October 21, 2022 Coats Museum News
Are there any folks in Coats who recall that the First Citizens Bank was once located on Main Street next to the alley that led down to the Stewart corn mill? If you do, can you remember who headed up the bank and those who served as bank tellers? Do the faces of Curtis Guy, Geraldine (Jerri) Honeycutt, Ann Beasley and Louine Stewart pop into your mind? This I do know. Lida W. Sellars, 94, of Lillington, had died on Thursday in Lillington. She was the mother of Louine Stewart and grandmother of Cheryl, Kay and Gail (Daily Record may 16, 1991).
Another death touching a Coats family was that of Obdulis C. Revira, 68, of Fayetteville. He was father to Elsa Sears and Carmen Malone (Daily Record May 21, 1991).
Here is another lady who could have told you much about Coats. Mrs. Florence Adams had celebrated her 96th birthday at her home. Folks, that means she was born in 1894-eleven years before Coats was an incorporated town. It was nine years before the Wright Brothers made their first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC. She loved keeping the cemetery a well-groomed resting place. I wonder if she could have told us where just about every family had relatives buried in that town cemetery.
The same May 22, 1991 edition of the Daily Record printed that William W. Stewart, Jr. was stationed at Fort Bragg. He was the son of the late William Stewart and Ruth Stephenson. His grandfather was Larkin Norris. William had been in Saudi Arabia from Aug. 29, 1990 to Mar. 25, 1991.
A name that brings smiles and precious memories today even though she died in 2017 is Juanita Hudson. Juanita was very active in her communities. In fact, at seventeen, she served as president of the 4-H Club at Cleveland High School in Johnston County. It was during WW II and her 4-H Club collected the most discarded metals for recycling into use in the military segment. After writing to President FDR to share with him the successful effort of her classmates to help the war cause, she was asked to christen the USS Tyrrell. Pictures and a 4H book in the Coats Museum chronicle this young lady’s recognition.
In all of our collection of history of the Grove area, I don’t recall anyone else ever christening a ship. Nor do I recall that any woman in the Coats area being elected moderator of the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina. It consisted of 195 churches from Sanford to Wilmington. Mrs. Juanita Hudson was the woman and was a member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Bailey’s Crossroads (Daily Record May 23, 1991).
How excited Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Ray Beasley of Coats must have been to share that their daughter, Brittany Rae Beasley, was the winner of Miss All-America Wee Dunn at the All-America Dunn Pageant (Daily Record May 28, 1991).
Death had visited the Barefoot household and taken John V. Barefoot, brother of Martha Beasley of Coats. Wonder if Martha was a relative of the above family (Daily Record May 29, 1991).
The Coats Woman’s Club met at Sirena’s Courtyard. Mr. and Mrs. Craig Matthews and their two children were recognized as the Family of the Year. New officers were installed for the 1991-92 club year. Linda Massengill was president; Laura Langdon-vice president; Sharon Stevens-secretary; Christine Parrish-treasurer; Juanita Hudson-historian; and Lib Nordan –chaplain. Julia Stewart was a new member.
The American Legion Post 109 selected Jeffrey Hrush, Lee Denning and Jonathan “Jon” Pope for Boys State. Banks Pollard presented the Americanism Award to Stevie Wilkie. Virginia Pollard presented the Americanism Award for girls to Jane Tyndall (Daily Record May 30, 1991).
The May 31, 1991 edition of the Daily Record shared that Louise Stewart Day and Andrew Sibbett had exchanged wedding vows at Myrtle Beach, C.C. The bride was the daughter of Julia Stewart and the late Shelton Earl Stewart. Elsewhere, Chris Ennis had pitched a 3 hitter with 6 strikeouts and fanned 6 batters to lead Coats to a 6-1 Jr. Tar Heel baseball win over Erwin.
Students at Coats Elementary School had won an award for television performance with Marie Salmon, media coordinator, for putting the whole project together (Daily Record June 2, 1991).
Other news in that same edition reported that Richard D. Bryant, 22, of Baltimore, Maryland had died on Thursday. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wayne Bryant and Lila Walden Bryant and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson Bryant.
Another death recorded was that of Lawrence E. Stewart, 81, of Coats who had died on Sunday. Services were held at the Coats Baptist Church conducted by the Rev. Ralph Byrd and Rev. Howard Beard. Surviving him was his wife, Mary Lee Williams Stewart. Wayne Stewart and Christine Stewart Hudson were his children. Flonnie Stevens and Lina Williams were his sisters.
When people sign out at the Coats Museum, we ask them to make a comment. The two most frequent adjectives written are “Awesome or Beautiful.” For those who work at a public place where many people go through, you know it takes a little muscle and sweat to keep it clean and pretty. That also goes for the grounds around the museum. Thanks to Lenny Parker and his 1973 classmates and to Jack Johnson, the Heritage Square is always well-manicured. It was especially pretty for Farmers Day after Lenny went up and put fresh mulch around the buildings. Thank you Lenny--you are appreciated for your hard work. You make hard work look easy.
We have placed a second order for our Defenders of the Red, White and Blue veterans book. Come and buy your copy for $20 or visit the museum for a tour and look through the 400 page book.
Are there any folks in Coats who recall that the First Citizens Bank was once located on Main Street next to the alley that led down to the Stewart corn mill? If you do, can you remember who headed up the bank and those who served as bank tellers? Do the faces of Curtis Guy, Geraldine (Jerri) Honeycutt, Ann Beasley and Louine Stewart pop into your mind? This I do know. Lida W. Sellars, 94, of Lillington, had died on Thursday in Lillington. She was the mother of Louine Stewart and grandmother of Cheryl, Kay and Gail (Daily Record may 16, 1991).
Another death touching a Coats family was that of Obdulis C. Revira, 68, of Fayetteville. He was father to Elsa Sears and Carmen Malone (Daily Record May 21, 1991).
Here is another lady who could have told you much about Coats. Mrs. Florence Adams had celebrated her 96th birthday at her home. Folks, that means she was born in 1894-eleven years before Coats was an incorporated town. It was nine years before the Wright Brothers made their first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC. She loved keeping the cemetery a well-groomed resting place. I wonder if she could have told us where just about every family had relatives buried in that town cemetery.
The same May 22, 1991 edition of the Daily Record printed that William W. Stewart, Jr. was stationed at Fort Bragg. He was the son of the late William Stewart and Ruth Stephenson. His grandfather was Larkin Norris. William had been in Saudi Arabia from Aug. 29, 1990 to Mar. 25, 1991.
A name that brings smiles and precious memories today even though she died in 2017 is Juanita Hudson. Juanita was very active in her communities. In fact, at seventeen, she served as president of the 4-H Club at Cleveland High School in Johnston County. It was during WW II and her 4-H Club collected the most discarded metals for recycling into use in the military segment. After writing to President FDR to share with him the successful effort of her classmates to help the war cause, she was asked to christen the USS Tyrrell. Pictures and a 4H book in the Coats Museum chronicle this young lady’s recognition.
In all of our collection of history of the Grove area, I don’t recall anyone else ever christening a ship. Nor do I recall that any woman in the Coats area being elected moderator of the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina. It consisted of 195 churches from Sanford to Wilmington. Mrs. Juanita Hudson was the woman and was a member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Bailey’s Crossroads (Daily Record May 23, 1991).
How excited Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Ray Beasley of Coats must have been to share that their daughter, Brittany Rae Beasley, was the winner of Miss All-America Wee Dunn at the All-America Dunn Pageant (Daily Record May 28, 1991).
Death had visited the Barefoot household and taken John V. Barefoot, brother of Martha Beasley of Coats. Wonder if Martha was a relative of the above family (Daily Record May 29, 1991).
The Coats Woman’s Club met at Sirena’s Courtyard. Mr. and Mrs. Craig Matthews and their two children were recognized as the Family of the Year. New officers were installed for the 1991-92 club year. Linda Massengill was president; Laura Langdon-vice president; Sharon Stevens-secretary; Christine Parrish-treasurer; Juanita Hudson-historian; and Lib Nordan –chaplain. Julia Stewart was a new member.
The American Legion Post 109 selected Jeffrey Hrush, Lee Denning and Jonathan “Jon” Pope for Boys State. Banks Pollard presented the Americanism Award to Stevie Wilkie. Virginia Pollard presented the Americanism Award for girls to Jane Tyndall (Daily Record May 30, 1991).
The May 31, 1991 edition of the Daily Record shared that Louise Stewart Day and Andrew Sibbett had exchanged wedding vows at Myrtle Beach, C.C. The bride was the daughter of Julia Stewart and the late Shelton Earl Stewart. Elsewhere, Chris Ennis had pitched a 3 hitter with 6 strikeouts and fanned 6 batters to lead Coats to a 6-1 Jr. Tar Heel baseball win over Erwin.
Students at Coats Elementary School had won an award for television performance with Marie Salmon, media coordinator, for putting the whole project together (Daily Record June 2, 1991).
Other news in that same edition reported that Richard D. Bryant, 22, of Baltimore, Maryland had died on Thursday. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wayne Bryant and Lila Walden Bryant and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson Bryant.
Another death recorded was that of Lawrence E. Stewart, 81, of Coats who had died on Sunday. Services were held at the Coats Baptist Church conducted by the Rev. Ralph Byrd and Rev. Howard Beard. Surviving him was his wife, Mary Lee Williams Stewart. Wayne Stewart and Christine Stewart Hudson were his children. Flonnie Stevens and Lina Williams were his sisters.
When people sign out at the Coats Museum, we ask them to make a comment. The two most frequent adjectives written are “Awesome or Beautiful.” For those who work at a public place where many people go through, you know it takes a little muscle and sweat to keep it clean and pretty. That also goes for the grounds around the museum. Thanks to Lenny Parker and his 1973 classmates and to Jack Johnson, the Heritage Square is always well-manicured. It was especially pretty for Farmers Day after Lenny went up and put fresh mulch around the buildings. Thank you Lenny--you are appreciated for your hard work. You make hard work look easy.
We have placed a second order for our Defenders of the Red, White and Blue veterans book. Come and buy your copy for $20 or visit the museum for a tour and look through the 400 page book.