November 16, 2012 Coats Museum News
The date was June 1st, 1935 and the Coats Town Board had met and installed its new officers. At the June 10th meeting, this board approved a bill to be paid for $2.27 for gas. The gas had been charged by E.R. Partin and used for hauling drunks to Lillington. Are you thinking why are they taking them to Lillington? Recall that the board has been talking Coats jail for months. At that same meeting, the board granted Luther Barefoot to continue to have a beer license; town books were to be audited, and cursing and swearing were to cease in Coats or the person would be locked up (Coats Town Board meeting minutes, June 10, 1935).
At the June 14th, 1935 town board meeting, the Coats commissioners paid Buddy Fuquay fifty cents for burying a dog. WOW! Was that a common practice? I do know that they recorded that $1,509.56 was still owed on taxes dating from 1927 to 1934. James Spivey, Jr. would replace his sick father by notifying Mayor A.F. Grimes. The town books were ready to be audited according to the June 14, 1935 town minutes.
The Harnett County BOC and BOE had met to discuss applications for funds for building purposes. It was noted that the interest to borrow the money would be 4% rather than the 3 % that had been expected. The Coats School building cost was to exceed $56,000. Do the numbers continue to change? During the board meeting, the county commissioners okayed $50,000.00 for the courthouse and jail improvements. Eight thousand dollars was to be spent on the county home. Where was that county home? New principals would be at Coats and Boone Trail. J.T. Jerome from Pine Level would replace Owen Odum at Coats (Harnett County News June 20, 1935).
The Harnett County BOE had received a petition from Henry M. Stewart, principal of Mt. Pisgah Colored School, asking that certain schools for colored children in Grove Township be consolidated with Coats Colored School and that necessary transportation facilities be provided. He also requested in that same petition that transportation be provided for high school students in that section of the county. The petition was signed by 19 of the leading white people in and around Coats. Don’t you wish we could know if one of our ancestors signed that petition? The newspaper did report that the board did not vote to consolidate, but did vote to provide transportation for the high school students (Harnett County News July 4, 1935). It is interesting to note that Angier historians in their Voices of Yesteryear, page 72 noted that North Harnett School was erected to honor Henry Mack Stewart, who was born in the Coats area and lived and taught in the areas of Coats, Angier, Duncan, Buies Creek, and southern Wake County.
At the July 9, 1935 Coats Town Board meeting, J.H. Parrish was appointed Commissioner for Streets and F.A. Byrd, J.H. Parrish, and O.K. Keene were to get the cost of a jail. J.B. Ennis, Chairman of the Harnett BOC, gave public notice of a public hearing about the proposition to borrow money from the Public Works Administration. Fifty-five percent of the amount was a grant and 45% had to be repaid at 4%. The Coats School building was to cost $67,021.50 and additional site costs were given to be $1,050.00 (Harnett County News July 11, 1935). Why was there an increase of the cost of the school from the original $25,000.00 to the now $67,021.50 and site costs. Don’t you love the 50 cents on that large figure?
It seemed that public buildings were on the minds of Coats leaders also. A Mr. Baseman had shared plans for a new municipal building which would be 25’ by 36’ and cost $1, 250.00 (Coats Town Board meeting minutes July 30, 1935). The June 6, 1935 Coats Board meeting minutes had recorded in an application that 45% would be donated by the Federal Government and 55% would be secured as a loan to be repaid over a period not to exceed 30 years at a rate of 3% . Question—Is the Great Depression over?
In the August 13, 1935 Coats Board meeting minutes it was voted to move one light on East Main Street to East Washington Street to serve more people. The tax rate was continued at 50 cents on the $100. The privilege license was to be at a maximum of $10.00 with service stations paying $5.00. Mayor A.F. Grimes presided. Were lights a political issue? It seems that Coats had changed light sites quite a bit since CPL had installed the original ones in 1926.
Does Harnett County have any dairies in 2012? In August of 1935, Harnett County had nine “Grade A “ dairies rating from M.B. Wiggs, inspector. The former Hayes Dairy on the current Abattoir Road and Parrish Dairy of Coats were on the A list (Harnett County News August 29, 1935).
Roney Hayes, a young man of the Coats area, died at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. He was 19 years old. His widow and a young child survived him. His wife was the former Christine Lewis and Mr. and Mrs. Richard were his parents. Were they not he owners of the Hayes Dairy? George F. Pope opened “Two Roses” flour mill. Was that in Dunn? He bought wheat and did custom grinding. A paramount permanent wave was $3.00 and a shampoo and finger wave was 50 cents (Harnett County News September9, 1935).
The 1935 law required that all drivers of motor vehicles must have a license to drive. Currently they were being issued free until November 1, 1935 except for notary public or other offices where a seal was applied. The Safety Division would keep a duplicate of the application and license. Every time a driver was stopped, arrested or warned, the highway department was notified and information was recorded in the State Office of Motor Vehicles (Harnett County News September 9, 1935).
Recall last week that I shared that Mrs. Vivian Jones Sanders of Tennessee visited us at the museum and promised to share her memories of Coats. Man, she is some reliable lady for we received a packet already and a nice donation to the museum for the Research Library. She shared fascinating stories of the town in about the same time period that you are now reading about in the column. Also, Doris Weaver Whitehead called me on Friday to say that her 99 year-old sister would visit us on the 14th and bring Mattie Suggs midwife instruments. We can’t wait to meet her and interview her for our Theater Room viewing. Thanks-Doris. Four more large exhibit cabinets were delivered by Coats Cabinets this week and glass was installed last Saturday. Tommy Coats is a descendent of town founder and Mark and Lars McCallister are descendents of Alfred Bailey of Bailey’s Crossroads. You have been reading about Mayor A.F. Grimes for several columns. Can you believe that his grandson James Grimes, Sr. gave the mayor’s banjo to be displayed in our Music Corner—thanks James. Also thanks goes to Hilda Pope for her memorial gifts to honor the memory of Mabel R. Hayes and Cynthia Johnson Bennett and to H.L. Sorrell for gifts to the endowment to honor the memory of Mabel R. Hayes and Edith Sorrell Bone.
The date was June 1st, 1935 and the Coats Town Board had met and installed its new officers. At the June 10th meeting, this board approved a bill to be paid for $2.27 for gas. The gas had been charged by E.R. Partin and used for hauling drunks to Lillington. Are you thinking why are they taking them to Lillington? Recall that the board has been talking Coats jail for months. At that same meeting, the board granted Luther Barefoot to continue to have a beer license; town books were to be audited, and cursing and swearing were to cease in Coats or the person would be locked up (Coats Town Board meeting minutes, June 10, 1935).
At the June 14th, 1935 town board meeting, the Coats commissioners paid Buddy Fuquay fifty cents for burying a dog. WOW! Was that a common practice? I do know that they recorded that $1,509.56 was still owed on taxes dating from 1927 to 1934. James Spivey, Jr. would replace his sick father by notifying Mayor A.F. Grimes. The town books were ready to be audited according to the June 14, 1935 town minutes.
The Harnett County BOC and BOE had met to discuss applications for funds for building purposes. It was noted that the interest to borrow the money would be 4% rather than the 3 % that had been expected. The Coats School building cost was to exceed $56,000. Do the numbers continue to change? During the board meeting, the county commissioners okayed $50,000.00 for the courthouse and jail improvements. Eight thousand dollars was to be spent on the county home. Where was that county home? New principals would be at Coats and Boone Trail. J.T. Jerome from Pine Level would replace Owen Odum at Coats (Harnett County News June 20, 1935).
The Harnett County BOE had received a petition from Henry M. Stewart, principal of Mt. Pisgah Colored School, asking that certain schools for colored children in Grove Township be consolidated with Coats Colored School and that necessary transportation facilities be provided. He also requested in that same petition that transportation be provided for high school students in that section of the county. The petition was signed by 19 of the leading white people in and around Coats. Don’t you wish we could know if one of our ancestors signed that petition? The newspaper did report that the board did not vote to consolidate, but did vote to provide transportation for the high school students (Harnett County News July 4, 1935). It is interesting to note that Angier historians in their Voices of Yesteryear, page 72 noted that North Harnett School was erected to honor Henry Mack Stewart, who was born in the Coats area and lived and taught in the areas of Coats, Angier, Duncan, Buies Creek, and southern Wake County.
At the July 9, 1935 Coats Town Board meeting, J.H. Parrish was appointed Commissioner for Streets and F.A. Byrd, J.H. Parrish, and O.K. Keene were to get the cost of a jail. J.B. Ennis, Chairman of the Harnett BOC, gave public notice of a public hearing about the proposition to borrow money from the Public Works Administration. Fifty-five percent of the amount was a grant and 45% had to be repaid at 4%. The Coats School building was to cost $67,021.50 and additional site costs were given to be $1,050.00 (Harnett County News July 11, 1935). Why was there an increase of the cost of the school from the original $25,000.00 to the now $67,021.50 and site costs. Don’t you love the 50 cents on that large figure?
It seemed that public buildings were on the minds of Coats leaders also. A Mr. Baseman had shared plans for a new municipal building which would be 25’ by 36’ and cost $1, 250.00 (Coats Town Board meeting minutes July 30, 1935). The June 6, 1935 Coats Board meeting minutes had recorded in an application that 45% would be donated by the Federal Government and 55% would be secured as a loan to be repaid over a period not to exceed 30 years at a rate of 3% . Question—Is the Great Depression over?
In the August 13, 1935 Coats Board meeting minutes it was voted to move one light on East Main Street to East Washington Street to serve more people. The tax rate was continued at 50 cents on the $100. The privilege license was to be at a maximum of $10.00 with service stations paying $5.00. Mayor A.F. Grimes presided. Were lights a political issue? It seems that Coats had changed light sites quite a bit since CPL had installed the original ones in 1926.
Does Harnett County have any dairies in 2012? In August of 1935, Harnett County had nine “Grade A “ dairies rating from M.B. Wiggs, inspector. The former Hayes Dairy on the current Abattoir Road and Parrish Dairy of Coats were on the A list (Harnett County News August 29, 1935).
Roney Hayes, a young man of the Coats area, died at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. He was 19 years old. His widow and a young child survived him. His wife was the former Christine Lewis and Mr. and Mrs. Richard were his parents. Were they not he owners of the Hayes Dairy? George F. Pope opened “Two Roses” flour mill. Was that in Dunn? He bought wheat and did custom grinding. A paramount permanent wave was $3.00 and a shampoo and finger wave was 50 cents (Harnett County News September9, 1935).
The 1935 law required that all drivers of motor vehicles must have a license to drive. Currently they were being issued free until November 1, 1935 except for notary public or other offices where a seal was applied. The Safety Division would keep a duplicate of the application and license. Every time a driver was stopped, arrested or warned, the highway department was notified and information was recorded in the State Office of Motor Vehicles (Harnett County News September 9, 1935).
Recall last week that I shared that Mrs. Vivian Jones Sanders of Tennessee visited us at the museum and promised to share her memories of Coats. Man, she is some reliable lady for we received a packet already and a nice donation to the museum for the Research Library. She shared fascinating stories of the town in about the same time period that you are now reading about in the column. Also, Doris Weaver Whitehead called me on Friday to say that her 99 year-old sister would visit us on the 14th and bring Mattie Suggs midwife instruments. We can’t wait to meet her and interview her for our Theater Room viewing. Thanks-Doris. Four more large exhibit cabinets were delivered by Coats Cabinets this week and glass was installed last Saturday. Tommy Coats is a descendent of town founder and Mark and Lars McCallister are descendents of Alfred Bailey of Bailey’s Crossroads. You have been reading about Mayor A.F. Grimes for several columns. Can you believe that his grandson James Grimes, Sr. gave the mayor’s banjo to be displayed in our Music Corner—thanks James. Also thanks goes to Hilda Pope for her memorial gifts to honor the memory of Mabel R. Hayes and Cynthia Johnson Bennett and to H.L. Sorrell for gifts to the endowment to honor the memory of Mabel R. Hayes and Edith Sorrell Bone.