October 19, 2018 Coats Museum News
Ronnie Stewart served as an usher in his cousin Steve Pleasant’s wedding when Steve married Loretta Dale Newton at the Neill’s Creek Baptist Church (Daily Record April 4, 1973).
Death robbed the Coats area of another citizen of fine standing. Joel Ennis, 80, died on Monday. His services were on Wednesday afternoon at Skinner and Drew Funeral Home Chapel in Dunn. Reverend R.M. Keene and Rev. Rossie Blackman officiated at the chapel and at the Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn. Mr. Ennis was a retired merchant. He operated a general store in Coats for many years. A native of Harnett County, he was the son of the late William Henry Ennis and Ionna Strickland Ennis. Mr. Ennis was active in the political affairs of Coats where he served on the town commission in 1925 and in 1931. Surviving family members were Raymond Ennis, Fred Ennis, and Mrs. H.L. McInturff. (Daily Record April 11, 1973)
Wayne Parrish who shared priceless memories of growing up in Coats told of wonderful recollections of hanging a glass bottle of Pepsi-Cola on a string near the bottom of a spring to chill it while he worked the fields. He recalled that nothing was better in the fifties than that chilled Pepsi and Nabs (Nabisco cheese crackers). Ironically, Wayne wrote of Pepsi Cola but his father, Percy E. Parrish, worked at the Coca-Cola plant in Fayetteville. Wayne’s grandfather, Jesse Herman Parrish was the railroad section foreman for the Durham and Southern Railroad. He invented and installed the first gasoline engine on a hand operated crew wagon for the railroad. All had been propelled by seesaw pumping action until that time.
J.B. Barbour, 53 of Benson, Route 1, died on Monday. His services were held at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with the Reverends, C.W. Kimbrough and Larry Kline officiating. His burial was in the church cemetery. His survivors were his wife Clara Cobb Barbour, three sons – Faison Barbour, J.B. Barbour, Jr., and Jimmy Barbour; and a daughter, Mrs. Judy Stephenson. Mrs. Flossie Barbour was his mother. Henry Norris, Jr., 78, of Coats also died on Monday. Red Hill FWB Church was the site of his funeral that was followed by burial in the Suggs family Cemetery. The Reverends, Rufus Keene and Rossie Blackman officiated. Mrs. Claude McLeod, Mrs. Everette Oliver, Mrs. Elsie Higgins and Mrs. Jacob Moore survived him. His four stepdaughters were Mrs. Gertie Moore, Mrs. Mavis Stewart, Mrs. Inez Ivey and Mrs. Mabel Pleasant. James E. Norris and Stacy Wade Norris were his sons. Odell Norris, Oliver Norris, Jim Norris, and Rayshell Norris were stepsons (Daily Record April 11, 1973).
Ned Baxter Ennis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Preston Ennis, of Route One, Coats, was awarded a 2-year Army ROTC scholarship. Ennis was one of some 100 young men in the Southeast to receive the award for the school year for 1973-1974 (Daily Record April 17, 1973).
Mary Ellen Johnson of Coats, daughter of Herbert L. Johnson, was tapped for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, one of the nation’s highest scholarship honorary sororities. The UNC junior had also been an active member of the Gamma Alpha Lambda honor sorority (Daily Record April 18, 1973).
Arthur Price, owner of Terre Hill Lingerie, presented a check for $1,000 to Mayor Ronald Coats as a donation toward a new water tank. The town of Coats was to have increased fire protection by constructing an additional water tank that would provide an ample supply of available water. The cost of the tank was $50,000 and would provide an additional 50,000 cubic feet of storage space to 90,000 cubic feet (Daily Record April 19, 1973).
Lesley Van Johnson, 30, of Benson, died Wednesday. His services were held at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with Rev. Larry Kline officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery. His survivors were his wife, Peggy Stone Johnson and three sons, Tony, Kim and Tim Johnson. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Coy O. Johnson. Jerry Rabon Johnson and Mrs. Joyce McPherson were his siblings. His grandmother, Mrs. J.C. Creech also survived him (Daily Record April 20, 1973).
Museum News - Farmer's Day was a big success for the museum with many local and out-of-town visitors. The volunteers thank everyone who visited and many thanks to Andy Cole and the FFA students who helped manage the parking. Some of them, as well as Andy's own three children, helped display and use the corn sheller, corn mill, and hand pumped water.
Ronnie Stewart served as an usher in his cousin Steve Pleasant’s wedding when Steve married Loretta Dale Newton at the Neill’s Creek Baptist Church (Daily Record April 4, 1973).
Death robbed the Coats area of another citizen of fine standing. Joel Ennis, 80, died on Monday. His services were on Wednesday afternoon at Skinner and Drew Funeral Home Chapel in Dunn. Reverend R.M. Keene and Rev. Rossie Blackman officiated at the chapel and at the Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn. Mr. Ennis was a retired merchant. He operated a general store in Coats for many years. A native of Harnett County, he was the son of the late William Henry Ennis and Ionna Strickland Ennis. Mr. Ennis was active in the political affairs of Coats where he served on the town commission in 1925 and in 1931. Surviving family members were Raymond Ennis, Fred Ennis, and Mrs. H.L. McInturff. (Daily Record April 11, 1973)
Wayne Parrish who shared priceless memories of growing up in Coats told of wonderful recollections of hanging a glass bottle of Pepsi-Cola on a string near the bottom of a spring to chill it while he worked the fields. He recalled that nothing was better in the fifties than that chilled Pepsi and Nabs (Nabisco cheese crackers). Ironically, Wayne wrote of Pepsi Cola but his father, Percy E. Parrish, worked at the Coca-Cola plant in Fayetteville. Wayne’s grandfather, Jesse Herman Parrish was the railroad section foreman for the Durham and Southern Railroad. He invented and installed the first gasoline engine on a hand operated crew wagon for the railroad. All had been propelled by seesaw pumping action until that time.
J.B. Barbour, 53 of Benson, Route 1, died on Monday. His services were held at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with the Reverends, C.W. Kimbrough and Larry Kline officiating. His burial was in the church cemetery. His survivors were his wife Clara Cobb Barbour, three sons – Faison Barbour, J.B. Barbour, Jr., and Jimmy Barbour; and a daughter, Mrs. Judy Stephenson. Mrs. Flossie Barbour was his mother. Henry Norris, Jr., 78, of Coats also died on Monday. Red Hill FWB Church was the site of his funeral that was followed by burial in the Suggs family Cemetery. The Reverends, Rufus Keene and Rossie Blackman officiated. Mrs. Claude McLeod, Mrs. Everette Oliver, Mrs. Elsie Higgins and Mrs. Jacob Moore survived him. His four stepdaughters were Mrs. Gertie Moore, Mrs. Mavis Stewart, Mrs. Inez Ivey and Mrs. Mabel Pleasant. James E. Norris and Stacy Wade Norris were his sons. Odell Norris, Oliver Norris, Jim Norris, and Rayshell Norris were stepsons (Daily Record April 11, 1973).
Ned Baxter Ennis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Preston Ennis, of Route One, Coats, was awarded a 2-year Army ROTC scholarship. Ennis was one of some 100 young men in the Southeast to receive the award for the school year for 1973-1974 (Daily Record April 17, 1973).
Mary Ellen Johnson of Coats, daughter of Herbert L. Johnson, was tapped for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, one of the nation’s highest scholarship honorary sororities. The UNC junior had also been an active member of the Gamma Alpha Lambda honor sorority (Daily Record April 18, 1973).
Arthur Price, owner of Terre Hill Lingerie, presented a check for $1,000 to Mayor Ronald Coats as a donation toward a new water tank. The town of Coats was to have increased fire protection by constructing an additional water tank that would provide an ample supply of available water. The cost of the tank was $50,000 and would provide an additional 50,000 cubic feet of storage space to 90,000 cubic feet (Daily Record April 19, 1973).
Lesley Van Johnson, 30, of Benson, died Wednesday. His services were held at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with Rev. Larry Kline officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery. His survivors were his wife, Peggy Stone Johnson and three sons, Tony, Kim and Tim Johnson. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Coy O. Johnson. Jerry Rabon Johnson and Mrs. Joyce McPherson were his siblings. His grandmother, Mrs. J.C. Creech also survived him (Daily Record April 20, 1973).
Museum News - Farmer's Day was a big success for the museum with many local and out-of-town visitors. The volunteers thank everyone who visited and many thanks to Andy Cole and the FFA students who helped manage the parking. Some of them, as well as Andy's own three children, helped display and use the corn sheller, corn mill, and hand pumped water.