May 6, 2023 Coats Museum News
Have you noticed over the years that the places for couples to get married have changed? Before reading on, try to recall the many different places that you have attended weddings. Think way back from watching movies or reading books and remember where the setting of most of the weddings was? You have read about weddings in the preacher’s home, eloping to Dillon, S.C., on the grounds of some stately homes and in the churches.
Do you even want to guess the cost of a wedding today? My parents had to pay for eight weddings. Being the youngest of eight daughters, H.L. and my wedding was the cheapest. My sisters’ were beautiful with their fancy dresses, amazing flowers and uncommon foods where some guests might have quietly ask “what is that?” H.L. and I were married in the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church manse where Rev. Bill Kimbrough united us. I never asked H.L what he paid the preacher nor do I know if my dad handed him some money also. I do remember the only flower there was a single yellow gladiola that Mrs. Kimbrough had placed in a vase on a table nearby.
When my son was married in the Chrysler Museum in Virginia and I heard the cost to rent the facility, my first thought was that the cost was more than I had made annually as a teacher in my earlier years in the classroom. Can you imagine how elated H.L. and I were when J.B. and our daughter Lenee asked if they could be married in our yard? Our only concern was that they wanted to be married in July. Yes –July when the heat can be unbearable and looming storms can come at any time of day. God was looking down on them because that July morning was filled with cool breezes and mockingbirds singing their best notes.
Today- how often do you get invited to a church wedding? Are you invited to attend one in a barn, a palace, a distillery, a venue by water? All are beautiful settings indeed-just in a different place than in days past. Wonder where Mr. and Mrs. David Eason were thinking about having the wedding of their daughter, Tonya Lynne Eason, who was engaged to marry Joseph Knittel of Raleigh. Tonya was a 1988 graduate of Triton and her fiancé attended Appalachian State University (Daily Record Sept. 11, 1992).
Let’s step back onto the old Coats School campus where Julie Wilkie and Sue Clayton put on the fancy do for the grandparents of their third grade students at the Coats Elementary School. The Grandparents Day had about 80 grandparents to enjoy the reception (Daily Record Sept. 14, 1992).
Anyone remember James Crosby Liles? He was able to come from Carrolton for the 35th family reunion according to his daughter, Rena Clara McLean. His other children who attended were Rex Liles, Brenda Eason, Genivive Walden, Eumanize Liles and James L. Liles. Belle was unable to attend. Had his wife Clara died earlier?
I do know that Glenn and Cindy Dennis and Jenny and Danny Pollard had attended the “1992 Road Run Car Show” in Pigeon Forge, TN. Elsewhere, Felicia Byrd Williams of El Paso, TX had spent a couple of weeks with her parents –Betty and Jerry Johnson. Amongst all that joy being felt by the travelers there was sad news in Coats as folks were hearing about the deaths of Troy Roberts and Ellis Moore (Daily Record Sept. 17, 1992).
The final plans were being made for the 80th Annual Farmers Day Festival in Coats. A new feature in 1992 was the Championship Bull Riding competition at the T-Bar Arena. There was also a four-man golf tournament planned at Chicora. Robert Pleasant was in charge of the golf event. Has anyone heard the story that a new game was invented in Scotland many years ago with the rules “Gentlemen Only—Ladies Forbidden.” Thus, we have the word “GOLF” in our English language. Do you believe the story?
Even the CACC called it a four-man golf tournament. Teddy Byrd headed up the pig-picking contest cook-off. A Sweet Potato Cooking Contest was planned with Mary Forrest heading up that competition. Some others working with the Farmers Day were Phil Ferrell, Dudley Langdon, Jimmy Tripp, Carolyn Moore, Don Whittington, Darrell Smith, Marie Watson, and Beverly McLamb (Daily Record Sept. 18, 1992).
W. Ronnie Jackson, 42, of Coats, had died on Thursday. His services were at the Rose and Graham Funeral Chapel in Coats with Revs. Agnes Baker and Jimmy Tripp officiating. He was survived by his parents-W.T. and Rosa Lee Jackson; two brothers-Johnny D. Jackson of Cary and Ricky Jackson and a sister, Barbara J. Smith (Daily Record Sept. 18, 1992).
Who remembers this family? This family lived on a farm adjoining ours when I was a young girl. We called William “Jabo” and his wife Miss Rosa. For some reason I don’t remember their children until I taught a couple of them later at Coats. “Jabo” had coal black hair while Rosa had sandy red hair but all their children inherited the raven black hair. They were very mild mannered and outgoing like their dad who never failed to come up to me at the IGA to express fond memories of my dad when the family lived near us.
I, too, have memories but mine are of Jabo who was proud that he had served his country in the military and that he had an offspring who was an outstanding educator at West Johnston High School. I recall that he shared with sadness about the untimely death of Ronnie. Thank God for good memories.
We began the column with a love story and will conclude it with one also. Rebecca Gregory, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Gregory of Garner, had married Joe L Weaver, III of Mt. Olive. The bride was also the granddaughter of Rosa Lee Moore and Woodrow Gregory of Coats (Daily Record Sept. 22, 1992).
A special thank you goes to our young volunteer, Edwin Smith, who is working hard to meet volunteer requirements for both the Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Edwin is a sophomore at Southern Wake Academy. Last weekend Edwin spent over six hours lifting many heavy boxes coming from the estates of several families and he helped sort through boxes of documents, obituaries , pictures , newspaper clippings and so much more to decide what would be valued by future generations connected to the Coats Museum and what would go to a Thrift store. Thank you Edwin – your love of history shows up over and over.
Have you noticed over the years that the places for couples to get married have changed? Before reading on, try to recall the many different places that you have attended weddings. Think way back from watching movies or reading books and remember where the setting of most of the weddings was? You have read about weddings in the preacher’s home, eloping to Dillon, S.C., on the grounds of some stately homes and in the churches.
Do you even want to guess the cost of a wedding today? My parents had to pay for eight weddings. Being the youngest of eight daughters, H.L. and my wedding was the cheapest. My sisters’ were beautiful with their fancy dresses, amazing flowers and uncommon foods where some guests might have quietly ask “what is that?” H.L. and I were married in the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church manse where Rev. Bill Kimbrough united us. I never asked H.L what he paid the preacher nor do I know if my dad handed him some money also. I do remember the only flower there was a single yellow gladiola that Mrs. Kimbrough had placed in a vase on a table nearby.
When my son was married in the Chrysler Museum in Virginia and I heard the cost to rent the facility, my first thought was that the cost was more than I had made annually as a teacher in my earlier years in the classroom. Can you imagine how elated H.L. and I were when J.B. and our daughter Lenee asked if they could be married in our yard? Our only concern was that they wanted to be married in July. Yes –July when the heat can be unbearable and looming storms can come at any time of day. God was looking down on them because that July morning was filled with cool breezes and mockingbirds singing their best notes.
Today- how often do you get invited to a church wedding? Are you invited to attend one in a barn, a palace, a distillery, a venue by water? All are beautiful settings indeed-just in a different place than in days past. Wonder where Mr. and Mrs. David Eason were thinking about having the wedding of their daughter, Tonya Lynne Eason, who was engaged to marry Joseph Knittel of Raleigh. Tonya was a 1988 graduate of Triton and her fiancé attended Appalachian State University (Daily Record Sept. 11, 1992).
Let’s step back onto the old Coats School campus where Julie Wilkie and Sue Clayton put on the fancy do for the grandparents of their third grade students at the Coats Elementary School. The Grandparents Day had about 80 grandparents to enjoy the reception (Daily Record Sept. 14, 1992).
Anyone remember James Crosby Liles? He was able to come from Carrolton for the 35th family reunion according to his daughter, Rena Clara McLean. His other children who attended were Rex Liles, Brenda Eason, Genivive Walden, Eumanize Liles and James L. Liles. Belle was unable to attend. Had his wife Clara died earlier?
I do know that Glenn and Cindy Dennis and Jenny and Danny Pollard had attended the “1992 Road Run Car Show” in Pigeon Forge, TN. Elsewhere, Felicia Byrd Williams of El Paso, TX had spent a couple of weeks with her parents –Betty and Jerry Johnson. Amongst all that joy being felt by the travelers there was sad news in Coats as folks were hearing about the deaths of Troy Roberts and Ellis Moore (Daily Record Sept. 17, 1992).
The final plans were being made for the 80th Annual Farmers Day Festival in Coats. A new feature in 1992 was the Championship Bull Riding competition at the T-Bar Arena. There was also a four-man golf tournament planned at Chicora. Robert Pleasant was in charge of the golf event. Has anyone heard the story that a new game was invented in Scotland many years ago with the rules “Gentlemen Only—Ladies Forbidden.” Thus, we have the word “GOLF” in our English language. Do you believe the story?
Even the CACC called it a four-man golf tournament. Teddy Byrd headed up the pig-picking contest cook-off. A Sweet Potato Cooking Contest was planned with Mary Forrest heading up that competition. Some others working with the Farmers Day were Phil Ferrell, Dudley Langdon, Jimmy Tripp, Carolyn Moore, Don Whittington, Darrell Smith, Marie Watson, and Beverly McLamb (Daily Record Sept. 18, 1992).
W. Ronnie Jackson, 42, of Coats, had died on Thursday. His services were at the Rose and Graham Funeral Chapel in Coats with Revs. Agnes Baker and Jimmy Tripp officiating. He was survived by his parents-W.T. and Rosa Lee Jackson; two brothers-Johnny D. Jackson of Cary and Ricky Jackson and a sister, Barbara J. Smith (Daily Record Sept. 18, 1992).
Who remembers this family? This family lived on a farm adjoining ours when I was a young girl. We called William “Jabo” and his wife Miss Rosa. For some reason I don’t remember their children until I taught a couple of them later at Coats. “Jabo” had coal black hair while Rosa had sandy red hair but all their children inherited the raven black hair. They were very mild mannered and outgoing like their dad who never failed to come up to me at the IGA to express fond memories of my dad when the family lived near us.
I, too, have memories but mine are of Jabo who was proud that he had served his country in the military and that he had an offspring who was an outstanding educator at West Johnston High School. I recall that he shared with sadness about the untimely death of Ronnie. Thank God for good memories.
We began the column with a love story and will conclude it with one also. Rebecca Gregory, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Gregory of Garner, had married Joe L Weaver, III of Mt. Olive. The bride was also the granddaughter of Rosa Lee Moore and Woodrow Gregory of Coats (Daily Record Sept. 22, 1992).
A special thank you goes to our young volunteer, Edwin Smith, who is working hard to meet volunteer requirements for both the Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Edwin is a sophomore at Southern Wake Academy. Last weekend Edwin spent over six hours lifting many heavy boxes coming from the estates of several families and he helped sort through boxes of documents, obituaries , pictures , newspaper clippings and so much more to decide what would be valued by future generations connected to the Coats Museum and what would go to a Thrift store. Thank you Edwin – your love of history shows up over and over.