November 23, 2018 Coats Museum News
Who remembers when the Coats Lions Club was chartered? Was it the first Lions Club in Harnett County? How many of the charter members are currently active in that organization? This I do know. In June of 1973, the club scheduled a week of cleaning up the town to make Coats a more pleasant place to live.
While the Lions were cleaning the streets of Coats, area students were recognized for academic honors at Campbell. Those from Coats were Earl Lewis Dennis, Donald Ray Ennis, Joan Ruth Lee, Jerry Andrew Morris, Gale Ennis Penny, Randy Lee Stephenson, and William Rickey Washington (Daily Record June 13, 1973).
This question is for those who attended Campbell when Dr. Ann Moore was teaching there. Was she known for challenging her students to do their best? I do know that she had met the approval of the administration at Campbell because Dean Burkot announced that Dr. Ann was one of nine faculty members to be promoted (Daily Record June 26, 1973).
Amongst all the good news coming from Coats, the Grand Reaper had visited the home of Mr. Eugene Washington Moore, 41, on Saturday. The deceased man was the son of Mrs. Verdie Moore of Route One, Coats, and the father of Debbie and Connie Moore.
Death had visited Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield on Monday afternoon, June25th, to take Mrs. Alice Johnson, wife of Jonah C. Johnson of Route One, Coats. Mrs. Johnson was the daughter of Willis and Anna Dixon Thornton of Elevation in Johnston County. Her services were held at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church and were conducted by Rev. Larry Kline and Rev. Donald McMahan. Her grandsons were pallbearers. Surviving her were nine children: Mrs. W.J. Bryan (Millie) Dorn, Mrs. William Marshall (Mable) Wright, Mrs. William Wells (Alice) Beckett, Mrs. Warren (Joan) Rainbolt, Mrs. Wayne (Sue) Richey, Mrs. Walter Milton (Joyce) Farmer, Mrs. H.L. (Gayle) Sorrell, Jr., J.C. (Charlotte) Johnson, Jr., and Stacey (Betty Ruth) Johnson. Mrs. William H. (Chrystel) Truesdell, Jr. was a deceased daughter. Charlie, Jake and James W. Thornton were her living siblings.
The same edition of the Daily Record June 27, 1973 paper shared that twin girls were born to Jimmy and Patricia Ann Currin Glover of Apex. Amanda Kay and Angela Fay were born on June 13th. The proud grandmother was Mrs. Vada Glover. This was the first set of twins in the family in twenty years.
Another Coats couple, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Lee, had something to celebrate. It was their anniversary and they had daughters, Bonnie and Debbie, to help them enjoy the event at the Old Mill Stream (Daily Record July 7, 1973). Does that restaurant operate in 2018?
Herbert Edison Stewart, 55, of Route One, Coats had died on Thursday. Mrs. Elsie Stewart was his mother. Earl, Clarence, William, Jack, and J.L. Stewart were his brothers from Coats (Daily Record July 18, 1973).
Who recalls when most of the tobacco was out of the fields when school began and who remembers when tobacco was barned six or seven times? I do know in 1973 it was predicted that the tobacco crop would be about one-third short. There was a time when that would have meant the loss of the family farm.
Ronald Coats, the town’s aggressive, young mayor, announced that the town’s tax rate would be reduced from $1.65 to $1. 55. It was the largest tax cut of any town in the area (Daily Record July 20, 1973). What is the rate in 2018?
Mrs. Hannah Parker, 92, mother of Mrs. Sadie Wedding of Coats, had died on Saturday in Hillsborough (Daily Record July 20, 1973).
Another death occurred in the area and this time it was at the Coy Guy pond. Joseph Herbert Stewart had decided to leave the boat from which he was fishing to go swimming and drowned. Other news in that same edition of the Daily Record July 30, 1973 shared that two outstanding Coats men were included in the Outstanding Young Men of America for 1973. The two young men were Earl Teddy Malone, editor of the Harnett County News, and Mayor Ronald Coats.
Was the death angel’s finger stuck on the name Stewart? In the last month, Coats has lost three citizens with the surname Stewart. The latest was Johnnie A. Stewart, 65, who had died on Tuesday. Funeral services were held at Rose Funeral Home Chapel in Benson. Surviving him was his wife, Ruth Medlin Stewart. Barbara Stewart was his only child. Mrs. Virgie Marshburn, Mrs. Naomi Hudson, Mrs. J.D. Byrd, Mrs. Kirk Lassiter and Mrs. Glenn Johnson were his sisters. His two brothers were James and Eugene Stewart (Daily Record Aug. 1, 1973).
Does anyone know which one of Mr. Stewart’s sisters was the first Miss Benson? I do know that death had not left the surrounding area. Nathan Collier lost his brother, Blake Oliver Collier. The seventy-seven year-old man lived in Godwin (Daily Record Aug. 2, 1973).
Who remembers Sue Lou Ogburn? She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hunter Ogburn from Turlington’s Crossroads. Sue Lou was representing Coats at the annual Jr. Order pageant in Wilmington (Daily Record Aug. 3, 1973).
The name “J.D. Norris” is familiar to so many who have lived or grew up in Coats from the late 1940’s to the early 2000’s. He was a partner to Herbert Johnson and was the Norris part of the Johnson-Norris business on Main Street. He served as mayor when stoplights came to Coats, was very progressive in seeking street improvements and was instrumental in getting a Methodist Church in Coats. His son, J.D. Norris, Jr., is likewise a very likeable fellow who graduated with me in high school. He was always clowning around and his classmates loved to laugh at his antics. J.D. now has a Dr. before his name and has served a church in Virginia Beach for many years. The Methodist Men’s Club of the Coats United Methodist Church had J. D. Norris, Jr. speak to the group (Daily Record, Aug. 8, 1973).
Did you know that school buses were once called school trucks and were driven by students who did not even have drivers license. Do you know when drivers were required to have a license to drive a vehicle on a road? Were youth and women allowed to get licenses? Did you notice that I did not say highway? I will share that bus assignments were announced for bus drivers for 1973-74 school year at Coats. Do you recognize any of these names? Jonathan (?)(3), Lane Gregory (12), Anita Wolf (17), C.H. Neighbors (28), Michael Wood (34), Ronald C. Robinson (39), Randy Pope (66), Leonard Rowland (86), Larry Campbell (93), Charles V. McLeod (108) (Daily Record Aug. 8, 1973). Who remembers Jonathan’s last name?
I often get teased about already knowing the answers to my questions in the column. To be honest in most instances, the answers are known, but they do require the reader to recall information from their past. Kenneth Keene was one of my high school teachers and he is awesome in sharing his answers. He knew that there was an Overby Funeral Home in Coats for many years before the Rose Funeral Home broke ground in 1973. Jo Anne Ennis Turlington is another person who knows the answers and shared with me at church that one of the Pleasant brothers had twin sons. She said Talton Pleasant had Sherrill and Gerald. Alvis Pleasant who lived near me also had twin boys-Donald and Doug. Jo Anne commented on how nice that family was and I must agree that their name “Pleasant “so described the personalities of these families. Were there other twins in the Pleasant family?
We were so fortunate to have a Bentwood settee loaned by Betty Pauley for our museum’s Parlor Exhibit. Betty has new plans for it so we now had an open space that a 1904 pump organ fitted perfectly. Thank you goes to Betty and to Hilda Williams Pope for helping make our parlor bring back memories of the early 1900’s.
Thanks again go to Joe Tart for sharing some priceless items from the 1960’s. He presented a 1968 Coats Junior Order pageant book. Not only does it contain the pictures of the contestants but also the local businesses who advertised within the booklet. Who remembers when Ma’s Grill was called “Bill and Ma’ Grill” ?
Who remembers when the Coats Lions Club was chartered? Was it the first Lions Club in Harnett County? How many of the charter members are currently active in that organization? This I do know. In June of 1973, the club scheduled a week of cleaning up the town to make Coats a more pleasant place to live.
While the Lions were cleaning the streets of Coats, area students were recognized for academic honors at Campbell. Those from Coats were Earl Lewis Dennis, Donald Ray Ennis, Joan Ruth Lee, Jerry Andrew Morris, Gale Ennis Penny, Randy Lee Stephenson, and William Rickey Washington (Daily Record June 13, 1973).
This question is for those who attended Campbell when Dr. Ann Moore was teaching there. Was she known for challenging her students to do their best? I do know that she had met the approval of the administration at Campbell because Dean Burkot announced that Dr. Ann was one of nine faculty members to be promoted (Daily Record June 26, 1973).
Amongst all the good news coming from Coats, the Grand Reaper had visited the home of Mr. Eugene Washington Moore, 41, on Saturday. The deceased man was the son of Mrs. Verdie Moore of Route One, Coats, and the father of Debbie and Connie Moore.
Death had visited Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield on Monday afternoon, June25th, to take Mrs. Alice Johnson, wife of Jonah C. Johnson of Route One, Coats. Mrs. Johnson was the daughter of Willis and Anna Dixon Thornton of Elevation in Johnston County. Her services were held at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church and were conducted by Rev. Larry Kline and Rev. Donald McMahan. Her grandsons were pallbearers. Surviving her were nine children: Mrs. W.J. Bryan (Millie) Dorn, Mrs. William Marshall (Mable) Wright, Mrs. William Wells (Alice) Beckett, Mrs. Warren (Joan) Rainbolt, Mrs. Wayne (Sue) Richey, Mrs. Walter Milton (Joyce) Farmer, Mrs. H.L. (Gayle) Sorrell, Jr., J.C. (Charlotte) Johnson, Jr., and Stacey (Betty Ruth) Johnson. Mrs. William H. (Chrystel) Truesdell, Jr. was a deceased daughter. Charlie, Jake and James W. Thornton were her living siblings.
The same edition of the Daily Record June 27, 1973 paper shared that twin girls were born to Jimmy and Patricia Ann Currin Glover of Apex. Amanda Kay and Angela Fay were born on June 13th. The proud grandmother was Mrs. Vada Glover. This was the first set of twins in the family in twenty years.
Another Coats couple, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Lee, had something to celebrate. It was their anniversary and they had daughters, Bonnie and Debbie, to help them enjoy the event at the Old Mill Stream (Daily Record July 7, 1973). Does that restaurant operate in 2018?
Herbert Edison Stewart, 55, of Route One, Coats had died on Thursday. Mrs. Elsie Stewart was his mother. Earl, Clarence, William, Jack, and J.L. Stewart were his brothers from Coats (Daily Record July 18, 1973).
Who recalls when most of the tobacco was out of the fields when school began and who remembers when tobacco was barned six or seven times? I do know in 1973 it was predicted that the tobacco crop would be about one-third short. There was a time when that would have meant the loss of the family farm.
Ronald Coats, the town’s aggressive, young mayor, announced that the town’s tax rate would be reduced from $1.65 to $1. 55. It was the largest tax cut of any town in the area (Daily Record July 20, 1973). What is the rate in 2018?
Mrs. Hannah Parker, 92, mother of Mrs. Sadie Wedding of Coats, had died on Saturday in Hillsborough (Daily Record July 20, 1973).
Another death occurred in the area and this time it was at the Coy Guy pond. Joseph Herbert Stewart had decided to leave the boat from which he was fishing to go swimming and drowned. Other news in that same edition of the Daily Record July 30, 1973 shared that two outstanding Coats men were included in the Outstanding Young Men of America for 1973. The two young men were Earl Teddy Malone, editor of the Harnett County News, and Mayor Ronald Coats.
Was the death angel’s finger stuck on the name Stewart? In the last month, Coats has lost three citizens with the surname Stewart. The latest was Johnnie A. Stewart, 65, who had died on Tuesday. Funeral services were held at Rose Funeral Home Chapel in Benson. Surviving him was his wife, Ruth Medlin Stewart. Barbara Stewart was his only child. Mrs. Virgie Marshburn, Mrs. Naomi Hudson, Mrs. J.D. Byrd, Mrs. Kirk Lassiter and Mrs. Glenn Johnson were his sisters. His two brothers were James and Eugene Stewart (Daily Record Aug. 1, 1973).
Does anyone know which one of Mr. Stewart’s sisters was the first Miss Benson? I do know that death had not left the surrounding area. Nathan Collier lost his brother, Blake Oliver Collier. The seventy-seven year-old man lived in Godwin (Daily Record Aug. 2, 1973).
Who remembers Sue Lou Ogburn? She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hunter Ogburn from Turlington’s Crossroads. Sue Lou was representing Coats at the annual Jr. Order pageant in Wilmington (Daily Record Aug. 3, 1973).
The name “J.D. Norris” is familiar to so many who have lived or grew up in Coats from the late 1940’s to the early 2000’s. He was a partner to Herbert Johnson and was the Norris part of the Johnson-Norris business on Main Street. He served as mayor when stoplights came to Coats, was very progressive in seeking street improvements and was instrumental in getting a Methodist Church in Coats. His son, J.D. Norris, Jr., is likewise a very likeable fellow who graduated with me in high school. He was always clowning around and his classmates loved to laugh at his antics. J.D. now has a Dr. before his name and has served a church in Virginia Beach for many years. The Methodist Men’s Club of the Coats United Methodist Church had J. D. Norris, Jr. speak to the group (Daily Record, Aug. 8, 1973).
Did you know that school buses were once called school trucks and were driven by students who did not even have drivers license. Do you know when drivers were required to have a license to drive a vehicle on a road? Were youth and women allowed to get licenses? Did you notice that I did not say highway? I will share that bus assignments were announced for bus drivers for 1973-74 school year at Coats. Do you recognize any of these names? Jonathan (?)(3), Lane Gregory (12), Anita Wolf (17), C.H. Neighbors (28), Michael Wood (34), Ronald C. Robinson (39), Randy Pope (66), Leonard Rowland (86), Larry Campbell (93), Charles V. McLeod (108) (Daily Record Aug. 8, 1973). Who remembers Jonathan’s last name?
I often get teased about already knowing the answers to my questions in the column. To be honest in most instances, the answers are known, but they do require the reader to recall information from their past. Kenneth Keene was one of my high school teachers and he is awesome in sharing his answers. He knew that there was an Overby Funeral Home in Coats for many years before the Rose Funeral Home broke ground in 1973. Jo Anne Ennis Turlington is another person who knows the answers and shared with me at church that one of the Pleasant brothers had twin sons. She said Talton Pleasant had Sherrill and Gerald. Alvis Pleasant who lived near me also had twin boys-Donald and Doug. Jo Anne commented on how nice that family was and I must agree that their name “Pleasant “so described the personalities of these families. Were there other twins in the Pleasant family?
We were so fortunate to have a Bentwood settee loaned by Betty Pauley for our museum’s Parlor Exhibit. Betty has new plans for it so we now had an open space that a 1904 pump organ fitted perfectly. Thank you goes to Betty and to Hilda Williams Pope for helping make our parlor bring back memories of the early 1900’s.
Thanks again go to Joe Tart for sharing some priceless items from the 1960’s. He presented a 1968 Coats Junior Order pageant book. Not only does it contain the pictures of the contestants but also the local businesses who advertised within the booklet. Who remembers when Ma’s Grill was called “Bill and Ma’ Grill” ?