949).
The Coats American Legion conducted the burial rites for Staff Sergeant Edward D. Stancil who had been killed at Okinawa on April 1, 1945. American Legion Post 242 accorded the deceased full military honors. He was the son of Moses Stancil and Addie L. Parrish. His sisters were Mrs. Edward Byrd, Mrs. Thomas Williams, Mrs. Lee Parrish, and Mrs. Burris M. Riggs. Harvey and William Stancil were half brothers. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tripp and Mr. and Mrs. J. Walt Sorrell had spent a week in Florida where they had visited relatives (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 16, 1949).
Another Coats soldier made the local news. Pvt. Albert Johnson, son of Alonzo L. Johnson of Coats, was serving with headquarters 24th Base Post Office in Frankfurt, Germany. Commanding officer Harmon P. Geiger wrote that Johnson was an outstanding young man and a good soldier whom he found to be a pleasure to have in his command (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 18, 1948).
Some good news came in regard to road funds. Harnett County was to receive $2, 540.000.00 for new roads (Dunn Dispatch Feb.21, 1949).
Several families in Coats were affected by the deaths of loved ones. Mrs. Fred Hawley lost her brother, Young Register of Faison. Mr. E.V. Page, 74, of Angier, Route 2, had died in a hospital on Friday morning at 8:30. Funeral services were held at the home of his son, Percy Page, near Bethel. Page was interred at the Gregory Cemetery. His two sons were Percy and Vellie Page. His two brothers were Earlie and Theo Page. Six sisters were Mrs. Bob Adams, Mrs. Jerry Pleasant, Mrs. Hester Howard, Mrs. Della Wood, Mrs. Ellie Searcy and and Mrs. Delia Howard. Overby Funeral Home in Coats handled the service (Dunn Dispatch Feb.21, 1949).
Funeral services were held for another WWII war hero- Paul R. Stalling, 23, whose body had arrived at Overby Funeral Home on Wednesday. Services were held at the Gift PBC in Coats and interment was in with full military honors by the American Legion Post 242. Stalling was killed in action in Italy on October 7, 1944 while serving with Co. 1, 36 2nd Infantry Division. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Judson Parrish and two daughters, Joy and Donna Stalling (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 23, 1949).
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. H. Benton Harmon of Coats took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Neill McArtan Holder of Broadway, N.C. Mrs. Harmon was a teacher of Grade 5 at Coats. She had graduated from Flora McDonald with the Class of 1946 and for 2 years had worked with the N.C. State College extension division (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 21, 1949). Did you recognize those names? Who are their children?
Some of you may remember J. Lloyd Holland (63) of Angier, who had died at his home after a 2-week illness. A.F. Holland of Coats was his bother (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 23, 1949).
L.L. Levinson had filed for Benson mayor in 1949 but he had a history in Coats beginning in 1916. He was a former Coats mayor and left Coats to reside in Benson. He had moved to Coats in 1916 and was seeking to maintain his appointed position as Solicitor of Recorder’s Court. The HCBOC had appointed him to Col. Dan Hugh (D.H.) McLean‘s position after McLean’s death in 1920. Levinson had attended Wake Forest College and was licensed to practice law in 1915. He wrote in 1920 that he had served as mayor of Coats for 2 terms. It must have been 1917- 1921 because J.L. Johnson was given as the mayor of Coats according to the N.C. Business Directory (1916). Wonder why Levinson left Coats? He did make a big difference in preserving the town’s news via his writing and promoting Coats in the Harnett County News while he lived there.
Carson Gregory won the $50.00 in the county corn contest with 140.7 bushels per acre and Neal Barnes came in second and won $30.00 for raising 113 bushels per acre. Elsewhere in Grove Township, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Denning had celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary ((Dunn Dispatch Feb. 25, 1949).
The museum volunteers continue to seek items from the Korean to the Afghanistan Wars for displaying in our locked glassed encased exhibits. Robert Stewart, Norman Coe, Billy and Malcolm Smith, Mike Weaver, Jerry Tart, Baxter Ennis, J.P. Cole and Teddy Byrd have loaned their military uniforms from those wars for display in the military tunnel. Donald Page is loaning his collection of models of soldiers, aircraft, submarines, and other military weaponry. One veteran is sharing his collection of Vietnam items. We really prefer items rather than documents for educating the school children and general public about these wars. The museum continues to be opened on Monday and Wednesday from 9-3 and on Sunday from 2-5. That would be a good time to stop by the museum and share a list of what you would like to have displayed. The museum will stay open these three days of the week until we have an Open House to honor all those who have served in our armed forces and especially those of the more recent wars. Since we have finished notebooking and digitalizing most of our local history, after the open house, the volunteers will only open the museum two days a week (Thursday and Sunday) but will welcome visits by appointment.
A special thank you goes to the following for helping the museum with labor or financial support-Carl Byrd, Dan Honeycutt family, the Coats ECA (Mary Langdon Memorial), Mack and Juanita Hudson (Mary Langdon Memorial), H.L. Sorrell (Honorarians for Judy and Stacy Williams, Becky Adams, and Gayle Sorrell; Memorials for Alice Johnson, Jerry Johnson, Mary Langdon, Becky Norris Carroll, and Johnnie W. Coats).